On March 25, International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the United Nations General Assembly passed a historic resolution titled "Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime against Humanity."[1]

The resolution was spearheaded by Ghana whose president John Dramani Mahama spoke before the vote on behalf of the 54-member African Group and four non-African states: Barbados, Belarus, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Venezuela. The resolution emphasized "the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity by reason of the definitive break in world history, scale, duration, systemic nature, brutality and enduring consequences that continue to structure the lives of all people through racialized regimes of labour, property and capital." The resolution "affirmed the importance of addressing historical wrongs affecting Africans and people of the diaspora in a manner that promotes justice, human rights, dignity and healing, while emphasizing that claims for reparations represent a concrete step towards remedy."

The recorded vote was 123 countries in favour to three against (Argentina, Israel and the United States) with 52 abstentions. Besides the African Group, the resolution was strongly supported by the members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Abstentions included Canada. Canada is always cowardly when it comes to taking a principled stand which requires accountability, beginning with the fact that the Monarchy to which it swears allegiance was enriched and sustained by the slave trade. Not surprisingly, the UK and all the members of the EU also abstained. The foundations of all of these countries, along with the U.S., not only profited from the slave trade but their constitutions embedded the structures which permitted it on grounds that peoples captured under ministerial prerogatives as a matter of foreign policy were not free persons of free states. They were property, falling under laws which governed ownership of property which means they could be bought and sold and in no way qualified for treatment as human persons.

The U.S. and the European Union issued statements which they claim explain their votes but which merely prove these countries are racist to the core to this day. Their aims have nothing to do with opposing slavery or the conditions of enslaved persons. On the contrary, to this day in the name of the values they hold dear, they see it as their duty to impose those values on all of humanity, just as they did when they engaged in enslaving people in yesteryear.

In their explanations and justifications for their votes, the U.S. and the EU refuse to acknowledge the significance of the historic crimes against humanity of the Transatlantic slave trade and the responsibilities of their predecessors, and firmly reject any claims for reparations.

The U.S. Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Dan Negrea, stated that the resolution was "highly problematic in countless respects." He said, "We regret that the United States must once again remind this body that the United Nations exists to maintain international peace and security. It was not founded to advance narrow, specific interests and agendas, to establish niche international days, or to create new costly meeting and reporting mandates. This resolution does all three." He repeated the U.S.'s position that it does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred, maligning the framers of the resolution as self-serving, both financially and politically.

Claiming to speak from a position of high ideals and principle, he expressed the U.S.'s strong objection to the characterization of the Transatlantic slave trade as the "gravest crime against humanity." He said, "The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history. This is not a competition." He included in his statement a boorish claim that "President Trump has done more for Black Americans than any other president and enjoyed historic support from the Black community in the 2024 election."

The European Union statement attempted to justify the collective abstention of member countries in equally deceptive terms. Delivered by Ms. Gabriella Michaelidou, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN, on behalf of the members and candidate members of the EU, it sought to use what is considered to be more diplomatic language than that used by the U.S. but in essence it was the same. The EU said it objected to the term "gravest [...] when no legal hierarchy between crimes against humanity exists." It raised concerns about the interpretation of historical events in the resolution, and it reiterated its outright rejection of claims for reparations.

No statement at all was forthcoming from Canada. It does not see fit to justify anything or to be held accountable for anything which requires actual reparations or changing course. It is repeating the same sort of treatment of human beings in today's conditions, such as its continued dispossession of the Indigenous Peoples and abuse of their hereditary rights, and the abusive treatment of foreign students, migrant workers, refugees and the most vulnerable. It is all about refusing to recognize that human beings have rights by virtue of being human which governments are duty-bound to guarantee and redress when abused.

The resolution, while not binding, was historic because it affirmed the demands of the nations and peoples of Africa and people of African descent for the member states of the UN to address historical wrongs. Its emphasis on claims for reparations represent a concrete step forward to hold those countries whose fortunes are to this day based on the slave trade and the trafficking of enslaved Africans to account.

The rulers of the UK and the U.S. attribute the abolition of slavery to their own "enlightened" rulers and what they call "abolitionists." A proper assessment of history not written by the ruling classes nonetheless reveals that at the time slavery and the trafficking in enslaved peoples was abolished by Britain, the conditions of the enslaved people were no longer the most suitable for making profits, compared to conditions of wage slavery. Other arrangements used to keep the peoples subjugated suited them better. It was the enslaved peoples who -- together with all those fighting for liberation against the brutal colonial rule of the big powers of Old Europe -- rose up in mighty rebellions against the conditions of their enslavement and gained their freedom. It is a fight they continue to wage under today's conditions.

The slave trade was abolished because of the rebellions of the enslaved peoples themselves and all those who stood on principle as one with them. So too today, it is the working class and peoples of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and workers in England, Scotland and Wales, Ireland, the European countries and Oceania striving for peace, freedom and democracy who will liberate all human beings without exception. They are doing so by bringing their own rule into being on a modern basis.

Underwater statue in Grenada commemorates those lost in the Transatlantic slave trade.

Note

1. March 25 was officially designated as an annual day of remembrance by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. It marks the day when, in the U.K., the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed in 1807.

(UN News, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations in New York, United States Mission to the United Nations)

Protests in Montreal Mark International Day
for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Around 200 people, including numerous organizations defending the rights of migrants and refugees, gathered on March 21 outside the offices of Immigration Canada in Montreal. They condemned the state-organized racist attacks faced by migrant workers and refugees in Quebec and Canada.

Speakers highlighted the lack of legal protection for migrant workers, among other issues, and the recruitment process, where they are victims of abuse by employment agencies, recruiters and employers. The spokesperson for the Migrant Justice Clinic condemned the botched parliamentary process leading to the adoption of Bill C-12, Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act. Speaking about section 7 of the bill, she said: "Under the guise of the public interest -- a concept that is not defined at all -- this section will allow the government to reject entire categories of immigration applications, cancel immigration programs and revoke documents. We are talking about work permits, even permanent residence permits, even if they have already been issued. This opens the door to mass deportations. The Minister of Immigration, Lena Metlege Diab even said in a parliamentary committee that the open-ended definition of public interest was intentional in order to ensure 'maximum flexibility'."

The protesters then marched through the streets of the city's downtown and Chinatown, where a representative of the Chinese community took the mic to denounce the smear campaign, led by the RCMP and echoed by the mainstream media, that demonizes the community and portrays it as "police stations of the Chinese government." All this is happening, she said, whilst Chinese migrants are being deported from Canada at an alarming rate, ranking among the top ten groups most frequently deported in 2025, with all indications they will be the fourth largest group to be deported in 2026.

The demonstration ended outside the offices of the Quebec Ministry of Immigration, where speakers took turns denouncing the Coalition Avenir Québec government's adoption of Bills 94 and 9, which stigmatize entire sections of migrant workers in the name of "strengthening religious neutrality." They condemned the Legault government's stance, as it "refuses to participate in the federal temporary programme to grant permanent residence to 115,000 people over the next two years." "Protected persons currently have to wait 112 months -- more than nine years -- to obtain permanent residence," noted one of the event's organizers.

Cuba Resists

Socialist Character of Cuban Revolution Is Not a Phrase from the Past -- It Protects the People and Country Today and Guarantees Their Future

– Speech by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez –

Ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of the socialist character of the Cuban revolution,
Havana, April 16, 2026

Posted below is the speech delivered by Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, on April 16, at the ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of the proclamation of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, at 23rd and 12th Streets, Plaza de la Revolución municipality.

Long live free Cuba! (Shouts of: "Long live!")

Down with the blockade! (Shouts of: "Down with it!")

Heroic combatants of Bay of Pigs here present;

Dear friends of solidarity with Cuba participating in the 5th International Patria Colloquium;

Beloved and heroic Cuban people;

Compatriots (Applause):

Sixty-five years ago, women and men who were as young or younger than all of us filling these streets today -- possibly many grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, or fathers of some of us -- gathered here to write a truly epic chapter in contemporary world history.

That day changed history, and not just for Cuba. With an invasion on the verge of our shores, with no certainty yet as to where they would land, but aware that behind the invaders stood the full backing of the powerful United States government, the voice of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, nearly broken by the strain of hours of sleeplessness and tension, rose above the crowd overflowing this historic corner to declare that we were what we continue to be: a socialist revolution right under the empire's nose! (Applause.)

That declaration is momentous in the history of Cuba, as it set the definitive course of the revolutionary process that began with the triumph of 1959 and which, by 1961, had become deeply radicalized in favor of the traditionally dispossessed.

The mercenaries were preparing to launch themselves against the nation that gave them birth, convinced that nothing could stand against the protection guaranteed to them by the empire. But history would be relentless with them.

They expected fear and found courage. They bet on betrayal and were confronted by a united people. They believed their own lies, and the truth awaited them, with rifles at the ready and singing the notes of the Bayamo Anthem.

The Cuban people marched from here into battle, and from battle to victory! A small nation, fresh from war, would, less than 72 hours later, deal imperialism its first major defeat in the Americas. (Applause.)

From that fateful April onward, all the peoples of the region would be a little freer.

Cuba changed forever. The people who fought for socialism on the sands of Bay of Pigs had, by then, already begun their cultural transformation with a Literacy Campaign that carried the dreams of the humble all the way to university classrooms.

Human development would reach heights that only a just society can guarantee. This Revolution of the humble, with the humble, and for the humble would go so far that a shoe-shiner under capitalism would become Latin America's first cosmonaut; that young people from Africa and throughout the Third World would become professionals in Cuban schools; that we would share our blood and our fate with those who had always been forgotten and reviled. (Applause.)

And we defeated apartheid, illiteracy, and curable diseases in other parts of the world to which we would send doctors, not bombs; teachers, not bombs. That is socialism: a society where man is a brother, not a wolf to man! (Applause.)

When, in the fateful 1990s, the socialist experiment self-destructed in Europe, through vile conspiracies by its imperialist adversaries, Cuba resisted and transformed itself until it rose again through its own strength and the support of international solidarity.

Chávez had not yet triumphed in Venezuela, and the decade of integration sparked by the Bolivarian Revolution was just beginning.

Fidel -- Fidel once again, just as he had done at Bay of Pigs, directing the fighting and advancing atop a tank at the vanguard -- led that superhuman struggle to preserve Cuban socialism in an era of feverish neoliberal advance and unipolarity.

While others privatized even the cemeteries and parks, blindly believing in the fairy tale of the market as the omnipotent ruler of a wealth that never existed, this country built a monumental achievement, using the science and the human labor and scientific potential forged in the Revolution, and with the heroism and creative resistance of the Cuban people. (Applause)

And our people's army went out to sow and to build, to demonstrate, as Raúl said, that yes, we can! That we can always do it! And we did! That is socialism! (Applause.)

Many times over the years, while the country strove to correct, refine, and adapt the battered economy besieged by the blockade, countless silent invasions took place: laws to codify the blockade, terrorist attacks, smear campaigns, and constant sabotage of all projects of integration, solidarity, and cooperation.

Every silent bomb that fell on development projects has left a wound in Cuban society. A particularly painful one has been the migration of promising young people educated for free in our schools and universities, from whom capitalism steals the skills and talent it did not invest in, while accusing the society that shaped them of failing to guarantee what the predatory market offers them.

Let the truth be told: That human potential, which impresses and gains ground and relevance in any country it reaches, was shaped by socialism! (Applause.) Only socialism turned the children of workers and peasants into top-tier professionals -- not in exceptional cases as under capitalism, but on a massive scale. (Applause.)

To hide the genocidal and multidimensional nature of the six-decade blockade that suffocates the entire people -- and can only be called an "embargo" on paper by those who impose it -- a deceitful and highly cynical narrative has been constructed: Cuba as a failed state.

The impacts of decades of blockade and financial persecution are very visible in our homes, industries, in the lack of goods -- even the essentials -- in the scarcity of almost everything, even the most basic and indispensable necessities of life.

Also visible are our own mistakes in this process of social construction with unique and very Cuban characteristics, in which we strive, against the tide, overcoming countless obstacles; but as long as the blockade remains a noose tightened around the neck of the economy, no one can deny -- and I repeat, no one can deny -- its absolute culpability in the suffering of Cuban families! The main cause of our problems is the genocidal blockade imposed by the United States government against our people! (Applause and shouts of: "Down with the blockade!")

Liars also rely on the numbing effect induced in the minds of a world polluted by prejudice and poisoned by anti-communism ever since the October Revolution brought the creators of wealth to power.

Brutal attacks and blockades have been waged against all socialist experiments, and yet it will be impossible to deny all that they contributed to humanity in terms of balance and well-being. Nor can the colossal contribution of the USSR to the defeat of fascism and the conquest of space be erased from history; nor can the dazzling development of a gigantic nation -- such as the People's Republic of China -- which emerged from famine and widespread poverty, and of a small country, yet brave, that endured three wars and today wins the admiration of the whole world for its dynamic growth, the heroic and brotherly Vietnam. (Applause.)

Socialism is the only guarantee of social justice, the only path to the real emancipation of all people, and in our case it has been and remains, moreover, the real possibility of providing a collective response to the collective punishment that has been imposed upon us all these years.

No, gentlemen of manipulation and lies, Cuba is not a failed state; Cuba is a besieged state, Cuba is a state facing multidimensional aggression: economic war, an intensified blockade, and an energy blockade. Cuba is a threatened state that does not surrender! (Applause.) And despite everything, and thanks to socialism, Cuba is a state that resists, creates, and -- make no mistake -- a state that will prevail! (Applause.)

Comrades:

Today, April 16, we commemorate fundamental milestones in our recent history: the heroic and massive popular response to the prelude of the mercenary invasion, with the criminal bombings of the 15th, and the declaration of the socialist character of the Revolution, made by Fidel at the funeral of the first victims of the ongoing aggression, and on that very same day, although many did not know it then, our Communist Party was born, as has been explained here.

Fidel put it this way: "At Bay of Pigs, the socialist nature of our Revolution was proclaimed; at Bay of Pigs, our Party was practically forged." That is why we consider April 16 the founding date of the Party, the Party of unity, the Party of the Cuban nation, the Party that organizes and directs the efforts of all for the good of all (From the audience: Long live the Communist Party of Cuba!) (Shouts of: "Long live!") But history would be of little value if we did not heed its lessons, if we did not take note of its patterns and transform them into definitive lessons.

The attacks on the airports of Ciudad Libertad, Santiago de Cuba, and San Antonio de los Baños in the prelude to the invasion, with surgical strikes, using aircraft bearing false Cuban insignia; the sustained use of disinformation and deception through media outlets aimed at confusing the population, along with the economic war, diplomatic pressures to isolate the Revolution, and constant threats, reveal cunning practices and methods never abandoned by those who attack and who continue to repeat them around the world today.

They have repeated their aggressive and interventionist tactics so often, and so many nations and processes have been threatened and attacked over the years, that despite the technological, military, and media resources they throw around indiscriminately, a wave of solidarity with Cuba continues to rise as proof of the isolation of the imperialist policy that seeks to bring us to our knees through suffocation.

From this historic podium, where Fidel's words still echo, calling on the people to take their place in the coming struggle, and where today we pay a well-deserved tribute and homage to the heroes and martyrs of that day when the homeland resolutely donned the militia uniform, we call for a national and international solidarity movement to carry the truth of Cuba to every corner of the planet -- the suffering of the people due to the actions of the blockade and multidimensional economic war, exacerbated by the energy blockade, which constitutes genocide given the extreme levels of deprivation to which all Cubans are subjected.

Daily life in Cuba is painful, from the vital rest interrupted first by the blackout and then by the return of power after long hours -- which has shifted domestic work to the early morning hours -- to the paralysis of industries, transportation, vital services, and production because there is an absolute lack of fuel for almost everything.

The list is very long, and all of this stemmed from a single executive order that declared us an "unusual and extraordinary threat" -- exactly what we are not.

Compatriots:

This is an extremely challenging moment, and it calls on us once again -- as it did on that April 16, 1961 -- to be ready to face serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to prevent it and, if it is unavoidable, to win! (Applause.) We have the faith in victory that Fidel instilled in us.

We believe in dialogue and in the extraordinary power of peace to sustain life on the planet. The history of the dispute between Cuba and the United States has shown that this is possible. We must consider all the human suffering it would cause our two peoples if they were dragged into a senseless, illogical conflict for which there are neither pretexts nor justifications when there is so much we can do together.

To Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, whose centennial we will celebrate in 2026, we pay the highest tribute on this 65th anniversary of the great epic. (Applause.) (From the audience: Long live Fidel!) (Shouts of: "Long live!")

Fidel did not merely lead the Battle of [the] Bay of Pigs. Fidel was and is [the] Bay of Pigs!! (Applause.) Fidel embodies the conviction that a united people can defeat an empire! (Applause.)

Resisting the onslaught of daily invasions is the epic we are writing today, the best legacy to the fallen, to those who gave their lives in that April of 1961 for independence and socialism. As long as there is a woman and a man willing to give their lives for the Revolution, we will be victorious! (Applause.)

The socialist nature of our Revolution is not a phrase from the past; it is the shield of the present and the guarantee of the future! (Applause.)

[The] Bay of Pigs is today and forever!

Cuba will not surrender! (Applause.)

No one here will surrender! (Applause.)

We will fight here!

Here, as the song says: We're going to set it on fire! (Applause.)

Long live the rebellious dignity of our people! (Shouts of: "Long live!")

Long live Socialism! (Shouts of: "Long live!")

Homeland or Death!

We shall overcome!

(Ovation.)

(Granma)

Canadians and Quebeckers Stand with Cuba

Days of Action for Cuba

Meetings, pickets and other actions to stand with Cuba and demand an end to Trump's threats and to the energy blockade against Cuba which started in February when U.S. President Trump cut off oil shipments to Cuba, have continued throughout March and April. Photos from some of the many actions follow.

Montreal

February 21

March 16

Ottawa

February 21

Toronto

February 22

March 29

Windsor

February 21

Winnipeg

February 21

Vancouver

February 22

Country-Wide Days of Action, April 18-19

A selection of posters from the many actions held for the country-wide days of action.

Toronto Meeting Rallies Support for Cuba

On March 21, Toronto Forum on Cuba hosted a lively meeting at the Wildseed Centre for Arts and Activism in downtown Toronto under the banner, Unblock Cuba: Cuba Resisting, Fighting and Winning Under Option Zero.

Adorned with slogans, No to U.S. Blockade -- Cuba Si! and Patria O Muerte, as well as flags of Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine and Iran, the crowded room resounded with words and music of resistance.

Both host Morteza Gorgzadeh and emcee Juan Carranza condemned the brutal all-sided genocidal U.S. blockade against the Cuban people and extolled Cuba's historic resistance and resilience in defence of its sovereignty and independence. They emphasized that Cuba is not alone as the world's people stand in solidarity and are organizing practical support at this critical moment as the Trump administration is ramping up efforts to isolate and effect regime change in Cuba.

Guest speaker Víctor Manuel García Sánchez, Consul General of Cuba in Toronto, expressed his warm appreciation for the people of Toronto and across Canada and Quebec who are working tirelessly to provide vital material assistance to Cuba, expressing their solidarity with Cuba through their deeds. He assured everyone that despite suggestions from the likes of Trump that the Cuban people might negotiate away or abandon their chosen path of true sovereignty and independence this will never happen, regardless of the pressure. Patria o muerte! Viva Cuba! rang out from the audience in response.

A spokesperson for the Palestinian Youth Movement spoke passionately of the common struggles of the Palestinian and Cuban peoples today and over many decades in defence of humanity and resistance to imperialist aggression. He talked of the incalculable selfless assistance that Cuba has provided to other countries and peoples over the last more than 60 years, a model of internationalism which the peoples admire and support.

The program was interspersed with songs of revolution and resistance with performances by the Common Thread in the Streets Choir and a rendition of Jose Marti's world famous poem Guantanamera set to music.

The organizers of the event pledged to continue their efforts and invited everyone to join in.

"Let Cuba Live!" People's Tribunal in Toronto Finds U.S. Guilty of Crimes Against Cuba

As part of the work in Canada to raise awareness and mobilize opposition to the U.S. blockade and all-sided attacks on Cuba, the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) organized a People's Tribunal on the economic war against Cuba in Toronto on February 22.

CNC Co-chair Samantha Hislop acted as Registrar for the Tribunal and Toronto lawyer Juan Carranza, as the Justice. The proceedings began with the reading of the charge, that the government of the United States of America through its 64-year-long economic, commercial and financial blockade on Cuba and Donald Trump's Executive Order of January 29, which further tightens the blockade and restricts critical oil imports to Cuba, is causing severe shortages of food and medicine, severely impacting civilian transportation and the delivery of health services, affecting water processing plants, sanitation, food production, and causing continuous blackouts through the country. Through the described actions, it said that the United States is engaging in collective punishment of the Cuban people in violation of International Humanitarian Law and the United Nation's Charter, namely the principles of sovereign equality, non-intervention and self-determination.

The first to speak was Víctor Manuel García Sánchez, Consul General of Cuba in Toronto, who explained that the U.S. desire to control Cuba dates back far before the Cuban revolution. As early as 1823, U.S. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams advanced what is called the "ripe fruit" theory, that eventually Cuba would be "ripe" for annexation to the U.S. Following the Spanish-American War the U.S. gained absolute control of Cuba. The Cuban revolution was the culmination of the Cuban people's long fight for independence and sovereignty, establishing a government that works for the well-being and happiness of all Cubans. He pointed out that the U.S. economic war against Cuba is an act of genocide, causing serious damage to Cuban society, separation of families and extreme hardship.

But, he said, "what the Yanquis have not learned is that in Cuba there is a dignified people willing to give their lives in defence of their sovereignty. In recent weeks we have seen an avalanche of solidarity with my country. As President Miguel Diaz-Canel said, 'Cuba is not alone.'" He thanked the Canadian people, the Canadian solidarity organizations and the patriotic Cubans resident in Canada for their support and concluded: "Cuban people will not surrender. We find a way to overcome our adversities even in the most difficult situation, as Fidel Castro taught us. We count on you to continue the struggle. Viva la Revolución Cubana! Abajo el Bloqueo! Hasta la Victoria Siempre!"

Witnesses before the tribunal included union leaders, workers, academics, students, faith leaders, representatives of Cuban and Caribbean solidarity organizations, the Palestinian Youth Movement and Cubans resident in Canada. They elaborated on the charge and emphasized the responsibility of people in Canada, the Caribbean and other countries to step up practical support for Cuba. They also called for people in Canada to take action to demand that the government of Canada denounce the U.S. measures and provide support for Cuba including humanitarian aid and fuel.

After several of the witnesses had spoken, a video message from Fernando González Llort, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) was shown. He greeted the participants in the tribunal and thanked the solidarity organizations in Canada and the Canadian people for their love and support for Cuba and its people and affirmed that Cuba will prevail.

The four findings of the Tribunal, read out by Justice Carranza, were unanimously upheld by the participants. They are:

The Tribunal finds the United States is guilty of intentional economic warfare against Cuba for over 67 years. In so doing, the United States has flagrantly and undeniably violated International Law and the UN Charter.

The United States government is guilty of willfully ignoring the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly calling for an end to the illegal blockade on Cuba.

The U.S. government, through its President's Executive Order of January 29, 2026, drastically escalated the blockade against Cuba by threatening that if countries ship oil to Cuba it would mean crippling sanctions. It also illegally seized an oil tanker heading to Cuba with oil. All of this resulted in the immediate stoppage of critical oil shipments to Cuba, causing extreme hardship for Cuban families, hospitals, schools, food production, transportation, etc. Such extreme actions constitute collective punishment and crimes against humanity. This People's Tribunal finds that the United States is guilty of committing crimes against humanity in Cuba that can be considered a form of genocide.

The U.S. blockade on Cuba has also caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage to Cuba's economy and its society.

Co-Chair of the Canadian Network on Cuba, Julio Fonseca (left). Víctor Manuel García Sánchez,
Consul General of Cuba in Toronto (right)

Canada-Cuba Relations

Canadian Government's Duplicity
Fails to Obscure Cuba's Right to Be and
Principled Support for Cuba

The 10-member House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) held hearings on February 24 and 26 to hear testimony and receive submissions on the Humanitarian Crisis in Cuba. The committee of Members of Parliament reviews legislation, policies and expenditures related to Canada's international relations, foreign policy and development assistance. The committee met in the wake of U.S. President Trump's January 29 Executive Order imposing a blockade on all fuel to Cuba by threatening sanctions against any country which ships oil to Cuba.

While Canada has had longstanding friendly relations with Cuba, it is also duplicitous, because it will not take clear, consistent and principled stands to oppose the hostile U.S. policy toward Cuba. This is especially the case on the illegal blockade which not only profoundly violates the human rights of the Cuban people, but also affects Canada's trade relations with Cuba. At the hearing this was reflected in the fact that for its study, in addition to inviting officials from Global Affairs Canada, the committee also invited so-called stakeholders that included agents of the Miami Mafia. These are virulently anti-communist anti-Cuban forces that have been nurtured by the U.S. to carry out terrorist acts against Cuba ever since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. These are forces of the same ilk as those who on February 25 were caught by Cuba trying to infiltrate Cuban waters with weapons and ammunition.

The committee received briefs and heard from 11 witnesses in four one-hour sessions. In the first session on February 24, four officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, responsible for aspects of Canada's relations with Cuba, with Central America and the Caribbean and international humanitarian assistance addressed the committee, confirming the history of positive relations between Canada and Cuba. Mark Richardson, Director General, Central America and Caribbean Bureau, noted that the long-standing positive ties between the people of Cuba and of Canada have been a strong factor in Canada's economic and diplomatic relations with Cuba. Canada, he said, has provided humanitarian aid to Cuba through various partners and has pledged $8 million to help at this time when the U.S. has threatened tariffs on any country that supplies fuel to Cuba. He also noted that the U.S. blockade against Cuba has had severe negative consequences for that country.

Following the Canadian government officials, the committee heard from H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Canada, who told the committee that Cuba rejected the latest attack by the Trump administration in the form of a fuel embargo, in addition to the illegal blockade. He informed the committee that the lack of fuel has affected "every aspect of life in the country, from food distribution to education to public health." He noted that Cuba only produces 40 per cent of its oil needs and that the objective of the U.S. President's oil blockade was clear -- " to create a humanitarian crisis and try to force regime change," citing the now declassified 1960 memorandum from U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Lester Mallory to that effect. The Ambassador noted that the U.S. blockade against Cuba was "collective punishment of a whole nation and an unjustifiable crime."

He emphasized that the Cuban people will resist this latest attack as they have done historically, defending their dignity and Cuba's sovereignty and independence. He called on Canada, a country that upholds positive diplomacy and international law, to continue to stand with Cuba.

The first question to the Ambassador, posed by Conservative MP Lianne Rood, was an anti-communist provocation. Claiming that there are hundreds of political prisoners in Cuba, she demanded: "When will they be released?" To their credit, other MPs on the committee pointed out that her question was out of order. Nevertheless, the Ambassador replied: "The issue of human rights in Cuba has been manipulated against Cuba. In Cuba, no one is in prison for their beliefs, but for breaking the law. No one is in jail except after being tried with due process. Many of the so-called prisoners have confessed that they are paid agents of a superpower which seeks to destroy the Cuban order." He emphasized that the Cuban Revolution has guaranteed the basic human rights of its people including free public education and health care and the end of discrimination based on race, gender and other conditions. Ambassador Malmierca said, " I have to say that the true and massive threat to human rights in Cuba is the U.S. blockade against our country."

The hearings on February 26 were dominated by agents of the Miami Mafia to promote anti-communist disinformation about Cuba. Four organizations, Citizens and Freedom, Cuban Canadian Coalition, Centre for a Free Cuba which is based in Washington, DC and the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights based in Spain, made interventions. These organizations receive funding from the counter-revolutionary U.S. National Endowment for Democracy specifically to carry out hostile activities against Cuba on behalf of the U.S.

The seven speakers for the four organizations spouted all manner of nonsense to slander the Cuban government and the Cuban revolution and portray the heroic Cuban people as pawns and victims just waiting to be freed by the U.S. According to them the over six decades of brutal economic blockade of Cuba by the U.S., condemned by the whole world, along with every manner of interference up to and including terrorist violence, have nothing to do with the humanitarian crisis in Cuba. The decades-long violent efforts of the U.S. to impose its will on the Cuban people did not merit a mention by them.

Canadian organizations that have worked for decades to strengthen the fraternal ties between the people of Canada and of Cuba, who stand with Cuba against U.S. imperialist interference and aggression and provide practical support to Cuba, were not invited to speak to the committee. As soon as they were made aware of the hearings, 11 organizations and several individuals submitted briefs to the committee. One, the brief of the Canadian Red Cross, focused on the humanitarian work of the Red Cross in Cuba.

The 10 other briefs all called on the Canadian government to take a stand against the U.S. blockade and the latest attempt to cut off all fuel to Cuba, to work with Cuban authorities to provide aid in the form of food, medicine and whatever else is needed, to restore Canadian airline flights to Cuba and to independently or with other countries ensure that Cuba receives fuel. Organizations included the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada, the Canadian Network on Cuba, the Table de concertation de solidarité Québec-Cuba, the Association d'amitié Outaouais-Cuba/Ottawa Cuba Connections, and the Association of Cubans living in Toronto Juan Gualberto Gomez. Several provided examples of what Canada can do to lend a hand, such as technical support to help repair Cuba's energy grid, mandating Canadian airlines' restoration of flights to Cuba and coordinating humanitarian efforts with Mexico and other countries.

The submissions from individuals also reminded parliamentarians that to defend Cuba is to defend Canadian sovereignty. In the words of Dr. Isaac Saney, Cuba Specialist at Dalhousie University, Halifax: "To defend Cuba today is to defend Canada. It is to defend Canada's sovereignty against extraterritorial bullying. It is to defend the right of Canadians to travel, trade, and engage freely. It is to defend international law against raw power, coercion, and the grotesque doctrine that 'might makes right.' And it is to defend a people who, despite decades of siege, continue to stand with dignity and courage. History will record, with unforgiving clarity, where we stood at this decisive moment. Canada must choose independence over subservience, principle over expediency, and humanity over cruelty."

(With files from the FAAE, National Endowment for Democracy)

Senators Affirm Support for Cuba and
Meet with Cuban Ambassador

Senator Judy White, co-chair of the Canada-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group (left); His Excellency Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Canada (right)

On February 26, Senator Judy White, co-chair of the Canada-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group, rose in the Senate to deliver a statement in which she reaffirmed solidarity with the Cuban people. They face worsening conditions amidst the economic blockade by the United States government, and the January 29 Executive Order by U.S. President Donald Trump that aims to cut off Cuba's access to imported oil.

In her statement, Senator White acknowledged the complex effects and consequences the energy blockade applied by the United States is having on Cuba. She said that the U.S. blockade is preventing the normal functioning of the country, with the aim of provoking a humanitarian crisis. In this regard, she recalled that the international community, including Canada, has repeatedly rejected the U.S. policy to blockade Cuba.

The Senator also stressed that Canada has maintained uninterrupted diplomatic relations with Cuba since 1945 and that, over eight decades, both countries have built a relationship based on constant dialogue, mutual respect and cooperation, that is maintained based solely on the considerations of the two countries. She also referred to strong bilateral ties in the commercial, cultural and tourist fields, noting that nearly 1 million Canadians visit Cuba each year.

The speech concluded with a recognition of His Excellency Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Canada, present at the session, thanking him for his contribution to making broadly known the reality that Cuba is experiencing today.

Senators Meet with Cuban Ambassador

Also that same day, Canadian Senators who are members of the Canada-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group met with Ambassador Malmierca to discuss the situation in Cuba.

During the exchange, Ambassador Malmierca said that the U.S. decision to label Cuba as a threat to its national security is unfounded and meaningless and seeks to undermine the will of the Cuban people through sanctions and coercion. In addition, he pointed out that the current siege on Cuba's energy system constitutes a resurgence of the commercial and financial economic blockade that for more than 60 years has been applied by U.S. administrations for purposes of regime change. He also explained that this policy affects not only the Cuban people, but also the Canadian people and companies that do business with Cuba.

The ambassador also conveyed Cuba's appreciation to Canada for its recent announcement of humanitarian aid to Cuba -- $8 million in food aid delivered through UN agencies -- which shows the long-standing relations between the two countries.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Canada-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group to promote constructive dialogue, mutual understanding and collaboration between the two countries, in line with the principles of respect, sovereignty and international cooperation that have historically characterized the relations between Canada and Cuba.

(Minrex)

Brief of Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada to Parliamentary Hearing

Call for Canada to Uphold its Legal and Humanitarian Commitments

For 33 years, Canada has been one of the countries consistently voting in favour of Cuba's annual resolution tabled at the UN General Assembly, "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba," that opposes the U.S. blockade that has been in place since 1961. The aim of the blockade was unambiguously articulated by Lester D. Mallory, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs and an architect of U.S. Cuba policy. He wrote in a now-declassified U.S. State Department April 6, 1960, memorandum:

"The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship. [...] every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government."

The Government of Canada is fully informed through its Ambassador to the United Nations who receives all the documentation on the consequences that the blockade has had on Cuba.

The blockade constitutes abuse of the human rights of Cuba's 10 million people -- men, women, children, the elderly, all those with special needs and the most vulnerable.

The committee already has at its disposal all the facts which show that the sanctions regime represents a significant obstacle to sustainable economic development, as well as an egregious abuse of human rights. There is also no evidence for U.S. claims that Cuba is sponsoring terrorism or that it is engaged in drug trafficking in any way. Before it left office, the Biden administration removed Cuba from its list of "State Sponsors of Terrorism" -- a measure Donald Trump reversed merely six days after he took office in 2025.

The immediate dire need Cuba is experiencing is not a political issue; it is a human rights issue. Now, with Executive Order 14380 declared by U.S. President Trump on January 29, 2026, authorizing the United States to impose new tariffs on imports from countries that directly or indirectly supply oil to the Government of Cuba, its effects are causing even more serious consequences, putting the lives of those 10 million Cubans in mortal danger. They are also an extra-territorial affront to all self-respecting sovereign countries the U.S. threatens should they defy the U.S. Executive Order.

Coming on top of the extrajudicial killings the U.S. is carrying out in the Caribbean, which may even implicate Canada whose armed forces personnel participate in joint operations of various kinds with U.S. armed forces, this blockade of oil shipments to Cuba is something no self-respecting law-abiding country can justify, tolerate or sustain without facing serious unforeseen consequences -- from the condemnation of its own people to facing the consequences of similar threats to its own sovereignty, security and self-respect.

The Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada calls on all parliamentarians and people who honour international rule of law, justice, human dignity and human rights to understand that it is in Canada's interests to defy Trump's Executive Order by publicly calling it legally and morally wrong and by sending humanitarian aid.

It could also send solar panels and supplies to help repair Cuba's electricity grid. Much of the electricity grid operates with oil produced in Cuba but it does not function at this time due to a lack of the spare parts to make repairs. This could be discussed with the Cuban Ministry of Energy with the aim of Canada providing spare parts to make repairs. Such aid would be a serious concrete humanitarian measure to help offset the negative consequences resulting from the blockade on imported oil.

The MLPC also calls on the government to support Canadian airlines to resume their flights to Cuba, as tourism is a most important source of income for the country's health and education sectors. Tourists are well cared for at every level in Cuba. The airlines of other countries have made alternative fueling arrangements and Canada should help Canadian airlines do so as well.

The MLPC calls on Canada to show its commitment to sovereignty, international law and non-interference in both Canada's affairs and the affairs of all countries, in deeds.

The MLPC calls on Canada to exercise moral authority and its diplomatic standing to take a principled position. In this way, Canada would reaffirm its commitment to international law, the principles of the United Nations Charter, state sovereignty and non-interference in its internal affairs and support the same for all nations.

A clear and consistent position on the part of Canada would demonstrate principled leadership aligned with Canada's commitments under international humanitarian law.

This is the time to act to uphold the international rule of law and not permit the crimes the U.S. is carrying out against Cuba as well as against other countries to take place.

Anna Di Carlo
National Leader
Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada (MLPC)

February 25, 2026

(The MLPC is a federally registered political party.)

U.S.-Cuba Relations

Process of Bilateral Talks

The following is a summary of a March 13 press conference by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Republic of Cuba, on bilateral relations with the U.S. and the impact of tightening of its blockade against Cuba

- Information is provided on this bilateral process "exactly at the moment it occurs," separate from the multiple speculations generated on the subject.

- These are processes carried out with discretion; they are lengthy, and are now in the initial phase. They occur in line with the consistent policy defended by the Cuban Revolution throughout its history.

- These exchanges have been facilitated with the participation of international actors, as has happened in similar processes in previous years, citing the example of the process with the administration of President Barack Obama.

- The Cuban President mentioned the three main purposes of the current process:

1. To determine which bilateral problems need solving.

2. To establish possible avenues for solving these problems.

3. To determine if there is a will to carry out concrete actions for the benefit of our peoples, which implies identifying areas of cooperation to confront threats and guarantee the security and peace of both countries.

- In the conversations, the Cuban side has expressed its willingness to conduct them on the bases of equality and respect for the political systems of both States, for sovereignty, and for the self-determination of both governments, taking into account a sense of reciprocity and adherence to International Law.

Impact of Tightening U.S. Blockade

- No fuel has entered the country in the last three months. The arrival of diesel and fuel oil has been systematically blocked.

- This situation has led to the depletion of the diesel and fuel oil reserves that were still maintained for distributed generation and causes a situation of great instability in energy generation.

- The measures outlined within the National Energy Strategy continue to be implemented, prioritizing the protection of essential services and accelerating renewable energy source projects as a long-term sustainable and sovereign solution.

- Economic activity and the provision of services have been reduced. No country can produce at usual levels without energy.

- We have had communities with more than 30 hours of blackouts. This causes irritability, discomfort, and tremendous anguish in the population, because it also impacts everything, directly impacting water supply and water pumping. It impacts the vitality of services and production as well. It impacts communications. It impacts medical services, impacts education, impacts transportation, and we could see how this cross-cuts all daily activities of Cuban men and women.

- At this moment, there are tens of thousands of people in the country waiting for surgery that cannot be performed due to the lack of electricity. Among these tens of thousands, a significant portion are children waiting for surgical interventions due to the effects on our electro-energy system and our health system caused by this energy blockade.

- There are impacts on educational processes, specifically in university education. "How does education function with blackouts, without fuel to transport teachers and students, with food deficits in schools, without the tools that mean the use of information technologies?"

- The curricular design in both general education and higher education had to be redirected. Both general education and higher education are and will continue to be priorities for the Revolution in any circumstance.

Cuba Guarantees Transparency in Reception and Distribution of Donations

- In the current context, Cuba receives donations, which has provoked campaigns of media poisoning by right-wing forces questioning the use and destination of these resources.

- The president recalled Cuba's long historical experience in receiving donations from international organizations, cooperation projects, institutions, and supportive governments, with an organized system of planning, distribution, and control.

- He noted that donations may arrive in emergency situations, such as hurricanes or other natural disasters, on the initiative of friendly governments, or as part of cooperation projects with agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Development Fund.

- The donor's purpose is always respected. If a donation is intended for a specific educational, health, or community centre, it is delivered exactly there. In other cases, when the donor provides resources with a general objective, the country defines priorities based on the most urgent needs.

- Donations are primarily allocated to the most vulnerable, health institutions, education and social services, such as maternity homes, nursing homes and centres for children without family support. All resources are distributed free of charge, without any economic benefit to the country, guaranteeing their social nature.

- The control and transparency system includes the participation of social workers, audits by the Prosecutor's Office, the Comptroller's Office, and the internal systems of the institutions involved; furthermore, representatives from international organizations and embassies directly verify the destination of donations, confirming the correct use of resources.

Attempted Armed Infiltration on the Cuban Coasts

- The February 25 incident was an armed infiltration for terrorist purposes, financed and organized from U.S. territory.

- A criminal proceeding has been established for the surviving involved parties, a process with all legal guarantees, including contact with their families. The injured remain under medical care, which they have appreciated.

- In the investigations, all those involved have acknowledged their participation, that they were the first to shoot at the Cuban border guards, and have provided details of the recruitment, organization, training and financing, with names, institutions and objectives.

- Two of the detainees were already included on the national list of terrorist persons and entities. Information was timely provided to the U.S. counterpart, which has appreciated the information and has stated through diplomatic channels its willingness to participate in the clarification.

- He announced an upcoming visit by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to collaborate with the Cuban Ministry of the Interior.

- He also referred to the 10 Panamanian citizens detained and prosecuted for subversive activities, who have likewise given details about who recruited, organized and financed them, which will be reported in due course.

(Minrex)

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Firmly Upholds Cuba's Dignity on U.S. Television Interview

Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío was interviewed on the NBC News program Meet the Press on March 22. Despite the provocative and hostile questions from the interviewer, the Deputy Minister firmly upheld the dignity and sovereignty of Cuba while at the same time calling for dialogue and diplomacy based on mutual respect as the way to solve the conflict between Cuba and the U.S.

When asked if Cuba was preparing militarily against the possibility of a U.S. attack given the belligerent statements coming from the U.S. President, the Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister stated, "Our country has historically been ready to mobilize, as a nation, as a whole, for military aggression. We truly always see it as something far from us. We don't believe it is something that is probable. But we would be naive if we do not prepare [...] But we truly hope that it doesn't occur. We don't see why it would have to occur, and we find no justification whatsoever."

The interviewer played a video clip of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio telling reporters that Cuba "is in a lot of trouble, and the people in charge are [...] they don't know how to fix it, so they have to get new people in charge." The Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister was asked to respond to it. Fernández de Cossío stated that Cuba rejects talk of regime change. "The nature of the Cuban government, the structure of the Cuban government and the members of the Cuban government are not part of the negotiation. That is something that no sovereign country negotiates," he emphasized.

Asked about Trump's claim that Cuba is about to "collapse on its own," the Deputy Foreign Minister replied, "What does 'on its own' mean? It is a very bizarre statement. It is claimed by most U.S. political representatives that Cuba will collapse on its own. If this is true, why does the U.S. government need to employ so many resources, so much political capital, so many human resources, to try to destroy the economy of another country? Evidently, it implies that the country does not have the characteristics to collapse on its own."

Elaborating further, the Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister affirmed that far from Cuba being about to collapse, "We are being as creative as possible. [...] We are mustering all our creativity, our ingenuity to find ways to help our people cope with a reality that we did not choose, for which we are not responsible, to help our people go through this with as little pain as possible. And there is pain, have no doubt."

When the interviewer claimed that 90 per cent of the Cuban people are living in poverty and 80 per cent would like to emigrate, that there are no free elections or a free press, the Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister responded that he did not know where the interviewer got her information but none of it can be substantiated. He was certain that it came from organizations funded by the U.S. or their proxies. He underscored that the Cuban political system is unassailable. For more than six decades the U.S., the most powerful country in the world, has tried to destroy the Cuban people's chosen system of governance, yet failed.

Fernández de Cossío also noted that, in terms of the UN Human Development Index which measures the well-being of the people not the wealth of a few or the well-being of elites, Cuba has consistently ranked higher than many developed countries including the U.S. He added that the socialist system of Cuba has consistently had high rankings in health care, education and housing, despite the U.S. blockade. Elaborating further, he pointed out that Cuba has had an exemplary record of assisting more than 100 countries with their health care needs and that, unlike the U.S., 90 per cent of Cubans live in the homes they own -- mortgage free -- and enjoy free health care and education as a right.

At the end of the interview, the Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister re-iterated Cuba's right to be, but that this does not preclude the U.S. and Cuba having a respectful dialogue to solve matters of concern, which he was sure the vast majority of the people in the United States also desire and support.

U.S. Aims in Latin America and Caribbean

Trump Forms Dangerous "Brand-New Military Coalition" Called Shield of the Americas

On March 7, in Doral, Florida, Donald Trump convoked what the U.S. State Department called the U.S.'s "strongest like-minded allies in our hemisphere to promote freedom, security, and prosperity in our region. This historic coalition of nations will work together to advance strategies that stop foreign interference in our hemisphere, criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration." Dubbed the "Shield of the Americas" summit, in attendance were the heads of state of those countries whose governments the U.S. has either installed or taken over: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago. "On this historic day, we come together to announce a brand-new military coalition to eradicate the criminal cartels plaguing our region," Trump said.

Trump announced at least 17 countries have signed on. He called it "America's Counter Cartel Coalition" which, Trump noted, "has to do with drugs, largely."

It was announced a few days prior that Kristi Noem, the former head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), serves as special envoy to this new "Shield of the Americas." She said on X, "The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. [...] In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security."

Speaking about the U.S. attack on Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, Trump said it was "18 minutes of pure violence." He went on to declare that Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez is "working with us. I mean she's doing a great job because she's working with us." Trump referenced the U.S.'s joint military operations with Israel against Iran, saying, "It's been a pretty wild time, but it's going very well." He added, "We have amazing weaponry, as you probably noticed over the last short period of time."

The Washington, DC newspaper The Hill writes that, according to the White House, the regional coalition of countries in Latin America will work together on ideology and policy initiatives that help secure the Western Hemisphere. The administration has described the doctrine as enlisting "established friends" in the Western Hemisphere to pursue U.S. aims and expanding ties by "cultivating and strengthening new partners."

In an article published by the Wilson Centre, Carrie Filipetti, currently U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cuba and Venezuela in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, elaborated on four key elements of the Shield of the Americas:

Takeaway #1: the Western Hemisphere is a true strategic priority for the Trump administration.

According to Filipetti, President Trump's attendance alongside many of his top advisors, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Homeland Security Advisor Steven Miller, even in the midst of war on Iran, demonstrated the significant importance of the event. It indicates that "the administration's focus on the Western Hemisphere is a genuine strategic priority, not mere rhetoric." At the same time, Filipetti wrote, "the fact that 12 foreign heads of state attended and a total of 17 nations were represented shows that the United States is once again commanding the attention of the Western Hemisphere in ways that only China has been able to do in recent years."

Takeaway #2: beyond security cooperation, the Trump administration's aim is deepening economic ties.

Filipetti says the summit showed that security cooperation is the central theme of the Trump Administration's engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, but economic ties are deepening as well. The U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) clearly outlined a security-forward agenda for Latin America. The Shield of the Americas Summit was the first step towards operationalizing the approach outlined in this document. With discussions on intelligence sharing, military cooperation and defence partnerships taking place, the Summit replaced the often-vague pledges for "cooperation" common at past summits with a tangible focus on countering cartels in the Western Hemisphere. While security occupied centre stage, President Trump also signed several economic deals on the sidelines of the meeting. For instance, newly inaugurated Chilean president José Antonio Kast announced a new minerals deal with the United States. The agreement fulfills a core objective of the NSS by bolstering ties between the United States and the region on minerals.

Takeaway #3: Trump is establishing a legacy of reinventing regional and multilateral cooperation.

According to Filipetti, Trump views reinventing regional and multilateral cooperation architecture as part of his "legacy." She writes, "Notably, unlike the Summit of the Americas, there were no multilateral representatives present in Doral. Just as the Board of Peace appears designed to create an international body that competes with -- or even replaces -- the United Nations, the Shield suggests a move to bypass some of the regional bodies that have failed in recent years to fulfill their mandate, including the Organization of American States (OAS). Here, Trump appears focused on creating a coalition of like-minded partners in the region and pitching the benefits of partnership with the United States. How that will be received by those countries and leaders who were not invited -- whether it ultimately serves to draw them closer in the future or turns them further away -- remains to be seen, but Trump's convening power was firmly displayed with the Shield of the Americas."

Takeaway #4: the Trump administration missed a key opportunity to push strategies that counter the People's Republic of China.

According to Filipetti, Trump "missed a key opportunity to push strategies that counter the People's Republic of China (PRC)." She notes that "While the prioritization of the hemisphere is already being realized, how the United States intends to counter Chinese influence remains unclear. Pushing Russia, China, and Iran out of the region is a core focus of the National Security Strategy. President Trump's press conference following the apprehension of Nicolás Maduro signalled that focus as well, but since then there has been little policy activity to support this goal. From the public reporting of the summit, little was said about China or the ways the United States plans to replace China's influence in the region. Given President Trump did not identify China as an adversary in his recent State of the Union address, the failure to use the Shield of the Americas Summit to more seriously address the China threat in the Western Hemisphere suggests a lack of clarity, and perhaps a lackluster commitment, to what should be a top policy objective on its own."

Photo Review

International Women's Day 2026 Around the World

On International Women's Day across the world women in their millions organized actions including rallies, marches, meetings, cultural performances and celebrations. They celebrated their victories and resistance, putting forward their demands for an end to all forms of discrimination, harassment and persecution, for women's rights to be fully realized as the condition for guaranteeing the rights of all, and for an end to war and the subjugation of nations. Denunciation of the crimes of the imperialist powers led by the U.S. against the peoples of the world, particularly its economic and military aggression against Venezuela, Cuba and Iran to bring about regime change and the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people featured prominently in many of the actions.

In Palestine the women and girls are resisting the genocidal war of the U.S./Israeli Zionists. In Lebanon and Iran women are in the forefront in the fight against the brutal U.S./Israeli aggression and the world stands with them. The women of Venezuela on IWD demanded the return of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, kidnapped by the U.S. and held in a U.S. prison. Cuban women facing the extreme hardships imposed by the U.S. blockade and cutting off fuel to Cuba stand strong in defence of their sovereignty and independence. In Spain thousands of women took to the streets of major cities to call for an end to the U.S./Israeli war on Iran. Across Europe and the UK, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, Africa and Oceania women were in action. In China, Vietnam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea state organized cultural events and meetings celebrated women's achievements and women's ongoing participation in the advancement of their societies.

CANADA
Montreal

Quebec City

Toronto

In Toronto at the IWD rally at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, to a full house, organizers greeted everyone with a militant expression of solidarity with the women of Palestine, Cuba, Venezuela and Iran and affirmed that it is up to the peoples to determine their own future. Information on their work and demands were given by women speaking for organizations fighting for the rights of migrant workers, community-based defence organizations and working women fighting the anti-social offensive of the Ford and Carney governments. A skit by the South Asian Women's Rights Organization illustrated the fight for rights of immigrant families. The audience greatly appreciated a video from a woman activist in Minneapolis showing the mass mobilization of the people against ICE, coming together to defend everyone from U.S. state attacks. The march from OISE to Toronto Metropolitan University was loud and lively, peppered with banners and signs demanding Hands Off Iran!, an end to the occupation of Palestine, and opposing war and militarization, alongside banners of fighting organizations.

Edmonton

In Edmonton the annual Dinner and Discussion organized by Women for Rights and Empowerment to celebrate International Women's Day was a big success, attended by close to 200 women and their friends, family and fellow political activists. The theme was Resistance Rising. A high point of the evening was the reception given to the presidents of the Edmonton locals of the Alberta Teachers' Association, who were given the traditional Bread and Roses award for their strike in which they smashed the myth of United Conservative Party invincibility and won the battle of public opinion that Education Is a Right!

Speakers from different sections of the economy, and representing migrant workers, Indigenous fighters, anti-war and climate activists and others fighting for rights spoke about their work, leaving no doubt that women are in the forefront of all the struggles raging for freedom, peace and democracy. Front and centre the entire evening was the dangerous situation in the world, and the leading role of the women, their great courage, resilience and steadfastness against U.S./Israeli aggression and war in Iran, in Palestine and Lebanon, in Cuba and the world over. The evening concluded with a Red Salute to the Fighting Women of the World and enthusiastic applause and approval for women taking up as their aim to Make Canada a Zone for Peace.