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NYC solidarity movement cheers Cuban minister

Published Sep 30, 2007 10:28 PM

At the same time that President Bush’s administration was slashing desperately needed public housing in New Orleans, George Bush was at the United Nations this week hypocritically denouncing and demonizing various world leaders.

One of those leaders is the beloved president of Cuba, Fidel Castro.

Cuba has been a target of U.S. imperialism since 1959 when the island nation decided to prioritize the needs of its people over the dictates of the multinational corporations. Since then, despite many obstacles, the Cuban Revolution has stood as a shining example for the people of the world that a society based on peoples’ needs, a socialist society, is far superior to a capitalist one.

Bush’s slanderous remarks against Cuba this week were nothing new.

The U.S. government has imposed on Cuba the longest economic and political blockade in U.S. history. It has carried out more than 600 attempts to assassinate President Fidel. And it has aided and abetted right-wing counterrevolutionaries to operate out of Miami and carry out acts of sabotage against Cuba.

For that and for much more, the Cuban government was forced to send to the U.S. some of its best children in order to monitor the acts of terrorism emanating from Florida. These Cubans were defending not only their country from terrorist attacks but they were saving U.S. lives as well.

The U.S. government, despite the fact that the Cuban government had notified the U.S. of their presence in this country, arrested these Cubans on Sept. 12, 1998.

These men are Fernando González, René González, Antonio Guerrero, Gerardo Hernández and Ramón Labañino. These five heroes sit in U.S. federal jails throughout the country facing some of the harshest sentences ever. In addition, families of two of the prisoners continue to be denied visitation rights by the U.S. Justice Department.

They remain in jail today, examples of not only Cuba’s best, but of the spirit of resistance against merciless imperialism, a testament that justice will prevail despite the odds.

Cubans address the solidarity movement

Representing Cuba at the U.N. this week was Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque.

The Cuban foreign minister spoke at the U.N. on the issue of global warming. In addition, the Cubans hosted an event at the Cuban Mission on Sept. 24 where Pérez Roque spoke to many of Cuba’s supporters.

When President Bush addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 25 and went into a tirade against Cuba, the Cuban delegation magnificently walked out during Bush’s comments.

Bush said: “In Cuba, the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end. The Cuban people are ready for their freedom. And as that nation enters a period of transition, the United Nations must insist on free speech, free assembly and, ultimately, free and competitive elections.”

The Cuban delegation later issued a statement saying the decision by Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque to leave the session was “a sign of profound rejection of the arrogant and mediocre statement by President Bush.”

U.S. imperialism—whether its government is headed by Republicans or Democrats—will never reconcile itself with revolutionary socialist Cuba. When Bush said that “the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end” and “as the nation enters a period of transition,” he got a lot of things wrong. On purpose, of course.

Cuba has already made its transition: from a neo-capitalist colony to a socialist liberated island.

Fidel has never been a cruel dictator. Not only the Cuban people but the masses around the world deeply love and respect Fidel. He would not be alive today if that were not true.

At the public event for Foreign Minister Pérez Roque, the Cuba solidarity movement gave a stirring standing ovation as soon as Pérez Roque entered the room. He received this ovation not just because—as guest speaker and Cuba’s dear friend, Rev. Lucius Walker, said—Roque is “one of the youngest and best foreign ministers in the world.” The standing ovation was because Cuba is dear to the hearts of the progressive movement in the U.S., too.

At the event, the Cubans recognized the many activists and leaders of different organizations who came to hear the foreign minister. They were of all nationalities and many political tendencies. Pérez Roque’s comments that Fidel’s health was fine received thunderous applause.

That applause represents what the masses around the world that are yearning and fighting for their own liberation want for Cuba: a healthy and long life not only for its president but for its Revolution.

The guest speakers at the event represented IFCO/Pastors for Peace, the Venceremos Brigade, Cuba Solidarity NY and the Popular Education Front for the Cuban Five as well as Rainbow Solidarity for the Cuban Five.

They, as well as everyone else in the room, left the event motivated to keep up the work to free the Cuban Five and to defend revolutionary Cuba against U.S. imperialism.