This statement was released by the Cuban Institute for the Friendship of the Peoples in late May.
On May 6, the United States government announced new measures to intensify its already hostile and aggressive policy towards Cuba.
The document, presented by the so-called presidential commission, proposed the following as strategic steps to bring about the collapse of the Cuban government:
An increase in financial funding to create an internal opposition; a boost in international campaigns against Cuba; the intensification of subversive actions and disinformation against our country; the adoption of new measures to affect the Cuban economy and what they have called "the undermining of the plans for the succession of the regime".
This plan to destabilise and destroy the Cuban government, against all international norms, constitutes interference in the internal affairs of Cuba, a savage violation of the Cuban people's human rights, of the rights of Cubans who live in the United States and is a major force in dividing families.
Both these measures and US policy flagrantly [disregard] the true interests of the US people and the vast majority of Cubans resident in the United States, who are victims of the hate that this government has for Cuba and its people. [It also disregards] the majority of the members of the US congress and the wide sectors of US society that hope for normal relations with Cuba.
Earmarking tens of millions of dollars to promote mercenary action in Cuba, violating international laws by broadcasting (via military plane) subversive transmissions against another country, the scandalous and internationally criticised installation of a concentration camp at the US naval base at Guantanamo — a territory occupied by force in our country — all constitute abnormal provocations that [defy] the most elementary norms and principles of international law. They must be denounced in all the various world forums, including the Commission of Human Rights in Geneva.
The opportunism and cruelty of the current US administration is amply demonstrated by the adoption of these measures against our country at a time when the price of food has nearly doubled on the world market, the price of sugar hardly covers the cost of production and that of fuel has risen to a new high of nearly $40 a barrel.
In addition, the US administration is trying to hit out with the strongest possible force at tourism and other sectors of the Cuban economy. They want to destroy everything our people construct day by day; but neither threats nor the senseless madness of the fascist and warmongering imagination of those that govern the United States can discourage us.
Their cruel and cowardly measures will doubtlessly impose sacrifices on us, but they will not succeed in stopping our march towards the human and social objectives that we have laid out.
We call on all decent women and men of the world, on all those friendship organisations worldwide that are in solidarity with the Cuban Revolution, on all those who believe and fight for a better world that is possible — we ask that you mobilise and denounce this new aggression against the Cuban people though all possible means at your disposal.
We trust in ourselves and our reason. We trust in you, friends from around the world. Cuba will never return to the terrible and inhumane state of being a US colony.
Our struggle will be ever onward to victory! Viva Cuba Libre!
[For more information on how to help, email the Committees in Solidarity with Latin America and the Caribbean at <national@cislac.org.au> or phone Roberto on (02) 9690 1240.]
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, May 26, 2004.
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