Professor Keith Ellis, Coordinator of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) Medical Supplies Fundraising Campaign recently provided an update thanking everyone who contributed to making the campaign a resounding success. The CNC set a goal to raise $50,000 in three months “for purchasing medicines and equipment needed to compensate for the cruel, inhumane U.S. blockade and its attendant sanctions against the Cuban people and their economy,” Professor Ellis writes. “In the meantime Cubans have kept on thinking and working, striving to create and save, and never forgetting as the central motor of their efforts the idea of sovereignty.” Inspired by this motivation, friends of Cuba more than doubled the amount contributed by raising $100,711!

Professor Ellis writes: “The immediate need for this greater sum comes about because, consistent with the idea of sovereignty, Cuba has to be assured that its population of 11 million people is defended against COVID-19. And so the project of inoculating the whole population, one to which we remain contributing, came into being, specifically by committing the CNC to providing syringes. Of course, the project relies essentially on the efficacy of the five Cuban vaccines that are now being produced and that are showing very encouraging results, with the one named Soberana 02 being the most fully tested and showing excellent results.”

The report continues: “Another area of great encouragement, one that also vindicates the idea of sovereignty, is that of marketing and joint production of the vaccines. Cuba is taking a comprehensive view of its vaccine industry, attending to the areas of marketing and joint production. Shakespeare reminded us that ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.’ Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and other big pharma producers would interpret this to mean: ‘Let us make as much profit as possible, while people desperately need vaccines.’ We and Cuba would read this to mean: ‘Let us save as many lives as possible while we nurture and protect the capacity to produce the vaccines that would ensure the achievement of that goal.’

Despite the criminal U.S. blockade, Cuba’s highly developed biotech sector has produced five candidate vaccines against COVID-19.

“Right now, for example, Cuba, a country to which many parts of the world have been looking since the pandemic, became recognized as a possible saviour of humanity, because of its exceptional humanitarian record, has made an agreement with Argentina (population 45.5 million) for joint anti-COVID-19 vaccine production in Argentina. The modern history of Argentina from the time of its independence until now would suggest that only very recently has the ‘tide’ of ‘fortune’ brought about the broad conditions for such a progressive agreement.

“In Brazil (population 211.7 million) where the majority of its population has been so brutally treated by its government, a crying need for a humanitarian approach to its response to the pandemic exists and has begun to be expressed. How has the United States reacted to this development? The latest U.S. administrations, which in other theatres of human suffering have also failed to show appropriate empathy, warned Brazil that accepting humanitarian vaccines from Russia, Venezuela or Cuba would be regarded by the U.S. as a hostile act on the part of Brazil: that is to say, accepting humanitarian cooperation in a way that might lead to injury to the profits of Pfizer, etc. would be a hostile act that would not be tolerated. U.S. propaganda agencies will no doubt be deployed to support their government and big U.S. pharma. Nevertheless, the general improvement of life in Argentina and Brazil promised within a future of tightened relationships would strengthen Cuba’s existing sovereignty, which, in turn, would enhance the trend to sovereignty throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

“This highlights the genius of Cuba’s focusing on sovereignty with a realistic viewing of its own history. We, as friends and people who are in deep solidarity with Cuba, witnessing and understanding today the ruthless brutality — a brutality that includes a tightening of the blockade on its Caribbean neighbour while the same generous island makes sacrifices to save lives indiscriminately — understand why we must continue our campaign.

“We thank all our faithful contributors, and we welcome especially warmly and appreciatively the new and repeat contributors who give us real hope for the full realization of Cuba’s sovereignty.”

How to Donate via Cheque or E-Transfer

1) Make cheque payable to CNC and write on Memo line: medical supplies.

Mail to CNC c/o Sharon Skup 56 Riverwood Terrace Bolton ON L7E 1S4

2) Send e-transfer to this email: donate@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca

Mention “medical supplies” in message.

IMPORTANT: Also send a separate email with the exact spelling of your secret password/answer and your name so our accountant can then open your e-transfer. (Or you can phone Sharon Skupp at 905-951-8499 with that information)