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Home » 2009 » #792 » International News » Cubans celebrate declaration of socialism

On April 16, 1961, at the burial of the victims of US-backed airport raids by counter-revolutionary forces, then-prime minister Fidel Castro announced Cuba would become a socialist country.

This was the day before the US-organised military invasion, seeking to overthrow the revolutionary government, occurred at Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs).

Previous nationalsation of foreign companies, and violent clashes between competing social classes, had paved the way for the socialist turn of the revolutionary process that started in 1959 after US-dictator Fulgencio Batista was ousted by the rebel army.

Also obvious became the need to defend the revolution from aggressions, such as occurred with the April 15, 1961, raids on airports of San Antonio de los Banos, Ciudad Libertad and Santiago de Cuba .

During the eulogy to those killed in those attacks, the people, during a mass demonstration, raised their rifles and swore to defend what Castro defined as a “socialist revolution of the humble, for the humble”.

The people were aware that they not only were defending their revolution, but the cause of socialism in the Americas.

A few hours later, the Cuban people were fighting the Playa Giron mercenary invasion, which was planned and funded by the US government in complicity with several Latin American governments.

Just hours after Fidel Castro proclaimed the socialist nature of the Cuban Revolution, thousands of Cubans joined their combat units and defeated the attack in less than 72 hours

[Reprinted from Prensa Latina.]

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