The following motion was passed unanimously by the party’s eighth congress in September.
*****
This congress reaffirms the CPGB-ML’s unconditional support for Cuba.
This congress laments the death of Comrade Fidel Castro, who died aged 90 on 25 November 2016. Comrade Fidel gave his life to the service of his people.
This congress is inspired by the tremendous contribution that Comrade Fidel made not only to the revolutionary cause in Cuba but to all progressive humanity. Nobody expected tiny Cuba to survive after the collapse of the USSR, and it is to the undying credit of Comrade Fidel, the Communist Party of Cuba and the Cuban masses that they held firm through all the difficulties of those days. In the forward march of the revolution, Comrade Fidel will live forever.
This congress recognises the leadership provided by Comrade Raúl Castro as president of Cuba from 24 February 2008 to 9 June 2018. When Comrade Raúl took the mantel from Fidel the imperialist vultures loomed over in hope of using the change of leadership to destablise the country. Such hopes were in vain, as Comrade Raúl, one of the founding revolutionaries who fought in the Sierra Maestra in 1959, continued the struggle, reaffirming that “Cuba will not cease defending its revolutionary and anti-imperialist ideals or supporting the self-determination of all peoples.” (Speech to the 17th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Venezuela, 17 September 2016)
This congress extends its warmest fraternal greetings to the newly elected president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, who succeeded Comrade Raúl on 9 June 2018. Comrade Díaz-Canel, the first Cuban president not to have fought in the revolution, has however had a long history in the revolutionary struggle. He has been on the central committee of the Communist Party of Cuba since 1991, has sat on the political bureau for the last 15 years, has been involved in international missions, and was until his election as president the first vice-president of the Councils of State and Ministers.
As Comrade Raúl pointed out: “Compañero Díaz-Canel is not an improvisation; over the years he has demonstrated maturity, work capacity, ideological soundness, political awareness, commitment, and loyalty to the revolution.” (Speech at the close of the constituent session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, 19 April 2018)
This congress welcomes the growing economic and political relations between Cuba and both Russia and China. These relations strengthen Cuba’s ability to defend its revolution and to stand in direct opposition to the blockade imposed by US imperialism.
This congress further calls upon US imperialism to lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, and to abandon its efforts at bringing about regime change in the country. While relations under Trump have not improved, it cannot be said that prior to his presidency the US and Cuba were close to ‘normalisation of relations’. Indeed, the recent pledge by the US of an extra $20m for ‘democracy promotion’ (read regime change) in Cuba is only a fraction of that spent under Obama.
This congress resolves to continue campaigning in solidarity with Cuba, spreading awareness of its situation, tasks and achievements to British working people as widely as possible, through meetings, in our publications, and in other ways.
