No. 2/2016 14 de abril de 2016 

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CUBA TO FRIENDLY POLITICAL AND SOCIAL FORCES

Between April 16 and 19, the Communist Party of Cuba will celebrate its Seventh Congress with the main targets of evaluating the fulfillment of the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy approved at the Sixth Congress. The country’s development strategy up to 2030 and the conceptualization of the Cuban economic and social model will also be discussed and approved.

The Congress will be held in an international climate marked by the world crisis and the sharpening of the global geopolitical contradictions, at a time when the imperialist and rightist counteroffensive against the revolutionary, democratic and liberating processes of the continent and against the integrationist efforts in the area intensifies in the Latin American context.

In the midst of this context, the Cuban Revolution maintains its inalterable course. Since 2011 and with the majority endorsement of the Cuban people takes place the updating of the economic model destined to build a prosperous and sustainable socialism.

At the same time, since December 2014 there is an advance in a complex normalization process of relations with the United States of America that seeks to attain a civilized coexistence with the government of that country, in accordance with the efforts being made by Cuba and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean countries to turn our region into a Peace Zone, as proclaimed by the Second CELAC Summit in Havana, in January, 2014.

The Communist Party of Cuba is conscious of the challenges imposed by this normalization process. We are aware that important sectors of the United States maintain the purpose of eroding the bases of the Revolution and overthrowing our political system through the approach and the direct influence. In this regard, we consider that the visit of President Barack Obama to Havana confirmed the decision of making irreversible this new tactic against Cuba.

The normalization of relations with the United States of America opens a new road in the battle of ideas we have been fighting, of solidarity against individualism, of inclusion against contempt, of Monroe’s intentions against the spirit of Martí, of exploitation against social justice, of neoliberal domination against Latin American sovereignty and integration.

We have come so far thanks to the unity and resistance of our people in the face of the military, economic and cultural power of imperialism, together with the wise leadership of comrades Fidel and Raúl Castro. Added to this is our fidelity to the principles, the coherence of our foreign policy and our solidarity with the world’s noble causes.

We must underline that the triumphs of the Cuban people cannot be separated from the extraordinary international movement of solidarity that has accompanied us during these years in essential battles like the one displayed in favor of the liberation of our Five Heroes. We will be eternally grateful for that solidarity that today, more than ever, we consider vital.

The Cuban people and its organized vanguard will keep up the struggle against the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States of America. We will not rest until we see our flag raised in the territory that is illegally occupied by the U.S. Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay. We will continue denouncing the meddling plans and the financing of counterrevolutionary groups in Cuba, as well as the illegal radio and television broadcasts that violate our sovereignty, paid with public funds by the U.S. Government.

As recently expressed by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, our noble and self-sacrificed people will not renounce to the glory, the rights or the spiritual wealth obtained with the development of education, science and culture. We do not need –nor will us need– any gift from the empire. We shall maintain our commitment with peace and fraternity, and we will always continue faithful to our history.