2000 rally in S.F. to defend Cuba

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... 200 anti-Castro "gusanos" screeched and screamed across the street.

SAN FRANCISCO-Over 2000 people rallied here on Feb. 2 to demand an end to the U.S. government's 30-year undeclared war against Cuba. The event was the largest Cuba solidarity rally in this city's history and was an impressive follow-up to a rally of 3700 held in New York City a week earlier. Both events, sponsored by the Peace for Cuba International Appeal, were centered on the demands of ending the U.S. trade embargo, lifting the travel ban, and normalizing diplomatic relations Speakers at the San Francisco rally included journalist Margaret Randall; novelist Alice Walker, Mosala Mosegomi, African National Congress; Dr. Frantz Delva, coordinator, Haitian Lavalas (pro-Aristide); Andres Gomez, Antonio Maceo Brigade; Diane Wang, chair, Human Relations Committee, OCAW 1-326; Yvonne Golden, chair, S.F. Bay Area Peace Council, Piri Thomas, poet and author, and Bobby Castil10, International Indian Treaty Council. In addition, messages of solidarity were read from Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, Brian McWilliams, ILWU International vice-president; and Hortensia Allende, widow of assassinated Chilean president Salvador Allende.

While the rally was underway, about 200 anti-Castro Cubans most of whom were w bused from Los Angeles- demonstrated across the street. Other than screaming fren"Peace for Cuba" supporters: A profective line around meeting half while. zied epithets, the "gusanos" were unable to disrupt the four-hour-long event.

The following is the message that was Message from Fidel: On the other hand, the last word has not read from Cuban President Fidel Castro at been said, nor are we enacting the final the Feb. 2 Peace for Cuba Rally in San 6 ...the last word has not been said chapter of social revolution as an alternaFrancisco, Calif tive of justice and development. In order to be able to talk about the failure of Dear comrades and friends, brothers and As a matter of fact, it is the Revolution beggars, racial discrimination. socialism, it would be necessary to sisters, and socialism that give our people Cuban women, with the active support announce the solution through some other Under the present circumstances, your strength to face this challenge. We have of all society, are tront-ine participants in way of the abysmal problems facing three decision to organize this demonstration in the will and the patriotic spirit needed to history and in the struggle for their tul out of every four men and women on the support of the people of Cuba is a mov- resist and to win. We are not demoralized, equality. planet today, as well as the social evils ing evidence of honesty and courage nor are we defeated. We are working hard, Our people, nevertheless, have to endure which befall the so-called first world. But This meeting is also a testimony of sol- and we are basing our struggle on the once again the attempts to force on us nothing at all like this has happened. idarity which deeply touches each and fighting spirit, the intelligence and the counter-revolutionary subversion, destabi- We are sure that socialism will emerge every Cuban, absorbed as we are in the scientific potential we have been able to lization and terrorism. again from this crisis, a cleansed and pergigantic effort to which we are all dedicat- develop in all these years. We are a united The anti-Cuban policy of the U.S. gov- fected socialism, the only program of ed today. and cohesive people. The vast majority of ernment encourages the worst coun- social change and true democracy for I address not only those who share the Cubans support the concept that only in ter-revolutionary elements-both within which it is imperative to fight according ideas of the Cuban Revolution, but also the free Fatherland, with the independence Cuba and out of the country—to carry out to the traditions, the historical experience those who experience a sincere concern and social justice which the Revolution all sorts of irresponsible and criminal and the national consensus in each coun about Cuba's peace and security, those has given us, we will be able to find true actions. A few days ago we had to control try. who believe that the right of us Cubans to answers to our present difficulties, to again our emotions when we buried three We are not preparing for an apocalypse, self-determination should be respected, and improve our system, and to build.the young men who had been brutally mur- but we are ready for everything, and we that any kind of intervention or aggression future we deserve. dered. Once again we have to deal with will do every sacrifice necessary precisely against our country should stop. To those who argue that Cuba should infiltration attempts into our territory by because we are convinced that the future Today Cuba faces an unprecedented chal- be crushed, humiliated and destroyed terrorists trained and armed with total belongs to us and that right is on our side. lenge. The collapse of socialism in because there are no longer a Soviet impunity in the U.S. for the self-admitted Only those who resist win, those who Europe and the disappearance of the Soviet Union nor a European socialist communi- purpose of sowing death and panic among do not weaken when faced with difficul Union have deprived us, all of a sudden, of ty, we say that our Revolution is and our.people, and even new plans for the ties, those who have confidence in their •our main source of essential supplies, always will be as Cuban as the palm assassination of our Revolution's leaders. ideas and in the moral and revolutionary including oil, foodstuffs, raw materials, trees, that we didn't ask anybody permis- We are witnesses to a shameless farce reserves of the people. and all kinds of equipment, obtained by sion to carry out the Revolution, and that played out in other countries by oppor- We, Cubans, are not and will not be means of a fair and equitable trade relation. the Revolution exists and will keep on tunists, cowards, demagogues, and fakes, alone in this extraordinary hour. Nobody Thus, a second blockade has in fact existing because of the sovereign will of all of whom dare to condemn Cuba for should feel pity or be sorry for us. One appeared, which comes on top of the cruel our people. enforcing Cuban law, for exercising its can feel sorrow for traitors and weaklings, economic blockade forced on us for more We have many problems and shortages. inalienable right to protect the life of our but not for a people writing some of the than 30 years by the government of the However, even in these conditions we children and the sovereignty of our nation, most heroic and honorable pages of its United States. have not renounced the social achieve- for upholding the constitutional order history. What Cuba now needs, above all, The U.S. administration believes that ments of which we are justly proud and approved in popular referendum by more is understanding and respect. You give us Cuba will not be able to resist, that the which account for our well-being. than 90 percent of our people. However, much more than that when you do not time has come to terminate the Revolu- Let me point out just one example. not a single word is spoken about the hesitate to express your solidarity with the tion, and to that end takes stronger Last year the infant mortality rate in our responsibility of those who tolerate such Cuban people in this crucial moment. measures in order to suffocate our econo- country as a whole was a third of Wash- actions, or in condemnation of the repeat- What is at stake at this very instant in my, increase hostility and pressures, ington's rate. Ours is a poor country, and ed acts carried out against us. our land is not only the future of our encourages the actions of the counter-revo- we have had to stand this terrible blow in To bestow upon common terrorists the country, but also to a great extent the lutionaries, and uses all its influence and the midst of a very hard struggle for devel- status of dissidents is as absurd as to try future of justice, of socialism and of the that of its more reactionary allies in pro- opment. But even in the "special period" to characterize as criminal the legitimate poor peoples of the world. Therefore, you moting a media campaign unparalleled in we are able to bring education to all our actions of a state like Cuba, dedicated to could very well say the same words writits deceit and distortion of the truth. children and youngsters, we manage to the welfare of the people and to the attain- ten by Jose Marti almost a century ago:

We are calmly facing this test with guarantee to every one of our workers the ment by every citizen of a productive and "A mistake in Cuba is a mistake in Amerdetermination. Our present difficulties are right to a decent job, we take proper care spiritually full life. ica, a mistake in modern mankind. the consequence of external factors, not of our elderly, and keep a comprehensive We are confident that truth will prevail. Whoever stands today alongside Cuba, the result-as some want to make system of social security. As you all well Lies and slander are not eternal. This bitter stands forever." believe of the failure of our noble revo- know, there are no such scourges in Cuba and confusing moment in which the world Thank you very much, my dear brothers lutionary efforts. as prostitution, organized crime, drugs, is living will also pass away. and sisters. (signed) Fidel Castro Ruz SOCIALIST ACTION MARCH 1992 9

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