El Eterno Eu.s. Hands Off

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"U.S. Hands Off Cuba!" The demonstration was organized to SOCIALIST ACTION JUNE 1990 LEARN FROM THEIR G Stop Television Mort Eastern Europe, are there institutional forms of workers' democracy in Cuba to make anything like that completely out of the question there?

Adlum: Well, this is exactly what I was saying. We base our work in Cuba on these principles. Therefore, we cannot foresee anything like this. We do not foresee anything of the kind. No. Another thing which should be taken into consideration is the fact that we accomplished our revolution on our own, without any help from anybody. What we have done since 1959 has been in accordance with the wishes of the people, and we have made every effort to make up for all the time we have wasted before.

S.A.: What is your opinion on introducing capitalist market relations and capitalism into Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union? Would Cuba follow that road or would it do something else?

Adlum: In the case of the introduction of capitalism, I must repeat something similar to what I just said. We are confident of the importance and necessity of socialism. We see no need to change towards a capitalist system, therefore this says it all.

S.A.: Does Cuba have a view on the recent Lithuanian declaration of independence from the Soviet Union?

Adlum: These are internal problems of the Soviet Union, which have historical roots. It's very difficult. You have to be in the country, understand the country, to know exactly what happened, what occurred, why something was done, and why some things are occurring now.

It's very difficult because if you look at it from one point of view, you say, well if people want to separate they have the right to do it.

[However] we don't want to see the Soviet Union dismantled. We are not in favor of this.

Don't forget that we are very grateful to the Soviet Union. We are eternally grateful to the Soviet people, and when I say Soviet people, I am talking of all the people who are part of the Soviet Union.

In hard times they were the ones who gave us a hand and helped us when the United States applied an embargo against us and took away our sugar quota. When we needed to defend ourselves, they helped us.

Even today, despite what people say and speculate, our relations with the Soviet Union are wonderful. We have no complaints. In fact during Mr. Gorbachev's last visit 1o Cuba, we signed a 25-year friendship agreement which did not exist in the past. Therefore, far from weakening, these good ties have been strengthened.

S.A.: I read recently that there had been a delay in some of the Soviet grain and wheat shipments which caused a little bit of difficulty, including some rationing in Cuba. Has that been resolved?

Adlum: I don't have the details, but I know that we encountered some problems with the wheat, yes. But the problems we have had are not a result of the political will of the Soviet Union, but are due to their internal difficulties. This must be clear.

S.A.: I'd like to ask you some questions on Central America, on the situation in Nicaragua now. Do you think Nicaragua would have done better to move towards the Cuban model? And what does Cuba suggest for the militants in Nicaragua now.

Adlum: We are very respectful of the sovereignty of friends. We avoid by all means any interference, or the giving of opinions, on the internal problems of other countries.

We have no right to say they were wrong; they should have done so and so, etc. But I think the basic reason for the lack of success is something which very seldom is taken into consideration.

If you will remember, you'll see that Nicaragua was kept permanently and systematically under fire. In other words, the heat was kept on the Nicaraguan revolution. It never had the opportunity of proving its capabilities.

The Sandinistas never had the opportunity of doing the things they wanted for the people of Nicaragua. Don't forget this.

No country in the world, regardless of the system, can be successful if it's permanently under siege, like Nicaragua was. Not only economically, but you had a permanent and total war against Nicaragua. Even while the

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