Wed, Oct 2
Welcome to the seventh installment of Belly of the Beast’s newsletter: Cuba in Context.
This week we interview former Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez about Cuba policy and his own political awakening, we hear what everyday Cubans think about the upcoming U.S. election, and we take a look at the impact of the blockade on Cuba from 2023-24.
Havana, Oct 13 (Prensa Latina) The 6th International Colloquium of Studies on Native Cultures of the Americas, to be held Oct. 15-18, organized at Casa de las Americas, will be dedicated to the diversity of knowledge of the indigenous populations of the Americas.
The meeting will be held in Havana under the theme “Counter-hegemonic alternatives from sciences and native knowledge”.
This Colloquium seeks to encourage reflection on the historical conditions that explain the exclusion of knowledge generated from native cultures.
It also aims to make visible the strategies of resistance that make it possible for this counter-hegemonic knowledge to last and be reproduced to this day.
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Tegucigalpa, October 14 (RHC)– Friends of Cuba in Honduras have demanded an immediate end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States, a policy that today hinders the development of the Caribbean country.
According to the final declaration of the 12th National Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba held in the Honduran department of Intibucá, Washington’s unilateral measure against the island has caused enormous damage and continues to be the main obstacle to progress towards development.
Referring to the measures to tighten the siege, the members of the Honduras-Cuba Friendship Association affirmed that they not only affect the Cuban people, but also the interests of other countries and several U.S. sectors that are betting on normalizing bilateral ties.
The document also demanded to remove Cuba from the spurious list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorism, when the island is one of the victims of that scourge and not a promoter.
Likewise, the document demanded the return of the territory illegally occupied at the Guantanamo Naval Base, and described it as a flagrant violation of sovereignty, whose headquarters is a criminal torture center widely denounced worldwide.
The statement denounced the increased hostility and aggressive rhetoric of the Washington government against Havana, which seeks to dismantle the progress achieved at the bilateral level.
It also demanded the independence of Puerto Rico with the purpose of decolonizing all peoples from the imperial yoke.
The solidarity meeting condemned the interventionist policies and the financing of subversive plans against the Cuban Revolution promoted by the government of the United States, which is contrary to international law and to the will of the majority of the Cuban people to choose their own political system.
It expressed solidarity with the peoples of Latin America, the Caribbean and the world who are the object of an imperialist escalation and offensive by the fascist and Zionist forces against humanity, while calling for a halt to the genocide by the Israeli forces against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The statement made reference to the application of coercive and unilateral measures by the United States and its allies against other nations such as Venezuela and Nicaragua, and demanded an end to these policies.
The XII National Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba was held for two days in Tegucigalpa and was attended by dozens of delegates from various regions of this Central American nation.
Havana, October 13 (RHC)– From Cuba, Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity vindicated the legacy of the oppressed in memory of the cultural clash of October 12, 1492.
Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity declared this Saturday in Havana the vindication of the legacy of the oppressed in memory of the cultural clash of October 12, 1492 and the emancipatory process that followed.
Through a statement, Cuba’s cultural institutions condemn “all forms of colonialism, neocolonialism and exploitation — past and present — and denounce any attempt to impose a pink legend or glorify perpetrators and ideologues of such outrages.”
With the hashtag #NadaQueCelebrar — Nothing to Celebrate — which qualifies “one of the darkest chapters of history,” produced in the so-called “discovery” of the American continent, the text alludes to the “extermination, the encomienda, the mita, the imported diseases and the cultural shock that [Europeans] produced in the first century and a half of colonization.”.
The cultural institution Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity vindicate the resistance embodied by “those who rose up five centuries ago against the oppressors and all those who, on this side of the world, since then, have decided to cast their lot with the poor of the earth.”
“The invasion of America by Europeans – in the words of José Martí – constituted the interference of a devastating civilization, two words that, being an antagonism, constitute a process,” contains the text, which was posted on the Facebook profile of Casa de las Americas in Havana.
“Nothing to celebrate. The conquest and colonization of the Americas turned the initial encounter of two cultures into a sequence of plundering and underdeveloping plundering to which a greater infamy would be added: the slave trade.”
For his part, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez stated on his X account that “the conquest and colonization of America would add a greater infamy: the slave trade.”
Oct 12 (teleSUR) Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro expressed his solidarity with the March to commemorate 532 years of Indigenous Resistance in Caracas, and questioned whether Spain should celebrate October 12 as a national date when in fact the populations of the Americas were robbed and murdered.
“Now they say it’s Hispanity Day and we are Hispanic, they call us Hispanoamerica,” but he rejected this slogan and reaffirmed that ” we are Our America rebel, the America of resistance, make no mistake,” said Maduro.
“Long live the Day of Indigenous Resistance, long live the Indian Homeland, we are a fighting people and have only one march, 532 marching towards the process of decolonization; they surnames, empires are heirs of colonialism, of slavery and all forms of discrimination and crime”, declared the head of State.
President Maduro said that fascism is the heir and direct expression of colonialism, and that today’s fascists are the heirs of the worst in human history.
“President Nicolás Maduro: The Bolivarian Government has taken into account the indigenous peoples in the social, cultural, and political areas, reclaiming their historical struggles; we continue forward, defending this sacred land. Long live the Indigenous Resistance of our #America!“
In contrast, Maduro considers himself and his people to be the heirs of the noblest and most beautiful resistance, represented by the indigenous “great chief Guaicaipuro.”
“Here we are, the children of who faced them, who did not kneel and who did not submit our American people; we are a perfect blend of diversity, a demonstration that the popular indigenous, Afro, and revolutionary forces continue in the streets because the streets belong to the people and not to the oligarchy,” he said.
The text highlights the recognition of Commander Hugo Chávez for making the indigenous cause visible in Venezuela, pushing its recognition in the Constitution and laws and requests to consolidate an institute that rescues indigenous languages and housing plans, Health and education in the indigenous communities.
He concludes by stating that the 532-year resistance of the indigenous peoples joins the resistance of Palestine, Lebanon and Syria against the same colonizing powers, and calls for preparation to remain at the forefront of just causes.
Havana, October 12 (RHC)– Gambia’s new ambassador to Cuba, Seyaka Sonko that the willingness of his country and the largest Antillean island to explore new opportunities in relations is a clear demonstration that both are interested in moving forward.
“This partnership is deeply rooted in the basic principles of trust, mutual respect and reciprocal benefits,” said the head of Mission, who presented the credentials to Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa on September 18.
At the ceremony of his presentation to the rest of the diplomatic corps and officials of local institutions, Sonko affirmed that his objective and by extension that of the Embassy in Havana is to strengthen the existing cordial ties through productive commitments.
“In doing so, we also seek to actively liaise with other missions accredited to Cuba to foster greater collaboration in our collective goal of finding comprehensive and lasting solutions to the many complex problems that threaten global stability and peaceful coexistence,” the ambassador asserted.
He also expressed his position that no country has the right to subject the citizens of any nation to untold suffering, hardship and misery, referring to states that apply policies of sanctions and blockades.
“If we truly wish to live in a just and peaceful world, we must always strive to live by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Sonko noted.
The diplomat recalled that the history of The Gambia and Cuba began in 1979 when they established diplomatic relations; however, it was not until 2000 that the Gambian government opened its embassy in Havana, “and since then cooperation between the two countries has been growing in importance,” he remarked. (Source: Prensa Lartina)
Havana, October 12 (RHC)– The director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Belize, Amalia Mai highlighted Cuba’s support to her country.
Mai thanked and highlighted the Cuban support in several areas of the economy and society, at the Conference of International Partners of Strategic Alliances, which took place on October 10 and 11, sponsored by the Government of Belize.
During his speech, he praised “Cuba’s traditional support for the training of human resources”, according to the text sent by the Cuban embassy in Belize and published by the Foreign Ministry of the island.
He also praised “the permanence of collaboration in the field of health for 34 years, in terms of public health of our people”.
He also highlighted “the important work carried out by the Henry Reeve Brigade during the Covid-19 pandemic” in different regions of the country with complex situations.
Under the theme “Unlocking climate finance and disaster risk financing for sustainable development”, the event was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño.
In addition to Amalia Mai’s speech, Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology, gave a keynote address.
The Cuban ambassador to Belize, María Caridad Balaguer, participated in the meeting together with ministers of state, general directors, other diplomats, officials of international organizations and numerous specialists in the topics discussed, according to the Foreign Ministry’s press release. (Source: Prensa Latina)
Havana, October 13 (RHC)– From Cuba, Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity vindicated the legacy of the oppressed in memory of the cultural clash of October 12, 1492.
Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity declared this Saturday in Havana the vindication of the legacy of the oppressed in memory of the cultural clash of October 12, 1492 and the emancipatory process that followed.
Through a statement, Cuba’s cultural institutions condemn “all forms of colonialism, neocolonialism and exploitation — past and present — and denounce any attempt to impose a pink legend or glorify perpetrators and ideologues of such outrages.”
With the hashtag #NadaQueCelebrar — Nothing to Celebrate — which qualifies “one of the darkest chapters of history,” produced in the so-called “discovery” of the American continent, the text alludes to the “extermination, the encomienda, the mita, the imported diseases and the cultural shock that [Europeans] produced in the first century and a half of colonization.”.
The cultural institution Casa de las Americas, the Office of the Martiano Program and the World Council of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity vindicate the resistance embodied by “those who rose up five centuries ago against the oppressors and all those who, on this side of the world, since then, have decided to cast their lot with the poor of the earth.”
“The invasion of America by Europeans – in the words of José Martí – constituted the interference of a devastating civilization, two words that, being an antagonism, constitute a process,” contains the text, which was posted on the Facebook profile of Casa de las Americas in Havana.
“Nothing to celebrate. The conquest and colonization of the Americas turned the initial encounter of two cultures into a sequence of plundering and underdeveloping plundering to which a greater infamy would be added: the slave trade.”
For his part, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez stated on his X account that “the conquest and colonization of America would add a greater infamy: the slave trade.”
Caracas, October 12 (RHC)– The Venezuelan government has expressed its strong rejection of the renewal of the so-called Fact-Finding Mission, which was approved by the Human Rights Council of United Nations. In a statement, Caracas declared that the renewal of this body is “illegitimate” and serves “exclusively political objectives” in favor of the United States government.
In a statement, Caracas declared that the renewal of this body is “illegitimate” and serves “exclusively political objectives” in favor of the United States government. It stated that these missions have become “instruments of coercion and blackmail against sovereign peoples and governments” and represent “a clear indication of the deviation of United Nations institutions.”
Furthermore, the statement denounced their incapacity to address genuine acts of crimes against humanity, such as the genocide in Palestine and the bombing of civilians in Lebanon perpetrated by the State of Israel.
“The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has demonstrated a strengthened commitment to human rights,” which is “much more solid than that of most governments that today promote its instrumentalization to reverse the advances of the revolutionary democratic process in Venezuela,” concludes the declaration.
Oct 11 (The Christian Broadcasting Network – CBN) U.S. and Cuban officials are meeting in Havana Thursday to talk about normalizing relations.
Roberta Jacobson, the top American diplomat for Latin America, is leading the U.S. delegation. She’s the most senior U.S. official to visit Cuba since 1980.
The two countries will discuss how to bring a Cuban ambassador to the United States and how to re-open the American Embassy in Havana.
Cuba is asking that the United States remove it from a U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. Washington says it’s considering the possibility.
Cuba is also asking for broad changes to U.S. immigration rules that allow virtually automatic legal residency for any Cuban who touches U.S. soil. So far the United States has rebuffed that demand.
The Cuban government has long blamed Cold War policy for luring tens of thousands of Cubans every year to make dangerous journeys by land and sea to reach the United States.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the “wet foot, dry foot” approach, which usually protects Cubans from deportation if they reach the America, remains in effect.
He also stressed, however, that Cubans trying to enter illegally would likely be interdicted and returned.
The number of Cuban rafters attempting to reach Florida spiked after President Barack Obama’s Dec. 17 announcement on normalizing relations with Cuba. In recent days, those numbers appear to have slowed.
teleSUR Latin America Cubadebate (English)