100 years of Fidel: report from Cuba – Revolutionary Communist Group
A report from comrades attending the 23rd José Martí brigade to Cuba.
On 10 August, comrades from the Revolutionary Communist Group and Rock Around the Blockade attended the inaugural session of the International Colloquium, Fidel: Legacy and Future. The event drew approximately 1,500 delegates from 63 countries, and the space visually echoed this, lined with banners from global organisations and comrades in attendance, among them our own ‘Imperialism out of Latin America’ banner.
Speeches were delivered by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, a representative on behalf of the Communist Party of China, the Prime Minister of Namibia, a representative of the Party of the European Left, and representatives and presidents of the communist parties of Spain, Portugal, Vietnam, Chile and Türkiye. Messages were also relayed on behalf of President Vladimir Putin of Russia and a speech delivered from a representative of Guyana.
President Díaz-Canel opened by addressing the pressure exerted by imperialist governments against those visiting Cuba, telling delegates: ‘Your presence here is an act of bravery and a gesture of militant solidarity that follows in Fidel’s legacy.’ He spoke of the ongoing intensification of the US blockade and its attempts to strangle socialist Cuba, before turning to the achievements of the revolution such as the eradication of illiteracy in 1961, a free healthcare system that has sent doctors to 165 countries, and free, accessible education and sport. On the principles guiding Cuban foreign policy, he said that ‘internationalism is a lesson [from Fidel] that distinguishes us.’
Díaz-Canel also set out the blockade’s present day human cost: 98,500 patients currently unable to receive surgery due to a lack of resources and electricity; 67,000 children under one year old that are unable to complete their vaccinations, and child deaths that have doubled to 9.8%, a direct result of intensified sanctions under this genocidal blockade. And yet, despite this scarcity, Cuba has trained 735 university students from 62 countries, including 23 Palestinian doctors, a clear testament to the fact that socialism protects humanity even under complete siege.
In a written message, President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China stated that ‘China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding [its] security and sovereignty and opposes all imperialist interference,’ and referred to Mao Zedong’s letter to Fidel Castro.
The Prime Minister of Namibia reflected Cuba’s support for the shared struggles of Angola and Namibia against apartheid, including Operation Carlota, Cuba’s international mission to assist these countries against apartheid forces. The operation, which was named after a Cuban-born African woman who led a slave rebellion in 1843, paved the way to Namibia’s independence in 1990. He emphasised Cuba’s support for Namibia against apartheid colonialism, describing a ‘bond soaked in blood and sweat,’ and spoke of travelling to Havana to express solidarity with the Cuban people directly. He closed by describing the blockade’s core aim of strangling the economy as a ‘silent genocide.’
The Party of the European Left declared that ‘dignity cannot be blockaded.’ Guyana’s representative called Cuba the ‘king of 21st century communism,’ offering solidarity while speaking on Guyana’s own history and experience of struggle. Solidarity messages were also delivered by representatives of the communist parties of Chile, Portugal, Spain and Türkiye.
From Díaz-Canel’s address to the international solidarity voiced by speakers and delegates alike, this was an exciting and inspiring opening to what would be four days of revolutionary lectures, conferences and conversations, held over the centenary of Fidel Castro’s birth.