"Let Cuba Live"
US / Cuba Friendshipment includes two Mainers

On Saturday, June 19 a delegation from Let Cuba Live, a Maine based Cuba solidarity group traveled to the US Customs checkpoint on the Maine / Quebec border at Coburn Gore. There they were met by members of a Montreal group called Caravane d' Amitie Quebec - Cuba. The Canadians will attempt to bring a small, symbolic shipment of humanitarian aid into the US that is destined for Cuba. The shipment contained medical aid and school supplies.

The Coburn Gore crossing will be the first of four crossings to take place along the length of the US / Canada border. Two Mainers traveled to Cuba with the Caravan. Karen Wainberg from Portland and Susan Nichols from Sabattus.

The aid shipment at Coburn Gore kicked off the 15th Pastors for Peace US / Cuba Friendshipment Caravan. The Caravan involves over 100 people traveling in 25 trucks and buses along 13 North to South routes across the US. Right, This photo of the carload of humanitarian aid was taken in Blue Hill. However, the car was originally loaded in Coburn Gore, Maine, on the border, where the Canadians brought the boxes of donations to the US to transfer to Let Cuba Live. In the photo are Steve Burke of Warren (standing) and Richard Stander of Stockton Springs (sitting on the tailgate). The box on top of the car is a box of prescription medicines that is being donated to Cuba.

On July 8 all routes will converge in MacAllen, Texas. The entire Caravan will be carrying nearly 2 million dollars worth of humanitarian aid and will include 3 trucks and 9 school busses, all to be donated to the people of Cuba. The Caravan will proceed to the border and attempt clear US Customs for Reynosa, Mexico.

If the Caravan is successful in crossing the border drivers will face a two day journey to the port city of Tampico where the shipment will be placed aboard a Cuban freighter. The drivers and their passengers will fly from Tampico to Cuba where they will participate in a 9 day program that will include visits to schools, hospitals, collectives and organic farms.

Caravan organizers will not apply for a permit to ship this aid to Cuba. If a permit is offered to the Caravan by the government it will be refused. Both Pastors for Peace and Let Cuba Live do not believe that the government possesses the right or the moral authority to exercise control over, or to regulate, shipments of humanitarian aid. Both groups view the US blockade of Cuba as immoral and under international law, illegal.

Since the first Friendshipment in 1992 the Caravans have always faced an uncertain reception at the border. In several cases US Customs has seized aid, although most of the seized aid has been won back and is in Cuba today.

At each of the 129 cities the individual Caravans are expected to touch down in as they wend their way South, more aid will be picked up. Additional passengers will come aboard and vehicles and drivers will be added.
At each stop participants will be hosted by church organizations and supporters.