The commitment to produce more

by Julio Martínez Molina

Granma | September 25, 2017

Machado Ventura in the San Blas ecological coffee processing plant, Cienfuegos. Photo: Magalys Chaviano

CIENFUEGOS.– José Ramón Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, toured areas of Cienfuegos this Sunday, September 24, where he reviewed the progress of agricultural recovery following Hurricane Irma. He also met with agricultural sector representatives, campesinos, members of ANAP, CCS, UBPC, CPA, agricultural enterprises and trade union leaders, who reiterated their commitment to produce more food.

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Unicef: Cuba among the few countries supporting healthy brain development in children

Granma | September 22, 2017

Photo: Cubadebate

Cuba is one of 15 countries recognized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) with three essential policies to support young children’s healthy brain development, according to a report by the organization, published September 21.

What Cuba can teach America about freedom

by T.D. Harper-Shipman PhD

Pambazuka News | September 14, 2017

BY-NC-ND

With respect to Cuba, the American conception of “nothing” is not understood in conventional economic terms, but through a liberal rendition of freedom. With this version of freedom comes a set of values that if not perpetuated, suggest an un-freedom worse than access to a livable life. In this country, we value freedom to fail and struggle more than the right to a standard in our quality of life.

“…Cubans have nothing.” These were the last words exchanged between a stranger and myself as we both stood in line at JFK Airport waiting to check our bags for a flight to Havana. Three minutes before this, I had stood in line, chatting with my friend waiting to check our over-sized luggage and a young woman stood behind us eyeing our bags. She asked, “Are you going to Cuba?”

Saving socialism: Cuba renews land reform to bolster food production

by W. T. WHITNEY JR.

People’s World | August 29, 2017

Cuba’s Council of Ministers recently announced changes to regulations introduced in 2008 that gave citizens usage rights to land, the purpose then and now being to bolster domestic food production.

The expectation in 2008 was that many of the 500,000 workers about to leave state employment would become farmers. The Cuban state owns 80 percent of the island’s farmland. The precariousness of Cuba’s economy, now in recession, prompted both the original plan and the recent modifications. Cuba struggles to secure foreign investment, hard currency, and to grow its economy. The socialist state also has the obligation of guaranteeing employment, income, social services, education, and food for all citizens.

A Trip to Cuba

by Chaman Lal

Frontier | Vol. 50, No.7, Aug 20 – 26, 2017

My long awaited visit to Cuba materialised from 9th to 17th December, 2011. I have been trying for this visit from the beginning of my assignment in Trinidad & Tobago in October end 2010. In fact my reluctant acceptance of this assignment was due to the close proximity of Cuba and Venezuela to the country and a chance to visit the two nations with hopes of seeing Socialism in action. Developed friendship with Cuban and Venezuelan embassies in Port of Spain from February beginning, meeting the ambassadors from both the countries on some function organised in Bolivarian embassy of Venezuela. Started attending many functions and expressing my solidarity as well, addressing a few. Became member of ‘Friends of Cuba’ and gave the proposal to Cuban and Venezuelan embassy to deliver lectures on Che Guevara and Bhagat Singh. The proposal was sent to Cuban embassy in Delhi, where Ambassador Miguel Ramirez was personally well acquainted and had my book on Bhagat Singh. However, nothing worked out, tried through CPM leader Sita Ram Yechuri, Dr Lal Khan, through face book sites, through Pritam’s Trotskyite friends, through Indian embassies in Cuba and Venezuela, through Socialist party activists form Margarita, where I had gone. So as last attempt, I had to take recourse to Travel agency and opt to go as Tourist, as I was put to link with Producto travel agency by Cuban Counsellor in Trinidad Ana Silvia. This was going to be an expensive trip, but I could not miss the chance as from India it would have become more expensive. It came to nearly 2400 US dollars or one lakh twenty thousand plus rupees in Indian currency.

Cuban electoral process debated in Havana

Granma | August 11, 2017

Photo: Yander Zamora

Residents of the Ampliación del Sevillano neighborhood in the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo, described Cuba’s political system as genuinely democratic, during a community debate organized by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). 

The economy is the essential task, since it is the base upon which all the Revolution’s conquests are sustained (+Photos)

by  José Ramón Machado Ventura

Granma | July 26, 2017

Foto: Jose M. Correa

Full text of speech delivered by José R. Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, during the commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the assaults on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes

More than 20,000 polling stations established for upcoming elections

by Yudy Castro Morales

Granma | July 21, 2017

The determination of 24,361 polling stations in 12,515 constituencies across the country has been completed in accordance with the timeline established for upcoming general elections, which will again be “an example of a truly democratic exercise, based on broad popular participation, legality, and transparency,” as Army General Raúl Castro recently reiterated.

The Our America Consensus: A guide for the future of the Latin American left

by  Sergio Alejandro Gómez

Granma | July 19, 2017\

The 23rd Sao Paulo Forum concluded in Managua during which it was announced that Cuba will host the next edition of the event. Photo: Sergio Alejandro Gómez

MANAGUA, Nicaragua.— With the approval of the Our America Consensus, the first programmatic document stemming from the Sao Paulo Forum, leftist and progressive parties from Latin America and the Caribbean have a new instrument with which to resist the right-wing onslaught and continue implementing political and social changes in the region.

The Consensus aims to facilitate, from a conceptual and practical point of view, efforts to consolidate a political agenda benefitting the masses.

The document features the principles and objectives of progressive forces, as well as an analysis of the reality which such movements are attempting to transform, those involved, and the initiatives for which they are struggling.

Haila: Woman of Steel

by Mireya Castañeda

Granma | July 11, 2017

The cover of the new album was well thought out and carefully designed, including Haila’s costume. Photo: Granma

Haila María Mompié, one of the best contemporary Cuban performers, is celebrating her 25-year strong career with the release of her seventh album: Haila, Mujer de Acero (Haila: Woman of Steel).

With a clear sense of the market, the sonera (Cuban son singer) par excellence began the year with a tour of Cuba, during which she sang the new songs included on the album, recently presented during a press conference held at the Iberostar Parque Central hotel, in Havana.