Colleagues:

We are writing to you to tell you the truth about Cuba, beyond the barriers created by the blockade. For the entire period of Cuba’s existence, our struggle for independence, sovereignty and peace has been intimately tied to Cuba’s ideals of nationhood and culture.

Our ideals have not been sullied with hatred. We have not maintained any bitterness toward Spain, despite 30 years of independence wars. Nor do we feel any hostility toward the people of the United States, nor toward their culture, which is amply reflected in our media, without any restrictions.

Our battle is one of ideas and is based on José Martí’s teachings.

Cuba has always condemned terrorism, and the Cuban people immediately spoke out against the crimes committed on September 11. Nevertheless, the current U.S. administration is trying to include Cuba in the "axis of evil" and has made charges that our country is producing biological weapons and transferring technology so that other countries can produce them. The president of the United States is trying to spread this lie.

In his speech, the president of the United States assumed the authority to speak of Father Félix Varela, whose life was devoted to Cuba’s independence and whose teachings still fill us today with the same revolutionary sentiment. The U.S. president also dares to quote phrases and verses by Martí, without the slightest respect for our national hero’s profound anti-imperialism. Martí’s life and work defend not only Cuba, but all of Our America, against the hegemonic and annexationist designs of the most reactionary representatives of the U.S. political class.

Today that class continues to seek some pretext, in an irresponsible and dangerous manner, to justify possible attacks and attempt to damage our country’s growing prestige. Cuban scientists have been educated in the use of science to save lives, and never to propagate death. They have selflessly served human beings without regard for their nationality, social condition, skin color, age or sex, in scores of countries all over the world.

Cuban culture is an inalienably humanist legacy that shows us, every day, the face of what we belong to. The cultural achievements encouraged and promoted by the Revolution fills us with pride, and we can see it fully realized in schools, theaters and squares; in museums and galleries; in books and libraries; and in the audiovisual and musical universe of a people that has embraced the idea that freedom is not possible without culture.

We call on men and women of good faith and the representatives of U.S. culture to refute these lies. As Abraham Lincoln put it, "You can fool some of the people all of the time and you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time."

We know that you can embrace our truth and we are sure that you will make it your own, defending it and averting any adventure against Cuba, and especially working to end the blockade, a genocidal crime committed each day for more than 40 years before the eyes of the world.

Our peoples have the right to peaceful dialog, and the communities of academics, artists and writers must come together to achieve it.