TKP hosted an important Cuban delegation within the framework of a new cooperation protocol signed between the Communist Party of Turkey and the Communist Party of Cuba in recent months. A series of bilateral meetings held between TKP leadership and the Cuba delegation, which is commissioned by PCC for this visit. The delegation also attended the press meeting organised by TKP and the symposiums and solidarity events José Martí Cuba-Turkey Friendship Association.
The delegation was headed by Luis Morlote Rivas, Member of the Ideology Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power. Other members of the delegation were Rosabel Gamón Verde, First Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Cuba and Deputy, Dilberto Manuel González García, Second Secretary of the Union of Young Communists of Cuba (UJC), Raúl Cardoso Cabrera, Representative of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples of the World (ICAP), and Ayuban Gutiérrez Quintanilla, Faculty Member of Economics at the University of Havana.
Stating that the delegation has been in Turkey as the guests of TKP upon the assignment of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Diaz Canel and the Organizational Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba Roberto Morales Ojeda, Luis Morlote Rivas brought comradely greetings from the leadership of the PCC.
Throughout the events, the priority of struggle for removing Cuba from the list of countries supporting terrorism, in which Cuba was included by the U.S. on totally trumped-up grounds, and ending the blockade were emphasised by all the parties.
Symposium on the blockade: The longest genocide in history
TKP General Secretary Kemal Okuyan contributed to the symposium titled as ‘The Longest Genocide in History: The Blockade on Cuba’ with his remarks together with the President of the José Martí Cuba-Turkey Friendship Association Nahide Özkan, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Ankara Alejandro F. Diaz Palacios, and the Cuban delegation.
Okuyan emphasised that the solidarity with Cuba and Cuban people is a natural task of revolutionaries on behalf of all the humanity and stated that the Communist Party of Turkey is trying to fulfil this task to the best of its ability.
Okuyan noted that they are making an effort to understand the Cuban revolutionaries acting under the difficult conditions of the blockade, explaining the importance of this effort as follows:
“Some of our friends who go to Cuba with sincere feelings, but being under the influence of romanticism, have expressed their disappointment for years by saying, ‘But there are power cuts in Cuba, there is prostitution in Cuba, and corruption and bribery are widespread.’ Higher number of people, on the other hand, return from Cuba by renewing their faith in humanity, having personally observed that, against all odds, Cuba has preserved the achievements of the revolution, has made great efforts to protect them, and has achieved remarkable successes in many areas. So, which one is true?
There are power cuts in Cuba, more than you might think. Unfortunately, there are women engaged in prostitution in Cuba, but thankfully fewer than claimed. Yes, selfishness and decay erode social responsibilities in some segments of society, and corruption and bribery, although severely punished, are indeed a reality in Cuba today…
However, sisters and brothers, this is a struggle. After the revolution in 1959, Cuba has made incredible moves to establish an egalitarian and progressive system, socialism.”
Okuyan reminded that unemployment, hunger, racism, ignorance, and child mortality have been eradicated in Cuba and added: “Do not underestimate the blockade. They want Cuba to turn away from the path of the revolution, to cease setting an example to humanity, and to once again have a dependent, dishonourable government and a social system that disregards the people.”
Asking the question, “Will the Cuban revolutionaries win this struggle?”, Okuyan referenced the answer found in the recently published resolution of the 14th Congress of the TKP:
“The resolution includes an assessment regarding Cuba. In this assessment, we express that we understand the necessary steps back that Cuba is taking, but we are also concerned. It is quite natural for us to feel this concern because the struggle ongoing in Cuba is also our struggle. However, we do not only feel concern, but we also trust Cuba… Trust in whom? In the Cuban communists and the Cuban people… And also, in the power of solidarity…”
Okuyan, comparing his observations in the Soviet Union during a visit just before the counter-revolution in 1991 with the current situation in Cuba, noted the following:
“Let it be known that the Soviet Union collapsed not for economic reasons, as claimed, but for ideological ones. It fell because it abandoned the struggle against the enemy, forgot how to fight, and allowed the enemy to infiltrate its own ranks. Cuba, on the other hand, has managed to survive for years with much more limited resources, the fundamental reason for which has been revolutionary vigilance. There is a Cuba that does not wish to compromise, make peace with, or appease the enemy.”
“We are not spectators. We are not jury members judging the Cuban revolutionaries and the Cuban people from the outside. We are the friends and comrades of the heroic Cuban people. We stand with them. On one hand, we are in solidarity with the Cuban revolutionaries against the imperialist blockade, and on the other, we know that the greatest help we can provide is to put the socialist option on the agenda once again in the world and in our country. Cuba is not alone in any form, but from a certain perspective, Cuba is alone. Solidarity with Cuba, which has carried the historical responsibility on its shoulders in the best possible way, is the duty of everyone who claims to act as a human. And while doing this, we have the responsibility to lighten Cuba’s burden and share it. We trust Cuba. We salute the Cuban people and revolutionaries with the most heartfelt feelings.”
“Cuba will not surrender”
The first speaker on behalf of the delegation at the symposium was Ayuban Gutiérrez Quintanilla, Faculty Member of the Department of Economics at the University of Havana.
Reminding the roots of the US attacks on Cuba in the 19th century, Quintanilla pointed out that the revolution of 1959 marked a break in this process.
Quintanilla summarised the aim of the blockade as provoking the Cuban people and paving the way for an uprising, considering all possible means legitimate for his purpose, and provided the following information:
“Being an archipelago makes it easier to block us. We are an easy target for cutting off trade with the world. We have a small economy. We cannot survive solely on our own resources, and we are always dependent on foreign trade.”
Quintanilla explained that the model of building socialism in Cuba has been different from the Soviet Union for these reasons, and listed the current data about the blockade:
“In Cuba, milk and many food items such as sugar, rice, and chicken are provided to children up to the age of 7 with state support. We need foreign currency to import these items. Due to the blockade, we suffered losses of over 4 billion dollars in 2022 alone. Our foreign currency income is only half of this amount. One of the most fundamental issues for Cuba is access to foreign currency.”
Quintanilla mentioned that the recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. during the Trump administration have led to a further deterioration of Cuba’s ties with third countries. He shared the solutions they seek in various areas, especially energy, and addressed those who criticize their policies with the following remarks:
“The effort Cuba is making for economic progress is giant. To those who criticize socialism in theory and practice and say, ‘Cuba is collapsing,’ this is what we say: Lift the blockade, and we talk again in 10 years to see if socialism works or not.”
The second speaker at the symposium was Rosabel Gamón Verde, First Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Cuba.
Verde provided information about the socialist democracy and participatory processes in Cuba, after which he explained their aim with the new constitution that was enacted in 2019 with the approval of 86% of the population:
“The new constitution reshaped our entire legal framework. It preserved our government understanding that places people at the centre, which is the greatest achievement of the Cuban revolution.”
Verde stated that legislative activities have gained momentum in recent years, underlining that the priority during this process has been public participation.
“Participation has particularly stood out in the discussion on family law. A consultation process is being conducted with the segments most affected by the law. The laws are also discussed with intellectuals who have a Marxist background to ensure their alignment with our revolutionary project.
As soon as the draft law is released, all citizens can submit their suggestions and proposed amendments to the Assembly online. Ultimately, a report is generated and presented to the Assembly along with the public opinion. For example, over 6 million people voted on the family law, which represents 70% of the total electorate. Among those who voted, 94% approved the law.”
Deputy Minister Rosabel Gamón Verde highlighted that their greatest responsibility is to establish a socialist rule of law, ensure social justice, and defend the achievements of the revolution.
Next to take the floor was Dilberto Manuel González García, Second Secretary of the Young Communists League of Cuba (UJC).
García, who strongly condemned Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people along with the Communist Youth of Turkey, received prolonged applause.
In his speech, García provided responses to the question, ‘Will the Cuban revolution survive, and is it embraced by new generations?
He reminded the audience that Fidel Castro was 33 years old when the revolution succeeded, adding that “as Cuban youth, we are fighting to protect the revolution, move it forward, and achieve a more just and equitable society.”
García pointed out that one of the main targets of the U.S. blockade policy is the youth and described their struggle against imperialist provocations:
“From a moment in 1996, when the blockade became very severe, until 2022, the U.S. government spent 384 million dollars to distribute among counter-revolutionaries in Cuba. We are witnessing an unconventional war. We observe many liberal factions trying to create influence in Cuba. In the most fundamental matters, the constitution has given us, the youth, the duty to continue the revolutionary process through various channels.”
García stated that Cuba is the seventh country in the world where young people are most represented in parliament, continuing as follows:
“Cuban youth represent the continuity of the revolution. It is a fact that part of the youth is being provoked by the campaign against Cuba. We are striving to raise awareness among Cuban youth about their responsibilities.”
Raúl Cardoso Cabrera, speaking in representation of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), explained how the blockade impacts not only Cuba but also global rights, citing examples of revolutionary solidarity:
“Cuba has carried out more than 600,000 medical operations to date. In the last 35 years, 3.5 million people have regained their sight. Literacy campaigns have been organized in many Latin American countries. Over 1,600 organizations work to strengthen the friendship between our peoples. One such example is the José Martí Association for Friendship with Cuba.”
Cabrera, expressing pride and gratitude for every action of solidarity with Cuba, said: “We will never forget those who came together from all over the world, condemned the 243 different measures the U.S. imposed against Cuba, and supported the revolution and its people when we were left without oxygen during the pandemic.”
Luis Morlote Rivas, Member of the Ideology Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and a deputy in the National Assembly of People’s Power, took the floor to conclude the symposium.
Addressing those who ask, ‘Is Cuba surrendering?’ Rivas stated the following: “We always say we must keep one foot firmly planted. If Cuba were to surrender, we would not be here. Our determination not to surrender is the fundamental reason we are here.”
Rivas mentioned that unlike its concrete consequences, it is impossible to clearly convey the psychological and moral results of the U.S. blockade. “The blockade is a policy aimed at crippling the Cuban government. It is a policy aimed at creating inequality in Cuba,” stated Rivas.
Explaining what it means for the U.S. to place Cuba on the list of “countries supporting terrorism,” Rivas remarked, “It means no international financial institution can establish any relationship with Cuba. The U.S. knows that Cuba has never supported terrorism. On the contrary, the U.S. has supported terrorism against Cuban citizens. The Bay of Pigs invasion and the missile crisis were the examples of this.”
Stating that campaigns have been organized on social media through fake accounts under the argument of ‘Cuba is a failed state’, Rivas answered the question ‘Is Cuba failing?’:
“How could a failed state ensure that every child goes to school every day and allow a citizen to undergo open-heart surgery without spending a dime? How could a state that provides access to basic food, facilitates participation in sports and cultural events, and passes every law with the majority approval of the people while protecting the citizenship rights of every single person be considered a failure?”
Reiterating that ‘Cuba will not surrender’, Rivas emphasized that they are currently focused on winning the economic struggle, stating, “Cuba is resisting in a very creative way. It is trying not to abandon any of its social gains.”
We farewelled our Cuban brothers and sisters with a mass gathering: Solidarity is stronger than blockade
The Turkey visit of the Cuban delegation ended with a mass solidarity event organised by the José Martí Cuba-Turkey Friendship Association in Istanbul on Sunday night.
The event started with speeches by Nahide Özkan, the José Martí Cuba-Turkey Friendship Association, Alejandro F. Diaz Palacios, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Ankara, Luis Morlote Rivas, Member of the Ideology Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power, and Kemal Okuyan, General Secretary of the TKP.
The visit, which further deepened the friendship and solidarity between the TKP and the Communist Party of Cuba ended with a great enthusiasm and the determination of strengthening the solidarity with the Cuban people. The meeting also declared as the beginning of the concrete steps that the Friendship Associations will take in solidarity with Cuba in the coming period.
Following the speeches, several Turkish and Cuban artists took the floor and performed for the solidarity with Cuba. The evet was ended with singing of ‘El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido’ by all the participants in two languages.
