Month: November, 2016
Fidel’s Legacy: ‘Cubans Give Us Example of How to Develop and Live’
| November 28, 2016 | 7:58 pm | Cuba, Fidel Castro | Comments closed
20:34 26.11.2016(updated 20:43 26.11.2016)
Fidel Castro’s death will not bring an end to the Cuban Revolution, Russian academic Evgeny Astakhov told RIA Novosti, highlighting that by the term ‘revolution’ he means further development of the Cuban sovereign and independent state. After Fidel Castro’s passing away Havana will continue to pursue the policy course set by the iconic Cuban leader, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) expert Evgeny Astakhov of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) told RIA Novosti. “If the ‘revolution’ implies an armed struggle, it ended long ago. If it implies the desire to make the peoples’ life better, I believe this task still remain high on [Cuba’s] agenda. Despite the normalization of relations between the United States [and Cuba], the goals of the revolution survived intact,” Astakhov remarked. The expert called attention to the fact that living conditions of the Cubans remain rather low. However, he emphasized that the people of Cuba preserve their self-respect and dignity. “There are no beggars there,” Astakhov underscored, “The people have a sense of pride and they face their poor living conditions with dignity.” The expert highlighted that at the same time the Cubans can boast their healthcare, cancer treatment and biotechnology. “In many respects, they give us an example of how to develop and live,” he noted. Commenting on Barack Obama’s first visit to Havana in March 2016, Haitian-born journalist Dr. Dady Chery highlighted that despite the trade embargo the US had exerted on the Caribbean state, Cuba “is no longer a country without its own toilet paper or medications, but one that has painfully built its own economy.” “Currently, Cuba holds more than 30 patents in the area of biotechnology, which is its main export. It manufactures more than 800 products for the health needs of Cubans, for whom it provides universal medical coverage,” Chery underscored in her op-ed for News Junkie Post. The journalist added that against all odds the Cubans have developed their own software products, including computer games, cell-phone platforms, and specialized software for the health sector. “The revolution will continue,” Astakhov said, “in ‘spiritual’ sense of the word, I do not mean armed struggle, barricades, ‘maidans’ and etc.” “Not all people have such a sense of pride and sovereignty as the Cubans. There will be changes and reforms in the country and there will be new people which will follow the reform path. But these reforms will be aimed at improving the living conditions of the people, and not making them dependent on the dollar system,” the Russian academic emphasized. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, the legendary Cuban revolutionary and one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, passed away on Friday at the age of 90. His death was announced by his brother and the incumbent Cuban president, Raul Castro. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the people and government of Cuba. “The name of this outstanding statesman is considered to be a symbol of an entire era in the modern history of the world. A free and independent Cuba built by him and his colleagues became an influential member of the international community and has served as an inspiring example for many countries and peoples,” Putin said in his statement. “This strong and wise man always looked to the future with confidence. He personified the high ideals of a politician, citizen and patriot, sincerely believing in the righteousness of what he did and to which he devoted his entire life. His memory will forever remain within the hearts of Russian citizens,” the Russian President emphasized.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/politics/201611261047876927-castro-cuba-russia/

FIDEL CASTRO RUZ: COMANDANTE OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION HAS DIED, WE HONOR HIS MEMORY!
| November 28, 2016 | 7:31 pm | Fidel Castro, Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador | Comments closed

Communique© of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador, PCMLE

FIDEL CASTRO RUZ: COMANDANTE OF THE CUBAN REVOLUTION HAS DIED, WE HONOR HIS MEMORY!

On the night of November 25, Fidel Castro Ruz, Comandante of the Cuban Revolution, has died and the Cuban people, the peoples of Latin America and the world mourn his death.

Fidel, throughout his life, was an outstanding revolutionary leader, and along with his comrades such as Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and others, was at the head of the heroic process of the Cuban revolution, which confronted the aggressive designs of US imperialism, defeated the armed incursions, the plots and conspiracies that the world power financed and directed together with the reactionary circles, in an attempt to break the will of the Cuban people and their leaders.

With Fidel at its head, the courageous Cuban people, with arms in hand, were able to overthrow the infamous, criminal and pro-Yankee dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had handed over the Caribbean island’s resources, sovereignty and independence to the Yankees. This same people, based on their unity, promoting the struggle, has been advancing in their revolutionary process that achieved important and well-known social achievements in various fields such as education, health, social security and, despite the criminal imperialist blockade, managed to rise up and maintain those achievements, which earned them the recognition and solidarity of the peoples of the world.

For the peoples of Latin America, the victories achieved by the Cuban revolution have undoubtedly been an example that has influenced their anti-imperialist struggles and the struggle for social revolution. Cuba has been the example of how a small country, besieged by the major world power that has blocked it since the beginning of the revolution, was able to stand up and maintain its independence with dignity.

The Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador, its members and leaders, pay homage to the memory of Fidel Castro, Comandante of the Cuban Revolution; We express our heartfelt condolences to the people of Cuba and their leaders and we believe that all of Fidel’s courageous legacy in his revolutionary actions will be maintained and developed for the advance of their social achievements and social justice.

Political Bureau of the Central Committee

November 27, 2016

Fidel Castro in his own words
| November 27, 2016 | 8:50 pm | Fidel Castro | Comments closed

Fidel Castro y Nelson Mandela
| November 27, 2016 | 8:40 pm | Fidel Castro, Nelson Mandela | Comments closed

Fidel Castro speech in 1966
| November 27, 2016 | 8:36 pm | Fidel Castro | Comments closed

When Fidel Castro Invited Mikis Theodorakis to Havana
| November 27, 2016 | 8:33 pm | Fidel Castro, Mikis Theodorakis | Comments closed

“My beloved Fidel…”: Greece’s legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis farewells his friend, Fidel Castro
| November 27, 2016 | 8:26 pm | Fidel Castro, Mikis Theodorakis | Comments closed

Monday, November 28, 2016

“My beloved Fidel…”: Greece’s legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis farewells his friend, Fidel Castro

 https://communismgr.blogspot.com/2016/11/my-beloved-fidel-mikis-theodorakis.html

“My beloved Fidel, 

you left us 
and this is the first time 
I disagree with you”.

– Mikis Theodorakis, 26/11/2016.
 
With the above laconic phrase published in his personal website the internationally-renowned Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, 91, expressed his farewell to the emblematic Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro. 

 Theodorakis, composer of numerous masterpieces such as Canto General (Poetry by Pablo Neruda), Axion Esti, Serpico and Zorba, whose musical genius made a decisive contribution to the cultural renaissance of postwar Greece, had the opportunity to meet with Fidel in Cuba and become a friend of the Cuban leader. 
Below, we share abstracts from an article published on Greek Reporter which describes the special bond between Mikis Theodorakis and Fidel Castro:
 
The Greek composer met Castro in 1962, when he visited Cuba as a parliamentary member of United Democratic Left (EDA) along with another EDA MP, Evanhegelos Sakellaris, as guests of the revolutionary government. It was the time when the whole island was singing and dancing to the sounds of “Luna de miel”, a Theodorakis composition that had become very popular. 
At the time, the revolutionary government of Cuba was making an effort to get rid of bureaucracy and had invited delegations of leftist parties around the world. They had stayed for a week, when Theodorakis explained that he wanted to leave because he was in bad health at the moment and the humid climate of Havana was bad for him.
Theodorakis later said that Che Guevara told him: “You are not going anywhere. We have mountains with fresh air. Tomorrow I’m going to the Sierra Maestra and I will come by the hotel to pick you up and take you with me.”
Despite the objections, Guevara was adamant. The next morning they got into a big, comfortable car and spent “a memorable week with Che Guevara,” Theodorakis said. Theodorakis became friends with Castro and the two men exchanged letters.

On July 29, 1981, Theodorakis gave a concert in Havana, Cuba. He was invited by Castro himself. The composer presented one of his greatest works, Canto General, based on the poem by Pablo Neruda, the work was played by a Cuban orchestra accompanied by Greek singers Maria Farantouri and Giorgos Dalaras.

Castro appeared unexpectedly at the concert at Cathedral Square of Havana, flanked by guards. It was a time when the Cuban leader was hardly making any public appearances because he was fearing assassination attempts. The audience cheered “Viva Fidel!”
By the end of the concert, Castro embraced Theodorakis praising his work. The two men were acquainted and shared a mutual respect. Castro embraced Theodorakis and said, “Music is more difficult than politics. That’s why there are more politicians than musicians.”
And Castro continued: “And there are even less revolutionary artists. Even though artists want revolution, there are many politicians who are not revolutionary. But to be a revolutionary artist is more significant than being a politician.”
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »