Vol. 79/No. 25 July 20, 2015
The response in Cuba was joy, confidence and pride. One expression was the May Day celebrations with 1 million people in the streets of Havana.
Working people in Cuba haven’t scored a victory like this since the defeat of South Africa’s apartheid army in Angola at the end of the 1980s that opened the door for the independence of Namibia and the dismantling of the racist regime in South Africa. The Cuban Revolution comes out stronger, with the possibility to loosen the noose of Washington’s economic warfare for the first time in decades.
The Cuban leadership is determined to continue the struggle, to assure the sovereignty, independence and continued defense of the socialist revolution. Cuba doesn’t negotiate principles. No process would start with any of the Cuban Five in jail. No talks would continue with Washington threatening sanctions on Venezuela. Obama blinked and backed off.
“We never felt alone,” Gerardo Hernández of the Cuban Five said during their recent visit to South Africa. “We know that the Cuban Revolution never leaves a soldier behind.”
The victory reaches far beyond Cuba’s shores.
It’s a victory that strengthens new generations of revolutionary leadership.
It’s a victory for the anti-imperialist struggle in Latin America and the Caribbean against Washington’s domination, especially in Venezuela.
It’s a victory for those fighting to free framed-up Puerto Rican independence fighter Oscar López and end Washington’s colonial rule.
It’s a victory for the working class in the U.S. and beyond — getting working-class revolutionary fighters out of prison by building the “jury of millions.”
President Obama recognized the failure of the U.S. rulers’ course over the last 50 years and said something else has to be tried to overthrow Cuba’s socialist revolution.
“We’ll do this at our pace,” Castro said. There is no normalization without the ending of the embargo and the return to Cuba of the Guantánamo base.
Working people in Cuba and worldwide can build on this victory and living record of internationalism.
End the embargo on Cuba! U.S. imperialism — Out of Guantánamo!
Free Oscar López! Independence for Puerto Rico!
Related articles:
In victory for revolution, Cuba, US to open embassies
Relations require ‘respect for independence and sovereignty’
Cuban 5 in South Africa: ‘We are soldiers of revolution’
Cuba helps push back Washington’s attacks on Venezuela
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