17 April 2021
The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its message of communist solidarity to the Communist Party of Cuba on its 8th Congress. This Congress is significant as it begins on the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, and ends on a historical date, April 19th, on which the people of Cuba commemorate the 60th anniversary of their victory against United States imperialist aggression at Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs). The Cuban people worked hard together to defend the Cuban Revolution against imperialist aggression, while also providing solidarity even to the darkest corners of the world, in defence of humanity against colonialism, imperialism, other forms of oppression and exploitation, and against disease.
The SACP expresses its sincere gratitude to the people of Cuba for the outstanding work by the Cuban Medical Brigade in Africa against the Ebola virus, across the world, including in South Africa, against the Coronavirus. Cuban training of medical doctors, other healthcare practitioners, and professionals in other fields, is contributing by no small measure to our human development capacity and progress in South Africa.
Cuba has made a massive progress and outstanding achievements in education at all levels, healthcare, genetic engineering, and biotechnology, to mention but a few areas of human development. Because of this and other advances by the Cuban Revolution, the Cuban people enjoy long life expectancy and other human development gains. In reaction, the imperialist forces have done, and continue to do everything they could to destroy the Cuban Revolution.
The SACP reiterates its stance against imperialist aggression, which is chiefly spearheaded by the United States against the Cuban people, against Cuban freedom and democratic sovereignty, against the right of Cuba to determine and pursue a transformation and development path chosen by the Cuban people, against the success of the Cuban Revolution which shows that a just world, an alternative to capitalist barbarity, is possible.
The 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba takes place amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated many people across the world, particularly the working class, while capitalist pharmaceutical multinational corporations headquartered in the United States and Western Europe rake in huge profits at the expense of human life. On the other hand, we note, yet again, the hand of the United States imperialist regime which has deepened its illegal blockage against Cuba. This attempt to prevent vital medical supplies from reaching the Cuban people was yet another sign of the genocidal and uncaring attitude of the United States regime.
Despite these attacks on Cuba, we also note the indomitable spirit of the Cuban people in defence of their independence. Grounded in a people-based healthcare system, the Cuban people have been able to develop vaccine candidates against COVID-19, despite the pressure from imperialist aggression. Cuba’s capacity and experience in genetic engineering, biotechnology, and vaccine development, as well as the strength of its national public healthcare system, are admired by the great majority of the people globally.
The solidarity displayed by the Cuban Medical Brigade in various countries of the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired many people, including from capitalist countries, and is indeed a sign of Cuba’s people-first approach to healthcare and everything else. The SACP has resolved to support the worldwide calls for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to the Henry Reeve Brigade.
The SACP reiterates its support for and international solidarity with the Cuban people on their call for the United States to evacuate, unconditionally and with immediate effect, the Cuban territory of Guantanamo Bay, and to lift, also unconditionally and with immediate effect, its illegal blockade against Cuba.
The SACP sends good wishes to all the delegates to the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, the leadership, and the Cuban people.
The struggle continues, dear comrades.
¡Hasta la victoria siempre!
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
EST. 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA | CPSA
Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo
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