Resolution 2021-31801 RESOLUTION NO. 2021-31801
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE MOTION BY THE
HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND DECLARING
SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF CUBA FOR BRAVELY ASSERTING
THEIR UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM AND JUSTICE, AND URGING
PRESIDENT JOSEPH BIDEN AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO
CONDEMN THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF THE
PROTESTS AND SUPPORT THE CUBAN PEOPLE IN THEIR
STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND BASIC NEEDS BY ALL MEANS,
INCLUDING BY PUBLICLY DENOUNCING THE CUBAN
DICTATORSHIP FOR ITS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE CUBAN PEOPLE;
BY USING ALL AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE INTERNET
ACCESS FOR THE PEOPLE OF CUBA; BY PROVIDING THE CUBAN
PEOPLE WITH DIRECT HUMANITARIAN AID, INCLUDING FOOD AND
MEDICINE, THROUGH RELIABLE THIRD-PARTY HUMANITARIAN AND
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS; BY OFFERING TO SEND DIRECT
MEDICAL CARE TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE THROUGH ALL MEANS
INCLUDING SENDING THE U.S. NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP "USNS
COMFORT" TO CUBA TO PROVIDE ON-SITE CARE; BY
COORDINATING AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT FOR HUMANITARIAN
AID AND SUPPORT TOWARD A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION; AND BY
AGGRESSIVE DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION; FURTHER, DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, AND
THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
WHEREAS, Miami Beach has a large number of Cuban residents and other
individuals whose families have fled from Communist regimes and repression; and
WHEREAS, at the special meeting on July 15, 2021, the City of Miami Beach
Hispanic Affairs Advisory Committee passed a motion urging the City of Miami Beach to
declare support and solidarity with the people of Cuba rising up against the authoritarian
Communist regime, and further, urge humanitarian and diplomatic intervention by the
U.S. government for a peaceful change in Cuba; and
WHEREAS, for over 60 years, the Cuban people have suffered under a
Communist and military dictatorship that has systematically denied the Cuban people
their most fundamental freedoms; and
WHEREAS, unbearable living conditions of the Cuban people are not a result of
the U.S. sanctions, but of the authoritarian Communist regime inflicting economic misery
on its own people, denying them basic social rights, and curtailing freedom of speech by
assaulting and arresting activists protesting against the Communist regime; and
WHEREAS, since July 11, despite serious risks to personal health and safety,
thousands of Cubans bravely took to the streets across the island nation to protest chronic
shortages of basic goods, food, and medicines, longstanding restrictions on civil liberties
and the government's poor handling of a worsening COVID-19 pandemic, marking the
most significant unrest in decades; and
WHEREAS, the rare wave of demonstrations against Cuba's communist
government has been fomented by a deepening economic crisis worsened by the COVID-
19 pandemic, which has devastated the country's tourism industry and sent Cuba's
economy into a deep slump, causing food shortages and hunger, as well the collapse of
medical systems as already-scarce resources are stretched to the brink; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic starkly laid bare the failures and fault lines
of the Cuban Communist regime, as they can no longer blame the food and medicine
shortages on the U.S. sanctions'; and
WHEREAS, the widespread protests are not only sounding the alarm regarding
the dire situation affecting the Cuban people, but also calling—on a scale never seen
before—for freedom and for an end to the oppressive Communist regime that has
tyrannized the Cuban people for more than half a century; and
WHEREAS, the Cuban Communist regime responded to the protests by stifling
freedom of expression and violently attacking, arresting, and imprisoning peaceful
protestors and critics of the government; and
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of the protests, anti-Cuban communist regime
activists say that more than 100 people have been detained or are missing in a crackdown
described as the largest in years; and
WHEREAS, in addition, the Cuban Communist regime continues to try and repress
communications and pleas for help from the Cuban people, with The Associated Press
reporting that authorities have blocked access to social media sites and messaging
platforms in an apparent effort to stop the flow of information into, out of, and within Cuba;
and
WHEREAS, access to the Internet is vital, as it allows the Cuban people to
communicate with one another and their loved ones abroad, and for the world to see what
is happening on the ground as the Cuban people rise in support of freedom; and
1 In 2000, the embargo was relaxed by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, where
U.S. Congress lifted unilateral sanctions on commercial sales of food, agricultural commodities, medicine,
and medical products to Cuba.
2
WHEREAS, technology exists to provide Internet access into Cuba remotely, using
the innovation of American enterprise and the diverse industries here, similar to American
efforts to broadcast radio into the Soviet Union during the Cold War in Europe; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission of Miami Beach wholeheartedly
support all efforts to bring about democratic reform in Cuba, and stand in solidarity with
the Cuban people and their call for "Patria Y Vida" for Cuba in this historic moment of
change; and
WHEREAS, City of Miami Beach urge President Joseph Biden and the U.S.
Government to condemn the Cuban government's handling of the protests, and support
the Cuban people as they struggle for and demand basic freedoms and human needs,
including food, and access to life-saving healthcare inclusive of vaccines for Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19), by all means, including, but not limited to:
• By continuing to publicly denounce the Cuban dictatorship for its violence and
repression directed against the Cuban people;
• By using all available technology to allow for the free flow of information in and
out of Cuba including providing unrestricted internet access to the fullest extent
possible throughout the island;
• By providing direct humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, that will be
delivered directly to the Cuban people through reliable third-party humanitarian
and religious organizations;
• By offering to send direct medical care to the Cuban people through all means
including sending the U.S. Navy hospital ship "USNS Comfort" to Cuba to
provide on-site care, including delivery of vaccines directly to Cuban citizens;
• By coordinating an international effort for humanitarian aid and support toward
a democratic transition; and
• Through aggressive diplomatic intervention, including assembling and leading
an international coalition of Nations to stand against the dictators of Cuba and
with and for the Cuban people.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby accept the motion by the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Committee, and
declare support for the people of Cuba for bravely asserting their universal right to
freedom and justice, and urge President Joseph Biden and the U.S. Government to
condemn the Cuban government's handling of the protests and support the Cuban people
in their struggle for freedom and basic needs by all means, including by publicly
denouncing the Cuban dictatorship for its violence against the Cuban people; by using all
available technology to provide Internet access for the people of Cuba; by providing the
Cuban people with direct humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, through reliable
third-party humanitarian and religious organizations; by offering to send direct medical
care to the Cuban people through all means including sending the U.S. Navy hospital
ship "USNS Comfort" to Cuba to provide on-site care; by coordinating an international
effort for humanitarian aid and support toward a democratic transition; and by aggressive
3
diplomatic intervention; further, direct the City Clerk to transmit a certified copy of this
Resolution to the President of the United States, to the Members of .the Florida
Congressional Delegation, and the Secretary of the United States Department of State.
PASSED and ADOPTED this a8 day of 14 , 2021.
ATTEST:
Dan Gelber, Mayor
7-?
Rafae E. Granado, City Clerk
(sponsored Mayor Dan Gelber and Commissioner Michael Gongora
co-sponsored by Vice Mayor Ricky Arriola, Commissioner Micky Steinberg, and
Commissioner Mark Samuelian)
;..,c (mut)/g APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE.
& FOR EXECUTION
1
City Attarne Date
4
Resolutions-C7 AQ
MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Rafael Paz,Acting City Attorney
DATE: July 28,2021
SUBJECT:A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA,
ACCEPTING THE MOTION BY THE HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY COMMITTEE,AND DECLARING
SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF CUBA FOR BRAVELY ASSERTING THEIR UNIVERSAL RIGHT TO
FREEDOM AND JUSTICE,AND URGING PRESIDENT JOSEPH BIDEN AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO
CONDEMN THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF THE PROTESTS AND SUPPORT THE CUBAN
PEOPLE IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND BASIC NEEDS BY ALL MEANS, INCLUDING BY
PUBLICLY DENOUNCING THE CUBAN DICTATORSHIP FOR ITS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE CUBAN
PEOPLE;BY USING ALL AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY TO PROVIDE INTERNET ACCESS FOR THE PEOPLE
OF CUBA; BY PROVIDING THE CUBAN PEOPLE WITH DIRECT HUMANITARIAN AID, INCLUDING FOOD
AND MEDICINE,THROUGH RELIABLE THIRD-PARTY HUMANITARIAN AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS;
BY OFFERING TO SEND DIRECT MEDICAL CARE TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE THROUGH ALL MEANS
INCLUDING SENDING THE U.S.NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP"USNS COMFORT"TO CUBA TO PROVIDE ON-SITE
CARE; BY COORDINATING AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT FOR HUMANITARIAN AID AND SUPPORT
TOWARD A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION;AND BYAGGRESSIVE DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION; FURTHER,
DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA CONGRESSIONAL
DELEGATION,AND THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
•
ANALYSIS
The attached Resolution was prepared at the request of Mayor Dan Gelber and Commissioner Michael Gongora,the sponsors,and
Vice Mayor Ricky Arriola, Commissioner Micky Steinberg and Commissioner Mark Samuelian, the co-sponsors, of this item for
consideration at the July 28,2021 City Commission meeting.
SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA
N/A
Is this a"Residents Right Does this item utilize G.O.
to Know"item.pursuant to Bond Funds?
City Code Section 2-14?
No No
Legislative Tracking
Office of the City Attorney
Sponsor
Mayor Gelber&Comm'r Gongora,Co-Sponsored by Vice-MayorArriola,Comm'rs Steinberg&Samuelian
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
❑ Resolution