Message to American writers, artists, academics and friends of Cuban culture from UNEAC

In an outdated, obsolete speech loaded with falsehoods and stereotypes that respond to the Cold War logics, the President enunciated the abolishment of the positive steps taken by the previous administration.

His words were directed particularly to an auditory that does not represent the majority of the Cuban migration and which has been associated to terrorism against Cuba and other countries of the region.

We aspire to continue working together with the American people to build a fertile relationship in the cultural field and have more than enough bases of equality that favor the spiritual mutual enhancement of both nations.

In José Martí's ethical tradition inherited by the Cuban people there has never been or ever will be a space for hatred.

More than ever, it is now necessary to denounce this new policy as well as the brutal blockade that the Cuban people have suffered during almost sixty years.

Receive our sincere and eternal gratefulness

Miguel Barnet, President, poet and writer; Digna Guerra, Coral Director; Luis Morlote, audiovisual producer; Pedro de la Hoz, critic and journalist; Arístides Hernández (Ares), visual artist; Alex Pausides, poet; Lesbia Vent Dumois, visual artist ; Rolando Núñez, actor; Guido López Gavilán, composer and orchestra director; Rosalía Arnáez, broadcaster and cultural promoter; Nieves Laferté, stage designer; Margarita Ruiz, curator.

Executive Board of the Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, UNEAC)

La Habana, Cuba, 18 June 2017

link to report of statement