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A day to celebrate: U.S. announces normal ties with Cuba. It is a victory for peace, sovereignty, democracy, justice and friendship between the peoples of the US and Cuba. |
Historic. Earthshaking. Breathtaking. All these words describe the announcement by President Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro setting in motion the normalization of relations between our two nations.
It has immense ramifications for relations between our two countries,
for relations throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and globally.
It is a victory for peace, sovereignty, democracy, justice and
friendship between the peoples of the US and Cuba. It ends the 56
year-old policy of overthrowing the Cuban government, assassinating its
leaders, disrupting its economy and society.
In one bold stroke it recognizes the sovereign right of the Cuban
people to choose their own form of government and path of social
development - socialism.
This is a happy day for the remaining three members of the Cuban 5 -
patriotic Cubans who languished in US prisons for 16 years and who were
supported by a worldwide campaign for their freedom. They undertook the
courageous task of protecting their country from terrorist attacks
emanating from US soil. They are home, reunited with their families and
countrymen.
The announcement opens the possibility for wide ranging cooperation
on many fronts including economic trade, international labor solidarity,
scientific, agricultural, medical and oceanic research, climate
justice, healthcare, hurricane preparedness and disaster relief.
It opens the possibility for American and Cuban people to experience
wide ranging social, cultural, sports, religious and educational
exchanges.
But President Obama can only go so far. It is up to Congress to
repeal the entire ugly edifice of laws that established the blockade in
the first place, preventing trade and travel, including the Helms-Burton
Law.
The announcement is recognition that the 56-year-old blockade has
been an absolute fiasco for both the Cuban and American people. It has
totally isolated the US in world public opinion, undermined US
businesses from competing for trade, costing US jobs in manufacturing
and agriculture and deprived the US people of their democratic right to
travel freely to the island nation.
It has only caused suffering to the Cuban people.
President Obama's bold announcement matches new hemispheric and
global realities. It matches majority US public opinion, which along
with sections of the US ruling class, wide sections of business and the
Cuban American community, supports ending the blockade.
The President should be urged to now close the US Naval base at
Guantanamo, which has been maintained despite Cuba's insistence it be
shut down.
We are already seeing the howling and desperate protests of right
wing politicians, trapped in the Cold War past, who still conjure
fantasies to destabilize and overthrow the Cuban government and restore
its colonial status.
This victory is also a testament to the bravery and persistence of
the Cuban people who stood united for the past 56 years against all
odds.
It is a testament to so many Americans who fought to change this
policy and promoted peace and solidarity with the Cuban people over the
years. Now we must redouble our efforts to mobilize a broad based
response to insure that the process toward normalization succeeds and
the blockade is once and for all ended.
But today is a day to celebrate.
Fuente: CPUSA/PrensaPopularSolidaria
http://prensapopular-comunistasmiranda.blogspot.com
Fuente: CPUSA/PrensaPopularSolidaria
http://prensapopular-comunistasmiranda.blogspot.com
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