Pastors for Peace Caravan Arrives in Cuba

Havana, Jul 22. -The 22nd Pastors for Peace Caravan arrives in Cuba on Friday from Mexico with over 100 tons of humanitarian aid collected in 130 U.S. cities. The group of more than 100 activists is challenging the U.S. economic, trade and financial blockade imposed on Cuba for over 50 years.That policy, opposed worldwide, has caused some 751.363 billion USD in losses to Cuba, according to official figures.

The aid in solidarity from these friends, who are paying tribute to the Rev. Lucius Walker Jr., the late founder of what is also known as the Friendship Caravan and who died in September 2010, includes medicine, computer equipment, school supplies, portable solar panels and 14 vehicles.

According to Helen Bernstein, acting coordinator of the organization, U.S. authorities confiscated seven computers at the border, just as they did when last year's caravan crossed into Mexico.

The group, which will visit Cuba until July 30, expects to meet with students, artists, scientists and farmers, and to attend the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) graduation of 20 young scholarship students from the United States. (Prensa Latina)