Cuba - A Quarter-Century of Working Class Power, Raul Valdes Vivo, 1984

Vintage Leftist Leaflet Project

Leaflet: Cuba - A Quarter-Century of Working Class Power, Raul Valdes Vivo

Written in 1984 this is a look at the Cuban revolutionary movement both before and after the revolution in 1959. Its author, Raul Valdes Vivo, was a Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Cuba at the time. Vivo died in 2013 and was honoured at his funeral by both Fidel and Raul Castro.

Vivo talks of the accomplishments of the revolution, of how it avoided the failings of many prior national democratic revolutions, the internationalism of the revolution as well as the internationalist support it received from the USSR and the Socialist Bloc, and a number of other matters.

"Cuba is...a country of fiery proletarian internationalism. Thousands of doctors, teachers and members of other professions as well as volunteer soldiers help the peoples of the so-called Third World combat illiteracy and disease, build a new life and defend their revolutionary achievements and national independence." To the great credit of the Cuban people this remains just as true now as it did then, despite all the many obstacles they have faced and the criminal American imperialist economic embargo.

(Image is from a Nicaraguan stamp honouring the revolution's anniversary in 1984.)

(click on scans to enlarge)

"Fidel’s enduring lesson is that yes it is possible"

Fidel showed us that " yes, it was possible to proclaim the socialist character of the Revolution 90 miles from the empire, and when its warships advanced toward Cuba, following the brigade of mercenary troops; that yes, it was possible to resolutely uphold the inalienable principles of our sovereignty, without fear of the threat of nuclear aggression by the United States in those days of the October 1962 missile crisis.

That yes, it was possible to offer solidarity assistance to other sister peoples struggling against colonial oppression, external aggression and racism.

That yes, it was possible to defeat the racist South Africans, saving Angola’s territorial integrity, forcing Namibia’s independence and delivering a harsh blow to the apartheid regime.

That yes, it was possible to turn Cuba into a medical power, reduce infant mortality first, to the lowest rate in the Third World, then as compared with other rich countries; because at least on this continent our rate of infant mortality of children under one year of age is lower than Canada’s and United States, and at the same time, significantly increase the life expectancy of our population.

That yes, it was possible to transform Cuba into a great scientific hub, advance in the modern and decisive fields of genetic engineering and biotechnology; insert ourselves within the fortress of international pharmaceuticals; develop tourism, despite the U.S. blockade; build causeways in the sea to make Cuba increasingly more attractive, obtaining greater monetary income from our natural beauty.

That yes, it is possible to resist, survive, and develop without renouncing our principles or the achievements won by socialism in a unipolar world dominated by the transnationals which emerged after the fall of the socialist camp in Europe and the disintegration of the Soviet Union.

Fidel’s enduring lesson is that yes it is possible, that humans are able to overcome the harshest conditions as long as their willingness to triumph does not falter, if they accurately assess every situation, and do not renounce their just and noble principles.” - From a speech by Raúl Castro, 2016. (For the full text see: Fidel, the most visionary Cuban of the 20th century)

Fidel Castro b. August 13, 1926