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Vol. 79/No. 26 July 27, 2015
Greece: New book is tool to
defend Cuban Revolution
BY GEORGES MEHRABIAN
ATHENS, Greece — The new book Cuba — USA: Cuba Can’t Be Bought Off,
launched here June 26, is a tool for supporters of the Cuban Revolution
to explain and build on the victory registered in the steps toward
normalization of relations between Washington and Havana. The
negotiations between the governments of the United States and Cuba on
opening diplomatic relations and toward lifting Washington’s strangling
embargo, announced last December, are the result of the failure of the
U.S. rulers to overturn Cuba’s socialist revolution through 55 years of
political and economic pressure.
The book makes available in Greek recent speeches, interviews and
letters by Cuban President Raúl Castro; Fidel Castro, the historic
political leader of the Cuban Revolution; Gerardo Hernández, one of the
Cuban Five, who spent more than 16 years unjustly imprisoned in the
U.S.; and Kenia Serrano, president of the Cuban Institute for Friendship
with the Peoples.
These documents explain how the Cuban Revolution “is based on
international solidarity, on humanity, on social justice, on confidence
in people’s abilities,” Cuban Ambassador Osvaldo Cobacho Martínez told
nearly 40 people attending a June 26 reception at the embassy launching
the book. “We will never give up on these principles and ideals of our
revolution. Negotiations with the U.S. take place on this basis.”
Cuba Can’t Be Bought Off is “the result of the collaboration between the
José Martí Cultural Association, the publishing house Diethnes Vima and
a number of Cuban solidarity blogs and websites, including the Greek
Solidarity Network,” said Natasha Terlexi, who chaired the event.
Terlexi is president of Diethnes Vima and a leader of the José Martí
Cultural Association.
“The revolution’s firm stand makes assaults by imperialism on Venezuela
harder,” she said, “and it gives a boost to the freedom struggle of the
Puerto Rican people, whose nation is still a U.S. colony.”
“Imperialism has not given up on its ultimate goals, to undermine and
overthrow the socialist revolution,” said Loukia Konstantinou, another
leader of the José Martí Cultural Association. “They will try different
methods to achieve the same goal. But we are confident that Cuba will
not retreat on any of its principles.”
The book contains “the words of three generations of Cuban
revolutionaries,” he said — the generation that made the revolution,
those who volunteered to defend Angola from South African invasions in
the 1970s and ’80s, and the generation that grew up during the Special
Period, when Cuba faced a severe economic crisis following the collapse
of the Soviet Union. “You will find the same thread throughout: Over 50
years of uncompromising struggle and at each decisive phase the
revolution has come out stronger than the enemy’s attempts to defeat it.
“The challenge before the solidarity movement now,” Konstantinou said,
“is to fight for the immediate end to the U.S. embargo on Cuba and for
U.S. withdrawal from Guantánamo,” where Washington maintains a naval
base in violation of Cuban sovereignty.
In a lively discussion, some participants raised concerns about what
lies ahead. “Many comrades think that Cuba is tired and that it is now
about to give up,” one person said.
“We are aware that we face new dangers and therefore new struggles will
be posed before us. But that can’t be a reason to stop,” the Cuban
ambassador responded. “When the collapse of the socialist camp in the
USSR and Eastern Europe took place, our very best friends did not
believe we’d make it. We did and are still standing tall with the banner
of socialism held high and held with honor!
“Socialism is of vital importance,” he added. “There can be no
sovereignty in Cuba without socialism. There can be no truly human
values without socialism and without a people willing to fight for
justice anywhere in the world. We have confidence in our people and we
ask our friends to have it as well.”
Participants bought 18 copies of the new book, and two took extra copies
for sale to friends and co-workers.
Related articles:
Cuban Five in Namibia: New generations defend the revolution
‘Ukraine gov’t should restart Cuba-Chernobyl program
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