Castro reasserts grip with ‘manifesto’

[A SCANNER DARKLY]

A still convalescing Fidel Castro appeared to reassert his leadership over Cuba on Monday, issuing a “manifesto” in which he emphasised defence readiness, appeared to squash hopes of market reforms and urged Cubans not to expect big improvements in their lives.

The long statement, covering the front page of the Communist party newspaper Granma, was Mr Castro’s first manifesto and comment on domestic issues since temporarily handing over power to his brother Raúl, defence minister, last July.

Mr Castro, 80, has had several operations for abdominal problems since then and has not appeared in public. Photographs of him meeting visitors show him in a tracksuit rather than his trademark military uniform.

However, he has written numerous “reflections” on international issues in recent weeks, and has held long meetings with other national leaders, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, Evo Morales of Bolivia and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

He also appeared stronger in a recent interview with the Cuban media and is once more dominating the government media, though until Monday he had avoided comment on domestic issues.

“From one year to the next the standard of living can be improved by raising knowledge, self-esteem and the dignity of people. It will be enough to reduce wastage and the economy will grow,” Mr Castro wrote on Monday, in an apparent reference to a debate over market reforms.

“This is Fidel weighing in with a general line to follow before next month’s Communist party central committee meeting, and I doubt anyone will buck him even if he is not present,” a Havana University professor said, asking not to be identified.

Raúl Castro, in charge of the government since his brother became ill, has fostered more criticism and discussion about the country’s economic problems, raising expectations of change and improvement.

In an apparent attempt to dampen those expectations, Fidel Castro emphasised the US threat and embargo and said the situation facing Cubans had markedly improved since the crisis of the 1990s, in part thanks to Venezuela.

“The Venezuelan Bolivár-ian revolution brought a significant relief and opened up new possibilities,” Mr Castro said, referring to oil shipments.

Source: Financial Times (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0f55c80e-1e0a-11dc-89f7-000b5df10621.html)

[Comrade J]

This is what Fidel Castro wrote -


I hope that no-one say that I am gratuitously attacking Bush. Surely they will understand my reasons for strongly criticizing his policies.

Robert Woodward is an American journalist and writer who became famous for the series of articles published by The Washington Post, written by him and Carl Bernstein, and which eventually led to the investigation and resignation of Nixon. He is author and co-author of ten best-sellers. With his fearsome style he manages to wrench confessions from his interviewees. In his book, State of Denial, he says that on June 18, 2003, three months after the Iraq war had begun, as he was on the way out of his White House office following an important meeting, Bush slapped Jay Garner on the back and said to him:

“Hey, Jay, you want to do Iran?

“Sir, the boys and I talked about that and we want to hold out for Cuba. We think the rum and the cigars are a little better...The women are prettier."

Bush laughed. “You got it. You got Cuba.”

Bush was betrayed by his subconscious. It was in his mind when he declared what scores of dark corners should be expecting to happen and Cuba occupies a special place among those dark corners.

Garner, a recently retired three-star general who had been appointed Head of the Post-War Planning Office for Iraq, created by secret National Security Presidential Directive, was considered by Bush an exceptional man to carry out his war strategy. Appointed for the post on January 20, 2003, he was replaced on May 11 of that same year at the urging of Rumsfeld. He didn’t have the nerve to explain to Bush his strong disagreements on the matter of the strategy to be pursued in Iraq. He was thinking of another one with identical purpose. In the past few weeks, thousands of marines and a number of US aircraft carriers, with their naval supporting forces, have been maneuvering in the Persian Gulf, a few miles off the Iranian territory.

It will very soon be 50 years since our people started suffering a cruel blockade; thousands of our sons and daughters have died or have been mutilated as a result of the dirty war against Cuba, the only country in the world to which an Adjustment Act has been applied inciting illegal emigration, yet another cause of death for Cuban citizens, including women and children; more than 15 years ago Cuba lost her principal markets and sources of supply for foods, energy, machinery, raw materials and long-term low-interest financing.

First the socialist bloc collapsed followed almost immediately by the USSR, dismantled piece by piece. The empire tightened and internationalized the blockade; the proteins and calories which were quite well distributed despite our deficiencies were reduced approximately by 40 percent; diseases such as optical neuritis and others appeared; the shortage of medicines, also a result of the blockade, became an everyday reality. Medicines were allowed to enter only as a charitable act, to demoralize us; these, in their turn, became a source of illegal business and black-market dealings.

Inevitably, the “special period” struck. This was the sum total of all the consequences of the aggression and it forced us to take desperate measures whose harmful effects were bolstered by the colossal media machine of the empire. Everyone was awaiting, some with sadness and others with oligarchic glee, the crumbling of the Cuban Revolution.

The access to convertible currency greatly harmed our social consciousness, to a greater or a lesser degree, due to the inequalities and ideological weaknesses it created.

Throughout its lifetime, the Revolution has taught the people, training hundreds of thousands of teachers, doctors, scientists, intellectuals, artists, computer engineers and other professionals with university and post-graduate degrees in dozens of professions. This storehouse of wealth has allowed us to reduce infant mortality to low levels, unthinkable in any Third World country, and to raise life expectancy as well as the average educational level of the population up to the ninth grade.

By offering Cuba oil under favorable terms of payment at a time when oil prices were escalating dramatically, the Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution brought a significant relief and opened up new possibilities, since our country was already beginning to produce her own energy in ever-growing amounts.

Concerned over its interests in that country, the empire had for years been planning to destroy that Revolution, and so it attempted to do it in April 2002, as it will attempt to do again as many times as it can. This is why the Bolivarian revolutionaries are preparing to resist.

Meanwhile, Bush has intensified his plans for an occupation of Cuba, to the point of proclaiming laws and an interventionist government in order to install a direct imperial administration.

Based on the privileges granted to the United States in Bretton Woods and Nixon’s swindle when he removed the gold standard which placed a limit on the issuing of paper money, the empire bought and paid with paper tens of trillions of dollars, more than twelve digit figures. This is how it preserved an unsustainable economy. A large part of the world currency reserves are in US Treasury bonds and bills. For this reason, many would rather not have a dollar crisis like the one in 1929 that would turn those paper bills into thin air. Today, the value of one dollar in gold is at least eighteen times less than what it was in the Nixon years. The same happens with the value of the reserves in that currency.

Those paper bills have kept their low current value because fabulous amounts of increasingly expensive and modern weapons can be purchased with them; weapons that produce nothing. The United States exports more weapons than anyone else in the world. With those same paper bills, the empire has developed a most sophisticated and deadly system of weapons of mass destruction with which it sustains its world tyranny.

Such power allows it to impose the idea of transforming foods into fuels and to shatter any initiative and commitment to avoid global warming, which is visibly accelerating.

Hunger and thirst, more violent hurricanes and the surge of the sea is what Tyranians and Trojans stand to suffer as a result of imperial policies. It is only through drastic energy savings that humanity will have a respite and hopes of survival for the species; but the consumer societies of the wealthy nations are absolutely heedless of that.

Cuba will continue to develop and improve the combative capacities of her people, including our modest but active and efficient defensive weapons industry which multiplies our capacity to face the invaders no matter where they may be, and the weapons they possess. We shall continue acquiring the necessary materials and the pertinent fire power, even though the notorious Gross Domestic Product as measured by capitalism may not be growing, for their GDP includes such things as the value of privatizations, drugs, sexual services and advertising, while it excludes many others like free educational and health services for all citizens.

From one year to the next the standard of living can be improved by raising knowledge, self-esteem and the dignity of people. It will be enough to reduce wastage and the economy will grow. In spite of everything, we will keep on growing as necessary and as possible.

“Freedom costs dearly, and it is necessary to either resign ourselves to live without it or to decide to buy it for its price”, said Martí.

“Whoever attempts to conquer Cuba will only gather the dust of her soil soaked in blood, if he does not perish in the fight”, exclaimed Maceo.

We are not the first revolutionaries to think that way! And we shall not be the last!

One man may be bought, but never a people.

Fate decreed that I could survive the empire’s murderous machine. Shortly, it will be a year since I became ill and, while I hovered between life and death, I stated in the Proclamation of July 31, 2006: “I do not harbor the slightest doubt that our people and our Revolution will fight until the last drop of blood."

Mr. Bush, don’t you doubt that either!

I assure you that you will never have Cuba!

Fidel Castro Ruz

[luxemburg89]

Brilliant article J, the end was particularly good. He seems to be speaking with the same force and voice that carried the revolution through in the first place; it's very encouraging.

[Kwisatz Haderach]

I am greatly concerned about what will happen when Castro finally dies. There are clearly some bureaucrats within the Party who would be delighted to destroy Cuba's planned economy and privatize state property - no doubt in the hope that they can become as rich as the Russian oligarchs. I hope the Cuban people will be able to ensure that the wannabe-oligarchs do not take over.

[freedumb]

Castro speaks so much truth in that article. Cuba has gone through so much.

I agree, Edric, I think the solution is more democracy, more power to citizen's councils ala Venezuela. The problem with the leader-for-life arrangement is that a good leader like Castro can die, and be replaced by a leader who is not as committed to the principles of the Revolution. The only way to counter this is to give the Cuban people power over decision making. I'd hate to see some Deng wannabe come in and fuck up 50 years of defiance and nation-building.

But in summary, the solution is always more democracy.

[La Comédie Noire]

Yes, more Democracy is needed. Also the newer generations must be taught about Batista and u.s. Imperialism so they never even think of it as an option.

[cormacobear]

Raul's not my first pick among the top officials, but For decades Castro has described Raul as next. (given the constant endeavor for his life it was always a 'today' issue for Cubans.

Fidel was a liberal at the outset of the revolution it was Raul who as a devout communist schooled Fidel. Raul's credentials are beyond reproach, but he's not the Cubans first choice and it screams oligarchy.

[Red Rebel]

Having Fidel write his reflections has been a great idea and sucess.


Originally posted by "Edric"+--> ("Edric")There are clearly some bureaucrats within the Party who would be delighted to destroy Cuba's planned economy and privatize state property[/b]

Anyone in particular?


"freedumb"
I agree, Edric, I think the solution is more democracy

What if people don't want socialism anymore?

[KC]

The problem with the leader-for-life arrangement is that a good leader like Castro can die, and be replaced by a leader who is not as committed to the principles of the Revolution.

Castro wasn't a "leader for life"; he was elected for numerous terms. Cuba doesn't have a term limit on its government positions.


The only way to counter this is to give the Cuban people power over decision making.

The Cuban people have the power to make decisions; they just need to be less dependent upon "experts".


Raul's not my first pick among the top officials, but For decades Castro has described Raul as next. (given the constant endeavor for his life it was always a 'today' issue for Cubans.

Raul will fill the position when Castro dies until the next elections take place. Whether or not Raul will get elected is up to the electorate and not Castro.


What if people don't want socialism anymore?

Then they'll do away with it. What point are you trying to make?

[bezdomni]

What if people don't want socialism anymore?

What if people don't want capitalism anymore? Will they return to Feudalism? :lol:

[A SCANNER DARKLY]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29, 2007 03:08 pm

What if people don't want socialism anymore?

What if people don't want capitalism anymore? Will they return to Feudalism? :lol:
Capitalism > all.

[Karl Marx's Camel]

the end was particularly good. He seems to be speaking with the same force and voice that carried the revolution through in the first place; it's very encouraging.

No shit.

Because it is the same man who created that "revolution". :rolleyes:

And that voice is often quite a different one than that you will find in Cuban homes.

[bezdomni]

Originally posted by A SCANNER DARKLY+June 29, 2007 04:22 pm--> (A SCANNER DARKLY @ June 29, 2007 04:22 pm)
[email protected] 29, 2007 03:08 pm

What if people don't want socialism anymore?

What if people don't want capitalism anymore? Will they return to Feudalism? :lol:
Capitalism > all. [/b]
Source?