End the Blockade Against Cuba!

Venceremos Brigade Members from the Central Valley Return

Fifty eight members of the 38th Venceremos ("We Shall Overcome") Brigade to Cuba defiantly returned to the United States Saturday, July 28. They marched across the "Peace Bridge" that links Fort Erie in Canada and Buffalo New York. On the US side they were greeted by supporters and welcomed with a picnic. Three of the members of this year's brigade are from Fresno.

Venceremos Brigade members go to Cuba each year to work with and learn from the revolutionary example of the Cuban people, where human needs are valued over corporate profits. This year, brigadistas worked weeding mango and guava fields. They also attended cultural events, learned about the history of Cuba, and made many new friends.

Vanessa Rhodes, one of this year's brigade participants, said "the Venceremos Brigade wants an end to the travel ban to Cuba, we want an end to the embargo, to stop Bush's plan to further undermine Cuba, we demand freedom for the Cuban Five, and we want to encourage more people to people exchanges."

The travel ban is an attempt by the US government to limit and stop citizens from going to Cuba and seeing that country for themselves. Venceremos Brigade members overtly challenge this travel ban by openly going to Cuba and returning as publically as possible. There are a few exceptions to the travel ban for some scholarly work and other professional exchanges, but in general, US citizens are told they can't travel to Cuba.

Those who challenge the travel ban are threatened with severe and somewhat vague legal sanctions. But, when the US interferes with Venceremos Brigade members travel to Cuba, their legal team is there to defend them. Venceremos Brigade attorneys are ready for any US legal challenges and expect to prevail because the travel ban is both illegal and unconstitutional.