We have never
ceded to aggression, coercion or threats
• Speech by Army General Raúl
Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the
Councils of State and Ministers, in commemoration of
the 55 anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution,
Santiago de Cuba’s Manuel Carlos Cespedes Park,
January 1, 2014, Year 56 of the Revolution (Council
of State transcription)
Men and women of Santiago de Cuba;
The people of Cuba’s eastern provinces;
Combatants of the Rebel Army, the underground
struggle and all combat actions in defense of the
Revolution over these 55 years;
Compatriots:
Not even the greatest dreamer among
those of us who accompanied Fidel in an event like
this one, January 1, 1959, could imagine that we
would be here today.
Nothing has been easy along this
long and perilous journey. This has been possible in
the first place, thanks to the immense capacity for
resistance and struggle of several generations of
the noble and heroic Cuban people, true protagonist
of this, their Revolution, which is the triumph of
the same ideals defended by the mambises in 1868,
who, led by Cespedes, began the war of independence
from Spanish rule; by Maceo and Gomez, with whom
José Martí in 1895 reinitiated the heroic struggle,
truncated by the 1898 U.S. intervention which
prevented the Liberation Army’s entry into Santiago
de Cuba.
It is also the struggle undertaken
against the bourgeois, neocolonial republic by
Baliño, Mella, Rubén Martínez Villena, Guiteras and
Jesus Menendez, just to mention a few.
This was the aspiration which
motivated the Centennial Generation, under the
command of Fidel, to storm the Moncada garrison in
this city, and the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes in
Bayamo, to overcome failure, withstand the rigors of
prison, embark on the Granma yacht expedition,
endure the Alegria de Pio setback and continue to
the Sierra Maestra to begin the guerrilla struggle
of the nascent Rebel Army, whose commander in chief,
with his personal example of courage under fire,
tenacity and unwavering faith in victory, his
commitment to unity and undisputed leadership, was
able to unify all revolutionary forces and lead them
to the definitive victory .
Exactly 60 years after the U.S.
intervention undermined the insurgents’ victory,
this time, the mambises were indeed able to enter
the city of Santiago de Cuba.
Today we render well-deserved
tribute to those who gave their lives in the
mountains, fields and cities, combatants of the
Rebel Army and underground fighters, those who fell
after the victory in many other honorable missions,
who devoted their youth and energy to building
socialism, guided by Marti’s assertion that all the
world’s glory fits within a kernel of corn and that
there is no greater satisfaction or reward than
fulfilling one's duty.
We cannot fail to mention the
decisive contribution of Cuban women during the
revolutionary process, as worthy successors to the
example of Mariana Grajales, mother of the Maceo’s,
both in the guerrilla and particularly in the
underground struggle, subjected to brutal
persecution by the dictatorship’s minions. On the
occasion of this 55th anniversary, Cuban television
has been broadcasting the historic Clandestinas
series as a fitting tribute to those brave young
women who risked their lives many times. Some of
them are present here, to our joy. (Applause).
In this very location, January 1,
1959 amid the popular jubilation which reigned
throughout the entire country, Fidel presciently
warned, I quote, "The Revolution begins now, the
Revolution will not be an easy task, the Revolution
will be a difficult undertaking and wrought with
danger."
From very early on, countless
destabilization plans were launched, beginning with
the refuge provided by the United States to
criminals and torturers of the Batista regime and
all sorts of embezzlers who appropriated the
nation’s treasury.
The triumphant Revolution was forced
to face the promotion and organization of state
terrorism via sabotage and armed banditry, which on
two occasions was operating in the six provinces
which the country had at the time; the exclusion of
Cuba from the OAS and the breakdown of diplomatic
relations with all Latin American countries, with
the honorable exception of Mexico; the Bay of Pigs
invasion; the economic, commercial and financial
blockade; the corporate media campaign to defame the
revolutionary process and its leaders, especially
Fidel, who was the target of more than 600
assassination attempts; the October Missile Crisis
in 1962; hijackings and attacks on ships and civil
aircraft; the killing of teachers and literacy
workers, campesinos, students and diplomats which
has thus far left a total of 3,478 dead and 2,099
disabled.
It has been 55 years of constant
struggle against the designs of 11 U.S.
administrations, which with more or less hostility,
have never relinquished the goal of changing the
economic and social system created by the Revolution,
eliminating its example and restoring imperial
domination over our homeland.
The Cuban Revolution put an end to
several myths, among them the one which asserted
that it was not possible to build socialism on a
small island 90 miles from the United States. A
Revolution which was not the result of an
international confrontation or which had massive
support from abroad. A Revolution which did not
limit itself to the replacement of one government
for another, but in less than 24 hours dissolved the
repressive machinery of the dictatorial regime and
laid the foundations of a new society.
A Revolution which built an army as
the people in uniform, and to defend itself,
developed its own military doctrine.
A Revolution which is celebrating 55
years of work by and for the people who it made the
owners of the land and industry - first becoming
literate and training teachers and professors;
building general and special schools for all
children, universities, art and sports schools,
constructing clinics and hospitals; preparing
doctors for Cuba and the world. A Revolution that
has allowed us to achieve levels of education and
health care which are today recognized
internationally.
A Revolution which laid the
foundation for democratizing the creation and
diffusion of, and access to culture.
In short, a Revolution that has
become a reality and will continue to pursue the
desires of José Marti codified in the Constitution
which states, I quote, "I want the first law of our
Republic to be the commitment of Cubans to full
human dignity."
In discussing these issues, I recall
the words of Fidel’s July 26, 2003, during the event
commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Moncada,
when he said, "To educate people in truth, with
words and with irrefutable facts, has been perhaps
the fundamental factor in the great feat which has
been accomplished."
How else is it possible to describe
the colossal capacity for resilience and self-confidence
offered to the world by our people, who were able to
stoically endure the grueling special period to
which we were subjected as a consequence of the
disappearance of the Soviet Union and the socialist
camp, amid the wave of uncertainty and
demoralization that these dramatic events generated
in good part of humanity’s progressive forces.
The image of Cuba - famous in the
Americas before the Revolution as a paradise for
gambling and prostitution, a mafia refuge, and the
preferred destination for their tainted investments,
facilitated by the widespread administrative
corruption of the dictatorship - was transformed by
the revolutionary process into a symbol of dignity,
independence, humanism and intransigence in defense
of principles.
Following the maxim of Martí, the
Cuban Revolution has never asked on what side a more
comfortable life is to be found, but on which side
duty lies. We have been coherent and consistent with
Marti’s ethics. Over 55 years, we have received the
noble and generous solidarity of many sister peoples,
in the first place from the Soviet Union while it
existed and especially in the first difficult years,
while we offered our solidarity and support in
different regions of the planet, through both
glorious internationalist combat missions and
programs of medical, educational, and sports
cooperation, among others, making a reality of the
legacy that " Homeland is Humanity."
We have never ceded to aggression,
coercion or threats. The Revolution’s foreign policy
has always been a powerful weapon in the defense of
national independence, self-determination and
sovereignty, in favor of world peace, development,
social justice and solidarity with the peoples of
the Third World.
The planet we inhabit has changed a
great deal since January 1, 1959. This small island,
which U.S. governments have sought to isolate within
the regional environment with brutal pressure, holds
the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and is
preparing to host its summit meeting in Havana later
this month, inspired by the ideal of forging new
unity within diversity in Our America.
We have not forgotten the unique
historical coincidence that on a day like today, the
1st of January, 210 years ago, the first
revolution in the Latin American and Caribbean
region triumphed. It was also the first and only
victory of a revolutionary movement led by Black
slaves who fought against this shameful system, and
at the same time, for national independence.
The effects of those dramatic events
had repercussions in Cuba; Haitian blood, in fact,
runs through the veins of more than a few Cuban
easterners.
Both nations have had to pay a high
price for daring to confront the reigning empires.
In addressing this subject I wish to
reiterate to the sister people of Haiti, and its
government, that Cubans will never abandon you and
that you can always count on our modest
collaboration. (Applause)
Compañeras and compañeros:
I will take advantage of this
opportunity to devote a few words to the progress of
two important projects of interest in Santiago de
Cuba.
At a cost of more than $200 million,
reconstruction has been completed on the aqueduct in
the country’s second largest city, where a quarter
million people received water every 7 to 9 days.
Another 76,500 had a cycle of over 15 days and more
than 16,000 were not even reached by the aqueduct,
which led to the need for some 200 trips daily by
tank trucks to supply them, and a high level of fuel
consumption.
For almost all of you today, the
situation described belongs to the past, since 29 of
the existing 32 hydrometric areas are supplied daily,
with three supplied on alternate days and work is
underway on calibration of the distribution system
to achieve the goal established. Additionally
rehabilitated were three water treatment plants and
22 pump stations.
As part of this program, the
construction of sewer and storm drainage,
specifically in the San Pedrito neighborhood, was
also initiated and will be extended to the rest of
the city in 2014.
The [city’s] water and waste water company has been
provided the equipment required to ensure the
sustainability of their services. It is now up to
you to make rational use of the water.
As is known, this city suffered the
fury of Hurricane Sandy’s winds on the morning of
October 25, 2012, which also affected, although to a
lesser extent, the provinces of Holguín and
Guantánamo. The loss of 11 lives and the devastating
images of destroyed homes, infrastructure and vital
installations which we endured in the first days
after the event, evidenced, along with national and
international solidarity, first from our Venezuelan
brothers and sisters (applause), the ability of
Santiago’s people to overcome any obstacle.
After a year and two months of
intense work, a solution has been found to 50% of
the 171,380 damaged dwellings, and additionally 97%
of public health care facilities affected have been
re-established, 88% of educational facilities, plus
82% of sports and cultural installations, as well as
100% in the food processing industry.
Despite the fact that the provincial
goal for new homes was not met, the 331 planned in
the San Pedrito neighborhood, historically one of
the most humble, were completed, and work continues
in other areas of the city.
We in the central government will
continue to systematically supervise this work until
it is fully completed.
To achieve the building of an ever
more beautiful, hygienic, orderly and disciplined
city, fitting for its status as the Heroic City, the
cradle of the Revolution, as I said on July 26, last
year, when the 60th anniversary of the Moncada was
commemorated, it is now up to authorities, in the
first place, with the support of citizens, to
strengthen respect, I repeat, reinforce respect, for
the role to be played by Physical Planning, which
will contribute to the strict enforcement of the
city’s new Land Use Plan, which will be approved
this year by the Provincial Assembly of People's
Power.
I think that if we all do our duty,
we will continue to ensure that "Santiago is still
Santiago."(Shouts of "Santiago") Exactly. (Applause)
If we would like to help translate that, it means
you can build, but not wherever it might occur to
anyone. Or we will never have the city we described
on July 26th, today: beautiful, hygienic,
orderly and disciplined. Do you agree? (Shouts of "Yes"
and applause)
This is all I intended to say about
the two programs.
Next I will discuss an issue, in
regards to which we still have a long way to go. I
am referring to the challenge imposed on us by the
continuous campaign of political and ideological
subversion, conceived in and directed by the centers
of global power to re-colonize the minds of the
people and deny their aspirations to construct build
a better world.
In his brilliant definition of
revolution formulated May 1, 2000, in Havana’s Plaza
de la Revolución, Fidel expressed, among other
ideas, the following:
"Revolution is challenging powerful
dominant forces within and beyond the social and
national environment."
"It is defending values which are
believed at the cost of any sacrifice… It is the
profound conviction that there is no force on earth
capable of crushing the power of the truth or
ideas."
In our case, as in many regions of
the world, attempts to subtly introduce platforms of
neoliberal thought and the restoration neocolonial
capitalism, directed against the very essence of the
socialist revolution based on a deliberate
manipulation of history and the current situation of
general crisis of the capitalist system, to the
detriment of the values, identity and national
culture, favoring individualism, selfishness and
commercial interest over morality.
In short, they deceitfully strive to
sell to youth the alleged advantages of rejecting
social ideologies and consciousness, as if these
precepts did not fully represent the interests of
the ruling class in the capitalist world. With this,
they attempt to create a rupture between the
historical leadership of the Revolution and younger
generations and promote uncertainty and pessimism
about the future, all with the clear goal of
dismantling socialism in Cuba from within.
In current circumstances, the
challenge becomes greater but we are confident that
with the participation of the forces available to
the Revolution, we will be victorious in this
decisive battle, meeting the social objectives
approved by First National Conference of the Party
two years ago, an arena in which insufficient
progress has been made.
There is much more work to be done.
For this we can count on the combativity and
patriotic commitment of the great number of
intellectuals, artists, revolutionary professors and
teachers, as well as the strength of our social
research centers , universities and a student body,
whose potential is not, as of yet, fully utilized.
Efforts to disseminate ideas that
deny the vitality of Marxist, Leninist and Martí’s
concepts should be challenged with a creative
theoretical conceptualization of the socialism
possible under the existing conditions in Cuba, as
the only alternative of equality and justice for
all.
Younger generations of leaders who
are assuming major responsibilities in the direction
of the nation, in a gradual and orderly fashion, can
never forget that this is the Socialist Revolution
of the humble, by the humble and for the humble, (applause
and cheers), the essential premise and effective
antidote to avoid falling under the spell of the
siren songs of the enemy, who will not renounce the
goal of distancing them from our people, in order to
undermine their unity with the Communist Party, the
only legitimate heir to the legacy and authority of
the Commandante en Jefe of the Cuban Revolution,
Fidel Castro Ruz. (Applause and shouts of "Viva!")
In this context, it is worth
recalling the continuing importance of constantly
perfecting the principle of direct consultation with
the population about decisions vital to the
development of society, as was demonstrated during
the process prior to the approval of the new Labor
Code by our National Assembly, and as was done
previously with the proposed Economic and Social
Policy Guidelines, which, after a broad, democratic
popular examination, were approved by the 6th Party
Congress and later ratified by our Parliament, to
which a progress report on implementation is made
twice a year and a similar procedure is followed
within the central leadership of the government and
the Party
