For over 6 decades the successive US governments have endeavoured to destroy the Cuban Revolution through myriad of (both direct and indirect) attacks aimed at overthrowing the political establishment in Cuba, only because this revolution had chosen an alternative route to that of the US. In recent period the US has intensified the blockade on Cuba. Even in the midst of the global pandemic, the US sought to break the resilience and embarked in an all out effort to wreck the Cuban economy and destabilise the country.
Despite these conditions, Cuba was the only country in the region with the capacity to produce its own vaccines to combat Covid-19, and was at the forefront of international solidarity in the times of pandemic – sending international medical brigades to assist countries in both the developing and developed world. Despite these efforts the relenting efforts of the US imperialism held back key aspects of the Cuban economy and led to shortages in some areas. Pressure on the economy led to a situation where there have been sporadic protests by some Cubans who have been displaying their dissatisfaction in public. While some of these protests are understandable and the Cuban government has been maintaining a dialogue with them on the real reasons for the sufferings that have brought these few hundred Cuban men and women to the streets, other protests have been part of the enormous destabilization campaign hatched by the White House which is trying to use the global tragedy of the pandemic by attacking the Cuban revolution by all means.
FOCUS-SA condemns the recent stepping up of the US aggression on Cuba which has lately been the target of intensified hybrid attacks. Apart from the blockade and sanctions, US imperialism has stepped up its assault with a systematic, multimillion-dollar coordinated campaign on social networks, “fake news” and others. The corrupt paid news is trying to create the impression of a massive opposition to the revolutionary socialist government, and this despite the fact that the Cuban people have now responded as they always do: thousands of them have taken to the streets in a massive defence of the Revolution!
Cuba has been subjected for sixty years to an inhuman economic blockade as well as covert and overt aggressions of all kinds by the US. The blockade has seriously impacted Cuban economic life, and the pandemic has aggravated the situation further. The Cuban people have heroically braved the blockade, which has been condemned almost unanimously by the international community. The US blockade is actually a crime against humanity since it causes enormous suffering, its policies kill, cause hunger and unspeakable deprivation.
FOCUS-SA salutes the heroic people of Cuba and the Cuban Revolution that despite the genocidal blockade during all these decades is able to guarantee universal access to high standards of free medical care, education, social security, sports, music and culture and also produce important vaccines to roll back the impact of the Coronavirus.
We express our unflinching solidarity with the Cuban revolution, the Cuban socialist State and the people of Cuba.
For Enquiries:
Che Matlhako
FOCUS-SA General-Secretary
South Africa