Greetings from the Cuba Consul General in Toronto to the Socialist Action Federal Conference, May Day 2004

Toronto, April 30, 2004

Dear Compañeros of “Socialist Action”; in the name of the Cuban people and Government, the Consulate General of Cuba in Toronto is very pleased to convey to your Federal Conference our warmest greetings.

This important event takes place in the middle of a very complex international situation, characterized by the aggressive Nazi-Fascist policy of the US regime that, violating international standards, pretends to destroy the independence and sovereignty, not only of the Revolutionary Cuba, but of all the Nations, including Canada.

In spite of the criminal policies practiced by 10 consecutive U.S. Administrations, from economic blockade to terrorist actions against our people, Cuba stands firm and goes forward, working for a Society build on Human Solidarity. That’s why, as you all know, the 3 priorities of the Cuban Government are: Education, Public Health and Social Security.

In Education, we were able to eradicate, in just one year, the illiteracy, and not just the functional illiteracy exists in Cuba today. The Education is free to 100% of our Country’s children. We have the highest number of teachers per capita and the lowest number of students per classroom in the world. We really belief and practice what our National Hero, Jose Martí, said: “No freedom is possible without Education”.

Public Health is free and accessible to all Cubans. Infant Mortality per 1000 live births has been reduced to a rate between 6 and 6.5, one of the lowest in the world. The Cuban population enjoys one of the highest Life expectancies in the world, at 76 years. Cuba is today the country with the highest number of doctors per capita in the world. There are currently more than 15000 Cuban medical specialists saving lives in the most isolated regions in 65 Third World Countries. Social Security covers 100% of the country’s citizens.

To reach those achievements, facing the dirty war of American Imperialism for more than 4 decades, our people and its leadership have shown to the world our resolution to fight for our rights as an independent nation and to defend our sovereignty at any cost.

In this struggle, Cuba has never been alone as it was proved in the battle for the return of the child Elian, and now, in our demand for the freedom of the 5 Cuban Patriots: Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, René Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez, political prisoners of the US Government, just because they have been effective fighters against terrorist and criminal actions planned, arranged and launched from Miami, with Cuban people as the target. We hope that in the end, with the solidarity of honest people in the world like you, members of “Socialist Action”, truth and justice will prevail and they will come back to the Country they defended like real heroes.

Dear friends, our people had to fight for more than a Century to obtain the real Independence of Cuba with the Triumph of the Revolution, the 1st of January 1959, which brought a legacy to our people. This heritage is not based on statues of Fidel or any other member of the Cuban Government. Such don’t exist in our Country. What we, for sure, have decided to defend is, simply, our right to construct a more human society; those excellent Educational and Public Health systems; it is the power, really exercised through participatory democracy, by the majority of our people; it is the internationalism practiced by hundreds of thousands of Cubans, to save lives and to defend just causes wherever it was necessary; it is the human solidarity that makes the essence of our system. For us there is no choice than to continue defending those principles, no matter what the threats are.

Compañeros, it has been a privilege to work with you here in Canada. In all the activities in support of the Cuban Revolution in the last years, there were always members of “Socialist Action” participating actively. Thank you very much for your Solidarity!

We wish you all the best in the celebration and the results of the “Socialist Action” Federal Conference.

One day, humanity will condemn those criminals, responsible for the misery and injustice prevailing in the world today. We, progressive people fighting for a better world of peace and justice, for sure, united, we shall overcome!!! VENCEREMOS!!!

Rogerio Santana
Consul General of Cuba