Vol. 81/No. 37 October 9, 2017
Days left before Cuba brigade, youth festival in Russia
The brigade was initiated by the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples to commemorate the legacy of Ernesto Che Guevara, a central leader of the Cuban Revolution, on the 50th anniversary of his fall in combat. With Fidel Castro’s backing, Guevara went to Bolivia to join the revolutionary struggle to overthrow the U.S.-backed dictatorship of René Barrientos.
Guevara was wounded and captured by the Bolivian army in a CIA-organized operation on Oct. 8, 1967. He was assassinated the following day.
While in Cuba, brigadistas will see firsthand what it means when there is a revolutionary government with workers in power. Days before the hurricane hit, the entire population began preparations. They organized an evacuation of 1.7 million people and as soon as it was safe to go out began reconstruction.
Led by brigades from the Cuban electrical workers union, almost all the electricity was restored in Cuba after the first week. During a phone conference of brigadistas preparing for the trip, it was reported that 10 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union from Miami went to Cuba to help.
In stark contrast, in Puerto Rico, the colonial government predicts it could take six months or longer to restore electricity. A colony of the U.S., Puerto Rico, was first grazed by Irma and then devastated by Hurricane Maria.
“I want to learn how Cuba mobilizes and recovers so quickly after a hurricane and helps those most in need,” Milly Guzman-Young, who was born in Puerto Rico and is going on the brigade, told the Militant. “Cuba and Venezuela offered to help Puerto Rico. The U.S. is blocking the aid. The U.S. is not providing help for my people and yet they have the audacity to deny and reject our neighboring brother countries from helping us.”
Supporters of the Cuban Revolution in many cities have organized dinners, events and media work to publicize and raise funds for the brigade and to prepare for reportback meetings. On Sept. 30, the day before brigade members leave for Cuba, the D.C. Metro Coalition in Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution will hold a fundraising party featuring Miguel Fraga, the first secretary of the Cuban Embassy.
The four people going on the brigade from Hartford, Connecticut, have been holding classes on Socialism and Man by Che Guevara and The First and Second Declarations of Havana to politically prepare for participating in the trip.
A sendoff garden party for brigadistas from Los Angeles will take place in San Pedro Sept. 30. It will also raise funds for delegates traveling to the World Festival of Youth and Students in Russia a couple of weeks later. On Sept. 23 supporters of the Cuban Revolution in San Jose had a chili dinner and video showing and raised $250.
Some 20,000 young people from over 120 countries are expected to attend the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi, Russia, Oct. 14-22. Over 100 young people are going from the U.S. The festival provides an opportunity to discuss, share experiences and learn about anti-imperialist struggles worldwide.
This year the festival will be honoring Fidel Castro. Some 250 young revolutionaries from Cuba will be attending. The Union of Young Communists (UJC) announced that outstanding leaders in history, science, medicine and sports will be guests of the Cuban delegation there.
Susely Morfa González, the first secretary of the National Committee of the UJC, told Juventud Rebelde Sept. 19 that prominent Cuban musicians and artists will be performing during the opening and closing ceremonies of the youth festival. The Cuban delegation’s goal at the festival “is a question of building strategies to fight against imperialism and in favor of a world of peace, solidarity and social transformations,” she said.
To request someone from the Cuba brigade speak to your group, school or union, contact the Chicago Cuba Coalition at (312) 952-2618 or ICanGoToCuba@gmail.com.
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