Hands Off Cuba - It Deserves our Support
We owe a debt of gratitude to the government and people of
Cuba who have been consistent in their unflinching support for our Caribbean
region and all oppressed peoples throughout the globe.
Cuba has opened its doors to many, even though it is a
developing country savaged by the inhumane economic blockade implemented by the
United States of America for 65 years. Added to this is the increased oil
embargo recently imposed on Cuba over the past weeks. This has deprived Cuba of
receiving much-needed oil necessary for energy and everyday living. These
actions have been condemned by international lawyers as a crime against
humanity.
Cuba’s crime was to throw off the yoke of Yankee imperialism
and seek a socialist path for the development of its people and resources.
Cuba’s crime was also to reject the path of becoming a vassal and neocolonial
state of the USA and Western imperialism. It chose the path of defending its
sovereignty.
Trade and economic relations with other states is necessary
for most countries. Cuba, like other Caribbean economies, needs trading
relations with others for its development.
Cuba has endured much pain over these last 65 years, yet, it
has developed a society and culture that rises to the challenges and endures
with an independent mindset. It has developed its human resources and has given
its support to many other states in the Caribbean and elsewhere. Their record
is exemplary and is of the finest human traditions: integrity, selflessness,
honour, commitment, love for others and the sharing of its resources with
others.
Cuba has shed blood, sweat and tears in its commitments to
help others. The name of the great visionary anti-imperialist leader, Fidel
Castro, reverberates and is admired around the globe.
We must not forget the tangible contributions to many
developing countries. This was also most evident during the Covid-19 pandemic
when it provided its locally developed vaccine to many countries, including its
neighbours in the Caribbean.
Cuba’s reach was not limited to developing countries. It
provided medical assistance to many in North America and Italy during the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Cuba understood its history of slavery and conquest and the
fact that many of its African forbears came from Angola and southern parts of
Africa. It was therefore no surprise that Cuba willingly assisted Southern
African states in fighting for their liberation against apartheid and settler
colonialism. It played a decisive role in supporting Angola, Namibia,
Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique in their wars to gain independence. Cuba lost
around 2,000 soldiers in the liberation struggle in Angola. It also provided
much development assistance in the form of doctors, other medical
professionals, teachers, engineers, etc. Cuba trained many African students in
medicine and other professions in the Isle of Youth.
Cuba provided assistance to the South Africans fighting
apartheid. When Nelson Mandela was released from prison and emerged as the
first democratically elected president of South Africa, one of the first
overseas countries he visited was Cuba. He came to say thank you to Fidel and
the people of Cuba who stood with them as friends, throughout the long years,
providing genuine support to the ANC in the fight against the racist apartheid
regime.
Cuba has provided assistance to Haiti, sending health
professionals to assist the country since 1998. It has been hands-on with
emergency response teams in 2010 after the earthquake. Cuba has trained over
500 Haitian doctors while seeking to help build a self-sustaining health
system.
Lest we forget, Cuba also provided assistance to the
Bolivarian State of Venezuela. This includes medical assistance and
security/military advice. Cuba lost 32 soldiers who were on the security detail
of President Nicolas Maduro, who was kidnapped by the USA, no doubt with the
collusion of a few bribed traitors within the regime who were willing to sell
out their country for a few pieces of silver.
In the Caribbean region, Cuba has provided assistance to
Grenada from the period of Maurice Bishop and the New Jewel Movement (NJM) in
1979. Cuba effectively built the international airport at Point Salines, now
called the Maurice Bishop International Airport. Cuba also lost ordinary
airport workers during the illegal American invasion of Grenada in October
1983.
Closer to home, it has provided medical assistance to two of
Trinidad and Tobago’s prime ministers, now deceased. For example, former prime
ministers Patrick Manning and Basdeo Panday received medical treatment in Cuba.
The late Kwame Ture, formerly Stokely Carmichael, also had treatment in Cuba.
It is noteworthy that several hundred black and minority
students from the USA have studied medicine for free in Cuba under an
initiative supported by the Congressional Black Caucus. Were it not for such
solidarity with those who witness discrimination, the cadre of black doctors in
the USA would have been less.
Cuba has assisted all the members of Caricom, providing
scholarships in medicine and other fields. There were Cuban doctors, nurses and
other health professionals working through bilateral agreements. Cuban-trained
doctors form a large and critical component for many Caribbean states,
especially in specialised areas of medicine. They are now being threatened by
the Trump administration to abandon their relationships and links with Cuba and
to effectively accept recolonisation by United States imperialism.
Caricom must speak with one voice and say “No” to US threats
at subordination. Our ancestors fought against slavery and showed strong
resistance. We owe it to their memory to fight for our sovereignty and tell the
United States—hands off Cuba!
There are solidarity flotillas from several countries and
organisations representing working-class people, trade unionists and
progressives, arriving in Cuba with humanitarian aid.
We call on all our Caribbean leaders to do likewise and
mobilise our people to support Cuba in this, their time of need. This must be
our way to say: thank you, Cuba.
We call on our people to resist US imperialism and come
together and mobilise tangible support for Cuba. We call on our diaspora in the
USA and Europe to raise their voices in support of the sovereignty of Cuba and
of Caricom.
Trinidad Express Monday 23rd., March 2026
The Mahogany Coconut Group strongly endorses the above editorial .
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