Statement of solidarity with Socialist Cuba

The Communist Party of Ireland expresses its unbreakable solidarity with Revolutionary Cuba, with the Cuban people and the Communist Party of Cuba.

The Biden government is continuing with its illegal blockade of Cuba. It has further strengthened the blockade at a time when the Cuban people are fighting a pandemic and when tourism—a major source of national income—has been severely reduced because of the global impact of the pandemic on international travel.

The Biden regime carries on the strategy of US imperialism of global domination, in particular to crush the resistance of the peoples of Latin America who are asserting their independence and sovereignty. US imperialism sees Cuba as the epicentre of that resistance to imperialist hegemony. Not alone in Latin America but around the globe, socialist Cuba stands out as a beacon of hope, a light of solidarity in a sea of darkness, of national oppression; a defender of national independence and sovereignty.

The blockade has done untold damage to the Cuba economy. It has prevented the Cuban people getting access to many necessary and life-saving goods and equipment; it has prevented Cuba from securing loans for necessary economic and social development; it is hurting the Cuban people hard.

We show our solidarity at a time of renewed resistance to imperialism. We also note that the imperialist states, headed by the United States, are attempting to shore up their declining economic power, their growing weakness, in the attempt to impose their will upon the people, both at home and internationally.

It is our duty, as it is the duty of all democratic and left forces, to rally to the Cuban people, to rally to the Cuban Revolution. The Irish trade union movement has a good record of solidarity with Cuba; but now is the time to do more. Our contribution to sustaining the Cuban people’s chosen socialist path is to build solidarity, to struggle even harder to end the illegal blockade, to maximise whatever material and political solidarity and support we can offer.

US imperialism and the other imperialist blocs can delay the course of history for a while, but they cannot stop it; they cannot halt the desires and the struggles of working people or the oppressed from fighting for, from demanding and for setting about the economic, political and social transformation their nations and peoples so badly need.

US imperialism is using the difficult conditions experienced by the Cuban people resulting from the decades-old blockade and now accentuated by the covid pandemic to undermine and weaken the Cuban Revolution. This strategy is applied to progressive governments around the globe but in particular against progressive governments in Latin America.

Hand in hand with the economic pressures is the global media offensive against Cuba conducted by the imperialist media, distorting the lived reality of the Cuban people.

The counter revolutionaries operating within Cuba—organised and financed by the United States—will not pass! These counter-revolutionaries belong to the past: they wish that the proud revolutionary people of Cuba should once again be subservient to the needs and interests of US imperialism, a plaything for the rich and other parasites. They have been met by the robust and united actions of the Cuban government, Cuban communists, and the Cuban people. We stand in solidarity with them.

End the Blockade!