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Cuba will never renounce its ideals ofindependence and social justice

Weekly on Cuba and Latin America

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Cuba will never renounce its ideals ofindependence and social justice

• THE International Relations Commission ofthe National Assembly of People’s Power fullysupports the Revolutionary Government’sStatement issued June 16, on the policydirective that President Donald Trump hasdecided to apply in relation to Cuba.

The Commission welcomes the increasingexpressions of respect and consideration forCuba and the solidarity actions that havetaken place in Latin America, the Caribbean,and the world, in rejection of this policysetback; as well as the declarations in theUnited States by legislators, retired militarypersonnel, academics, solidarity groups,businesspeople, farmers, non-governmentaland religious organizations, the media andrepresentatives of the Cuban community,urging President Donald Trump to continue toadvance in improving relations with ourcountry.

President Trump, poorly advised and mis-informed about the Cuban reality and thehistory of our relations with the United States,decided to return to past methods of a failedpolicy, which not only harms the Cubanpeople, but also the interests of large sectors

of U.S. society, and satisfies only an in-creasingly isolated minority of Cuban origin.

The promoters of this policy forget that forthe people of Cuba there is no more sacred orrevered value than their independence andthe right to build their own future, withoutexternal interference. The revolutionary legacyof the generation of Fidel and Raúl, assumedwith conviction by the new generations, is tocontinue moving forward without beingintimidated by anything or anyone.

As Cuban civil society organizations havereaffirmed, neither pressure nor impositionswill cause us to move back in the effort to buildour independent, sovereign, socialist, demo-cratic, prosperous and sustainable nation.

No one can set standards for the Cubanpeople. We will never accept any impositionregarding norms of conduct or opinions on ourdemocracy or the functioning of our economic,political and social system.

Cuba is an example in the exercise of humanrights, in the political participation of its citi-zens and in the exercise of the freedoms of itsentire people. That is why our Revolution isinvincible.

We call on the world’s legislators, parli-amentary, regional and international organ-izations, and parliamentary friendship groups,to address the U.S. Congress and demandonce more the end of the economic, com-mercial and financial blockade that is in force,harms the Cuban people, and that the U.S.government has now proposed to intensify.

The subversive programs against ourcountry must also be stopped and the finan-cing of mercenaries must be eliminated. Theterritory illegally occupied by the GuantánamoNaval Base must be returned.

The United States Government should notprevent millions of U.S. citizens from free anddirect contact with the people of Cuba. Ob-viously it fears that they will come to know ourreality.

The International Relations Commission ofthe National Assembly of People’s Powersupports the willingness of the RevolutionaryGovernment to continue a respectful dialoguewith the United States on issues of mutualinterest, based on respect and equality be-tween the two nations, and endorses thewords of the President of the Councils of State

and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, before the Third CELAC Summit onJanuary 28, 2015, in Costa Rica, when hestated: “Cuba and the United States mustlearn the art of civilized co-existence, basedon respect for the differences which existbetween both governments and cooperationon issues of common interest, which con-tribute to solving the challenges we are facingin the hemi-sphere and the world.

“However, it must not be supposed that, in order to achieve this, Cuba would renounceits ideals of independence and social justice,or abandon a single one of our principles, nor cede a millimeter in the defense of ournational sovereignty.

“We will not invite, or accept any attempt toadvise or exert pressure regarding our internalaffairs.

“We have earned this sovereign right throughgreat sacrifices and at the price of great risks.”

International Relations CommissionNational Assembly of People’s Power.Havana, July 11, 2017“Year 59 of the Revolution” •

Cuban deputies, members of the International Relations Commission of the National Assembly of People's Power.

Statement by the International Relations Commission of the National Assembly of People’s Power

(More information on pages 4-5)

JOSÉ M. CORREA

Weekly on Cuba and Latin America

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HAVANAJULY 14, 2017

Year 52 / Number 28Price in Cuba

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YEAR 59 OF THE REVOLUTION

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Yenia Silva Correa

• AFTER reviewing the performance andresults of the 2016-2017 academic year,Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, minister ofEducation highlighted the “selfless andcommitted” work undertaken by Cubanteachers this year.

Over two days the Ministry of Edu-cation’s (Mined) Expanded Board ofDirectors analyzed issues linked to theEconomic and Social Policy Guidelinesof the Party and Revolution approvedduring the Seventh Party Congress, aswell as the fulfillment of objectives setout by the organization for the recentlyconcluded school year.

“We started the school year in goodcondition, with material and financialresources guaranteed. It has been pos-sible to continue providing our educa-tional institutions with resources such as laboratories for junior high schools,modules for technical education, andlanguage labs for pedagogical schools,”stated the Minister of Education.

She went on to talk about the work of cadres and students this past year: “I also want to acknowledge the Cubanfamily which has accompanied us thisacademic year, and who are aware of theneed to contribute to the compre-hensive development of our children,adolescents and young people; as wellas students, who have also put in a lot ofhard work this year, and related organ-izations, policies and governments,”stated Velázquez.

PEDAGOGICAL SCHOOLS

Advances in training middle schoolteachers, stemming from work linked tovocational pedagogical training, werealso announced during the meeting.

There are currently over 20,000students enrolled in the country’s 24pedagogical schools, with anotherinstitution of this kind set to be opened in the province of Guantánamo, and asecond in Havana, at the beginning ofthe 2017-2018 academic year.

“We should start this school year with28,000 students enrolled in high schoollevel teacher training programs. We willcontinue with the training of Technical-Vocational Education high schoolteachers and will begin preparing mid-dle school teachers with 9th gradegraduates. We will have 1,100 studentsthis coming academic year,” stated theMinister, who went on to note that thisyear saw the first set of primary schoolEnglish teachers graduate, all of whomwere trained in pedagogical institutions.

A GREAT EFFORT

Given its importance, the third processof reforms to the national educationsystem was also addressed. As early as next September the preliminaryresults in the elaboration of study plans,programs, methodological guidelines,and text books will be implemented.

“This is a task which requires a greateffort, above all from us and the Central

Institute of Pedagogical Sciences. Theexperiment will be implemented in allprovinces, meaning that more work willbe required during the 2017-2018 aca-demic year to advance and achieveconcrete results, which will later begeneralized starting from the date whichhas been planned,” noted Velázquez.

Following the meeting, graduationceremonies and end of year celebrationstook place across educational institutionsnationwide, during which outstandingteachers and students were recognized.

LAS TUNAS, MOST OUTSTANDINGPROVINCE

For the fourth year in a row Las Tunas,located in the east of the country, wasawarded the distinction of most out-standing province, which according tothe territory’s director of Education,Nilcer Piñeda Cruz, is “thanks to thework of teachers, the family, students,and political and administrative auth-orities.”

The ministry decides who receives thehonor based on school attendance andretention figures, learning outcomes, andexamination results across all levels.

“Today, we are showing good results inschool competitions, higher educationentrance exams, the supply of resources,and maintenance of school building andstudy materials,” stated the official.

Teacher coverage in Las Tunas isstable, while work is underway to pro-mote professional development at the

postgraduate and university level,looking toward the 2017-2018 academicyear. “This, in addition to patriotic andrevolutionary sentiment, and the com-mitment of all educators to Fidel, is whathas made such an achievement pos-sible,” added Piñeda.

The provinces of Guantánamo,Camagüey and Santiago de Cuba werealso recognized for their outstandingperformance during the recently con-cluded school year, in addition toCienfuegos, Pinar del Río, and LaHabana.

Lastly, directors of Mined’s EducationalTechnology department presented dis-tinctions to Cienfuegos and Holguín fortheir effor ts supporting collaborativework across the network. •

Work of Cuban teachers recognizedTwo new pedagogical schools to open in September

Outstanding provinces recognized

During the Ministry of Education’s ExpandedBoard of Directors meeting, Dr. Ena ElsaVelázquez Cobiella recognized teachers’ effortsduring the 2016–2017 academic year.

Two new pedagogical schools are set to open in September. Pictured: The teacher training centerin Las Tunas, voted most outstanding province for the 2016-2017 school year.

Cuba has continued to provide educational institutions with resources such as laboratories for junior highschools, modules for technical education, and language labs for pedagogical centers.

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• ARMY General Raúl Castro Ruz,President of the Councils of State andMinisters of Cuba, received His Excel-lency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President ofthe Gabonese Republic, on July 7, duringan official visit to the island.

In a friendly climate, the leaders notedthe positive progress of bilateral rela-tions and ratified their desire to expandand diversify existing cooperation be-tween the two nations, especially in theareas of health and human resourcestraining. They also discussed topics ofinterest on the international agenda.

The distinguished visitor was ac-companied by Gabonese Minister ofState and Foreign Affairs, PacômeMoubelet-Boubeya, as well as othermembers of the official delegation.

Representing Cuba were Minister ofForeign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla,and other officials.

OTHER ACTIVITIES ON THE ISLAND

Previous to his meeting with Raúl,President Ali Bongo Ondimba laid floralwreaths in the capital’s Parque de losPróceres Africanos (African National

Heroes Park) and at the José MartíMemorial in the Plaza de la Revolución.

During the act honoring those whorepresented the ideals of Africanemancipation, the Gabonese Presidentexpressed his gratitude to the Cuban

people “not only for the interest shown in Africa and its history, but also forparticipating in our future. We honorgreat Africans of whom we are proud.”

“This ceremony,” he added, “hastouched me; honor to the Cuban people

and government for recognizing thattheir population is of multiple origin andfor paying tribute to the other continents.”

In the context of the recently concluded29th African Union (AU) Summit in AddisAbaba, the President of the West Africannation warned that the AU is currentlycarrying out a major reform of its in-stitutions in order to “guide our future.”

“We have extensively discussed issuesof peace, security and the fight againstterrorism,” he told Fernando González,president of the Cuban Institute ofFriendship with the Peoples; VíctorDreke, president of the Cuba-AfricaFriendship Association; and other mem-bers of the African diplomatic corpsaccredited in Havana.

As part of his activities in Cuba, AliBongo also visited the headquarters of the Cuban Parliament, in Havana’sCapitolio Nacional.

He was received by the President of theNational Assembly of People’s Power,Esteban Lazo Hernández, who explainedthe inner workings of this body, whichcurrently sessions in Havana’s Inter-national Conference Center.

Lazo recalled the historic ties betweenCuba and Gabon, a country interested in intensifying trade and economicexchanges with the Caribbean island,according to its president.

This interest was expressed during abinational business forum held on July 7with the presence of Rodrigo Malmierca,Cuban minister of Foreign Trade andInvestment. (Minrex) •

Raúl receives President of the Gabonese Republic

Ana Luisa Fernández de Lara López, Cristian Andrés Padilla González, MaibelCosta Ramírez & Natalys Dinza Utria*

• OVER the last 54 years, throughDemocratic and Republican adminis-trations alike, the economic, com-mercial, and financial blockade of Cubahas occupied a spot on the agenda ofthe U.S. President of the moment.

Even though it is common to think of the blockade as a single law, it isactually composed of a number ofdifferent pieces of legislation thatregulate sanctions against Cuba.

In this sense, the U.S. TreasuryDepartment's Cuban Assets ControlRegulations are the most notable bodyof economic, commercial, and financialmeasures that sustain the blockade.

REGULATIONS TO CONTROL CUBANASSETS

These regulations stipulate the legalregime applicable to all commercial andfinancial transactions with Cuba, con-ducted by any U.S. citizen, permanentresident, or incorporated body esta-blished in the country.

They likewise allow for the freezing ofCuban assets in the United States, aswell as the prohibition of Cuban exportsto the country, and all financial andcommercial transactions in U.S. dollars

by the Cuban government - unlessapproved under a specific license.

Also prohibited are transactions inU.S. dollars by any person or cor-poration in a third country with Cubanindividuals or entities.

Since its imposition more than 50years ago, the blockade has caused theCuban people damage estimated at a value of 753,688,000,000 dollars,impacting health, education, sports,culture, and other strategic sectors keyto the country's development.

THE BLOCKADE SINCE 12/17/14

On December 17, 2014, then Pres-ident Barack Obama publicly acknow-ledged that his country's longstandingpolicy toward Cuba had failed. Hesubsequently implemented a series ofexecutive decisions to modify certainaspects of the blockade, among themthe Cuban Assets Control regulations.

In terms of travel, he authorized visitsby U.S. citizens to Cuba under licensesin 12 accepted categories, includingindividual people-to-people travel, andallowed regular flights between the two countries to be established, al-though travel to the island for thepurpose of tourism remained prohibitedby law.

In the financial arena, use of thedollar was authorized for Cuba in

international transactions, although nota single transaction has yet taken placeand financial persecution continues.U.S. banks were also allowed to pro-vide credit to Cuban importers wishingto purchase authorized U.S. products.

Nonetheless, fear of facing sanctionson the part of financial institutions has made the impact of these changespractically null. Moreover, prohibitionshave been maintained which preventCuban banks from opening corres-ponding accounts in the United States,which impedes the establishment ofdirect banking relations between thecountries, making commercial oper-ations more expensive.

Changes regarding commercial re-lations were limited to the telecom-munications industry and the privatesector in Cuba (the self-employed and cooperatives), consistent with the"soft power" approach of the Obamaadministration to promote subversion ofthe Cuban people and replacesocialism.

Generally speaking, the measuresadopted confirmed that the U.S. Pre-sident could use his executive powersto substantially modify the imple-mentation of the blockade, withoutinvolving Congress.

Nevertheless, the changes wereinsufficient and limited in scope, whilethe many important restrictions and

obstacles which remained in placehampered implementation, effectivelyblocking progress in the economicarena.

WHAT NOW WITH TRUMP'S ELECTION?

The election of Donald Trump as U.S.President has generated controversyand uncertainty worldwide.

The country's policy toward Cuba has not escaped this reality. This pastJune 16, Trump announced a change in policy for his administration, to be implemented over the next fewmonths.

This preparatory period continues, but it can be expected that the newmeasures will contrast sharply withthose previously approved by Obama.Implementation of the Cuban AssetsControl Regulations may be notablyreinforced, along with other TreasuryDepartment restrictions.

In this context, changes could mean a step backward in the process ofnormalizing relations between Cubaand the United States, limiting travel by U.S. citizens to the island, as well ascommercial and financial relationsbetween companies in the twocountries. •

*Students at the Raúl Roa GarcíaAdvanced Institute of International Relations

After more than half a century… is the blockade being tightened?On July 8 of 1963, 54 years ago, the Cuban Assets Control Regulations were approved,

an essential component of the U.S. blockade of Cuba

Army General RaúlCastro Ruz, Presidentof the Councils ofState and Ministers ofCuba, officiallywelcomed thePresident of theGabonese Republic,Ali Bongo Ondimba,on an official visit tothe island.

ESTUDIOS REVOLUCIÓN

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Deputies set sights on the nation

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• WITH the purpose of reviewing anddebating issues of great importance to thecountry's development, the NationalAssembly's (ANPP) 10 standing com-missions met July 10-12 in the HavanaInternational Conference Center, prior tothe Ninth Period of Ordinary Sessions ofthe Eighth Legislature of the ANPP, to beheld on July 14.

With the presence of Miguel Díaz-CanelBermúdez, Political Bureau member andfirst vice president of the Councils of Stateand Ministers, the Education, Culture,Science, Technology, and EnvironmentCommission focused its discussion oncultural work in communities and efforts tomake schools the cultural centers ofneighborhoods, as well as deficienciesand challenges faced by the Cuban In-stitute of Radio and Television (ICRT) in itsprogramming, in addition to future pros-pects.

Díaz-Canel commented during the com-mission debate that community work mustspan ideological, economic and socialprocesses.

Community cultural work and the role ofinstitutions and educational centers inthese efforts were emphasized by dep-uties during the discussion which Díaz-Canel said requires professional attention,since it improves the people's quality oflife, strengthening commitment to theRevolution and national unity.

Deputy Luis Morlote Rivas, vice pres-ident of the Union of Cuban Writers andArtists, presented the results of a reviewconducted by deputies regarding thisissue, which revealed a number of problemsincluding few diagnostics to determineresidents' interests and a lack of clarity onthe role of the government in this work.

Likewise noted was dissatisfaction withinthe population about little publicity anddifficulties in addressing the issue, funda-mentally focused on the lack of fundingand the limited number of cultural pro-moters and art instructors involved.

In this regard, Liliam Mendoza, presidentof the José Martí Brigade of art instruct-ors, noted that of 30,000 university grad-uates professionally trained in the country,the workforce today includes only 14,000.In an effort to address the problem, it wasannounced that this coming October anexperimental three-year program will belaunched to train art teachers, with asmaller number of students enrolled in thelonger university program.

Minister of Education Ena Elsa Veláz-quez noted progress in the sector's in-volvement in community work, citing asexamples the approval of plans whichallow individual schools the flexibility toorganize the school day and include moretime for neighborhood activities.

Summarizing the discussion, Minister ofCulture Abel Prieto noted that fundamentalto success are training of the people,ensuring the quality of what is being pro-moted, and articulating work by all actorswithin the community.

At another point, the commission ad-dressed the ICRT's difficulties and stra-tegic projections, with emphasis on newsand cultural policies.

Waldo Ramírez, television general di-rector, noted among the challenges insuf-ficient media coverage of the publicagenda; the need to understand and con-ceive of audiences as producers of mes-sages and managers of public communi-cation; addressing the scarcity of newprojects and the lack of originality inothers; as well as professional and culturalshortcomings.

Other difficulties include the lack ofresearch and criticism, and poor planning,conception, and evaluation of projectsbefore they are recorded or broadcast live.

In this sense, Ramírez noted amongICRT's projections the improvement of ef-ficiency and the artistic quality of pro-ductions; the use of social research; andprioritizing the most authentic of Cubanand universal culture.

Arlín Alberty, deputy from Guantánamo,emphasized the existence of other mediaand channels which have an impact on theeducation of youth, which are more at-tractive than those presented by ourmedia. It is thus of great importance thatcompetitive productions be created, shesaid, not only for entertainment purposes,but informative multimedia which offer ananalytical view of reality.

ECONOMY TO FACE CHALLENGES IN SECOND HALF OF 2017

Inadequate disaggregation of the plan'scomponents and its conception withreserves, the longstanding problem ofmisappropriation of gasoline, as well aspoor management of inventories, and theirtendency to expand, were issues discus-sed during the Economic Affairs Commis-sion, which reviewed the meeting ofobjectives for the first half of 2017, with theparticipation of Esteban Lazo Hernández,Political Bureau member and president ofthe National Assembly of People's Power.

Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a Council ofMinisters vice president and minister ofEconomy and Planning, referred to "ten-sions faced last year" and how, with theefforts of all, "the economy's deteriorationwas detained."

"This," he emphasized, "does not in anyway mean that all the problems are re-solved. The effort which must be made inthe second half of the year is enormous,because at this point, the high touristseason has ended and the sugar harvestcompleted. Therefore, we must all work toguarantee income from exports and therational use of fuel, issues which are stillpending tasks."

All the problems, he said, "cannot besolved in the short term, what is mostimportant is working together to advance,on the basis of priorities indicated by thecountry's leadership. In this sense, amongthe fundamental activities are the driving

force of tourism, the completion of projectslinked to renewable energy resources,and, above all, meeting the needs of thepopulation to the greatest degree possible."

Cabrisas Ruiz also commented on thereview conducted by deputies at 2,225workplaces in the country's 168 muni-cipalities, which confirmed the existenceof irregularities in the understanding andimplementation of guiding economic doc-uments; failures to meet projections forincome from exports and the substitutionof imports with domestic products; as wellas shortcomings in the management ofinventories and investment projects.

Deputy Armando Utrera Caballero, thecommission's vice president, emphasizedthat during the visits, in which 381 dep-uties participated, it was observed thatefficiency is a problem and that entitieswere identified which did not meet pro-duction or sales projections, that plannedon earnings but reported losses, and paidsalaries that were not commensurate withresults.

Juana Caridad Herrera Pérez, deputyfrom the municipality of Primero de Enero,in Ciego de Ávila province, stated that thereview visits in her province revealed,among other difficulties, poor managementof inventories, both in enterprises andbudgeted entities, where large quantitiesof items were in storage, including thoseunrelated to work underway.

After the discussion, Esteban Lazo ques-tioned the tendency to not give measuresimplemented the follow-up and regularattention they require. He asked what con-crete actions should be taken to addressthe problems observed.

He reported that in September, about50% of the municipalities will be visitedagain to verify what has been done aboutdeficiencies noted, what has been re-solved, because this is one of the funda-mental responsibilities of deputies, hesaid, providing oversight in the name ofthe people.

Lina Pedraza Rodríguez, minister ofFinances and Prices, presented deputieswith a close-out report on the 2016 statebudget, as well as an update on the ex-ecution of this year's budget during thefirst six months.

With respect to the 2017 budget andproblems faced thus far, Gladys BejeranoPortela, Council of State vice president andComptroller General, noted that solutions

entail overcoming shortcomings in account-ing systems, working on the monthlybalance sheet of income and expenses, re-viewing excessive payments to privateoperators, and deepening the discussion ofthese issues within management councils.

INVESTMENT AND REORGANIZATION OFTRANSPORTATION

Cuba's railroad system is a large butaging one, making modernization of infra-structure imperative, along with prioritizingthe participation of domestic industries inthe fabrication of replacement parts.

For these reasons, an investment planfor 2018-20 projects the acquisition of 308 passenger cars, 300 rail buses, 23high power locomotives, and 75 to carrymedium and small loads, along with therenovation of workshops, the purchase of1,000 freight cars, and the repair of 1,300,according to Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila,deputy minister of Transportation, who pre-sented a report on the performance of railtransportation to the Services Commission.

Speaking with the press, he explainedthat the investment projects are compli-cated since they require modern tech-nology and long term financing to covercosts. Nevertheless, he said, we areimmersed in the search for alternatives.

Any discussion of rail transportationinvolves the population’s dissatisfactionwith services provided. According to thereport discussed by deputies, the inabilityto carry out projected investments inrepairs and replacement of equipment; fewtraining programs for operators; misappro-priation of fares collected; and uncomfort-able stations, agencies, and passengercars; are among the difficulties facing theCuban rail system, the Union Ferrocarrilde Cuba.

Several persistent complaints about bustransportation were also expressed, in-cluding the failure to respect schedules,unnecessary stops, and little comfort instations and agencies.

Given this panorama, actions have beentaken which include plans to incorporate480 Cuban-assembled Diana buses tofleets in all provinces, 260 of which havealready been delivered; the purchase ofKAMAZ trucks to rebuild as buses fordifficult to access communities and thosein the Turquino Plan; and the regulation ofself-employed drivers transporting pas-sengers.

Likewise, the inter-provincial NationalBus Enterprise is projecting the gradualrenovation of its fleet with the arrival of100 vehicles, and an automated system ofticket sales has been established in 12provinces.

Many opinions were offered regardingthe participation of privately owned ve-hicles in public transportation, includingthose of Deputy Leonardo Naranjo, fromSantiago de Cuba.

Self employed drivers are part of thetransformation of passenger transport-ation in the country, and this cannot beforgotten, he noted, but the exorbitantprices charged are not sustainable for thepopulation. A consensus must be reached,he said, suggesting that perhaps the statecould take action to lower the price of fuelfor these individuals, or allow them accessto state repair shops, in order to establishset prices for all routes, not only inHavana.

SUGAR INDUSTRY NEEDS AND STRENGTHS

Sugar production in the 2016-2017 harvest

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE'S POWER

Deputies set sights on the nationJUVENAL BALÁN NEYRA

Deputies discussed important issues related to the country’s development.

NATIONAL 5GRANMA INTERNATIONALJULY.14.2017 |

increased by 20%, as compared to lastyear, but projections were not met, ex-plained Orlando Celso García Ramírez,president of the AzCuba Sugar EnterpriseGroup. Of the 2.1 million tons of sugarplanned, only 1.8 million were produced,he reported, a figure which demonstratesthe need for continued improvement in thesector.

The Agriculture and Food Commissiondiscussed the issue, noting that sustainedwork continues to address the industry'svarious deficiencies, among them the lackof coordination between cane harvestersand mills, as well as training and disciplineproblems among workers, which lead tobreakdowns that interrupt operations.

Along with this, the industry faces thechallenge of obsolete equipment, funda-mentally cauldrons, grinders, and electricplants, plus a shortage of replacementparts for repairs and modernization. Alsodiscussed were delays in the arrival ofequipment, its erection, and completion ofstart-up trial periods, before the beginningof the harvest.

Problems created by the drought andlack of attention to cane fields in someunits were discussed as issues which hada negative impact on yields and the pro-ductivity of new harvesting methods. Callswere made to use new machinery morerationally to allow for better efficiency inthe sector.

The need to improve performance wasemphasized. Some proposals were focusedon consolidating training programs forworkers, above all to provide youth theneeded experience, while other deputiescalled for linking salaries more directlywith production.

Later, an update on the progress ofinvestment projects was presented.According to figures in the report, theAzCuba plan for the first three months ofthe year involved a total of 52.8 millionpesos, while 51.3 was infact invested,representing 97% of the amount projected.

Beginning this year and through 2024,objectives will be financed with mediumand long term credits.

TOYS, MATERNITY HOMES & TRAFFICKINGIN PERSONS

Deputies participating in the Commissionfocused on Youth, Childhood and EqualRights for Women discussed the pro-duction, distribution and sales of toys inthe country; conditions in maternity homesfor at-risk mothers-to-be; and the nationalplan to address trafficking in persons.

Regarding the first, deputy AymaraGuzmán Carrazana, president of the JoséMartí Pioneers Organization, for elemen-tary school children, noted that no definedstrategy exists to ensure the availability oftoys, and the few that are received asdonations are sent to pediatric hospitalsand a few schools.

Citing the results of a study conducted inthe provinces of Guantánamo, Granma,Holguín, Santiago de Cuba and LaHabana, she noted concerns expressedabout the high cost of toys available inretail stores.

Rosmery Santiesteban, deputy from themunicipality of Yara, in Granma, comment-ed that many of the stores in her provinceare poorly stocked and sell low quality toysat prices that are beyond the reach ofmany Cuban families.

Olga González Naranjo, director ofSelected Production at the Ministry ofIndustry, said that an immediate solutionwas not forthcoming, but that steps arebeing taken to solve the problem, addingthat the ministry was very much interestedin doing so.

She noted proposals that had beenmade by light industry, in particularregarding the creation of educational toys,adding that the sports industry's pro-duction is double what it was in 2016.

Regarding conditions in maternity homes,Roberto Álvarez Fumero, national directorof the maternal-infant program, reportedthat in the 131 centers of this type in thecountry, pregnant women who are at riskfor complications are guaranteed special-ized care, including regular medical at-tention and adequate nutrition, amongother services.

Among the issues discussed was theadolescent pregnancy rate, which, ac-cording to Álvarez, indicates that for every1,000 women who give birth, 52 are lessthan 20 years of age.

Teresa Amarelle Boué, Political Bureaumember and first secretary of the Fed-eration of Cuban Women (FMC), explain-ed that the organization is working on theselection of young promoters "who canreach adolescents on these issues, notwith a prohibitive approach, but with onefocused on their life projects," adding, "Weare also working directly with families,since this is a priority for us."

Addressing another subject, deputiesheard a report on the national plan toprevent trafficking in persons, presentedby Antonio Ybarra Suárez, advisor to theMinister of Justice.

He indicated that the plan's objectivesinclude strengthening prevention anddetection of trafficking; protecting andassisting victims; as well as the acquisi-tion, processing, and dissemination ofreliable information on the topic.

Among prevention strategies, Ybarraemphasized the need to confront con-ditions which lead to trafficking, via theimplementation of programs to warn of itsdangers, increasing educational opportun-ities and improving school systems, whilepromoting equal rights.

Teresa Amarelle Boué commented,"When we talk about our country'sstrengths in confronting this situation, itmust be recalled that Cuban women havean organization that promotes publicpolicies that protect not only women, butboys and girls as well."

Wherever there is a vulnerable woman,neighborhood Committees for the Defenseof the Revolution, social workers, theFMC, the Ministry of Education, PublicHealth, can take action, she noted, sayingthat all of this makes it difficult for thesethings to happen in Cuba, but, "We can'ttake it for granted."

RENEWABLE ENERGY, ENERGY CARRIERSAVINGS & INTESTMENTS IN WATER RESOURCES

Deputies from the Industry, Constructionand Energy Commission discussed theimplementation of the policy for the de-velopment of Renewable Energy Sources(RES), as well as the fulfillment of energycarrier saving measures by state andprivate entities.

During the session, Alfredo López,minister of Energy and Mines, noted thatthe RES policy – being implemented from2014 through 2030 – features among itsmain objectives the transformation of thecountry’s energy system and promotion ofenvironmental sustainability.

“We have 25 bio-energy plants which –with a plan through 2030 – will generate14% of the country’s total energy, a pro-gram whose conclusion we are committedto advancing.

“Today, work is underway to set up andnegotiate 11 bio-energy plants, four th-rough state financing and seven under thecategory of joint venture. The remainder isincluded in the portfolio of foreign invest-ment opportunities,” he noted.

In regards to wind energy, López re-ported that 14 wind farms are scheduled tobe built by 2030.

Meanwhile, some 191 solar parks are setto be built as part of the renewable energyprogram. Of these projects, 22 are alreadyin operation, 32 are included in the 2017

plan and 27 are proposed for 2018. Addressing energy saving in homes, the

Minister reported that 13 million florescentlights are scheduled to be replaced byLED versions in the residential sector. “1.8million have already been replaced andthree million are set to be substituted inthe 2017 plan.”

He went on to note that the Ministry isaiming to replace two million electriccookers with induction ones, also in theresidential sector. “540,000 have beensold to date with 284,000 units scheduledfor the 2017 plan.”

Deputies also discussed organizationaland control actions carried out to improveenergy efficiency and save fuel.

Alicia Alonso Becerra, representingHavana, explained measures being takento control energy consumption in both thestate and private sector, especially sincethe latter provides services such as publictransportation which are not only ex-pensive but also use stolen fuel.

In this regard, Alfredo López noted thatnew measures have already been ap-proved with a reorganization process setto begin in Havana in September.

Comandante of the Revolution, RamiroValdés Menéndez, also a member of theParty Political Bureau and a vice presidentof the Councils of State and Ministers,addressed the issue of fuel theft, whichstems from the failure of enterprise di-rectors, workers and deputies themselvesto control fuel distribution and act in atimely and effective manner to combat thephenomenon.

Meanwhile, the results of audits andassessments undertaken by deputies ofstate-budgeted investments in the NationalHydraulic Resources Institute (INRH) werealso reviewed.

CUBAN LEGISLATURE STRENGTHENINGLINKS WITH PARLIAMENTS ACROSS THE WORLD

Meetings and exchanges with par-liamentarians from various continents heldduring the first six months of the year notonly contributed to strengthening tiesbetween the National Assembly of Peo-ple’s Power and legislatures from all overthe world; but also to promoting solidaritywith Cuba. Yolanda Ferrer Gómez,president of the International RelationsCommission provided a recap of thegroup’s work to date with positive resultsexpected to be seen by the end of theyear.

The Commission report highlighted theimportance and value of the visits madeby ANPP President Esteban Lazo toVietnam and China, where he gained ex-periences related to bilateral collabor-ation; and learned about the inner-workings of the two countries’ parliament-ary bodies and their role in the processesof economic renovation taking place inboth nations.

Deputy Caridad Diego Bello, meanwhile,emphasized specific aspects of Lazo’svisit to the Asian countries, noting that theANPP President was received by seniorpolitical officials from both nations. Shealso highlighted the various experiencesfrom which the Cuban parliament canlearn, looking toward the future.

The report also noted that Cuba con-tinues to be a member of the Board ofDirectors of the Commissions Secretariat,following Parlatino (Latin American par-liament) elections, held in June.

CUBA, A PARADIGM OF SECURITY

The National Defense Commissionreported that 97% of Cuban youth under-take military service; in fulfillment of theirduty to defend the homeland against anyact of aggression.

The report noted that control mechan-isms must be established in civil registry

offices, in order to identify the totalnumber of citizens eligible for militaryservice or to undertake alternative activ-ities during the established timeframe.

The second half of the discussion wasdedicated to reviewing customs servicesat the Sierra Maestra International Airportin Manzanillo, Granma. Deputies high-lighted the complexity of the situation atthe facility given a rise in the number oftourist arrivals, and increases in flightsand maritime operations, as well as newways of operating by criminals worldwide,who constantly try to evade customscontrols.

Deputies also addressed ways ofpreventing negative social behavior, withthe aim of ensuring that preventativemeasures and responses to harmfulactions are able to preserve order andmaintain Cuba’s prestige as a safesociety.

DEPUTIES DISCUSS LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Representatives from the AttorneyGeneral’s Office of the Republic of Cuba(FGR) read out a report of their work forthe period 2011-2016, before the Con-stitutional and Legal Affairs Commission.

Deputies noted that progress has beenmade regarding penal processes, at-tention to citizens, prisoners, minors,women, the elderly and the most vul-nerable sectors of Cuban society ingeneral. However, an increase in cases ofcorruption and illegalities were also seenduring this period.

FGR officials noted that the U.S. block-ade, political subversion supported by theUnited States, and the arrival of drugs toCuba’s borders, have complicated currentefforts to combat such issues.

KEY INVESTMENTS IN HEALTH

Given Cuba’s rapidly aging populationand the health situation on the island,where chronic non-transmissible diseasesare having a significant impact on mor-bidity and mortality rates, the work ofPhysical Education graduates and the roleof the National Institute of Sports, Phys-ical Education and Recreation (INDER) inpromoting health, and monitoring the useof gyms, occupied the agenda for theCommission on Health and Sports.

According to the report presented, oneof the main issues in this area is the lackof sufficient Physical Education graduatesto cover the deficit for such teachers incertain provinces, or the demand forrelated services to the population; whilethe need to develop new methodologicalactions directed toward recent graduatesremains an issue.

“To the chain linking managers of sportsfacilities and municipal directorates mustbe added actions able to ensure a morestable supply and retention of recentgraduates,” stated deputy Willy FernándezAlguezabal.

Other issues discussed by deputieswere related to the performance of SportsInitiation Schools, the work of the GeneralCustoms of the Republic of Cuba, andefforts to improve the port-transport-domestic economy chain.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional and LegalAffairs, and the Industry, Construction andEnergy commissions discussed guide-lines related to the Terrestrial Waters Bill,which will be presented during the NinthPeriod of Ordinary Sessions of the EighthLegislature of the National Assembly ofPeople’s Power.

(Lissy Rodríguez Guerrero, Yudy Cas-tro Morales, Yaditza del Sol González,Yisel Martínez García, Jesús JankCurbelo, Lauren Céspedes Hernández,Jorge Legañoa, Nuria Barbosa León,Alejandra García & Lisandra FariñasAcosta) •

NATIONALJULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL6

Danae González Del Toro

• THE Computer Software and AudiovisualMedia Enterprise (Cinesoft) is an insti-tution belonging to the Ministry ofEducation (Mined) that emerged amid theprocess underway in Cuba to perfect itseconomic and social system.

Cinesoft was founded in April 2015, withthe aim of unifying three main activitiesthat had developed independently: audio-visual production, software, and contentcreation for the Web, all with educationalpurposes.

The institution works on the basis of thepedagogical issues affecting the country’seducation system, to create varied pro-grams to help to solve these, stated Cine-soft Director General Iván Barreto.

“It is vital that an institution like this wasfounded, because it has come to providethe content that Cuban schools reallyneed.

“The productive process itself is compre-hensive, with a more scientific view ofwhat we are going to create. Later weinserted the economic component, that is, how we could also add an economicsystem to this reality, which would allowfor sustainability in production,” theinterviewee explained.

Cinesoft is mainly composed of profes-sors from different educational levels, and collaborates with the University ofComputer Sciences and the Marta Abreude Las Villas Central University.

Its product lines are based on thenational education system and every-thing that is designed is integrated into an audiovisual and computer platformcalled Cubaeduca, the repository whereall the software and audiovisuals arestored.

MAIN PRODUCT LINES

The technological convergence facingthe world today increasingly demandscontent integration.

“Audiovisuals require infographics, ani-mations and computer science, above all,they need more audiovisuality to com-municate with students. Cinesoft guaran-tees that different subjects, from preschoolto higher education, will include thesecontents,” Barreto explained.

One of the enterprise’s production linesis aimed at the creation of educationalsoftware that responds to the nationaleducation system’s current curricula. Eachsubject is addressed through differentmedia, with the aim of being suitable foruse in any school in the country.

Meanwhile, Barreto highlighted that“Luces para la vida” is a more integralproject, focused on the subject ofaddictions.

“With this program we attempt toemphasize the tools that students can use to avoid drug use, and at the momentwe are preparing an audiovisual series on the subject to expand the audience,and raise awareness among young peo-ple about this dangerous phenomenon,”Barreto explained.

Another area in which the enterprise isworking is virtual visits. One of the greatdissatisfactions of the Ministry of Edu-cation regards the teaching of history.Scarce interest in this subject amongyoung people has been detected.

“We started making virtual tours as aproduct line to support the teaching ofhistory. We began with José Martí’s house,continued with the Granma yacht and theMuseum of Literacy, among others.

“We have a total of 22 virtual visits andwe are developing close to 16 more at the moment, to present in the summer.The idea is to gather together the mainmuseums relating to the history of Cubaso that there is a large collection for allchildren, no matter where they live.”

Another of the lines that Cinesoft isworking on is the positioning of videos onthe Web. For this, WebTV was created to generate audiovisual resources withmore dynamic codes and different for-mats, to complement the information onthe Cubaeduca website.

The production of documentaries andthe creation of programs for national tele-vision is another of the focuses of theenterprise.

“We have sustained production of videogames, we focus mainly on those thatinclude a very strong commitment toeducating young people, but we also wantthem to be entertained,” the intervieweestated.

Virtual libraries are another of Cine-soft’s productions, with a strong focus onthe “Biblioteca del Docente” (Teacher’sLibrary), which was created based onteacher training. It includes seven vol-umes, where teachers can find everythingthey need to complement their profes-sional development.

The enterprise has also created acompendium of audiovisual and com-puter materials, among others, in acompletely free package called “Pa que teeduques” (To Educate Yourself). It gua-rantees all possible resources for thepackage’s distribution and storage inschools.

“Cuban schools compete with a verycomplicated audiovisual world, whichcreates an impression, an education,different canons to that which the Cubaneducational system usually teaches. Now,any action you want to undertake withyoung people, with different didacticsaimed at this sector, is boring to them.

That is why Cinesoft tries to keep ahead ofthe audiovisuality that is experiencedtoday and develop its products in a waythat attracts the interest of our students,”the Cinesoft director general noted.

This means that every program or videogame that is delivered to schools supportsstudents’ education.

“We call this learning analytics. Thestudent uses one of our software and thatprogram leaves traces that allow theteacher to evaluate the student withouthaving to conduct a test, i.e. if a studentspends 10 minutes on an exercise and theother children took only two, it is a signthat there are problems,” he added.

GROWTH AS A WATCHWORD

Cinesoft has demonstrated its sus-tainability over time, with growth everyyear.

“We aim to be recognized as anenterprise with high value added. Weshould close this year with about ninemillion pesos in sales. The greatestresource we have is not material, but theaccumulated knowledge, the intelligenceof the staff that works in the entity. Thustoday we have an almost 40% profitmargin, that’s clear profit for the state, forthe national economy. In addition, we haveraised the average salary of workers, weare profitable and continue to grow.”

LATEST PRODUCTS

Given the importance Cinesoft places onteaching, the enterprise is working tocreate a regional center for the develop-ment of educational resources for LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, with theintention of sharing the pedagogical andtechnological models available to Cuba,that help guarantee the appropriateeducation of children and adolescents.

It is also working on a mobile augmentedreality application, which will allow usersto further interact with any museum theyvisit.

“Looking to the future, we must workmore on the services we offer on the Web.We just did a pilot with a program called“Repasador en línea” (Online Revision),with the help of workers from the CubanTelecommunications Enterprise (Etecsa),because to do so we needed people whowere connected to the network, as it is apersonalized service, for the family andschoolchildren,” Barreto noted.

For this project, participating teacherswill be connected to the network 24 hoursa day so that the family can interact withthem in solving learners’ daily tasks. InSeptember, this program should beginoperating throughout the country and theplatform will be accessible from anyconnection, be it through the Internet orthe national navigation service (Intranet). •

A growingenterprise

Computer Games • Adivina Adivinador• Recogiendo las frutas• Pintando con materiales

de la naturaleza• Animales Fantásticos• Jugaremos a las

escondidas• ¿Quién llegará primero

a la meta?

Preparation foradmission to Higher Education Subjects:• Mathematics • Spanish • History

This is divided into fourmain topics: • family• study• grade reports• general

School textbooks

• Preparatory Stage • Natural Sciences • The World We Live In • Spanish • Physics • Geography • History• English • Mathematics • Chemistry

Tablet and mobilegames anddocumentsapplications

General:• Sonando en Cuba

Logic games:• Guardabosques• Cuadrado mágico• Cálculo • Tablas de multiplicar

Cinesoft, attachedto the Ministry ofEducation, is anenterprise made upof entrepreneurs,according to itsDirector GeneralIván Barreto.

PHOTO: RICARDO LÓPEZ HEVIA

NATIONAL 7JULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Yisel Martínez GarcíaPhotos: Courtesy of the interviewee

• THEY say we interact with more than 2,000 objectsevery day. The number could be even higher, just lookaround. Design is everywhere. It gives products value,identity, and seeks to make life easier.

"There is no way to develop a country if design is nottaken into consideration," insists Gisela Herrero García,head of the National Design Office (Ondi). She notes thatthe profession has always existed in Cuba, but like allprocesses it has had its ups and downs.

In the 20th century, for example, graphics took centerstage. Cuban posters had their golden age, recognizedwithin and beyond the country's borders. In the 1980s, apublic policy for design was promoted, consistent with the need for prosperity and sustainability in Cuba. TheNational Design Office was established, and later theAdvanced Institute of Design (ISDI), the institutionresponsible for training professionals in the field.

While the economic crisis of the 90s required putting ahold on everything that had been accomplished, designbecame known as a tool to alleviate the situation, andallowed Cuba to make good use of its productions. Thus,sectors like pharmaceuticals and tourism began to utilizedesign, allowing for a recovery in this professional act-ivity, which assumed an important responsibility indevelopment.

"The most important centers within the scientific poletook the lead in their graphic design demands. The use ofspaces, clothing for the workforce, the wrapping of pro-ducts, and the visual aspect of their sale, made design afundamental tool for these and other industries.

"Talk about corporate identity is emerging in the coun-try. Tourism, as the driving force of the economy, needs toidentify new hotels, differentiate chains. And think co-herently, about the spaces, the gear, and uniforms ofthose who work in these places," Herrero explained.

LOADING ZONES

Becoming everyday, with the passage of time, design isfinding its place in the non-state sector of the economy, infields of work that range from graphic to industrial design.

"Anyone who has set up a restaurant or decided to starta business is looking to differentiate themselves. Be it vis-ually, with a name, a symbol, furnishings, offers, and allthese elements together. Fertile ground has been foundthat has provided designers openings," Herrero noted.

The industry is recovering, and one notable area is textile garments, the specialist reported, noting that many clothing designers are thinking about attire for men, women, children, and older adults, as important toidentity.

"There are increasingly more people trained andworking to have national products in Cuban wardrobes.We must dress more like our colors, like the context inwhich we live everyday, and there should be no dif-ferences," she adds.

Design, as value added, dignifies the visual world, andthat of objects. Guiding creation implies responsibility.Herrero, as a receptor of images, is concerned about howwe are seeing ourselves.

"In a media and communications scene like the currentone, contents must be offered with better visuals, with avision of the times, with contemporary discourse andcodes. We must construct a solid image, one that looksmore like us as a nation. We must be more proactive.Design has this value and we must communicate it in acup of coffee, a chair, a garment. Everything carriesideology."

CHALLENGES

"Design must be increasingly incorporated into differentsectors of the economy, in industry, in culture, politics. Attimes I have the impression that this is not happening atthe pace we need, but I believe that it is a positive signthat designers are present on all development teams,"Herrero said.

Everyday, more young people graduate from theacademy. At the close of May, Ondi had 2,400 designerslisted in its National Registry, a number which allows thecountry to utilize these professionals well.

But achieving quality results also means working as ateam and collaborating across fields. Economic issuesare key to understanding the major role design plays inexecuting a project.

"There is no way to design without the economy. Designadds value to products and services. This is some-thing that many people still don't understand. It is aninvestment, not a cost. We talk about paying for designwhen we should be investing in design. This turn-around,seeing it from the other side, could be very important topromoting development.

"Improvements for the country must be generated withthis activity. It must be promoted in industry, in culture, inall areas where a space must be opened up.

Design must be responsible to the environment, to theculture it defends, and identify the value of the Cubanproject," asserted Herrero.

Design in Cuba is looking to gain new ground everyday.

Achieving its application at the massive, industrial level is the only way it can make a decisive contribution to thecountry's development. •

DesigningCuba

Design is gaining ground in Cuba in a varietyof sectors of the economy

Gisela Herrero García, head of the National Design Office, Ondi.

14th Design Week. Fashion show.

The"Design ineverydirection"campaignlaunchedby Ondi.

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Is it possible to meld the best of capitalism and socialism?

SPECIAL8 GRANMA INTERNATIONALJULY.14.2017 |

COLOR DE LA 4 ESPAÑOL

José Raúl Concepción

• WHEN the world had two politicalpoles, a statement that soundedobvious was sometimes made: "Let'sunite the best of capitalism andsocialism in a single system." If bothhave their defects and virtues, why not just discard what doesn't work? The idea is attractive, it would be anidyllic society. But what prevents this?Why are we still talking about socialismand capitalism? Behind the apparentlyself-evident concept lies another: youcan't extract the best of capitalism as if it were a damaged spot on a piece of fruit. The virtues of this system arebased on its defects.

The idea cannot deliver what it promises,and the same options remain in place.We maintain a way of life that damagesevery corner of the planet or we seekan alternative to solve the problem atits roots.

In politics, as in life, trying to find amiddle ground is tricky. But those whoprefer to straddle the fence exist.

Cubadebate talked about politicalcentrism with the Cuban intellectual,Enrique Ubieta, who responds tosimple questions with dissertations onthe history, relevance, and possibleimplementation of a "third way" inCuba.

Is it possible for centrism to rep-resent the best of both capitalismand socialism?

Capitalism is not the sum of itsnegative and positive components, ofelements that can be saved or dis-carded. It is a system, that at one pointwas revolutionary and today is not. Itengulfs and links everything: advancedtechnology, the most sophisticatedwealth, and the most absolute poverty.The elements that contribute to greaterproductivity are the same ones thatalienate human labor. Those that gen-erate wealth for a few, produce povertyfor the majority, on the national andinternational level. Establishing such a goal seems fallacious to me. The"best of capitalism" doesn't exist, as if it could be cleaned up, as if a goodcapitalism were feasible. There are verybad versions, like fascism and neo-liberalism, but I am not aware of anygood version. Capitalism is alwayssavage.

On the other hand, socialism, asopposed to capitalism, is not an organictotal, a reality already constructed, butrather a path that cannot, all at once,leave behind the system it is trying toreplace. We try this and that, we adoptnew structures, advance and retreat,eliminate what doesn't work, correcterrors over and over again - a path toanother world, in the middle of thejungle, because capitalism is a hege-monic system. What characterizes it is its expressed, conscious intention, to replace capitalism.

Does a center exist? On what prin-ciples is it founded? In the capitalistelectoral system, a left and a right

supposedly exist, but this left - withsocial democracy as its ideologicalframework, which was Marxist in itsorigins, and sought to reform capitalismuntil it gradually disappeared - func-tions today within the system and hasrejected Marxism. This left differen-tiates itself from conservative partieswith its social policies and its non-prejudiced understanding of diversity.The centrist formula functions withinthe capitalist system as an electoraloption. The voter is managed like acustomer since elections function like a market, and are full of right wingparties and left wing parties thatalternate in office, but implementsimilar policies, and thus the systemconstructs a false "third way."

But real alternatives are not within asystem, they are counterpoised. Theyare capitalism or socialism. A centerdoes not exist; there is no neutralground between the two systems.Social democracy places itself withincapitalism, but pretends to be a center,attempting what I have described asimpossible, taking the best from bothsystems. In reality, it proposes analternative method, not a fundamentalchange. Beyond a few isolated cases,like what Olof Palme could have beenin Sweden, in a very rich country, whicheven without colonies, as part of thecapitalist system benefited from thecolonial and neo-colonial system.

Social democracy which appeared totriumph, made no sense when theSoviet Union collapsed and the so-cialist camp disappeared. Not even inSweden could it be maintained. (OlofPalme was assassinated). Since then,the system has no need for it, and itneeds to remake itself. The third way of Tony Blair is a center that has movedto the right, accepting and imple-menting neoliberal policies, allyingitself with imperialism in its wars ofconquest. The history of social demo-cracy is essentially European.

What role do centrist politics playin Cuba?

In reality, what is this center? It is apolitical orientation that appropriateselements of revolutionary discourse,adopts a reformist position, and in theend, brakes, detains, and creates ob-stacles to the development of a truerevolution.

In other cases, as in ours, centristsattempt to use the political culture ofthe left that exists within Cuban society,because you can't get anywhere herewith an ultra right wing discourse, tryingto win adherents. You need to use what the people interpret as fair, andwith this left wing discourse begin tointroduce capitalism through the backdoor. This is the role the center wouldhave within a society like the Cuban.

Using different terminology indifferent contexts, positions similarto centrism have been present inCuban history since the autonomytendency attempted to derail theindependence revolution of 1895…

Why do you think there is a kind ofresurgence of centrism in Cubatoday?

In Cuban history, there is a very cleardividing line between tendencies,between reformist and revolutionaryforces. This is a longstanding dis-cussion in the history of Marxism, buttoday I will just refer to the Cubantradition.

Reformism is represented by autono-mism and annexationism. There arewriters who insist on saying thatannexationism aspired to a radicalsolution to win independence fromSpain. In this case, the term "radical" ismisused, because the roots of theproblem were not addressed. Beingannexed by the United States was aradical solution in appearances only,since advocates intended to protect theprivileges of a social class here, avoidthe economic damage of a longerindependence war, and maintain thestatus quo via domination by anotherpower which would guarantee order.

The two tendencies, annexationismand reformism, had as a basic premisean absolute lack of confidence in thepeople - the fear of "the mulatto horde,"as the autonomists said.

Sell-out reformism has existedthroughout the history of Cuba, into ourtimes; it has not disappeared. TheRevolution of 1959 swept it away as areal political option, but the classstruggle has not vanished. If the bour-geoisie, or those who aspire to be,attempt to retake power in Cuba, that is the class that has been createdoutside of the country or that whichcould be gestating within, it is going toneed an outside force to back it.

There will not be an autonomouscapitalism in Cuba; it doesn't existanyplace in the world, much less in a

small, underdeveloped country. Cubancapitalism, as in the past, can only besemi-colonial or neo-colonial. The onlyway the bourgeoisie could retake andmaintain power in Cuba is by way of anexternal power. That is the only optionto multiply their capital, and we alreadyknow that the bourgeoisie's homelandis capital.

Today a situation exists that favorsthis kind of centrist tactics, promoted inCuba from the North. The generationthat made the Revolution is ending itshistoric-biological cycle. Some 80% ofCubans never lived under capitalism.Just imagine. Cuba is a country tryingto build a society different from onewhich the people have never exper-ienced. This is a period of change andnew, previously rejected elements arebeing introduced in the conception ofthe socio-economic model. It is withinthis context that pro-capitalist forcesconstruct their pseudo-revolutionarydiscourse, only for show, attempting tolink up with changes underway in thecountry.

Does the updating of Cuba'seconomic, social model have anyrelation to centrism?

It does not. I'll appeal to concepts Ifound in the philosophy of ArgentineArturo Andrés Roig. It is imperative todifferentiate two planes: discourse anddiscourse directionality, meaning anddirection. I recall that when I studiedthe decade of the 1920s, I noticed thatJuan Marinello and Jorge Mañach saidalmost the same things. They ad-dressed very similar concepts, becausethey were intellectuals and part of thevanguard of Cuban thought and art. Butif you follow the course of their lives,you understand that those words withsimilar meanings had very differentintentions. Marinello joined the Com-munist Party and Mañach founded aparty with pseudo-fascist tendencies.One fought for social justice and soc-ialism, while the other longed, too late,to become the ideologue of a nationalbourgeoisie which no longer existed. Idon't believe that this rupture was onlythe result of a later evolution; it wasalready implicit in the differing historicaldirectionality of their discourses.

It is absolutely imperative to dif-ferentiate directionality, today morethan ever, because we live in a verycontaminated, promiscuous linguisticenvironment, in a global society whichhas assimilated the discourse andtraditional gestures of the left, espe-cially since WWII. The class struggle iscovered up, and we must unmask ourinterlocutors.

What do the Guidelines propose?Seeking an alternative route of our ownto advance toward socialism, since nouniversal model exists, and everycountry, every historical moment, isspecific. Cuban socialism means aCuban path toward a society that isdifferent from capitalism, in a hostileworld, facing poverty, an implacableblockade, and with few natural

Is it possible to meld the best of capitalism and socialism?Enrique Ubieta, editor of the journals Cuba Socialista and La Calle del medio, talked with Cubadebate about political centrism,neo-annexation, and the permanent clash between socialism and capitalism, as conflicting systems - all importantissues in the ideological struggle underway around the world today

Enrique Ubieta explains the history andimplications of centrist politics in Cuba.

ANNALY SÁNCHEZ/ CUBASÍ/ CUBADEBATE

SPECIAL 9GRANMA INTERNATIONALJULY.14.2017 |

resources, except for the knowledge ofits citizens.

This is Cuba's real situation. Wepropose to maintain and expand thesocial justice we have achieved, and todo so, we must revitalize our productiveforces. We therefore establish limits onthe accumulation of wealth and property,and we are concerned about the mech-anisms used to enforce these limits. Onthe contrary, centrists, with languagesimilar to ours, suggest that we haveabandoned the idea of social justice, butdemand more profound changes thatwould lead to the dismantling of theminimum achieved in terms of justice.The "deepening" demanded by centrists,from both the economic and politicalpoint of view, is a return to capitalism.Divergent, critical opinions can and mustbe heard, but they must all be directed in the same direction, toward the samehorizon.

When someone says that socialismhas not been able to eradicate cor-ruption or prostitution, it saddens me,because it's true. But at the same time,one should ask: What would capitalismdo about this? Make it worse. When the accusation is not directed towardstrengthening the system we have in thecountry - the only one which can correctits defects, deficiencies, and errors - but rather toward its destruction, thecriticism is counterrevolutionary.

Because everything we do will not befine. We are going to make mistakes, ofthis we can be sure. One who movesforward makes mistakes. What's impor-tant is to have the capacity to rectify andbe clear about the direction of what weare doing, why we are doing it. If atsome moment we lose our way, we willneed to check the compass. May every-thing we can do now, and what we

discuss, be marked by the clarificationof what we want and where we areheaded.

Is it possible to be both centrist andat the same time revolutionary?

Absolutely not. A reformist is not arevolutionary. Which doesn't mean that arevolutionary can't make reforms. Revo-lutionaries made the land reform, theurban reform… Being a reformist issomething else.

Reformists believe in statistics, in theexhaustive descriptions of their envir-onment that ends up making it incom-prehensible. A minimal description ofthis room's walls does not allow us tounderstand where we are, because thisroom is located in a building, in a city, ina country. That is, in order to be useful,the description presupposes a broaderperspective. To be a revolutionary onemust take the flight of a condor, which iswhat Martí demanded.

Reformists are descriptive; they believethat reality is limited to what can be seenand touched - that is why they are con-fused and fail. In politics, a reformist canonly sum up the social environment'sfour visible elements. The revolutionaryadds a fifth subjective element, thatcannot be detected in plain sight - anelement reformists do not take intoaccount, because they have no con-fidence in the people. We can sum-marize this fifth element recalling thehistoric reunion in Cinco Palmas of theeight survivors of the Granma expe-dition. In Raúl's words, "He (Fidel)embraced me and the first thing he didwas ask how many rifles I had, after thatthe famous phrase: Now, yes, we havewon the war!" This is leaping over theabyss, as Martí said.

This is what differentiates a revolu-tionary from a reformist. And a centrist

is worse than a reformist, because in acertain way, he is a fake.

In the European tradition, all thisconceptual, theoretical, political dramathat has been concocted since the 19thcentury gives these debates someweight. In Cuba the underlying found-ations of these debates are revealedmuch more clearly. And all of this talk ofmelding capitalism with socialism, trying

to stay on a revolutionary plane ofdiscourse, but in practice counter-revolutionary, in one way or another,from my point of view, is also evidenceof a certain level of cowardice, of in-ability to fight for something you believein. These people believe in a project thatis opposed to ours, but don't have enoughpolitical strength, or the courage, to sayso openly. (Cubadebate) •

Cuba is a countrytrying to build asociety differentfrom one which thepeople have neverexperienced. Thisis a period ofchange and new,previously rejectedelements are beingintroduced in theconception of thesocio-economicmodel.

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CULTURE10 GRANMA INTERNATIONALJULY.14.2017 |

Mireya Castañeda

• HAILA María Mompié, one of the bestcontemporary Cuban performers, is cele-brating her 25-year strong career with therelease of her seventh album: Haila, Mujerde Acero (Haila: Woman of Steel).

With a clear sense of the market, thesonera (Cuban son singer) par excellencebegan the year with a tour of Cuba, duringwhich she sang the new songs included on the album, recently presented during apress conference held at the IberostarParque Central hotel, in Havana.

Ready with the CD physically in hand, thecharismatic Haila offered dancers a greatshow in Havana’s Salón Rosado de laTropical, alongside some of the well-knownsingers who featured as guests on thealbum.

To reach such a high professional level,with widespread popularity among Cubanaudiences, the singer assured, has been along road full, of course, with sacrifices.

A brief history for our readers: in 1991Haila was invited to become a member ofthe Septeto Tradición; in 1994, she joinedthe Bamboleo band; in 1998, foundedAzúcar Negra; and in 2001 she decided tolaunch a solo career.

Since then, she has released sevenalbums. Among them are the first, Haila,followed by Haila live, Haila Diferente, (inwhich she began singing ballads, bachata,merengue, salsa, and offered somethingnew by singing in a middle range), andHaila Mala (awarded the Cubadisco Prize in the dance music category).

In this intense period, she featured in 2001 on the album La rumba soy yo,winner of a Latin Grammy Award; shared thestage with figures such as Cheo Feliciano,Oscar de León, Olga Tañón, Rey Ruiz, JoséAlberto El Canario, Gilberto Santa Rosa,Chucho Valdés, Muñequitos de Matanzas,Mario Rivera, Adalberto Álvarez, DavidCalzado, Issac Delgado, and Lázaro Valdés;and joined the Cuban Grammys project,along with Eliades Ochoa, Juan Formell,Sampling, Chucho Valdés, Los Papines andErnán López-Nussa.

GOING BACK TO HER ROOTS

During the press conference to launchHaila, Mujer de Acero, the versatile singerwas confident in her latest production. “Ihave always considered myself a ratherdaring human being. They say that she who doesn’t take risks doesn’t make itacross the river.”

Haila was accompanied by Mario

Escalona, general manager of the Mus-ical Recording and Editing Enterprise(EGREM), the label under which the albumhas been released; Lester Hamlet, film and video director, who provided the albumnotes; and the album’s arranger, CarlosCartaya; who each referred to variousaspects of the conception of the recording.

Lester Hamlet (filmmaker and director ofYa no es antes, the soundtrack to whichfeatures a track from the album), noted thatHaila has stood out for the past 25 years for her excellent vocal qualities and highlevel of improvisation, stating, “She hasbecome a myth, a label, she is authentic,she is Cuba.” Meanwhile, Escalona empha-sized that the new star of EGREM “is anartist with her an own image, a symbol ofprofessional credibility.”

The comments of Cartaya, who, alongsideAned Mota, arranged the 11 tracks featured

on Haila, Mujer de Acero, were veryrevealing of Haila’s professionalism. Henoted that the album is well thought out, with tracks selected from among her widerepertoire. “She is very strict and does notstop until everything is to her liking. I createmy melodies, Haila offers her own, and Ithink the result is satisfactory. We haveproduced a CD with a spectacular sound, it sounds Cuban and international.”

In response to a question regarding howthe idea for this album came about, Hailanoted: “The title almost always comes out of a song. It should attract attention. In myseven productions it has always been‘Haila…’ and something else. And whenIssac (Delgado) gave me the song, I saidthis is it: Woman of Steel.

“The song was written by my brother Issacand Misael Bosaa, and metaphorically, withthis production, as always, I defend women

who take advantage to sing what they cannot always say with words.

“I sing songs of all kinds, but also forwomen to defend themselves. This CD is forthe brave, the fighters, women who arestrong, faced with any situation in life, likeme.”

Her seventh album to be released wasproduced by Aned Mota, the author of six of the 11 tracks. Other featured composerswere Carlos Cartaya, Randy Malcom, IssacDelgado, and Taimy Estrada.

Haila stressed that the guests featuring on the album were “friends and great,fervent lovers of Cuban music: DescemerBueno, Leoni Torres, Issac Delgado, PauloFG, Alain Pérez.”

Regarding the tracks, the singer stated, “I am always careful with the texts, to makesure they have common meaning for thepublic to identify with them.” In this regard,she highlighted: “Te traigo flores,” “Amor aprimera vista,” “La lluvia se llevó tu amor,”“Lo que tengo es mío,” “Santiago, mi San-tiago,” “Para que llorar” (a conga selected toidentify Havana’s Carnival this summer),“De donde vengo,” and “El susto.”

Questioned as to the place this latestalbum holds within her discography, Hailaexplained: “One of my first records wasmasterfully arranged and produced by JuanManuel Ceruto. I think it will go down inhistory and musical history, but for me theyare all wonderful. With Mujer de Acero, Ifeel more mature when it comes to perf-orming, to making Cuban music, and offerdancers a variety of musical genres andstyles, guarachas, rumbas, sones, timba.”

Haila always surprises us with excellentmusic both on her albums and on stage,and with her command of different genres,especially son. She is a woman with a greatstage presence, and when she raises hervoice, dancers are charmed and listenersimpressed.

This true star of Cuban dance music was categorical in her encounter with thepress with regard to her passion for son, agenre she includes in all her productions:“It’s my life, my devotion, I experience it tothe fullest.”

With Haila, Mujer de Acero, the singerseeks something more: “Cuba is the islandof music, and in many genres. I work toreach out to the young, to encourage themtoward Cuban music, our rich art, so thattheir ears are turned away from so muchtoxicity.”

A contemporary icon, Haila owes it all toher audiences, who sing her songs anddance to her music. She is well aware ofthis, and does not disappoint. •

The cover of the new album was well thought out and carefully designed, including Haila’scostume.

Haila and her orchestra are a reference point in contemporary Cuban music. Haila María Mompié has become an example for the new generation of Cuban soneros.

WWW.CUBADEBATE.CU WWW.JUVENTUDREBELDE.CU

Haila:Woman of Steel

The renowned singer’s seventh album offersspectacular sounds

SPORTS 11GRANMA INTERNATIONALJULY.14.2017 |

Cuban baseball’sunbreakable records

Sigfredo Barros Segrera

• TALKING about baseball records anywherein the world is always a passionate con-versation because, among other factors,among all the sports that exist, it’s the onewith the most records. Practically everythingcan be measured, from how a team plays ongrass or a synthetic field; during the day or atnight; or whether a player bats better withthree balls and no strikes, or two strikes andno balls.

However, things get a lot more complicatedwhen the discussion turns to Cubanbaseball. The game has undergone manychanges in the country: from the original fourteam, 27-game Series set up, to two 99-game Super Series in 1968 and 1969; then15 years of the 90-game, 16-team, two-phase, four-group format; followed by 97 inthe 51st Series (the only one to feature anodd number of teams) through today, withteams able to select reinforcements half way through the season; meaning that thestructure of Cuban baseball has changedalmost 20 times to date.

It is also worth noting that in 1977 thetraditional wooden bat was replaced with ametal one, following a decision by theInternational Baseball Federation, which was met with strong criticism from the sport’samateur movement. According to themajority of experts, the new version in-creased a team’s offensive capacity by 25%, giving batters a huge advantage overpitchers. Although the metal bat wasdiscarded in 1999, it left its mark on themajority of records which exist today.

When the conversation turns to the mostoutstanding record, there are as manychoices as there are participants in thediscussion. For me personally, the one thatstands out is that set by Osmani Urrutia from Las Tunas: Five straight batting titles inthe National Series, averaging close to .400in four tournaments. He would have securedsix consecutive wins but in 2006, despiteaveraging .425, was surpassed by MichelEnríquez, from the Isle of Youth, with alegendary score of .447. Urrutia reclaimed his crown one year later, making for six ofseven titles from 2001-2007 - a difficult feat to repeat.

Meanwhile, Enrique Díaz’s record of 55stolen bases, set in 1993, - following adecline in Cuba’s offense - seems almostunbelievable today, given that there is no sign of anyone even reaching 40. I imaginethat this record will remain unbroken for along time to come.

FOUR HOME RUNS IN A SINGLE GAME

To date, 17 players have hit four home runsin a single game in the Major Leagues, eversince Bobby Lowe did it for the first time in1894. In Cuba, three men have achieved thesame feat: Leonel Moa, Alberto Díaz, andOmar Linares in that order. They needn’tworry about their record being broken, as no player in any league has ever hit five.

While on the subject of homeruns, AlexeiBell’s (Santiago de Cuba) double grand slam in a single inning, on November 3,2009, would also seem pretty hard to beat.Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis from the Dom-inican Republic, is the only player to haveachieved such a feat in the MLB. An inning

would have to last an eternity for the entireline-up to bat three times.

And although it might come as a surprise tosome, in 1930, a player named Gene Rye hit three home runs – not with all the basesloaded - for the Waco Cubs in the Texasleague.

THE OLDEST RECORD

When, in 1969 Cuba’s 99-game Seriesended, it left, among other feats, one thatlooked like it could be broken. But timepassed and Wilfredo Sánchez of Matanza’srecord of 13 triples is soon set to turn 50.Only three batters have reached 12, whichmight have something to do with the backluck associated with the number 13.

Since 1962 the record for hits in a seasoncontinued to increase year on year untilWilfredo made 140. Thirty years would haveto pass before Michel Enríquez would make 152 in the 38th National Series - anachievement soon set to celebrate its 20thanniversary. Cuba has tactical batters such as Yoelkis Céspedes, Roel Santos,Víctor Víctor… but so far none of them havedecided to pursue the record set by theIsland of Youth’s so called Super 12 team.

Starting with the three modest homerunsmade by Rolando “Gallego” Valdés in the first Series, followed by Armando Capiró’s 22

in 1973; then 28 by Pedro José Rodríguezfive years later; and 30 by Orestes Kindelánin the 12th Series (1986), Alfredo Despaignefrom Granma, set the most recent record,hitting 38 homers in 2012.

But with Cuban batting being fairly weak, anew homerun record doesn’t look to be setanytime soon.

Despaigne is the only player who couldpotentially break his own record, but hiscommitment to the Japanese ProfessionalLeague – with a long season of over 140games – makes this virtually impossible.

Nor for the moment does anyone seemlikely to break the record for runs-batted-in,which rose substantially in one of the two 99-game Series, held in 1998, when MiguelCuevas from Camagüey made 86.

In 2008, during a fantastic season whichsaw him hit 31 homeruns, Alexei Bell made111 RBIs. Since then no one has even comeclose to reaching 80, with Yordanis Samónrepresenting last season’s top scorer with 76.

Scoring runs is one of the most importantaspects of the game, with a team’s suc-cess depending its ability to make it to thehome plate more often than their opponent.Enrique Díaz, gave a historic performance in a Series which already seems like adistant memory: the 2003, 42nd edition,where he batted in exactly 100 runs, a figurethat no one has even come close to matching

in recent years. Stayler Hernández made just 73 in the 55th Series, while YordanisSamón brought in 65 in the most recentedition of the competition.

A FORGOTTEN RECORD

There exists a record which, to put it bluntly,is hardly ever mentioned and seems to havefallen into oblivion. For me it is one of themost important, given the level of dedicationand sacrifice it entailed: the 1,112 con-secutive games played by Alexander Ramosfrom Pinar del Rio represent one of the most difficult records to match, let alonebreak. Why? The reason is simple: there’s noother player with the same spirit of sacrifice,willing to go out on the field day after day, and do their job, despite pain or personalproblems.

Another noteworthy record is Rey Isaac’s(Santiago de Cuba) 37 game hitting streak inthe 1994-1995 Series, which broke LázaroVargas’ previous record of 31, and esta-blished a new high which, after more than 20years, remains unbeaten.

So there you have it, Cuban baseball’s so-called “unbreakable” records. And re-member, there are so many records inbaseball that I wasn’t even able to mentionpitching achievements. That’ll have to wait for another time. •

Practically everything can be measured in baseball, which is why it’s the sport with the most records

Osmani Urrutia, holder of six batting titles in seven seasons.

RICARDO LÓPEZ HEVIA

PAGINA DE COLOR 12 INGLES

Striving to maintain advances inVenezuela

SUBSCRIPTION

OUR AMERICA12 JULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

PAGINA DE COLOR 12 INGLES

Alina Perera Robbio, special for Granma International

• MIRANDA, Venezuela.– The heat was stifling at theManguito Siete High-Tech Medical Center (CAT), in PazCastillo municipality, located in the western part of thisstate. But it was also very peaceful. At this facility designedby the Bolivarian Revolution to conduct important tests on patients who require a speedy diagnosis, Dr. RogelioEnrique Suárez González, a 50-year-old general prac-titioner, welcomed us alongside his colleagues.

Rogelio, from the province of Camagüey, heads this groupof Cuban collaborators, here to share their invaluableknowledge. He has many memories to share regarding hisvarious internationalist missions. This is his second time inVenezuela, and between 2006 and 2008 he worked in aMiracle Mission clinic in Honduras, the first inaugurated byCuba in that Central American country.

As Rogelio explained, in Honduras he was shocked by thedifficulty in accessing health services, and the number ofchildren living in extreme poverty, unable to attend school.“One thinks a great deal about what our Revolution hasdone for health and education. It is an aspect that furthermotivates us regarding our duty to preserve the beautifulthings that we have.”

However, his time in the Central American country alsoproved to be a wonderful experience: many people withcataracts, whose vision was poor or severely impaired,recovered their sight. This miracle was provided free ofcharge for all those in need.

Up to 70 Honduran patients per day were served by thismission. In two years, more than 5,000 surgeries wereperformed. Rogelio noted that many of the patients whosevision was restored maintain contact with their doctors.

This is your second experience in Venezuela, whatdoes this stage mean?

We have arrived here at a very important, intense time.The Bolivarian Revolution endures, experiencing manychanges since the death of Comandante Hugo Chávez. We are here to maintain what he and Comandante en JefeFidel created through the Cuba-Venezuela Agreement in the field of health.

The centers in which we work are located where thepopulation most needs them. We are called on, togetherwith Venezuelans, to help residents recover their health. We have to care for children, the most vulnerable, followpregnancies. Thus, with the passage of time, solidarity isstrengthened, and the gratitude of all the people treatedincreases.

Have you always worked in the CAT?I started in a doctor’s office. It was a magnificent stage

because I was in direct contact with patients, day after day.It was like returning to the roots, to the beautiful role of thefamily doctor. It was very good to sense the appreciation ofthe patients who were thoroughly examined. We treatedpeople in need even outside working hours.

In Cuba, for most of my professional life, I had headedpolyclinics. Someone who knows me saw me here in thedoctor’s office, and proposed that I come to lead the CAT,and I have been carrying out this task for more than 30months.

Is there a particular story you recall from your time atthe local doctor’s office?

I can’t forget a nephrotic syndrome patient, whom wediagnosed as such and began to follow. We helped him as much as possible, but he needed more specializedtreatment in other health institutions in the country. At thatpoint his condition began to worsen, but fortunately he isalive. He has been receiving hemodialysis for two yearsnow. He is extremely grateful to us and to the CubanRevolution. If he had not been diagnosed in time, he wouldnot have survived. We also restored his vision.

You’ve made many friends here, right? Many thank you constantly. Every time we need help

they reach out to us, be it in everyday life or at work. That isthe solidarity that inspires Cuban medicine, which has noborders and makes no distinction between human beings.

Each of our collaborators in the land of Bolivar doesgreat work…

Definitely. In the end, when you are working in any of the

health structures that Venezuela has, the work is as a team;we are all cogs in a machine, and for it to work perfectly, wemust all make the maximum effort in the area we areresponsible for, so that the patient, when he leaves, does sosatisfied with the response, with the service we offer.

Honduras left its mark on you. What will you take wayfrom your experience in Venezuela?

First, a greater commitment to Cuba and to Fidel’s ideas,which translates into a commitment to maintain all theachievements of our Revolution, including Public Health.This is no easy task because there will be increasingchallenges for our Revolution.

The other thing that marks us is that we have helped toform new generations of revolutionaries. In all the placeswhere we have been, we have also taught, which hashelped many professionals grow, including us. Wherever wego, we must leave behind people to continue the work westarted.

How are you dealing with the current politicaldestabilization and violence in the country?

I have been here since November 2014. The country hasbeen changing daily. It is suffering a war of attrition. We Cubans are well acquainted with such situations.Perhaps many of us have not experienced them so harshlypersonally, but our parents experienced them, and thatleaves us with an understanding.

We see firsthand what imperialism is capable of doing with its arsenal of methods; and we prepare ourselvesbetter, because this non-conventional war is the scenariothat we have suffered in Cuba recently, just not to theextremes seen here. This war prepares us for the future.

So Cuban collaborators are right when they say thatVenezuela is a huge school?

It is because our parents’ generation saw the beginningsof the Revolution, Playa Girón, the literacy campaign.

For us who are here, now, this is the trench, this is ours.We are called on to preserve not only the Cuban Revolutionbut also the Latin American revolution, because Venezueladefines it, it is a guide that can not be lost.

This is the task that concerns us and it is as important as those others.

With no fear... None of any kind. Besides, with fear you can not work

or create. You have to take care of yourself and have asense of danger, but that is something else, not fear.

We are all committed to continuing to work and to do ourbest to maintain the achievements of Barrio Adentro (the“Into the Neighborhood” medical mission). This humanemission, despite the difficulties that may exist, is anindisputable achievement of the Bolivarian Revolution,which is why a great effort is made to continue makingprogress.

Our medical mission will not fail the Cuban Revolution, northe Bolivarian, nor presidents Raúl and Nicolás Maduro.Because all this also means defending the ideas of Fideland Chávez. •

Striving to maintain advances inVenezuela

Dr. Rogelio Enrique Suárez González heads the Manguito SieteHigh-Tech Medical Center.

Cuban doctors and nurses have helped save thousands of livesthrough the Barrio Adentro medical mission.

ALINA PERERA ROBIO YANDER ZAMORA

A Cuban collaborator heading a High-Tech Medical Center talks about the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution which,despite suffering the effects of a non-conventional war, continues to resist

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PAGINA DE COLOR 13 INGLES

The enemies of the left

OUR AMERICA 13JULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

PAGINA DE COLOR 13 INGLES

Sergio Alejandro Gómez

• RUNNING out of enemies is the worst thing thatcould happen to the left. In a world in which those atthe top fear those below, and the supreme law of theland continues to be “every man for himself,” the ideasof the left can do nothing other than scorn executivesand rain on the right’s centennial parade.

The boundaries, of course, are a different problem.In the French Constituent Assembly of 1789, thedefenders of the king positioned themselves to theright of the president of the Assembly, while the mostradical revolutionaries were on the other side. Fromthen until today, the discussions about where eachpositions themself have not ceased.

The ability of the right to define itself as opposed toa left with recurring identity crises is striking. If thepowerful know anything it is how to distinguish theirpeople from those who seek a more just distribution ofwealth, reject the naturalization of inequality and be-lieve that “human rights” are extensive to all humanbeings.

When revolutionaries are marginalized, and theirprograms are only discussed in small circles, the rightoften tolerates them to present an image of pluralityand openness. But these sectors soon show their truecolors when social discontent explodes and theyperceive the slightest possibility of losing their pri-vileges.

The dictatorships across Latin America during thelast century, the assassination of social leaders, andthe destruction of trade union organizations were theelites’ response to the real possibility of the rise topower of the left, as had happened in Cuba in 1959.

Advised by the United States, they prepared to shut

down any popular insurrection. Although they sawsome results, Sandinista Nicaragua and the efforts ofother Central American and South American peoplesdemonstrated that change could be achieved througharmed struggle.

However, few believed a victory was possible in theirown land. It seemed impossible to shift liberal dem-ocracy, designed to benefit the oppressors, to the left.Salvador Allende proved otherwise in Chile and paid ahigh price. More than two decades later, Venezuelaexperienced a similar situation with Comandante HugoChávez, who opened a cycle of progressive victoriesthat soon spread throughout almost all Latin America.

The right, hit by the catastrophic results of neo-liberalism and corruption scandals, did not give a min-ute’s respite to the new governments, as it retreated toreorganize the counteroffensive.

The left, unlike its predecessors, was respectful of the rules of the game and didn’t flip the table evenafter the coup attempts in Venezuela in 2002, inEcuador in 2010, or the secessionist initiatives inBolivia during the first stage of the Evo Moralesgovernment.

Although the political processes were, and are,different in each country, from the objectives outlinedto the extent of the transformations in practice, thescenario in which they have developed is very similar.

In order to reach political power, it was necessary tomake deals with various forces, in many casesreactionary and motivated solely for their own benefit,which ended up curbing the changes demanded bythe masses.

A sector of the Latin American left, accustomed todreaming of the Revolution in philosophical gather-ings, ended up on the opposite side after losing

disquisitions regarding the particular shade of redeach represented. At times due to opportunism, and atothers the inability to understand the historical mo-ment, they fell into what Lenin called “ultra-leftism”and described as an “infantile disorder.”

Over the last decade, the power of the media toconstruct realities, to function as a political actor andto influence public opinion was also demonstrated.

Just how far the right is willing to go to achieve itsgoals was also seen. Those, who in Venezueladescribed Chávez as a populist dictator, immediatelydissolved all democratic institutions as soon as theytook control of the country for a few brief hours in2002. Those, who today oppose the ConstituentAssembly convened by Nicolás Maduro, demanded it just a year ago.

There have been no qualms about the use of non-conventional warfare; parliamentary coups, economicboycotts or any other destabilizing method.

Above all, it was learned that it is not enough toreach the presidency to achieve major changes, or toimprove living conditions to achieve political aware-ness. Corruption and clientelism inherited from theLatin American “democratic model” are even morefiercely rejected by the people when they have thehallmark of the left, and neoliberal adjustments are no less unjust when they are made in the name ofprogressivism.

But perhaps it is healthy to have these enemies. Norevolution is worth anything unless it can defend itself.In any case, they help make things clear. To those whospeak of the end of the leftist cycle in Latin America,we should remember that apocryphal phrase thatsome put in the mouth of Don Quixote: “Let the dogsbark Sancho, it is a sign that we are moving forward.” •

The enemies of the left

INTERNATIONAL14 JULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Gabriela Ávila Gómez

• GERMANY already held elections atthe beginning of this year, duringwhich the Federal Assembly choseFrank-Walter Steinmeier as the na-tion’s President for the next four years.

The role of President, however, ispurely representative and protocolary.

It is in fact the Federal Chancellor –currently Angela Merkel – who holdsthe reins of government, and is incharge of making important decis-ions, together with other cabinetmembers.

As such, this September 24 thecountry will decide whether or notMerkel will continue to hold the po-sition, or if she will be replaced.

On that date, the German peoplewill be called on to choose membersof the Bundestag, the country’s Fed-eral Parliament, responsible for ex-ercising the will of the people, pas-sing federal laws, and choosing thenation’s Chancellor.

Recent polls put Angela Merkel inthe lead, who if reelected will serveas Chancellor for the fourth time.

The German official, also leader ofthe Christian Democratic Union(CDU) – in coalition with the ChristianSocial Union (CSU) – recently pre-sented her government program,focused on stemming the tide ofmigrants to the country.

In a recent press conference Merkelnoted that her plan is designed tounite the country, offering well-beingand security for all. At the end of thelegislative term, we want the peopleto better off than they were at thebeginning, she noted.

Meanwhile, the 72–page documentalso addresses employment, one ofthe most important issues currentlyaffecting Germany, with a 5.7% un-employment rate. Merkel, who stres-sed the importance of providing jobsfor all, promised to reduce the figureby 2.5% before 2025.

Increasing security measures, ex-panding benefits for families, and taxcuts also feature in the Chancellor’sproposal.

In the event that Merkel is reelected,the CSU announced that the countrywill accept a maximum of 200,000asylum seekers per year.

For the time being, Merkel’s closestrival appears to be 61 year old leaderof the Social Democratic Party ofGermany (SPD), Martin Schulz.

Schulz, who served as President ofthe European Parliament for manyyears, believes that he has the bestprogram for the future of the country,and stressed the need to reestablishthe continent as a place of freedom,security, and respect for rights.

The SPD candidate is proposing toexpand social policies, and combat

tax evasion and exploitative employ-ment contracts.

A recent poll showed Angela Merkelas leading the vote with 39%, 15points ahead of Schulz, who has lostsupport in recent weeks.

PROSPERITY FOR ALL

The latest figures show that the German economy grew 1.9 percent in2016, representing its best perform-

ance in the last five years. In this sense, during this year’s G-

20 Summit entitled “Shaping an Inter-connected World,” held last July 7-8 inHamburg, Germany, Merkel called onthe group’s leaders to focus onachieving sustainable and inclusiveeconomic development, while alsostressing the need for markets to“remain open,” and better tradeagreements that protect consumer,social, and environmental rights. •

GERMANY

Elections in sightDW

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, presented her government program, focused on stoppingthe wave of migrants to the country.

INTERNATIONAL 15JULY.14.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Elson Concepción Pérez

• ON July 14, 2015, the news emergedfrom Vienna that following 18 months of negotiations, the Islamic Republic ofIran and the United States, heading theso-called G5+1 group (the U.S., Russia,China, France, the United Kingdom andGermany), had reached a historic agre-ement which would limit Iran’s nuclearprogram, while Washington and Europeancountries pledged to lift sanctions im-posed on the country.

This agreement would hypothetically putan end to 35 years of confrontationalpolicy backed by U.S. governments,following the triumph of the IslamicRevolution.

Then U.S. President Barack Obamacongratulated himself on having “stoppedthe spread of nuclear weapons in thisregion,” while failing to mention Israel andits nuclear development, in defiance of the UN and the international community,as it refuses to allow its program to bemonitored by the responsible internationalagency.

The mass media broadcast claims thatthe agreement meant Iran’s possibilities of creating an atomic bomb had beenfrustrated, without recognizing at any pointthat the country’s nuclear program alwayshad peaceful purposes, in the service ofhuman health and energy development forthe progress of the Persian nation.

At the time, Iranian President HasanRohani noted that the deal demonstratedthat “constructive engagement works. Withthis unnecessary crisis resolved, newhorizons emerge with a focus on sharedchallenges.”

Meanwhile, the International AtomicEnergy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed thatIran has fulfilled all requirements for theunfreezing of its financial assets worthbetween 45 and 90 billion euros, as wellas the export of its oil.

Now, two years after the signing of thishistoric agreement on such a sensitiveissue, a new U.S. administration seemsdetermined to act with as much flippancyas it has with regard to other issues suchas climate change, immigration, the build-ing of walls between countries, andothers.

The Trump administration is proposing toabolish what has been agreed regardingthe Iranian nuclear program, and isalready taking steps to this end.

In a disjointed speech, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently describedthe deal with Iran as a “failed approach.”Yet just a few weeks earlier, the sameTillerson acknowledged to Congress thatIran has fully complied with the nuclearagreement signed.

Of course, these latest accusationsagainst Iran have a lot to do with PresidentTrump’s previous positions, when hereturned to the fray branding Iran “a statesponsor of terrorism.”

It is no accident that the Iranian questionhas returned to U.S. foreign policy centerstage. One need only recall that duringTrump’s visit to Saudi Arabia – his first trip

abroad - he insisted on justifying the saleof arms produced by the U.S. military-industrial complex to countries of the re-gion based on the alleged Iranian threat to Gulf nations.

Inventing an enemy, once again in theform of Iran, has obvious hegemonic,economic, and military purposes forWashington.

The Islamic Republic produces largequantities of oil and gas, and its nuclearenergy program aims to make the countryself-sufficient in terms of electricity needs,without resorting to the use of oil.

Likewise, Iran occupies a prominentplace in the defense of Syria’s sovereigntyand independence, supporting the countryin its fight against terrorist groups.

Palestine has always received thesolidarity and support of Iran, which iswhy Israel, Washington’s greatest ally inthe region, is pointing its nuclear devicesat this nation.

Meanwhile, the United States is thelargest supplier of weapons of all kinds to the Middle East region, helping to keepits economy afloat through the support ofits military-industrial complex, which iswhere the real power lies in the U.S., nomatter whether a Republican or a Demo-crat occupies the White House.

According to analysis by the StockholmInternational Peace Research Institute(SIPRI), arms imports by Middle Eastnations have increased by 86% in the lastfour years, with the U.S. being the largestexporter.

In addition to the huge agreement withSaudi Arabia to provide 110 billion USDworth of arms, the United States hasagreed to sell combat aircraft for 2.7 billiondollars to Bahrain, a small Gulf nationwhich, in addition to a lot of oil, also hasthe Fifth Fleet of the United States Navysitting in its waters.

Qatar is also a major importer of U.S.military equipment, according to the SIPRIreport, which notes a 245% increase inrecent years.

A few weeks ago, U.S. Secretary ofDefense James Mattis signed a $12 billiondollar deal for the sale of 36 F-15 fighterjets to Qatar, according to BBC Mundo.

While encouraging the rest of the Gulfmonarchies to cut ties with Qatar, Wash-ington continues to sell the country armsin astonishing amounts.

In this sense, it is worth rememberingwhat was expressed in relation to thisemirate by Democrat Congressman TedLieu during a congressional hearing: “It'svery confusing to world leaders andmembers of Congress when the Trumpadministration does two exactly oppositethings.”

Perhaps what Trump is really seekingwith the situation created around Qatarand the other Gulf States, is precisely toexacerbate new divisions and create newconflicts that allow for the sales of moreweapons by the U.S. military industry.

I coincide with other political analystswho ask whether Trump has a realstrategy for the Middle East, beyondselling arms to the region? •

In a disjointed discourse, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently described the deal with Iranas a “failed approach.”

Iran caught in the crosshairs

of Trump’s policy

REUTERS

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COLOR DE LA 16 ESPAÑOL

European brigade members express support for the Cuban Revolution

The work of a loyal friend recognized

COLOR DE LA 16 ESPAÑOL

Nuria Barbosa León Photos: Karoly Emerson/ICAP

• THE 47th European José Martí voluntary work and Cubasolidarity brigade, composed of over 75 individuals fromsome 10 countries, is brining a message of support for theCuban Revolution, as participants learn and become morefamiliar with the island’s people, during their stay in thecountry.

Based at the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp, in theprovince of Artemisa, the group is undertaking activities July3-21; including voluntary agricultural work, visits to sites ofhistoric interest, communities, schools and institutions in theprovinces of Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, and La Habana.

Brigadistas will also attend conferences by Cuban expertson the life and work of José Martí; the island’s economy andthe updating process currently underway; its political systemand participative democracy; as well as the damage causedby the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockadeimposed on the Cuban people by the United States; thepolitical thought of Ernesto Che Guevara, and other relevantissues.

Two participants, Juan Guirau and Schneider Benedet fromFrance – both members of the Marseille branch of the Cuba-France Friendship Association - spoke with GranmaInternational.

This is Guirau’s fifth visit to Cuba with the brigade, while it is Benedet first. Both talked about the work of their org-anization and its efforts in the struggle against aggressive andinterventionist policies toward the island by successive U.S.governments. They also highlighted actions undertaken bythe Association to disseminate information about the island’sreality, in order to combat anti-Cuban media campaignswaged by the traditional press in their country.

Meanwhile, their comrade Kasper Libeert from Belgium andrepresenting the Cuba-Socialist solidarity movement, ex-plained that his organization is preparing a day of tributes inSeptember, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of theassassination of heroic guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara inBolivia.

“We’re going to have a huge festival,” stated the Belgian. “We are inviting Cuban intellectuals and artists, Aleida Gue-vara (Che’s daughter), Harry “Pombo” Villegas who foughtalongside Che in Bolivia. There will also be peace activistsfrom the U.S. and a delegation from the Cuban Institute of

Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).”The group is planning a two-day event in Brussels in

November, where participants will visit Parliament to explainto members the negative impact of the U.S. blockade on theCuban people, and call on them to publically denounce thegenocidal and unjust policy.

“Our organization opposes the occupation of theGuantánamo territory, where an illegal U.S. military base islocated,” stated the young activist, noting that this is one ofmany issues addressed by the group through their Cubasolidarity work.

Recently the organization has denounced the step-back inthe process of rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba,initiated under former President Barack Obama, following achange in the country’s policy toward the island announced inJune by current President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, retired university professor Luisa Carvalho,representing the Portugal-Cuba Friendship Association,chose to join the brigade in order to contribute, in some way,to the construction of socialism and at the same time get toknow more about the island and its people.

“I’ve read information that circulates about Cuba in Europe.

There are two different positions on the subject: that dis-seminated by leftist parties and organizations with articlesdefending the Revolution; while right wing groups exploit anynegative detail to totally condemn and slander the socialconstruction of the country. We must be ready to refute thiskind of information which is being circulated around theworld,” she added.

Spanish sisters Rosalía and Luzía Mendez Senra agree.The two brigadistas, perhaps the youngest members of thegroup: the former 18 years of age and about to start university,and the latter a 16 year old high school student, are visitingthe island to meet and talk with the Cuban people, ex-periences which they will report back to their friends andclassmates.

“Over there they spread a lot of lies about Cuba and we wantto see what it’s really like,” noted the young women.

During the welcoming ceremony, ICAP First Vice PresidentElio Gámez, thanked those present for their personal sacrificeand work to support the Revolution from their countries oforigin, and for deciding to visit the island as part of a solidaritybrigade. “Cuba is proud of its friends and solidarity around theworld which has stood the test of time,” he stated. •

Nuria Barbosa León

• CANADIAN journalist and sociologist Arnold August waspresented, in Havana, with the Friendship Medal awardedby the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba; an honorwhich he dedicated to the memory of Comandante en JefeFidel Castro Ruz.

Gerardo Hernández, decorated Hero of the Republic ofCuba, presented the distinction to the outstanding intel-lectual, who described Fidel as a “source of inspiration forthe world in the struggle for social justice, sovereignty andpeace.”

Speaking with Granma International at the headquartersof the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)in Havana, the Canadian journalist reiterated the need to highlight the ways in which Cuban revolutionaries arestruggling against cultural aggression promoted by Westerncountries, above all the United States.

According to August, the core of this anti-Cuban mediacampaign is based around the concept of democracy, withthe U.S. presenting itself as its global champion. On theisland, meanwhile, this concept is understood as a form ofparticipatory governance, in which the people makedecisions.

I dedicate my struggle to combating false propagandaagainst Cuba, sponsored by imperial governments andcapitalist mass media, he noted, whilst going on to stressthe importance of making people in other parts of the world

aware of actions being taken by the island to resist suchaggression.

It is for this reason that August has dedicated his life toconducting research, with over 70 articles already publishedon social networks. He is also the author of various books,including Democracy in Cuba 1997-1998, Cuba and its

Neighbors: Democracy in Motion, and Cuba-U.S.Relations: Obama and Beyond; and has recently editedthe work The End of Ideology in Cuba?, which will bepresented at next year’s Havana International Book Fair.

August has been a loyal defender of the island and itspeople ever since his early affiliation with the “Carrefour del’Amitié” Cuba solidarity organization, which later becamethe “Quebec-Cuba Solidarity Network,” until it was changedto its present format: “The Round Table CoordinatingCommittee of Quebec-Cuba Solidarity.”

The activist is currently a member of the Latin AmericanStudies Association (LASA) and the Caracas-basedNetwork of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements inDefense of Humanity. He is also a collaborator for multi-national television broadcaster teleSUR, and websitesCubadebate and Cubaperiodistas, as well as other mediaoutlets from Spain, Chile and Ecuador.

Arnold August also founded the “Fabio Di Celmo”Committee for the Freedom for the Cuban Five in Quebec,and headed a delegation from the Canadian province to theFirst Cuba-Canada Encounter and Second InternationalSolidarity with Cuba Encounter, both held in Havana. Suchefforts saw August receive the Félix Elmuza Medal, thehighest distinction awarded by the Union of Journalists ofCuba (UPEC).

The Canadian sociologist also explained how ideasemerged for his work during two conversations withComandante Fidel Castro Ruz regarding his research.

He also demanded an end to the criminal economic,commercial and financial blockade imposed by the UnitedStates on Cuba, and noted that he will continue to defendsocialist Cuba against cultural aggression. •

European brigade members express support for the Cuban Revolution

Members of the 47th European José Martí voluntary work andCuba solidarity brigade, condemned the economic, commercialand financial blockade imposed by the United States on theisland.

The brigade is composed of individuals of all ages from variousEuropean countries.

The work of a loyal friend recognized

Gerardo Hernández, decorated Hero of the Republic of Cuba, presentsCanadian journalist, Arnold August, with the Friendship Medal.

ORLANDO PERERA/ICAP

This weekly is published in English,French, Spanish and Portuguese.Monthly in German and Italian.Updates daily on the Internet.

A WEEKLY ON CUBA AND LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS | JULY.14.2017 | ENGLISH EDITION

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