propaganda press! freedom in Guyana

José Antonio Torres
Santiago de Cuba.— The governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have conferred the organization’s Honorary Order on Comandante Fidel Castro in recognition of his irreproachable human conduct and unconditional support for the region’s progress and wellbeing. Read the rest of this entry »

Havana, Dec 5 (Prensa Latina) Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro stated that with US President-Elect Barack Obama, we can talk anywhere he wishes since we do not preach violence or war.

In his Friday Cubadebate article entitled “Swimming Up Stream,” Fidel Castro said that “he should be reminded, though, that the stick and carrot doctrine will have no place in our country.” Read the rest of this entry »

TeleSUR _ Hace: 23 horas

El líder de la Revolución Cubana, Fidel Castro, describió su encuentro con el presidente ruso, Dimitri A. Medvedev, como un momento de intercambio de ideas acerca de los problemas que acogen a la humanidad en la “búsqueda de un mundo multipolar que garantice el desarrollo sostenido y pacífico”. Read the rest of this entry »

Granma: YESTERDAY morning, the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, had a fraternal meeting with Hu Jintao, president of the People’s Republic of China, and members of the delegation accompanying him.

The talks between Fidel and Jintao were an expression of the ties of friendship that unite the peoples, governments, and Parties of the two countries. During the exchange, they were in agreement in their analysis of the current, complex international situation, on the importance of this visit and the agreements to be signed between Cuba and China. Read the rest of this entry »

Havana, Nov 13 (Prensa Latina) Fidel Castro”s book “La Paz en Colombia” (Peace in Colombia ), launched in this capital Wednesday, proclaims Cuba and its leader”s attachment to ethics and principles to politically solve the conflict in that nation. Read the rest of this entry »

Havana, Nov 8 (Prensa Latina) Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro stated that there are still some who dream of submitting Cuba using the criminal blockade as an instrument of the US foreign policy against our homeland.

In his Saturday Cubadebate article entitled “The Third Hurricane,” Fidel Castro said that “if that country made the same mistake again it could spend another century implementing that useless policy against Cuba; that is, if the empire could last that long.” Read the rest of this entry »

Havana, Sep 19 (Prensa Latina) Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro stated that by resorting to the same lie twice, the State Department has had no qualms to deceive the world’s public opinion, and they do it in a cynical way.

In his Cubadebate article entitled “Twice The Same Lie,” Fidel Castro referred to recent statements on Cuba from the US government, after the passing of hurricanes Ike and Gustav.

“It was precisely George W. Bush who, after hurricane Michelle violently hit the island on November 4, 2001, authorized the sale of agricultural products to Cuba, which included wood as a crop deriving from silviculture, which is quite developed in that nation,” the Cuban leader wrote.

He states that the US president “did not insist on the in situ inspection when, as it is the case now, we responded that we had already completed such inspection. We mostly imported foodstuffs.”

“Everything is crystal clear,” the Cuban leader said.

Prensa Latina is posting below the full text of Fidel Castro’s reflection.

REFLECTIONS BY COMRADE FIDEL

TWICE THE SAME LIE

Reading the cables will suffice.

In the reflection I wrote the day before yesterday I expressed that Cuba would not accept any donation from the government that imposes a blockade against it, and that in the Note Verbale sent to the Interest Section of the United States we had requested authorization so that the US companies could sell to us construction material. Said Note did not make any reference whatsoever to foodstuffs. There was an additional request for the trade in those materials to take place under normal conditions, with credits included, something that is only logical considering that for eight years our country has been paying in cash for the few commodities that the US companies are authorized to export to Cuba.

Such request was all the more justified in the face of the emergency situation that was created as a result of the passing of the hurricanes.

It was precisely George W. Bush who, after hurricane Michelle violently hit the Island on November 4, 2001, authorized the sale of agricultural products to Cuba, which included wood as a crop deriving from silviculture, which is quite developed in that nation. He did not insist on the in situ inspection when, as it is the case now, we responded that we had already completed such inspection.

We mostly imported foodstuffs. In a few weeks we imported 4.4 million dollars worth of goods, once all the relevant arrangements were quickly finalized.

In 2002 we purchased 173.6 million dollars worth in goods; in 2003, 327 million dollars; in 2004, 434.1 million; in 2005, 473 million; in 2006, 483.3 million; in 2007, 515.8 million, and during the first semester of the year 2008, 425 million. As can be seen, figures increased year after year, and quite likely this year, after the devastating impact caused by two hurricanes, the country would be forced to import a much higher volume only from the United States, particularly considering that prices have significantly increased and taking into account the colossal blow dealt to agriculture.

The government of that country informed the world’s public opinion that it had authorized the sale of foodstuffs and wood, as if this were a new decision associated to both hurricanes, Gustav and Ike. A full and complete mockery.

What did the speaker of the State Department say?

On Sunday September 14 he declared that from the moment when hurricane Gustav started to batter Cuba, the United States authorized 250 million US dollars worth in agricultural sales to the Island, including wood. Before that, the Secretary of Commerce of that country had refused to grant any commercial credit.

Again on September 16, the State Department declared that the United States authorized some licenses as part of the assistance after the catastrophe caused by the two hurricanes, and those agricultural licenses included “wood, an important material for reconstruction.”

In addition to the lies, what were the arguments with which they tried to justify the ban on US companies to grant credits to trade with Cuba in a normal way? “The government of the United States must abide by Congress laws”. The blockade is supposedly a Congressional law by virtue of a perfidious amendment of convenience, similar to the Platt Amendment. The President of the United States can declare war without consulting the Congress –something unheard of in the history of that country- and can not, however, authorize a US company to trade with Cuba under normal conditions.

In the message I sent to Hugo Chávez, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which described some of the experiences of our Revolution, I wrote: as a result of “the ruthless and absolute economic blockade, we would not be allowed to purchase a single kilogram of food. This slightly changed thirty years after, due to the pressure exerted by farmers, but this policy was accompanied by leonine financial and monetary barriers”. The Venezuelan revolutionary leader himself has disclosed part of that message.

Everything is crystal clear.

By resorting to the same lie twice, the State Department has had no qualms to deceive the world’s public opinion, and they do it in a cynical way.

Fidel Castro Ruz

September 18, 2008

12:20 p.m.

hr/iff/fgg/lac

PL-2

Fidel and Raúl meet with Chávez
FIDEL, Raúl and Chávez had two intense, productive meetings as part of a working visit to Cuba by the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

On the morning of Tuesday, June 17, for one and a half hours, the three leaders discussed various issues, particularly the impact of the food prices crisis and how the two countries should confront it. They assessed it as a strategic issue, and a question of national security. They agreed that the main battle will be to increase agricultural production, and said the way to achieve that was to give a boost to joint projects in this area.

They referred to the difficult meteorological situation facing the U.S. state of Iowa, a major producer of corn, soy and wheat, which will aggravate the food crisis.

Read the rest of this entry »

Reflections by Fidel Castro
IT would be dishonest of me to remain silent after hearing the speech Obama delivered on the afternoon of May 23 at the Cuban American National Foundation created by Ronald Reagan. I listened to his speech, as I did McCain’s and Bush’s. I feel no resentment towards him, for he is not responsible for the crimes perpetrated against Cuba and humanity. Were I to defend him, I would do his adversaries an enormous favor. I have therefore no reservations about criticizing him and about expressing my points of view on his words frankly. Read the rest of this entry »

20 February 2008
As Fidel Castro steps down as President of Cuba, we in the African National Congress pay tribute to a living legend. Read the rest of this entry »

Fidel Castro will neither aspires to nor accepts reelection

Havana, Feb 19 (Prensa Latina) Cuban President Fidel Castro announced he will not aspires to nor accepts the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief at the Parliament session scheduled for February 24th. Read the rest of this entry »

Havana, Jan 30 (Prensa Latina) President Fidel Castro said that the speech by US President George W. Bush at the Congress is the worst of them all on account of its demagoguery, lies and total absence of ethics. Read the rest of this entry »