Books of Fidel's speeches launched

BY GAIL LORD

SYDNEY -- Cuba's consul general in Australia, Maria Luisa Fernandez, on August 9 spoke to a full Resistance Centre in Parramatta when she launched two new books containing recent speeches by Cuba's President Fidel Castro. Fernandez called for the “globalisation of solidarity” in response to capitalism's neo-liberal globalisation.

Fernandez was launching Capitalism in Crisis, published by Ocean Press, and Neoliberal Globalisation and the Third World, published by Resistance Books. The event was organised by the Sydney west branch of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP).

Fernandez explained that capitalist ideology “says we will become more equal, yet we are becoming less equal” and that the figures quoted by Castro show that capitalism “is truly in crisis”. Fernandez talked about the huge gains that Cuba had been able to make since the revolution in 1959, and explained the importance of solidarity not only with the Cuban people but with the people of the whole world.

The DSP's Federico Fuentes described Cuba as proof that there is a socialist alternative to neo-liberalism. “Cuba continues its revolutionary tradition as a leader of the Third World countries in their struggle against imperialist exploitation. Cuba leads with demands to abolish the Third World debt, democratise the United Nations and abolish the International Monetary Fund and other international financial institutions”, he pointed out.

Fuentes urged that stronger international solidarity be built in Australia, not just with Cuba but also with other revolutionary forces such as the People's Democratic Party in Indonesia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. He encouraged all present to join internationalist organisations such as the Committee in Solidarity with Latin America and the Caribbean and Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor.

Nick Rawson from the Australia Cuba Friendship Society explained that what Cuba needs most is not charity but political solidarity. He urged people to continue to campaign for an end to the United States' blockade of Cuba.

Discussion touched on issues as diverse as Cuba's health system, the effectiveness of vaccinations, immigration policies, the Elian Gonzalez case and the capitalist media monopolies.

Fernandez recommended that activists steel themselves against ruling-class ideology. “We must read. Read the classics -- Marx, Engels, Lenin. Read Mandela, Che and Fidel. Read a lot. Read every day, because capitalist ideas come at you 24 hours a day, every day.”

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