Vol. 73/No. 2      January 19, 2009

The event was organized by a coalition of Cuban solidarity organizations and other political groups. They came together at the initiative of Casa de las Américas, an organization that has played a key role for five decades in building solidarity in New York with Cuba’s socialist revolution.

Cuban immigrants, who were in their majority factory and restaurant workers, founded Casa in 1957. They organized opposition to Washington’s support to the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista and participated in activities in support of the Cuban Revolution following Batista’s overthrow.

Nancy Cabrero, president of Casa, opened the brief program. “The triumph of the Cuban Revolution empowered the oppressed people of the world and rekindled a hope for freedom,” she said in welcoming everyone.

She introduced Abelardo Moreno Fernández, Cuba’s new ambassador to the United Nations. A former deputy foreign minister of Cuba, Moreno expressed his great pleasure that the 50th anniversary celebration was his first public appearance as Cuba’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Moreno explained that the Cuban people had faced difficulties in the last year after being hit by three devastating hurricanes. “At the same time,” he said, “it has been a wonderful time for us, because of the failure of the U.S. government’s policy to isolate the Cuban Revolution.”

Moreno pointed to Cuba’s relations and cooperation with governments throughout the Americas, and Cuba’s active participation in various Latin American and Caribbean bodies, including the first Latin American and Caribbean summit to take place without foreign participation. “Cuba has survived because of the sacrifice of the Cuban people and the solidarity we have won from people like you,” he said.

Cabrero also recognized from the podium the Venezuelan embassy delegation that came to the celebration.

Among those who joined in the festivities were many of the long-time cadres of Casa, including Arnaldo Barrón.

Barrón was the first organizer of the July 26 Movement in New York. In March 1957, he and 36 other July 26 brigadistas did time in U.S. prison after their arrests for breaking the U.S. “Neutrality” Act. A U.S. Coast Guard ship intercepted a yacht they were on that carried arms for the Rebel Army in Cuba.
 
 
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Revolution’s 50th anniversary celebrated in Cuba  
 
 
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