Advocating for the Cuba 5


Martin Coria | October 28, 2014

At a time where CWS leadership begins a new journey in favor of friendship between the U.S. and Cuba, I am convinced God is touching minds and hearts in both countries, right now.   As an agency with more than 65 years of experience forging transformative partnerships around the world including Latin America, CWS believes it is time for the U.S. and Cuban governments to maintain normal, mutually respectful and beneficial relations.

Church World Service´s patience and humble involvement trying to create the conditions that will assist the governments of Cuba and the United States to find a mutually acceptable solution to the cases of the so-called “Cuban 5” and U.S.-contractor detained in Cuba Alan Gross represents another chapter in the long list of cases where representatives of the American faith community decided to speak out and do something in favor of peace, human rights and normal relations between the U.S. and one of its Latin American and Caribbean neighbors.

The tools used by CWS in this journey are varied and include a multitude of periodic visits, open and private letters, meetings and dialogues with public officials and policymakers and op-ed pieces. Praying, however, continues to enjoy the most precious place. Individual and group prayer before, during or after such events continue to remind us all that God, the first and perfect peacemaker, our father and mother beyond boundaries, is always working, even in moments where there is no apparent movement in policy.

Martin Coria is the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Coordinator at CWS.