José Martí Solidarity Brigade: Cuba is my second home

Mayté Madruga Hernández

THE José Martí Solidarity Brigade is currently in Cuba. Friends of the Cuba Revolution have come from a number of European countries, some for the first time, while others have already visited the island on more than 20 occasions.

"I’ve come because I believe firmly in the Revolution, in what is being done in this country and to help in as far as I can," commented Andrea Humbrías, a young Spanish woman on her first visit to the island.

"I am hoping for many good things from this encounter, because every day I learn something new which impresses me, it’s moving to know about Cuban realities at first hand," she affirmed.

This is the 40th contingent of the José Martí brigade, on this occasion made up of people from 19 countries, including Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Greece who, during their 22-day stay, will undertake a number of activities in support of the five Cuban heroes incarcerated in U.S. jails for close to 13 years.

Although many of the brigade members have come more than once, they affirm that this is a special moment, because they want to learn at first hand about the social and economic policies updated at the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, to then better explain these in their respective countries.

"Our principal task now is to understand the Cuban changes in their context, and that’s why I’m here, to properly understand the guidelines and explain them in my country, distancing myself from all the Western media manipulation," stated Jean Lazard, who has been on 15 brigades and is currently working with the Belgian solidarity group Socialist Cuba Initiative.

The José Martí Brigade, established in 1974, was the third solidarity with Cuba contingent to be established. The people who came then are still important to the solidarity with Cuba movement, affirmed Olmedo Pérez, director of the European Department of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), during the welcoming event for young people coming to the country for the first time, held at the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp.