The Revolution, Raúl’s most beautiful work

Granma presents excerpts from the June 2 book presentation held in the Palace of the Revolution’s Reception Hall, with the presence of Party First Secretary and President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the country’s top leadership, and Army General Raul Castro’s brothers in arms, Rebel Army Comandante José Ramón Machado Ventura, and Comandantes del la Revolución Ramiro Valdés Menéndez and Guillermo García Frías. 

Abel Prieto

Granma | June 08, 2021

Revolución, la obra más hermosa from the Ediciones Celia publishing house (Revolution, the most beautiful work). Photo: Estudios Revolución

This valuable, important, transcendental book we present here today was compiled and edited with particular care by the Office of Historical Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic and is the first title of its publishing house, Ediciones Celia, named in honor of a figure central to our revolutionary process, in war and peace, a woman who did so much, especially for the preservation of its history.

We are presenting a very beautiful edition on the eve of the birthday of the author, Army General Raul Castro Ruz, a gift to Raul on this anniversary of his birth, and also, no doubt, a great gift to the Cuban people.

I must say that Revolución, la obra más hermosa (Revolution, the most beautiful work) was to include a prologue by our unforgettable Eusebio Leal, who had a very close friendship with Raúl, whom he called, as we all remember, “el General Presidente.” Eusebio was ill, and his ailments, growing progressively worse, did not allow him to introduce the book.

G7 no longer able to order world around

Martin Jacques 

Countercurrents | June 10, 2021

In these Covid times, “There is an ongoing attempt to reframe G7 as the representative and champion of the democratic world in the struggle against autocracy, shorthand for China…. West’s indifference to the vaccination needs of the developing world will be on full display at the G7 summit”.

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Fine words will accompany the G7 summit this week. Much will be promised. And little will be delivered. It has long been like this. The G7 is no longer fit for purpose. Comprising the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan, in the 1970s the G7 was the overlord of the global economy. Today, the G7 is but a pale shadow of what it once was, reduced to the role of a declining faction within the global economy. It still talks in grandiose terms about its intentions, but the world has learnt to discount them. It is entirely appropriate that this week’s summit will be chaired by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a grandmaster of verbal exaggeration and empty gestures.

The Imperial geopolitics is facing challenge

Farooque Chowdhury

Countercurrents | June 04, 2021

Developments on the world stage are stunning. Almost every day, geopolitical incidents and moves are appearing magical.

The developments are challenging the Empire’s geopolitics in regions. Months ago, the Empire gave an impression that it’ll regain ground whatever has been lost, prestige that slipped down from its crown. Immediate moves were taken, at least for public view. Those were image-rebuilding moves, and some other “things”.

As part of that image rebuilding exercise and something extra, war ships were ordered to cross certain straits, carrier group was ordered to navigate a certain sea, a certain country – China – was identified as the chief foe, a certain leader – Putin – was identified as “killer”, and certain talks were held in Tokyo and some other capital cities, and in a certain city – Anchorage in Alaska, attempts were made to press Iran to go back to a position not comfortable for Tehran, the Ukraine border was made hot, which led at least one analyst to write Ukraine was back at the center of geopolitics [1] – a dead analysis that was.

G7: Desperately Seeking Relevancy

Pepe Escobar

The Greanville Post | June 10, 2021

The upcoming G7 in Cornwall at first might be seen as the quirky encounter of “America is Back” with “Global Britain”.

The Big Picture though is way more sensitive. Three Summits in a Row – G7, NATO and US-EU – will be paving the way for a much expected cliffhanger: the Putin-Biden summit in Geneva – which certainly won’t be a reset.

The controlling interests behind the hologram that goes by the name of “Joe Biden” have a clear overarching agenda: to regiment industrialized democracies – especially those in Europe – and keep them in lockstep to combat those “authoritarian” threats to US national security, “malignant” Russia and China.

Biden clears the air on ties with Russia and China

 M K Bhadrakumar 

Countercurrents | June 11, 2021

The US President Joe Biden’s op-ed in  Washington Post My trip to Europe is about America rallying the world’s democracies will draw wide attention in world capitals from Brussels to Beijing.

He says right at the outset that this weeklong trip to Europe, the first overseas trip of his presidency, is “about realising America’s renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age.”

Biden reaffirms that the US “must lead the world from a position of strength” — be it on climate change or in “confronting the harmful activities of the governments of China and Russia” — and it demands that America’s economic recovery is firmly on track, and that “we are flanked by nations that share our values and our vision for the future — by other democracies.”

Join the International Free Alex Saab Committee in the struggle to #FreeAlexSaab

The US Government ordered Venezuelan diplomat detained, held in isolation, and denied needed medical care in Cabo Verde! Help demand his release. 

1. Sign and share the open letter
2. Read and share background resources on the campaign to #FreeAlexSaab
3. Follow for updates

Sign onto the open letter:

The International Free Alex Saab Committee has launched a campaign to collect signatures and send simultaneous direct emails to authorities in the United States and Cape Verde.

Join thousands who have already signed along with the prominent individuals below to demand authorities in the United States and Cape Verde release of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, arbitrarily detained in Cape Verde following US orders almost one year ago.

Endorsed by:

Noam Chomsky
Vijay Prashad
Alfred de Zayas
Medea Benjamin
Max Blumenthal
Dan Kovalik
Steve Ellner
Ben Norton
Jose Pertierra

Save the Life of Alex Saab!

Venezuelan diplomat kidnapped by U.S. – Held in isolation and denied medical care in Cabo Verde! #FreeAlexSaab!

español | português | francés

US authorities ordered his arrest, and Alex Saab was pulled off a plane on June 12, 2020, during a refuelling stop in the Republic of Cabo Verde, an island nation off Africa’s West Coast.

Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat to the African Union, was on a humanitarian mission to Iran at the time of his seizure to arrange emergency shipments of food, medicine, and essential supplies for Venezuela.  Detained and imprisoned in total isolation and darkness in Cabo Verde for the past year, Saab has also been tortured.

Saab is battling cancer and urgently needs to be cared for by his doctors in Venezuela.

The US sanctioned Saab for his diplomatic role purchasing essential supplies for Venezuela and indicted him for building houses for the less well-off, calling his work “money laundering.” In March, however, after a three-year investigation, Swiss prosecutors found no evidence to support charges of money laundering.

Saab has never worked in nor lived in nor visited the United States for the past 30 years, nor was he involved in any transaction that included the US. Every aspect of Saab’s seizure and abusive treatment violates international law.

If the US government can extradite Alex Saab, Washington could be emboldened to seize, charge and extradite anybody anywhere. This kidnapping is a chilling reminder of the notorious US program launched in 2001 of secret renditions and disappearances of hundreds of people worldwide, some held for years without trial.

A credentialed diplomat, Saab’s arrest and year-long detention flagrantly violates internationally guaranteed diplomatic immunity. This act, ordered by the Trump Administration, is a racist insult to the African Union. It should not be continued by the Biden Administration.

The request for extradition is entirely illegal as the US has no extradition treaty with Cabo Verde, whose population of 561,000 is spread over 10 volcanic islands.

Cabo Verde is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The ECOWAS Court of Justice ordered Saab’s immediate release and termination of the extradition process on 15 March. Pressured by the US, Cabo Verde has yet to comply with the ECOWAS Court’s decision and is preparing an extradition trial.

US sanctions on Venezuela, Iran and 37 other countries violate international law and the UN Charter. Aimed at destabilizing a country through economic sabotage, sanctions inflict impoverishment and suffering on the civilian population and create dire shortages in essential supplies.

The US has sabotaged Venezuela’s exports and imports for years and has especially targeted a direct, house-to-house, food delivery program, called the CLAP Program, depriving Venezuelans of food.

The bogus charge against Alex Saab, as well as similar cases against North Korea’s Mun Chol Myong and China’s Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou involve individuals engaged in perfectly legal international trade, not US trade. (thegrayzone.com, April 27).

Alex Saab’s case has received international publicity, especially in African and Venezuelan news media, but in the US corporate media, there has been almost no coverage.

Saab’s case impacts the 15 African countries already under US sanctions. It resonates in US-sanctioned Iran and in Venezuela, where social media campaigns and demonstrations have demanded Saab’s release.

__________

SEND this message

To: United States President Joseph Biden

To: Republic of Cabo Verde Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva

To: Republic of Cabo Verde President Jorge Carlos Fonseca

We join in calling for the immediate release of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab.

Alex Saab is held in complete isolation in Cabo Verde and is in a life-threatening crisis. He is battling cancer. This has been untreated for the year he has been held.

Medical care has been refused! A visit from a London oncologist was refused. Alex Saab must be immediately released on humanitarian grounds.

Alex Saab is a lawfully appointed diplomat to the African Union. Arresting and holding a diplomat for any reason is a violation of international law and an insult to the African Union.

Alex Saab was kidnapped, held and tortured under orders from the Trump administration.

We call on President Biden to drop the demand for Alex Saab’s extradition to the U.S. This is clearly a violation of international law.

We call on the Prime Minister and the President of Cabo Verde to release Saab immediately to Venezuela to receive medical treatment.

Sign onto the open letter!

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Campaign Updates:

6/1/21: International delegation of legal experts and activists prepares to visit Alex Saab in Cape Verde to learn about the case firsthand, raise awareness about the case, and awaken public opinion to his plight.

5/29/21: Boston School Bus Drivers Union (USW Local 8751) passes resolution demanding the immediate Release Venezuelan Diplomat Alex Saab (Orinoco Tribune, May 30, 2021)

UN Human Rights Committee: Suspend the extradition of Ambassador Alex Saab

The United Nations Human Rights Committee orders Cape Verde to
immediately suspend the extradition of Ambassador Alex Saab to the United States of America

8 June 2021

In a decision on interim measures dated June 8, 2021, the United Nations Human Rights Committee calls on Cape Verde to ‘refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Saab to the United States of America” and to “take all necessary measures to ensure access to appropriate health care […] by independent and specialized physicians of his choice”.

This decision ordering interim measures is the first urgent step resulting from the registration of a complaint filed by Alex Saab with the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Committee, a body composed of 18 independent experts.

In the petition, that is receiving the Committee’s full attention, Ambassador Alex Saab claims to be victim of acts of torture and ill-treatment at the time of the arrest and in detention by State agents; inhumane and degrading conditions of the detention due to the lack of medical care given his health condition as a cancer patient suffering numerous pathologies that require urgent medical care; the risk of being tortured and ill-treated in case of extradition
and to be exposed to further violations of his rights if extradited; the denial of his right to be informed of consular rights; and the arbitrary nature of his detention.

US Compels Small African Country to Imprison Venezuelan Diplomat – International Human Rights Delegation Files Habeas Corpus to Free Alex Saab

Roger Harris

RESUMEN | June 07, 2021

Delegation denied access to visit Alex Saab

The Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, imprisoned for trying to buy humanitarian supplies from Iran in legal international trade but in violation of illegal US sanctions, is facing extradition to the US. That is like getting stabbed in the back and then being arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.

US extraterritorial judicial overreach

On June 12, 2020, Saab was on his way from Caracas to Tehran, when his plane had to make a routine fueling stop. While in the air, the pilot was informed that Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia would not allow the plane to land, ostensibly for COVID pandemic reasons. Instead, the plane was carefully choreographed to refuel in Cabo Verde, a small archipelago nation off the Atlantic coast of Africa.

Empire: twenty years on

EuroNomade | May 28, 2021

The Ideological Condition: On History, Race and Gender (with Himani Bannerji)

Collectif La Grande transition | May 29, 2021