Raúl: Unity is our principal weapon

The Communist Party of Cuba’s first secretary emphasized unity during a meeting with leaders of provincial and municipal committees

by  Leticia Martínez Hernández

Granma | June 12, 2018

Photo: Estudio Revolución

The Communist Party of Cuba’s first secretary, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, addressed members of the Central Committee Secretariat; first secretaries of municipal and provincial committees; other auxiliary functionaries; and representatives of mass organizations and the Young Communists League, at the conclusion of a three-day meeting held at the Party’s Ñico López cadre school, in Havana.

Ernesto Guevara: The man who gave himself

by Yisel Martínez

Granma | June 13, 2018

Photo: Korda, Alberto

There are figures who never die, who cease being mere mortals to remain inevitably in history. People of thought, of character, of passion and sacrifice, who exalt human nature and attest to how much we can do as a species. Ernesto Che Guevara de la Serna is one of these figures.

Cuba: The blockade, congenital deafness and the language of the peoples

by Redaccion Granma

Granma | June 12, 2018

Cuba’s stature grows despite the blockade. Photo: Endrys Correa Vaillant

If there is still someone who believes that the economic, commercial, financial blockade of Cuba is an exaggeration on the part of authorities here, they can refer to the latest episode in the implementation of this hostile policy described as genocidal.

Kim-Trump summit: Hardcore war mongers aren’t happy

by Farooque Chowdhury

Countercurrents.org | June 13, 2018

The hardcore warmongers aren’t happy with the just completed Kim-Trump Singapore summit. The warmongers love warmongering and war as these increase their amount and rate of profit. Reactions to the latest diplomatic development in the Korea region speak this love.

The Singapore Summit: A Good Beginning

 by K P Fabian

Countercurrents.org | June 13, 2018

Confounding his critics and an army of pundits who were confidently predicting an unsuccessful summit, President Trump has demonstrated that his deal-making approach can deliver results in an area where patient, plodding, conventional, hesitant diplomacy has signally failed.

Students saved South Africa

by Peter Kenworthy

Pambazuka News | May 31, 2018

South African History Online

The Nelson Mandela Centenary will be making headlines around the world on 18 July. But 50 years ago, Mandela was in prison and the African National Congress was virtually defunct within South Africa. Instead, it was a students’ organisation that reignited the struggle against apartheid. 

De-Briefing Academics: Unpaid Intelligence Informants

by James Petras

The Greanville Post | June 09, 2018

Introduction

Over the past half-century, I have been engaged in research, lectured and worked with social movements and leftist governments in Latin America. I interviewed US officials and think tanks in Washington and New York. I have written scores of books, hundreds of professional articles and presented numerous papers at professional meetings.

The Alternative Media Can Defeat the Mainstream Media – Here’s the Game Plan

by Ron Unz

The Greanville Post | June 10, 2018

(Unz-shutterstock_112563722x-600×470)

[Editor’s Note: We are extremely glad to see Ron Unz put forth a cogent memo on the need to attack the mainstream media as both a tactical and strategic priority for everyone serious about end ing the primacy of the Western imperialist paradigm. This is a long neglected task of the US left—or put more broadly—of those forces wishing to effect truly revolutionary changes in the rotten status quo prevailing in America and in much of its orbit of influence.

The Bigger Problem is Inequality

by Bharat Jhunjhunwala

Frontier| June 13, 2018

The Modi Government has implemented the welfare programs like providing free gas cylinders under Ujjwala scheme to the poor persons. Such efforts are most welcome. However, these will not bring peace and social cohesion and may not even beget votes for BJP because the bigger problem is that of increasing inequality.

Poverty alleviation and reduction of inequality are two entirely different concepts. Poverty alleviation means that the poorest are “alleviated,” that is, basic means of livelihood such as food, clothing and shelter are made available to every individual. This can be done along with prevalence of high levels of inequality. It is like well kempt grass in the garden coexisting with tall eucalyptus trees. Big companies can keep wages low while the government gives out free gas cylinders while the make huge profits and give out huge dividends to their rich shareholders. The common man is like the well kempt grass while the rich are like the eucalyptus tree. Such a situation simultaneously leads to poverty alleviation along with high inequality. The poor get enough to keep their body and soul together but the disparity between their incomes and the rich prevails at high levels.

Cuba: Working on solutions with popular participation

The President of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo, exchanged views on the experiment underway in the province of Mayabeque

by  Ysney Izquierdo

Granma | June 08, 2018

Working for economic efficiency was one of the topics emphasized by Esteban Lazo in Mayabeque. Photo: Jorge Luis González

The experience in the provinces of Mayabeque and Artemisa offers an extraordinarily beneficial model for Cuba, especially regarding the separation and delimitation of different functions, which should lead to more coherent processes and comprehensive results.