BY ERNIE MAILHOT
MIAMI — "My campaign denounces the U.S. rulers' use of the Helms-Burton law to pressure foreign corporations and governments to withdraw investments and trade with Cuba," declared Socialist Workers vice presidential candidate Laura Garza speaking here May 30.

During the socialist's campaign stop here the Miami Herald reported that the Spanish government had canceled as much as $5 million in aid for Cuban government programs. U.S. and Mexican officials reported that Cemex, the Mexican cement company with major investments in the United States, had pulled back from its operations in Cuba.

At a June 1 socialist campaign rally at the Miami Pathfinder bookstore, Garza spoke of the shift in the ongoing U.S. attacks on the Cuban revolution. "Clinton, Dole and their capitalist handlers are angry because the Cuban revolution survived the last five years. Despite economic difficulties the Cuban people stood up to the pressures from the U.S. imperialists and today we see that their economy is making modest but important gains," she said.

Unlike the U.S. and other capitalist countries who are closing hospitals and schools, the Cuban people have defended the acquisitions of their revolution and have not closed one hospital, school, day care center, or home for the elderly," continued Garza.

"This is the reason for the Helms-Burton law and the tightening of the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba that it represents," she said. "Washington is saying you can do business in the U.S. or you can do business in Cuba — you choose.

"We should have no illusions," the socialist candidate added. "Many capitalist governments, including those representing competing forces with U.S. big business, are loudly objecting to Helms-Burton. But they won't risk losing their access to the U.S. market if they can't force Washington to back off.

"Our campaign defends the Cuban revolution," she stated. "We oppose all attacks on the sovereignty of the Cuban people and we point to the example of Cuba for workers and the oppressed worldwide."

Discussions with many workers
Garza and supporters were able to bring the socialist campaign to many working people in southern Florida during her visit.

"It's good to meet you. Good luck with your campaign," said one CSX worker changing shifts at the Hialeah rail yard May 28. He knew about the Garza's candidacy from Seth Galinsky, his co-worker who is the Socialist Workers Congressional candidate in the 21st District. Others of Galinsky's coworkers stopped to meet the candidate and three bought the campaign newspaper, the Militant.

The next day the Nuevo Herald, Miami's largest Spanish-language daily, printed a photo of Garza, Galinsky, and the Socialist candidate for Dade County mayor, Rachele Fruit, along with an accompanying article on the first page of the local section.

The article explained that Garza called for the unity of working people throughout the world in order to win gains such as a higher minimum wage, and included the phone number of the local campaign office. A dozen people called — some hostile to the candidate's views in support of the Cuban revolution and others interested in getting more information on the campaign.

On May 31 Garza addressed the weekly meeting of  Veye Yo, the Haitian rights organization here. A Democratic Party candidate for County Commission addressed the meeting before the socialist. Unlike his talk, which focused on the mechanics of voting for him, Garza spoke of the need for more demonstrations in defense of immigrants' rights like the ones she often participated in at the Krome Detention Center when she previously lived in Miami. She called for the end to all deportations, equal rights for immigrants and equal protection under the law including the right to vote.

"Today Washington is demanding the privatization of the airport, the cement factory and more in Haiti. This is not in the interests of the workers of Haiti or the workers here," she told the more than 50 Haitian activists who gave her enthusiastic applause.

The socialist candidate also addressed a meeting of 30 members of the Alliance of Workers of the Cuban Community (ATC), a Cuban-American group that opposes the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba.

More than 30 people attended the Miami campaign rally June 1 including several who were attending their first campaign event. Two women had seen an announcement of the rally in the Fort Lauderdale magazine XS. One explained that she considered herself a young socialist and bought a subscription to the Militant. The campaign rally featured Garza and was part of launching the Florida socialist campaigns of Fruit, Galinsky, and Janet Post for Congress in the 17th C.D.

Garza also joined a picket line by supporters of farm workers fired by Quincy Farms, the growers of Prime label mushrooms.
 
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