World Celebrates Cuba Solidarity Day

People around the world will celebrate Cuba Solidarity Day May 21 in remembrance of political prisoners held by the Castro dictatorship that runs the island nation. America.gov, a web site operated by the United States Department of State, quotes former U.S. State Department official Lino Gutierrez as saying, "On this day, our message to the prisoners will be that they are not alone, that their plight is not forgotten and that free men and women everywhere will continue to fight until they are freed."

Cuba has been a thorn in the side of the United States since Fidel Castro seized power nearly half a century ago. Castro quickly aligned his government with the Soviet Union and the island was thrust into the spotlight during the Cuban missile crisis that saw the United States, led by President John F. Kennedy, and the Soviet Union, led by General Secretary Nikita Kruschev, bring the world to the brink of nuclear war. Due to a deteriorating health condition, Castro was forced to cede power to his brother Raul, who now runs the repressive regime set up by his brother.

Cuba has been subjected to virtually unilateral economic sanctions by the United States for decades. While calls for the lifting of sanctions have increased in recent years, the measures remain in effect and will likely only be lifted when the Castro brothers are no longer in power.