Lafourié is a member of the UJC's National Committee. She and Alfredo Bárzaga, a leader of the University Students Federation (FEU) of Cuba, began a speaking tour of Canada on March 21.

They have been invited to make presentations on the theme of "Youth and the Cuban Revolution Today" to a number of groups and colleges in Quebec, Manitoba, and Ontario. Earlier, they had spoken in Ontario at York University, and two University of Toronto campuses.

"At this moment, we consider what we are doing in Cuba is rebuilding the socialism that stalled for ten years, while we fought to survive the effects of the loss of 80 percent of our trade with the socialist camp," Lafourié said. Cuba's economic output fell dramatically as a result of the drop in trade and aid that followed the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

The UJC leader described the campaign in Cuba today to expand educational programs and political discussion. The effort includes televised classes and roundtable discussions. "This new educational program, led by the UJC and supported by the Cuban government, is known by the name University for All," she said. While developing this program, she explained, "we realized that many people did not have access to a television set. So we decided to distribute 27,000 TV sets and 19,000 video machines, mainly to schools and other public places where there are large concentrations of people."  
 
Anti-imperialist mobilizations
Lafourié also described the anti-imperialist mobilizations in Cuba against the U.S. embargo and other attacks mounted by Washington since the revolution triumphed more than 40 years ago. She also pointed to the importance of proletarian internationalism for Cuban youth, citing the Cuban medical contingents in Latin America and Africa as examples.

One participant in the meeting asked Lafourié about the Cuban victory at Playa Girón against the U.S.-backed invasion in 1961. "We were capable of defeating the mercenary invasion in less than 72 hours because we mobilized an armed people who were organized in the militias," she said.

Lafourié ended the meeting by inviting those present to participate in a Canada-Cuba youth gathering to be organized by the UJC in Havana next November. She reported that Cuba is planning to send 300 delegates to the 15th World Festival of Youth and Students that will take place in Algeria next August.

Lagourié will join Bárzaga in Montreal on March 30 to continue the tour there. The two will return to Ontario for visits to Toronto, Kitchener, Peterborough, and London.

Carlos Cornejo is a garment worker and member of the Cuban youth tour organizing committee in Vancouver.
 
 
Related articles:
Youth from Cuba speak on fight to broaden culture
Cuban youth leaders well received in Chicago
 
 
 
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