00:06Hello, breaking news at this hour. Nuestra America Flotilla is setting sail to Cuba,
00:11a humanitarian mission involving social organizations and activists from various countries that are
00:17carrying tons of solidarity aid and also a message of hope to the Cuban people. In this
00:23context, we make a contact with journalist Gerardo Torres, who is on board of the Flotilla.
00:29Hello, Gerardo. We hear you. Hi, how are you? Thank you. We are just departing from Puerto
00:39Progreso of Mérida, Yucatán, in Flotilla, Nuestra America, in this ship that has been called
00:47Grandma 2.0, in honor to that grandma that 70 years ago was the ship in which Fidel Castro
00:56started. The Cuban Revolution, 70 years after, is now an expression of the solidarity of the
01:03whole world. Eleven countries are represented in this ship. People that are volunteers are
01:11bringing more than 30 tons of food, of primarily necessary goods, solar panels, bicycles. Everything
01:22that we could put inside this ship is here. And it's now leaving to Cuba. It's around 370
01:31nautical miles. It will be a three-day journey. And this is a reflection. This is a way to show
01:42the
01:42world that Cuba is not alone, that the world is with Cuba, and that the blockage will not be accepted.
01:48The solidarity that Cuba has given to the world is now given back. And people want to support Cuba.
01:57People want to help Cuba to survive. There was a flag just before we leave that says Cuba must live.
02:05Cuba
02:06deserves to live. And this is an action of that. This is a concrete action of the solidarity that Cuba
02:13awakes in many parts of the world. With me is Nicole León, who is part of the coordination of this
02:20flotilla,
02:21of this Granma 2.0. Nicole, what can you tell us? We have just departed from Puerto Progreso and we
02:28are now heading to Cuba.
02:29Can I check? Okay. Well, we are here around like many countries here and from Ecuador and we just departed
02:38from
02:39the port where all the fishermen help us to have all the humanitarian aid here. And that's what
02:46internationalism is about because internationalism is a tenderness of the people. And that's why we are here
02:54supporting Cuba because Cuba has always been solidarity with all the countries around the world.
03:03I'm very happy to finally achieve to do this because it was a very difficult journey. We tried many times
03:09to book a boat,
03:11to rent a boat, but they didn't want to rent us because they were scared. The owners were scared of
03:18if they will be,
03:22if they have any problem with the United States because they are helping us. So they deny many times.
03:28But now finally we have a boat and we are going to Cuba with solar panels eight, as you said.
03:36And it's very inspiring. I'm very happy to be here. I'm very honored to do this trip here.
03:47Nicole, you were part also of the flotilla that went to Gaza to bring solidarity. It was a different sea.
03:54It was a
03:55different part of the world. Now we're in the Caribbean of Latin America. What things can you see our similarities
04:01and what things are different in this new exercise of solidarity that you're also part of?
04:06Our similarities are that we are here, that we are still here against and facing the imperialism, the Zionism.
04:15So that's why we are here. That's the similar thing that we are carrying humanitarian aid.
04:19We are carrying love. We are carrying our dignity, our sovereignty to say,
04:25here are the people of the world that we don't want to be a colonial or imperialism system.
04:32So that's the similar things. And this for sure will be different because we will arrive to Cuba.
04:41We didn't arrive to Palestine because we were kidnapped by Zionism, by the IOF, the forces occupation of Israel.
04:50So now it's different and we just hope that we can arrive and share the message to all the world
05:00because we are with Cuba.
05:02Thank you, Nicole. The best of luck. And we'll be here with Telesur reporting in this flotilla,
05:09accompanying with these volunteers, with these humanitarians, and being a part of this historical moment
05:15in which we are traveling the same route of Fidel Castro of the Human Revolution,
05:20now with Solidarity, 70 years later. Transmitting for Telesur.
05:25Thank you. Thank you very much, Gerardo. And thank you as well, Nicole León, for all of your information and
05:31also for this initiative.
05:34We were at this moment speaking to Gerardo Torres and also, who is a journalist reporting for Telesur,
05:41from aboard Nuestra Flotilla, Nuestra America Flotilla as well, that is bringing tons of much-needed humanitarian aid to Cuba.
05:52And they are also carrying a message of hope for the people of Cuba and also for all of the
05:59people that are suffering the struggles
06:01of the imposition of a policy of a Gemini by the powers of the United States.
06:07This is all for the moment. Stay tuned with Telesur English for more.
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