Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Leads Demonstration in Support of Palestine in Havana

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (blue clothes). (Twitter/@DizCalelB)

JAKARTA - Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel led a demonstration supporting Palestine in the country's capital, Havana, saying the Cuban people were always with Palestine.

In the demonstration, which according to posts by the Ministry of Interior on social media

Walking along Havana's waterfront Malecon, which houses the US Embassy, ​​protesters accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Crowds waving Palestinian flags and banners chanted "free, free Palestine, Israel is genocide" and "support Palestinian freedom" as they marched past the building and rallied nearby.

"Today we accompanied the march of Palestinian and Cuban youth in Havana. Our hearts as well as our actions have always been and will always be with Palestine. Let the genocide carried out by Israel, with the open support of the United States, stop once and for all," wrote President Diaz -Canel on X.

"Free Palestine," he shouted.

Hoy acompañamos la marcha de los jóvenes palestinos y cubanos en La Habana. Nuestros corazones y también nuestros actos están y estarán siempre junto a #Palestina. Que cese de una vez el genocidio que comete Israel, con el apoyo abierto de Estados Unidos.

¡Palestina Libre¡ 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/uY5cEA7ySA

— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) November 23, 2023

It is known that Cuba has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause for decades, and has trained more than 200 Palestinian doctors. Cuba does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

"We are here and it is not a coincidence that we are demonstrating in front of the United States embassy," said Anet Rodríguez, a university professor, as reported by Reuters.

“The United States is one of the most responsible parties in supporting the State of Israel. "The US supports the massacre of Palestinians and international law is violated," he said.

Israel carried out a total blockade and bombarded Gaza, before then carrying out a ground operation in the Palestinian enclave, after the Hamas militant group attacked their southern territory on October 7, leaving around 1,200 people dead and 240 others taken hostage.

On Wednesday, Hamas-Israel agreed to a four-day ceasefire accompanying the release of 50 hostages in Gaza and 150 Palestinian prisoners, after negotiations with Qatari mediators and the United States.

As of yesterday, the government media office in Gaza said that the number of victims resulting from Israeli attacks had reached 14,854 people.

"The victims included 6,150 children and more than 4,000 women, while more than 36,000 people were injured," the office said, citing Anadolu.

Some 7,000 people remain unaccounted for, including more than 4,700 children, the media agency added.