JULY 14, 2010, San Juan, Puerto Rico.— Puerto Rico welcomes all the delegations for these 21st Central American and Caribbean Games. "We are confident that we can fulfill our role as a host country and offer a sports event that the athletes of this region deserve," stated Milagros Rivera and José Morales, spokespersons for the Cuba Solidarity Network and both former executives of the Puerto Rican Swimming Federation.

"Unfortunately, we will not be able to count on the sports prowess of the Cuban delegation despite the fact that they trained for the event. Last February, the Cuban Olympic Committee announced its decision not to attend the 2010 Games in Mayagüez because of a lack of guarantees and unequal treatment imposed on its delegation by the federal authorities. The double blockade imposed on us by the United States is solely to blame for that. By not facilitating Cuba’s entry to Puerto Rico, it has deprived us of the presence of the sports power of the region, which had prepared to attend Mayagüez 2010 with its best athletes, including Olympic and Pan-American champions," stated José Morales, former president of the Puerto Rican Swimming Federation and spokesman for the Network.

"On Saturday, June 27 in Havana, the 19th Juan Rius Rivera Brigade, a solidarity project that travels to Cuba every summer, had the opportunity of meeting with Cuban sports authorities, more than 20 sports legends and a delegation of athletes selected to take part in these Games. We expressed our feelings, as Puerto Ricans, over this affront on the part of the U.S. government, by reading out the Declaration of the Cuba Solidarity Network. The Cubans responded that they hoped that the Games would be very successful and reiterated their commitment to sport in the Central American and Caribbean region. In an emotional encounter, the brigadistas presented those present with baseball caps with the Mayagüez 2010 logo, Puerto Rican flag buttons, and backpacks and T-shirts from the Brigade, bearing the slogan "Puerto Rico always with Cuba: No to the Blockade," said Milagros Rivera, president of the Cuba Solidarity Committee in Puerto Rico and Brigade coordinator since 1993, the very same year in which its members welcomed the Cuban delegation to the 1993 Games in Ponce.

Many people may manipulate information to have us believe that it was capriciousness on the part of Cuba not to attend the Games this year. Two irrefutable and fundamental realities are evident in this situation:

1. The U.S. government’s criminal blockade, aggression and harassment of Cuba since 1962, intensified by diverse acts and regulations that affect not only the sovereignty of Cuba but also third countries.

2. The colonial situation of Puerto Rico.

Faced with Cuba’s absence from these Games, we declare to the country:

1. We condemn the U.S. government as the only party responsible for preventing Cuba’s participation in these Games and we view this action as an aggression against our people, Cuba and all the peoples of the region.

2. We highlight the will of the Puerto Rican people in favor of Cuba’s participation in these Games.

3. We reject the violation of our sports sovereignty and urge the people to rescue it.

4. We support the Mayagüez 2010 Games and we acknowledge all the efforts made by the Puerto Rican Olympic Committee to secure Cuba’s participation.

5. We will continue to condemn the unjust, criminal and illegal blockade that the U.S. government has maintained against Cuba since 1962.

6. We urge the raising of the flag of Cuban dignity and we suggest to the different delegations that, besides raising the flags of our homelands, we also hold high the flag of the united peoples in honor of Cuba.

Finally, the spokespersons of the Network urge the people to join the Cuba Solidarity Network and help to defeat the criminal blockade imposed on Cuba by the government of the United States.

"We express our firm solidarity with the people of Cuba. Our sisterhood and solidarity cannot be blockaded by anyone."

Viva Cuba – End the blockade.