The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance (Spanish: Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana, abbreviated ACR) is a coalition of anti-government human rights groups inside and outside Cuba.[1][2][3] Their members are signatories of the "Agreement for Democracy in Cuba" drafted in 1998, and "My Signature for my Dignity"[4] in 2020. The ACR considers the Castro regime illegal, and supports free elections and the release of all political prisoners.

The ACR combines street action mobilization[5][6] with high-level lobbying.[7][8][9][10][11] It is an influential coalition internationally,[12][13][14][15][16] among the Cuban diaspora[17][18][19][20][21] and the island's civil society.[22][23] It has launched campaigns like "All for a Free Cuba"[24] and "Don't Aid",[25] organized multiple protests inside and outside the island, participated in international forums, and supported the establishment of an international tribunal for the prosecution of crimes against humanity in Cuba.

The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance works closely with and coordinates with Cuban exile communities in diverse cities in the United States and abroad.[26] In the states of New Jersey, Illinois, California, Texas, Puerto Rico, and in the Dominican Republic.[27]

History

The ACR was founded on 18 March 2009, on the 6th anniversary of the Cuban “Black Spring” to map out a democratic transition in Cuba.

In 2015, the Assembly was invited to participate in a Civil Society Forum in Panama during the VII Summit of the Americas. Members of the Cuban government's state organizations, who opposed the participation of the ACR, organized an act of repudiation (acto de repudio) against the Cuban activists and, in the Belisario Porras Park, attacked the representatives of the ACR who were laying flowers before a bust of José Martí.[28][29]

Activities

Political influence

The ACR meets with political leaders and diplomats, some of the most recent meetings include (1) a roundtable on “Supporting the People of Venezuela” with President Trump on 10 June 2020; (2) a meeting with Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Ribera Neumann on 6 March 2020;[30] (3) with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on 11 October 2019;[31] (4) with the Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuel E. Ventura Robles on 22 February 2019; (5) with President Bolsonaro on 20 December 2018;[32] (6) with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro on 21 September 2018;[33] (7) a Summit of the Union of Latin American Political Parties (Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos - UPLA) with Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on 7 June 2018;[34] (8) a meeting with Governor of Florida Rick Scott on 18 May 2018;[35] (9) with Peruvian Vice-president Mercedes Rosalba Aráoz Fernandez,[36] (10) Peruvian Minister of Justice and Human Rights Salvador Heresi,[37] (11) the president of the Peruvian Congress, Luis Galarreta,[38] (12) and the U.S. Ambassador to the OAS Carlos Trujillo in April 2018;[39] (13) and Vice-president Mike Pence on 16 June 2017.[40] On 30 July 2020, the ACR sent a letter to the executives of Netflix, urging them to cease promotion of The Wasp Network film as they argued that the plot of the movie was not based on real events, that the Cuban exiled community was treated as terrorists, and that the families of the victims of the Brothers to the Rescue Massacre had no opportunity to tell their side of the story on this streaming platform. The letter was also signed by the mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez; the mayor of Doral, Florida, Juan Carlos Bermudez; and Nicaraguan and Venezuelan leaders.

In 2018, the ACR's “Don’t Aid” campaign, consisting of public information, advocacy in media, gathering support from local public officials, and protests, aided other public diplomacy efforts aimed at ending cruise tourism to Cuba that directly benefited the Cuban military.[41]

In 2019, the ACR campaigned in support of efforts by members of the U.S. Congress and Administration officials to end the suspension of Title III and IV of the Helms-Burton Act, a law that, for the first time, allowed American citizens to sue companies that benefited from private properties that had been confiscated in Cuba.[42]

On 13 April 2016, the ACR spoke before the Miami Beach Commission to oppose the establishment of a Cuban consulate in the area, which had been proposed by the Mayor of Miami Beach. The city commission voted 4–3 in favor of the Assembly and residents.[43]

International

The Assembly of the Cuban Resistance cooperates with human rights activists in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Uruguay. On 24 February 2019, the ACR invited Venezuelan and Nicaraguan activists to the Congress of the Resistance, where it launched the “Yes We Can” campaign.[44]

The Assembly was one of the organizations invited to the VIII Summit of the Americas on 13 and 14 April 2018 in Lima, Peru.[45]

Campaigns

Inside Cuba, member organizations created the “Pa la Calle” campaign that promotes protests in the streets to call for democracy and the respect of human rights.[46] The activities include “pots and pans cacerolazo” protests, prayer chains, and protests in the streets in provinces like Villa Clara, Havana, Pinar del Rio, Holguin, Granma, Las Tunas, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, and Ciego de Avila.[47]

In 2016, the ACR launched the “All for a Free Cuba” campaign, a plan for the "liberation, democratization, and reconstruction" of the island with the participation of Cuban activists and leaders, inside and outside Cuba. On 11 October 2016, over a thousand people gathered at the Miami Airport Hilton hotel to support the campaign.[48]

Protests

The ACR has organized protests in the United States, where the majority of the Cuban exiled community lives in February 2014, June 2015, March and December 2016, July 2018, and November 2019. On 30 November 2016, thousands of people participated in a protest organized by the ACR after the death of Fidel Castro.[49]

On 26 February 2010, members of the ACR occupied the Brazilian consulate in Miami for about an hour in order to bring attention to the death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo in a Cuban prison as Brazilian President Lula da Silva was visiting the island.[50]

The Assembly has organized several caravans of cars in Miami: For instance, on 29 October 2018, to protest cruise tourism to the island.[51]

References

  1. ↑ "Cubanos firman declaración de compromiso por Día de la Independencia". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "Opositores cubanos: visita de los Reyes de España a Cuba es una "afrenta"". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "Declaracion De La Asamblea De La Resistencia Cubana En Apoyo Al Gobierno Legitimo De Venezuela". Center for a FREE Cuba. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  4. ↑ "Directorio Democratico Cubano - DECLARACION CONJUNTA DEL 20 DE MAYO FIRMADA POR ORGANIZACIONES OPOSITORAS EN CUBA Y DEL EXILIO CUBANO". www.directorio.org. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Cuban community leaders unveil plans for rally in Little Havana". Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Miami: Marcha por la libertad y la democracia en Cuba | Voice of America - Spanish". www.voanoticias.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "- DEPLORABLE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CUBA AND VENEZUELA". www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "President Trump Holds Roundtable on Supporting Venezuelans | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Media Advisory: "Pro-Democracy Movements in Totalitarian States"". Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Ciudad de Florida proclama un día en honor al opositor cubano Sosa Fortuny". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  11. ↑ "Justicia Cuba ofrece a EEUU "pruebas" recabadas de "crímenes" castristas". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  12. ↑ Vela, Andrea Torres, Hatzel (10 May 2017). "JusticeCuba meets with OAS secretary general". WPLG. Retrieved 20 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ "Promotores de enjuiciar al régimen por sus crímenes son recibidos en Costa Rica". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "Bolsonaro pide una "Cuba libre" en el encuentro con un líder disidente cubano". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Almagro recibe a representantes de la Resistencia Cubana y Justicia Cuba". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  16. ↑ CubaNet (12 April 2018). "Presidente del Congreso de Perú recibe a delegación de exiliados cubanos Cubanet". Cubanet (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  17. ↑ Whitefield, Mimi (16 June 2018). "Miami billboards accuse cruise ships that sail to Cuba of dealing in confiscated property". Miami Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Cubanos en Miami protestan en contra de la visita real". Telemundo Miami (51) (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Exilio cubano convoca: "Todos por una Cuba libre"". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  20. ↑ "Grupo del exilio cubano recoge firmas en Miami para juzgar a Raúl Castro". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Exilio celebra apoyos para juzgar a Cuba por crímenes de lesa humanidad". www.efe.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  22. ↑ ""Pa la Calle": Activistas de toda Cuba piden liberación de Ferrer". ADN Cuba (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  23. ↑ "Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana llama al Boicot del referendo constitucional en Cuba". www.americateve.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  24. ↑ "Estos son los 10 puntos clave del exilio para lograr la libertad de Cuba". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  25. ↑ "Anuncian campaña mediática contra los viajes de los cruceros a Cuba". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  26. ↑ "Recogen firmas en Miami para solicitar enjuiciamiento de Raúl Castro | Actualidad 1040AM" (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "Militares cubanos, "un paso hacia la libertad, tres pasos hacia ustedes"". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  28. ↑ Jervis, Rick. "Cuba protests make waves at Panama summit". USA TODAY. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "Cubanos, a las piñas en Panamá". www.clarin.com (in Spanish). 9 April 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  30. ↑ "Chilenos realizan nueva protesta frente a embajada castrista en Santiago". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  31. ↑ ""La única forma de unirnos es en derecho, en democracia y en libertades": exiliados cubanos visitan Taiwán". ADN Cuba (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  32. ↑ "Bolsonaro recibe a uno de los líderes del exilio". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  33. ↑ "Secretario General de la OEA convoca a la resistencia cubana". PanAm Post (in Spanish). 24 September 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  34. ↑ "Directorio Democratico Cubano - LA ASAMBLEA DE LA RESISTENCIA ASISTE A CUMBRE DE PARTIDOS POLITICOS DEMOCRATICOS EN LATINOAMERICA". www.directorio.org. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  35. ↑ "Rick Scott se reúne con líderes del exilio cubano". www.americateve.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "Grupo de exiliados cubanos se reúne con vicepresidenta de Perú en Cumbre de las Américas". CiberCuba (in Spanish). 11 April 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  37. ↑ ""Cuba es madre de todos los males en Latinoamérica": ministro de Justicia de Perú". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  38. ↑ ""Justicia Cuba" señala a Castro y Maduro en un cartel gigante en Perú". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  39. ↑ ""Justicia Cuba" señala a Castro y Maduro en un cartel gigante en Perú". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  40. ↑ "Exiliados y disidentes cubanos ovacionan a Trump en Miami". Radio y Televisión Martí | RadioTelevisionMarti.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  41. ↑ Matousek, Mark. "Trump just banned US cruise ships, yachts, and private planes from traveling to Cuba". Business Insider. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  42. ↑ "Exilio cubano celebra anuncio sobre medida que arrecia embargo al régimen". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  43. ↑ Munzenrieder, Kyle (13 April 2016). "Miami Beach Commission Nixes Mayor's Idea for Cuban Consulate". Miami New Times. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  44. ↑ "Desde Miami envían mensaje a las dictaduras de Cuba, Venezuela y Nicaragua". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  45. ↑ PERÚ, NOTICIAS EL COMERCIO (14 April 2018). "La voz del exilio cubano se oye en la Cumbre de las Américas | MUNDO". El Comercio Perú (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  46. ↑ "Pa' la Calle, campaña creciente de protesta contra el régimen cubano". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  47. ↑ DDC (28 June 2020). "Grupos opositores cubanos inician la campaña de protestas 'Pa' la Calle' | DIARIO DE CUBA". diariodecuba.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  48. ↑ "Oposición cubana envía desde Miami un mensaje de "unidad"". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  49. ↑ RTVE.es/AGENCIAS (1 December 2016). "Muere Fidel Castro | El exilio cubano en Miami l RTVE". RTVE.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  50. ↑ Miami (EE.UU.) (26 February 2010). "Exiliados cubanos ocupan el consulado de Brasil en Miami por la muerte del disidente Zapata". Panamá América (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  51. ↑ "Exiliados cubanos se movilizan contra cruceros por "financiar la represión" en Cuba". diariolasamericas.com (in European Spanish). Retrieved 20 November 2020.
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