Cuba — millions celebrate 50th anniversary

by Josi A Cru

Millions of Cubans celebrated the 50th anniversary of the start of the 
Cuban Revolution with carnivals, dancing, street festivals, parades, 
meetings and rallies. July 26 is the anniversary of the attack on the 
Moncada Barracks, which sparked the revolution.

In Santiago, at the site of the Moncada barracks, Cuban President Fidel 
Castro spoke of the social problems that affected Cuba 50 years ago and led 
to his organising and leading the rebellion.

He said that in 1953, there were 600,000 unemployed Cubans while another 
"400,000 farm workers laboured only four months a year and were hungry the 
rest of the year ... More than half of the best lands were in foreign 
hands." In 1953, only 22.3 percent of the population was literate, the 
Cuban President recalled.

Immediately after the triumph of the Revolution, the Government recruited 
and sent people into all parts of this Caribbean country to teach people to 
read and write in the most massive educational campaign of its type in 
history.

Citing figures on health, education, jobs, and other areas, the Cuban 
President contrasted Cuban life 50 years ago and today.

Today, "85 percent of the population owns their own home. They pay no 
taxes. The remaining 15 percent pay a small rent, which is merely 
symbolic."

He said the gains of the Cuban Revolution show that the revolutionaries' 
"program has been fulfilled and over-fulfilled. For a while, we have been 
following higher and unimaginable dreams."

Even though the attack on the Moncada barracks was not successful and 
Castro and the other rebels were captured, Cubans regard the attack as the 
start of the Cuban Revolution, which culminated in the revolutionaries 
driving out the dictatorial regime of Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959.

The rebels who did not die in the battle were captured, tried and sent to 
prison.

Castro recalled his defence speech during his trial. In the speech, which 
ends with the prophetic statement, "History will absolve me", he said, "The 
future of the nation and the solutions to its problems cannot go on 
depending on the egotistical interests of a dozen financiers."

He said he considered this to be the most important part of his defence. 
That speech was secretly printed and distributed throughout the country 
while Castro was in jail.

Castro said that neither the Cuban Government nor its people would accept 
being pressured. "Cuba, a small country, besieged and blockaded, has not 
only been able to survive, but to help other countries of the Third World, 
which have been exploited by colonising European countries."

He said the European governments were working more in the interest of the 
US than of Europe. "Neither Europe nor the US will have the final word on 
the fate of humanity", he said while calling on the EU to act in a way 
which is not "arrogant".

Supporters of the Cuban Revolution and of normalised relations with Cuba 
held activities celebrating the Moncada anniversary throughout Europe, the 
US, as well as in Latin America and the rest of the world.

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The author can be reached at j.a.cruz@comcast.net
People's Weekly World (abridged)