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Volume 14, No. 02, 5 February 2015 |
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Red Alert Cuba-United States relations: Whereto? |
By Alex Mashilo
Negotiations between Cuba and the United States (U.S.) following the release in December 2014 of the remaining three of the Cuban Five started last month, January 2015 in Havana, Cuba, to address the establishment of diplomatic relations, migratory issues and other topics of mutual interest. The lifting of U.S. unilateral economic embargo on Cuba, imposed on 19 October 1960 and since expanded through a series of draconian measures is no doubt one of the key issues. In his State of the Union Address last month, U.S. President Barack Obama called on the U.S. Congress to start a process of lifting the embargo, which was made part of the U.S. law.
During the talks with Cuba, the U.S. reportedly expressed interest in establishing links with Cuban "civil society". Notice the policy "shift", to, or, including, "civil society" in what is supposed to be normal state-to-state relations. Under imperialism there has been maneuvers involving a shift in politics to the so-called "civil society" organizations which are ostensibly apolitical and more "credible" than real "political actors".
It is not unusual therefore for ideological, political and organizational problems and a politics of divisions in organizations or even alliances to be introduced through a sectarian realignment, on the part of some, from "political organizations" to "civil society organizations". This is often linked with another variable, that is, infiltration, which is perhaps independent depending on circumstances. In Chapter two of `The poverty of philosophy` in which he deals with `The metaphysics of political economy` and strikes and trade unions, following his extensive investigation of, experience and knowledge about class struggle, Karl Marx had this to say: "Do not say that social movement excludes political movement. There is never a political movement which is not at the same time social".
Imperialism has found and established ways of funding and even overtly or covertly creating sections of the so-called "civil society" organizations to enforce if not to impose its will. The general movement of, or on the balance of it, the sum total of the actions by those "civil society" organizations constitute a political course which assumes a particular path. In those countries where imperialism has a problem with governing parties, the general movement and actions of such "civil society" organizations constitute very much part and parcel of the opposition and ultimately of imperialism`s regime change agenda. And this is not necessarily declared or even seen as such by some of the local actors involved. South Africa is no exception by the way.
Also, as Joe Slovo states in `The South African working class and the National Democratic Revolution`, taking his cue from Vladimir Lenin, class struggle is not a purist process in which each class or everyone who falls in it lines up on one single side against its opponent. Just like under apartheid in South Africa, there were black people who served, wittingly or unwittingly, the regime of national oppression which visited one of history`s apex crimes against humanity on Africans in particular and black people in general. Conversely, there were white people who opposed the regime.
As established by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in the `Manifesto of the Communist Party`, class struggle is not always an open affair, it is at times hidden, it constantly takes place, and is uninterrupted. To delineate the forces that are at play in class struggle and unpack the balance of power between them therefore requires the capacity to unmask and move beyond appearances and cover phrases, cutting to the chase into their essence and what lies behind it.
On we go.
In his speech on 17 December 2014 announcing the "shift" in policy approach on Cuba, Obama said: "I do not believe we can keep doing the same thing for over five decades and expect a different result". What did he actually mean?
He said the U.S. has been trying " to push Cuba toward collapse". What was the expected result?
Regime change. He underlined this not only by acknowledging that isolating Cuba has failed for over half a century since the U.S. unilaterally imposed its economic embargo on the island in 1960. He also singled out the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. But has the U.S. now abandoned its long standing policy on Cuba, i.e. the result that it has always sought achieve?
Obama has made it clear that the U.S. was only changing the method. How then will Cuba handle this, and what is its position on U.S.`s interest to establish links with Cuban "civil society"? What about issues relating to human rights?
Well, in Mathematics what you do on the left you must also do on the right of the equation in order to arrive at a correct answer. But let us zoom into the world of diplomats in search of the answers to the pertinent question of Cuba-U.S. relations. Below Sergio Alejandro Gómez from Granma takes us through the first two rounds of the talks between the U.S. and Cuba in `Cuba aspires to a respectful dialogue with the United States`.
But first we have a message from the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro to the Federation of University Students on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of his admission to the University of Havana (Granma). In this message, Comrade Castro expresses caution against raising hopes high on U.S. policy towards Cuba. This relating to the process between the two countries to restore diplomatic and economic relations following more than half a century of U.S. unilateral economic embargo, military (e.g. the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961) and other political manoeuvres to impose regime change in Cuba.
Alex Mashilo is SACP spokesperson, and writes in personal capacity as a professional revolutionary.
For my Federation of University Students classmates
Author: Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, former President of Cuba
Dear compañeros,
In 2006, as a result of health issues which were incompatible with the time and effort required to fulfill my duties - which I myself assumed when I entered this University September 4, 1945, 70 years ago - I resigned from my official positions.
I was not the son of a worker, or lacking in material or social resources for a relatively comfortable existence; I could say I miraculously escaped wealth. Many years later, a richer and undoubtedly very capable U.S. citizen, with almost 100 billion dollars, stated - according to a news agency article published this past Thursday, January 22 - that the predominant system of production and distribution of wealth would, from generation to generation, make the poor rich.
Since the times of ancient Greece, during almost 3,000 years, the Greeks, without going very far, were brilliant in almost all activities: physics, mathematics, philosophy, architecture, art, science, politics, astronomy and other branches of human knowledge. Greece, however, was a land in which slaves did the most difficult work in fields and cities, while the oligarchy devoted itself to writing and philosophizing. The first utopia was written precisely for them.
Observe carefully the realities of this well-known, globalized and very poorly shared planet Earth, on which we know every vital resource is distributed in accordance with historical factors: some with much less than they need, others with so much they don`t know what to do with it. Now amidst great threats and dangers of war, chaos reigns in the distribution of financial resources and social production. The world`s population has grown, between 1800 and 2015, from one to seven billion inhabitants. Can this population increment be accommodated, in this way, over the next 100 years, and food, health, water and housing needs met, regardless of whatever scientific advances are made?
Well, setting aside these perplexing problems, it is astonishing to recall that the University of Havana, during the days when I entered this beloved, prestigious institution almost three fourths of a century ago, was the only one in Cuba.
Of course, fellow students and professors, we must remember that it is not just one now, but rather more than 50 institutions of higher learning distributed across the entire country.
When you invited me to participate in the launch of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of my admission to the University, which I was surprised to learn of, during days when I was very busy with various issues in which I can perhaps still be relatively useful, I decided to take a break and devote several hours to recalling those years.
I am overwhelmed recalling that 70 years have passed. In reality, compañeros and compañeras, if I were to register again at this age, as some have asked me, I would respond, without hesitation, that it would be to pursue scientific studies. I would say, like Guayasamín: Leave a little light on for me.
In those years, already influenced by Marx, I was able to understand more, and better, the strange, complex world in which it has befallen us to live. I may have harbored some illusions of the bourgeoisie, whose tentacles managed to entangle many students, when they possessed more passion than experience. The topic would be long and interminable.
Another genius of revolutionary action, founder of the Communist Party, was Lenin. Thus I did not hesitate a second when during the Moncada trial, when they allowed me to attend, albeit just one time, I stated before the judges and dozens of high ranking officials of the Batista regime that we were readers of Lenin.
We didn`t talk about Mao Zedong, since the socialist revolution in China, inspired by the same principles, had not yet ended.
I insist, nonetheless, that revolutionary ideas must always be on guard as humanity expands its knowledge.
Nature teaches us that tens of billions of light years may have passed, and life in all of its expressions has always been subjected to an incredible combination of matter and radiation.
A personal greeting between the Presidents of Cuba and the United States took place at the funeral of Nelson Mandela, the distinguished, exemplary combatant against apartheid who had become friendly with Obama.
It is enough to indicate that, at that time, several years had passed since Cuban troops had decisively defeated the racist South African army, directed by the wealthy bourgeoisie, which had vast economic resources. This is a story of a conflict which has yet to be written. South Africa, the government with the most financial resources on the continent, had nuclear weapons supplied by the racist state of Israel, as the result of an agreement between this party and President Ronald Reagan, who authorized the delivery of devices for the use of such weapons to attack Cuban and Angolan forces defending the Popular Republic of Angola against racist troops attempting to occupy the country.
Thus peace negotiations were excluded while Angola was attacked by apartheid forces, with the best trained and equipped army on the African continent.
In such a situation, there was no possibility whatsoever for a peaceful solution. Continual efforts to liquidate the Popular Republic of Angola, to bleed the country systematically with the power of that well equipped and trained army, was what led to the Cuban decision to deliver a resounding blow to the racists at Cuito Cuanavale, the former NATO base which South Africa was attempting to occupy at all costs.
That powerful country was obliged to negotiate a peace agreement which put an end to the military occupation of Angola, and an end to apartheid in South Africa.
The African continent was left free of nuclear weapons. Cuba was forced to face, for a second time, the threat of a nuclear attack.
Cuban internationalist troops withdrew from Africa with honor.
Then Cuba survived the Special Period in peace time, which has already lasted for more than 20 years, without raising the white flag, something we have never done, and will never do.
Many friends of Cuba know of the Cuban people`s exemplary conduct, and I will explain to them, in a few words, my essential position.
I do not trust the policy of the United States, nor have I exchanged one word with them, though this does not in any way signify a rejection of a peaceful solution to conflicts or threats of war. Defending peace is the duty of all. Any negotiated, peaceful solution to the problems between the United States and peoples, or any people of Latin America, which does not imply force or the use of force, must be addressed in accordance with international principles and norms.
We will always defend cooperation and friendship with all of the world`s peoples, and with those of our political adversaries. This is what we are demanding for all.
The President of Cuba has taken pertinent steps in accordance with his prerogatives and faculties conceded by the National Assembly and the Communist Party of Cuba.
The grave dangers which today threaten humanity must yield to norms which are compatible with human dignity. No country can be denied such a right.
In this spirit I have struggled, and will continue to struggle, to my last breath.
ComradeFidel Castro Ruz is the historic leader of the Cuban revolution and former President of Cuba. This piece was first published online by the Granma, the official voice of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, 27 January 2015; 13:01:00
Cuba aspires to a respectful dialogue with the United States
Author: Sergio Alejandro Gómez
On January 21, Cuba and the United States began the highest level conversations to be held in decades to open the way toward the re-establishment of diplomatic relations and address other issues of bilateral interest.
A representative of Cuba`s Ministry of Foreign Relations (Minrex) assured the press that the country is approaching these talks in a constructive spirit, aspiring to a respectful dialogue between equals, based on national sovereignty and reciprocity, which does not compromise the country`s independence or the Cuban people`s right to self-determination.
"We must not pretend that everything can be resolved in a single meeting", the diplomat said, as the first steps are being taken toward restoring diplomatic relations severed more than 50 years ago. He continued, "Normalization of relations is a much longer, complex process, during which issues of interest to both parties must be addressed."
He added that the measures announced by President Obama are positive, but much remains to be done with respect to the economic, commercial and financial blockade, imposed unilaterally by the U.S. on Cuba.
The diplomat explained that, after the announcements made by Presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro on December 17, the two parties agreed to change the agenda of a meeting already scheduled to discuss migratory issues.
On Wednesday the 21st and Thursday the 22nd January 2015 three meetings were planned to discuss the issue of migration, the initiation of the process to re-establish diplomatic relations, and other areas of mutual interest and cooperation.
CUBA-U.S. bilateral cooperation
Areas in which cooperation has existed will also be reviewed. "We are cooperating in several areas of mutual interest, with the benefits for both countries. We must address the potential for this bilateral cooperation", the Minrex representative said.
Currently, there is certain level of cooperation between border patrols and coast guards in responding to illegal emigration and the interception of drug traffickers.
Cooperation in the event of oil spills has been established within the framework of a regional agreement, and an accord has been signed between the two countries on search and rescue operations related to aircraft or marine accidents.
In a similar fashion, the two countries has begun to discuss the monitoring of seismic activity, and other issues.
"During this meeting, Cuba will reiterate the proposal made last year to the U.S. government to hold a respectful dialogue, based on reciprocity, about the exercise of human rights", the diplomat said.
Legitimate concerns exist as to the exercise of human rights in the United States, and situations emerge in that country which do not occur in Cuba, he commented, specifying, "All of this can be addressed in a dialogue based in reciprocity and equality."
He recalled that the U.S. government has expressed interest in expanding links with Cuban civil society, "We welcome them to meet with recognized organizations which are part of a vibrant civil society in Cuba: groups of students, women, farmers, professionals, the disabled, unions, among others."
As neighbors, Cuba and the United States must identify areas of mutual interest in which cooperation can be undertaken for the benefit of both countries, the region and the world, he said, emphasizing that Cuba and the U.S. are entering a new stage in their relations, and must avoid making the same mistakes made in the past.
Sergio Alejandro Gómez is based in Cuba, at, and this piece was first published by the Granma, January 21, 2015 10:01:59. This is an abridged version of Gómez`s report with slightly edited tenses to keep pace with the time.
