FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2026
12:00pm
United Methodist Building: 100 Maryland Ave. NE Washington, DC

Media Contact: Cheryl LaBash | cheryl.nnoc@gmail.com | 313-282-5768

U.S. residents demand: Stop the Oil War on Cuba, Stop EXXON’s Lawfare attack

Washington, DC, February 20 – U.S. residents of conscience will gather near the U.S. Supreme Court at noon on Monday, February 23, 2026 at the United Methodist Building at 100 Maryland Ave. NE,  to explain, protest and demand an end to the intentional harm done to the Cuban people by U.S. aggression disguised as policy, including the lawfare actions before the Supreme Court brought by EXXON. 

Speakers include Paul Coates, founder Black Classic Press, just returned from Cuba; Blake Burdge, author and researcher; Leonardo Flores, Venezuela Network; Francesca Emanuele, Senior International Policy Associate, focusing on US policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean, CEPR; Basev Sen, Climate Justice Project Director, Institute for Policy Study, Jaboa, Cuba Solidarity organizer – Venceremos Brigade African-Indigenous-Palestinian Brigade, Rev. Nozomi Ikuta, Cheryl LaBash, National Network on Cuba

On January 29, President Trump issued an executive order that characterized Cuba as an “extraordinary and unusual threat” to the United States. This order charged Secretary of State Marco Rubio with the authority to impose tariffs as coercive punishment on independent and sovereign countries that choose to exercise their economic right to sell or provide fuel to the sovereign country of Cuba. The stated excuse for this executive order is to comply with U.S. law in the Helms Burton Act, which requires the Cuban people renounce their chosen economic and political system as a prerequisite to lift the unilateral, illegal economic warfare against this much smaller developing country. The result is extreme hardship imposed on the Cuban people by denying them the right to fuel and electricity generation needed for the modern society developed by Cuba since the revolution in 1959.

The Secretary of State is using the power relegated to him not for the people of the United States, including the majority of Cuban Americans who favor peaceful relations and development, but to further the interests of a small group of politic ok ally and financially powerful elected officials from one state, Florida, that seeks to falsely speak for our entire country. 

Participants will announce actions that are underway or planned for U.S. residents to overcome the humanitarian situation created in Cuba by the action of the United States government without the approval of the Congress and against the will of the U.S. people.

For more information, please contact Cheryl LaBash of the National Network on Cuba: cheryl.nnoc@gmail.com or call 313-282-5768