Terrorism against Cuba on the rise

The Spanish government is taking a harder line against Cuba following Cuba's refusal to support an El Salvadoran motion condemning the Basque ETA at the 10th Ibero-American Summit held in Panama last November.

This is hypocrisy. Spanish prime minister Aznar is closely involved with the Cuban-American National Foundation (CANF), which sponsors terrorist attacks against Cuba. Former CANF president Mas Canosa was once guest of honour at the congress of Aznar's Popular Party and Aznar met CANF members in Miami in 1998 and Cuban counter-revolutionaries during the 9th Ibero-American summit in Havana.

During the Panama summit, Luis Posada Carriles, a long-time accomplice of Mas Canosa, was caught plotting to bomb a packed university hall in which Fidel Castro was to speak. Cuba is now pressing for Carriles' extradition, pointing out that it is El Salvador which should be condemned for sheltering terrorists.

Carriles has a long history of terrorist activity against Cuba, even though he has lived openly in El Salvador since 1985, and authored attacks in Cuba and Central America. In 1997, he paid two El Salvadorans and two Guatemalans to plant bombs in Havana, killing an Italian tourist. The El Salvadorans were caught and tried. Carriles boasted about the attacks to the New York Times, saying 'the FBI and CIA don't bother me. Whenever I can help them, I do'.

Indeed Carriles has been helping them since 1961, when he was in the second wave of the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba (although it never landed). In 1963, the CIA trained him and Mas Canosa at Fort Benning, Georgia in 'explosives, how to kill... acts of sabotage'. The CIA transferred him to Venezuela in 1967 where he led a state intelligence unit persecuting and torturing left-wing guerrillas.

Then in 1976, together with fellow Cuban exile and CIA operative Orlando Bosch, he blew up a Cubana jet, killing 73 people. He was gaoled in Venezuela but escaped in 1985 after bribing his guards with money provided by Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo, one of those now held with him in Panama. Another Cuban, CIA agent Felix Rodriguez, took him to El Salvador where they helped Colonel Oliver North supply arms to the Contras fighting against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

During the Iran-Contra hearings in 1987, Rodriguez called Carriles 'a good friend' who 'deserved to be free'. He also boasted about meeting George Bush Sr, then US Vice President. The Bush dynasty maintains its traditions: CANF treasurer Feliciano Foyo is a good friend of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, brother of George Jnr.

From Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 159 February/March 2001

The failure of capitalism

Capitalism in crisis: globalization and world politics today by Fidel Castro (edited by David Deutschmann), Ocean Press 2000 in association with Editora Politica, Havana

Capitalism in crisis is a collection of 14 speeches given by Cuban President Fidel Castro over the last three years on the subject of globalisation. The central question raised is: 'Why not seek other formulas and admit that humankind is able to organise itself in a more rational and humane manner?'

He compares the globalised world with a ship in which a 'trifling minority' is travelling in luxury while the overwhelming and suffering majority endure conditions similar to the slave trade. After a century in which there have been incredible advances in science and technology there are still four billion people who are deprived of the most basic human rights: the right to life, to health, to education, to clean water, to food, to housing, to employment, to hope for their future and that of their children. In over 100 countries per capita income is lower than it was 15 years ago, 1.6 billion people are worse off than they were at the beginning of the 1980s, over 820 million people are undernourished and an estimated 507 million will not live to see their 40th birthday. There is no limit to the suffering brought by globalisation under imperialism. Two out of five children in the Third World suffer growth retardation, 130 million lack primary education and 30,000 who could be saved are dying every day.

During NATO's supposedly humanitarian war against Yugoslavia the US flew its B-2 bombers direct from a base in Missouri to bomb Belgrade and return without even landing. Each one cost $2.2 billion. Obviously it requires a lot of sophisticated weapons to maintain such an unjust system.

But even with such massive extraction of wealth, imperialism has not been able to eliminate what Fidel Castro calls the 'Third World within their borders'. Today there are people sleeping under newspapers in the streets in the heartlands of imperialism. There is poverty, functional illiteracy, and the infant mortality rate in the US capital is twice Cuba's national average. This conceals an even greater difference between poor and rich, black and white.

In the globalisation of communications and culture, imperialism has found a powerful weapon of subjugation. It controls more and more of the world's TV and radio networks. Even in Europe the majority of films come from the US, so what hope is there for poor countries? By destroying national cultures it weakens the capacity for resistance. Unsustainable lifestyles are encouraged, McDonald's has been introduced to India and China, selfishness and ignorance is encouraged and there is no moral content to the culture it spreads.

Fidel Castro also warns that the stability of the global economy is greatly overestimated. What has Greenspan, Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, invented, and what can be invented that can prevent a crash like that of 1929? he asks. Every day speculation to the value of $1.5 trillion takes place, which is 270 times more than the daily GDP of the whole world. It is not producing anything; money is invested in coffee quoted at $2 in the hope that it can later be sold at $2.30 without a single bean being grown by the process. This speculative balloon cannot continue inflating forever.

When it does deflate it will be more catastrophic than 1929 because things are even more inflated than they were then. In 1929 only the rich and millionaires, like the Rockefellers, who formed 5% of the US population had stocks, but today 50% of savings belonging to tens of millions of Americans are invested in the stock market. And of course, this time it will be a truly global crisis.

It is so important that there is a world leader who raises these issues and opposes imperialist globalisation. Because yes, there are other formulas that can allow people to organise themselves in a more rational and humane way. Cuba's socialist Revolution has demonstrated that the majority can and must take the helm from the trifling minority and chart a new course in their interests.

From Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 159 February/March 2001

Cuba in the new millennium

Three comrades from the Revolutionary Communist Group visited Cuba over the New Year, the 42nd anniversary of Cuban Revolution. They took proposals for two major projects to strengthen our solidarity work with Cuba: a speaking tour by Cuban communists and a pamphlet on the gains of socialist Cuba (see RATB round-up).

These proposals were discussed in meetings with Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, editor of the daily Juventud Rebelde (Rebel Youth), Noel Carrillo Alfonso from the Department of International Relations, Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, and Jorge Luis Fajardo Lopez of the Union of Young Communists, and received a very positive response. As well as discussing our solidarity work the Cuban comrades told us about some important ideological and political work now taking place.

Our comrades were also able to join the millennium celebrations with Cuban families, university students and young pioneers. It was evident that for the Cubans this year was a very special occasion. Not only were they entering a new millennium but were doing so in a country more united than ever behind their revolution and with their socialist principles strengthened.

Below are some aspects of the important ideological and political work taking place in Cuba today which we discussed.

Round tables and tribunals
During the fight to reunite Elián Gonzalez with his family, Cuba held televised round-table discussions on this issue and carried out anti-imperialist protests outside the US Interest Section in Havana. These aimed to inform and give a platform to the people and demonstrated to the rest of the world Cuba's determination to defend its socialist principles.

After Elián's return to Cuba this ideological offensive has intensified. There are now daily round-table discussions on all issues affecting the Cuban people. Polls to assess the views of a cross-section of the population are carried out after the broadcasts and further discussions take place involving representatives of the Cuban people and their mass organisations. Our comrades were invited to attend a round-table discussion on the Cuban Adjustment Act, the US emigration law which encourages illegal exits from the island, to discuss the tragic death of two young Cubans, apparently attempting to travel to the US in the undercarriage of a British Airways plane. The debate was completely open and raised many issues about illegal emigration and the impact of the Cuban Adjustment Act.

At the same time anti-imperialist tribunals are held around the country each week in a different municipality with people participating in open discussion. These have a mass attendance and are televised weekly.

Cultural and social support
'University for all' is a televised programme to raise educational standards for all Cubans, young and old. Programmes last one hour in the morning, and are repeated late at night. English classes take place three days a week and other subjects include Spanish, music, literature and art history. Supplements are produced to aid those studying, a million of which have been sold for the English course costing only 2.50 Cuban pesos.

Cuba has bought 1 million TV sets from China, 70% to be sold in the national currency, 20% in $US and 10% for social purposes including schools, universities, hospitals, bus and train terminals. The scheme ensures that every classroom will have access to a television set and video recorder, and this extends to remote rural communities where electricity is by solar power.

Computer centres are another project giving Cubans access to the latest technology. These are now provided in every municipality and fitted with up-to-date equipment allowing access to the internet and e-mail. All Cubans can use the computer centres, which also run short courses on information technology. Another project involves video clubs. 300 have been set up and video screenings are followed by discussion. This facility is free and 1,000 of the best international films have been selected. Finally, every municipality has the capacity to print material for all artists and writers, allowing new artists to have up to 2000 copies of their work in print.

Social assistance
To ensure that conditions of all Cubans, especially children in the aftermath of the Elián situation, continue to improve, a programme of 'social work' is being developed. The aim is to guarantee that social problems are adequately dealt with and support given where necessary. As a preliminary project, three brigades of 600 university students have been created to assess need in marginal areas surrounding central Havana. They cover 70 neighbourhoods - contacting every house with children - producing a detailed survey of family income, diet, education, estimating the shortages etc. This is a two-way process and the knowledge gained by the students is seen as an important aspect of the work. The result has been an acceptance of the need for social workers on a permanent basis. A school for social workers has been founded.

These new projects, both ideological and social, take place alongside recognition that workers in the social sector such as teachers and doctors, have made an invaluable contribution during the special period to the socialist principles underlying Cuba's revolution. The reserves of the state can now be used to improve their wages and living conditions and tackle the recent shortages, especially of teachers in Havana.

Cubans are aware that they still live in the special period, however they see these developments as part of the continuing battle for survival as a socialist country under conditions of the continuing illegal blockade.

Susan Rose

From Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 159 February/March 2001

Cuba in brief

Manic Street Preachers premiere album in Havana
The Manic Street Preachers will premiere their new album Know your enemy in Havana on 17 February at the city's Karl Marx Theatre.

The Welsh band, who have shunned the media spotlight, released their last single The Masses Against the Classes in January 2000. The band chose Cuba because in the words of bassist Nicky Wire, it is 'the last place that holds out against the Americanisation of the world.' The admission price for the concert has been set at an affordable level for local people.

Bacardi retreats on exploitation of Cuba's image
Bacardi, it seems, is on the retreat. Its recent advertising campaign has dropped its claims to Cuban origins: 'Established in Cuba 1862'. Nor does it play on 'Cuban cool'. This may be thanks to the international character of the campaign to boycott the company. This has been stepped up with the publication of Bacardi: the hidden war by Colombian journalist Hernando Calvo Ospina, which will be reviewed in the next issue of FRFI.

Dishonest US law tightens blockade on Cuba
Recent reports in the Western media have claimed that the United States has relaxed the blockade by allowing food and medicines to be sold to Cuba. The truth is precisely the opposite.

In autumn of last year legislation was approved by the appropriate committees of the House of Representatives but the anti-Cuban clique on the Rules Committee hi-jacked a full debate by amalgamating the issue with all sorts of unrelated matters. Since a majority of representatives were unwilling to vote against these matters, it was not possible to introduce the proposed amendments openly allowing food and medicine sales to Cuba.

The end result is that there is no change to the previous position. Legally, it is possible to sell food and medicine to Cuba. In reality, sales of food and medicine are totally impossible. Any US company selling medicines to Cuba would first of all have to account for how every aspirin would be used. No US bank or any foreign bank in which a US citizen has any interest is allowed to finance sales to Cuba; any foreign bank that tries to do so must first submit to scrutiny by the US authorities. No US financial institution is willing to involve itself with sales to Cuba under those conditions.

In fact, overall, the blockade has been tightened by inclusion in the legislation of restrictions on the right of US citizens to travel to Cuba. Previously, this was at the prerogative of the President. Now the ban becomes law and only Congress can decide who can travel to Cuba.

Anti-Cuban terrorists funded by assets stolen from Cuba
The US government has seized payments owed to Cuba for telecommunication services between the two countries, as well as freezing Cuban assets in the US totalling over $161 million. A US court has granted this money, ostensibly, as compensation to the families of two Miami mafia pilots shot down while on subversive missions over Cuba a few years ago. The money will, of course, be used by these organisations for further activities of terrorism and sabotage.

The Cuban government has fought back by firstly slapping a 10 per cent tax on all phone calls between the US and Cuba and then, when the US authorities refused to comply with the tax, by banning all telecommunications between the two countries.

Jim Craven

From Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 159 February/March 2001