Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (CWPJN) Statement
July 20, 2026
US Hands Off Cuba!
No War on Cuba!
Canada – Take a Stand for Cuba!
The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (CWPJN) supports Cuba’s sovereignty and right to self-determination. We oppose the six-decade U.S. blockade of Cuba and any threats of military intervention or attempts to overthrow Cuba’s government, which violates international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
On July 16, 2026 a CBS news report detailed how Pentagon officials were considering a range of military options against Cuba, including an army-led air assault involving thousands of US troops. U.S. President Trump has repeatedly threatened military intervention to “take over” Cuba, notably saying “Cuba is next” during a speech at a Miami economic summit on March 27, 2026. This reprehensible comment came after Trump spoke about the U.S. war on Iran and the January 3, 2026 violent and illegal abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who remain illegally imprisoned in U.S. jails.
At the same time, the U.S. blockade has intensified. Measures introduced during the first Trump administration—including adding Cuba to the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list—have severely restricted Cuba’s access to international trade, banking, and investment. In January 2026, a new executive order declared Cuba an “extraordinary threat” and threatened tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, further restricting fuel supplies and worsening economic conditions.
The cumulative impact of more than 60 years of sanctions has affected Cuba’s electricity grid, transportation, housing, education and nearly all aspects of life, inflicting hardship on Cubans. Cuba’s world-renowned healthcare system faces access to essential medicines denied and fuel shortages causing delayed surgeries and medical treatments, putting Cuban patients in peril.
The effects of the U.S. blockade extend beyond the United States. Many Canadian businesses have also been affected by the blockade’s extraterritorial reach. In 2026, Canadian mining company Sherritt suspended its Cuban operations, and Canadian airlines halted flights to Cuba, dealing another blow to Cuba’s tourism-dependent economy.
The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network (CWPJN) demands the government of Canada:
- Publicly oppose any U.S. military intervention or threat against Cuba, and defend Cuba’s sovereignty and right to self-determination.
- Call for an immediate end to the U.S. blockade, including removal from the U.S. State Department’s “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list
- Expand humanitarian and economic cooperation with Cuba.
- Take concrete action to ensure that Canadian airlines resume flights and tours to Cuba for the 2026 winter season and that Sherritt and other Canadian corporations can circumvent the U.S. illegal, extraterritorial economic sanctions to continue operations in Cuba.
- Uphold international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
The Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network echoes calls from Cuba and solidarity activists world-wide, demanding:
Trump: Hands Off Cuba!
No War on Cuba!
Canada – Take a Stand for Cuba!