CUBA: The Caribbean egalitarian role model that we must support

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By the Leonard Tim Hector Memorial Committee (LTHMC)

On Sunday July 11, there were reports of people protesting about the economic conditions and the difficulties being experienced with the pandemic in Cuba.

This should not come as a shock, particularly when one examines what has been taking place globally with various economies. For over sixty years, the American empire, a mere ninety miles from this sovereign Caribbean country, has done everything to overthrow the government of Cuba by invasion, attempted assassination of its leaders and the illegal economic blockade that has brought untold damage to the people of Cuba.

This blockade, along with hundreds of other measures, has been reinforced within the last five years, threatening the lives and security of the Cuban people. Human Rights organisations have vigorously condemned the blockade and deemed it genocidal. Continuously for years, the global community at the United Nations has voted in support of the Cuban Resolution to end the blockade, but to no avail.

Clearly, the illegal trading measures against Cuba are designed to create instability in the society because of the extreme economic hardship compounded by the pandemic.

Cuba, from the very inception of its Revolution in 1959, has been a beacon for all countries that have felt the yoke of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Cuba and the Cuban people demonstrated their solidarity with the people of Algeria when they struggled for their Independence against the French. South Africa, Namibia and others would not be politically independent countries today were it not for the Cuban freedom fighters.

Against all odds, because of the political and economic system since its Revolution, Cuba has been able to train its people in every discipline and eliminate the abject poverty and illiteracy that existed among the vast majority of its working people. But it did not stop there. In the spirit of internationalism it provided the same training for hundreds of thousands of persons in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

This small Caribbean country of eleven million people has demonstrated what is possible if allowed to define one’s own independent political and economic path. It is for that demonstration of a different political and economic direction that Cuba suffers today from the forces of Capitalism, and in particular, America.

We in the Caribbean have a duty and responsibility to come together to support the Cuban people and Government in their hour of need.

Cuba is not experiencing extreme difficulty because of the mismanagement of the economy. It is not because of a corrupt leadership exploiting the masses of people. It is because everything conceivable is being done by the United States of America to prevent them from engaging in normal international trade, making it impossible to provide the population with basic necessities.

Those who overthrew the democratically elected government of Allende in Chile and murdered thousands, who within recent times overthrew the government of Evo Morales in Bolivia, who overthrew the government in Honduras, are economic hit men. They, along with others, are instigating elements within Cuba using dire economic circumstances due to the blockade.

We must not allow those who are intent upon reversing the gains of self determination to do so. Those who want to reinstate the exploitative production relations that existed prior to the Revolution must be stopped.

Socialism in Cuba has been successful when the indices of human development are examined, for example, in education, health, life expectancy, social development, arts, music, culture and sports. In fact no other country could lay claim to the advances they have made since the Revolution considering the uninterrupted brutal and wicked steps taken in particular by the USA to devastate the country.

The governments and people of the Caribbean and the Americas must recognise that if the monopolist Capitalist powers succeed in overthrowing the legitimate government of Cuba, the right of self determination and development of an independent political and economic path will be destroyed.

        Thoughts and views expressed in guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Observer NewsCo, its management or staff.

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1 COMMENT

  1. why did 240,000 Cubans risk their lives in May 1980 to flee the country? Why are they protesting? Human rights, that is why. i have heard and seen it all traveling Cuba, Haiti, the Soviet Union and others and SOME people just don’t get it until they are locked up in a jail or have their family member taken away in the middle of the night and never to hear back from them. why are you living in Cuba if it is so great? i know, you will be hungry for more than food my friend. Hope you find your unicorn.

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