| |
The
Revolution was immersed in the development and improving of its work at
the time of the collapse of the socialist block and the disintegration
of the USSR. These events dramatically affected the Cuban society as the
Cuban economy was integrated into the socialist community. It was beside
conditioned in a great measure by the stern, cruel and illegal blockade
imposed by the US against Cuba since the very first years of the Revolution,
which limited extraordinarily the possibilities of establishing relationships
with the rest of the capitalist countries. In 1989, 85 percent of Cuba’s
trade relationships were carried out with the Soviet Union and the rest
of the socialist world. All trade was done based on fair prices and mutually
beneficial exchange, avoiding unequal prices that characterize trade with
capitalist developed countries. At the same time, there was the guaranty
to supply technology and granting loans at satisfactory terms and interest
rates.
When socialism collapsed in Europe and after the disintegration of the
USSR, Cuba’s buying capacity decreased from 8,139 million pesos in
1989, to 2,000 million pesos in 1993.
The collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and the USSR unleashed an
exceptional euphoria in the US Government and the counterrevolutionary
groups of Cubans in Miami. The collapse of the Cuban Revolution, the said,
was a matter of days or perhaps weeks. They even started organizing a
new government. However, months went by, the crisis became worse, but
there was no collapse in Cuba.
As early as July 1989, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro had alerted about
the possibility of the disappearance of the socialist block and even the
disintegration of the USSR. In October 1990, he had elaborated the guidelines
to face the crisis of the Special Period in peacetime. This concept belonged
to the military doctrine of the "War of All the People" that
referred to the steps needed to fight against total blockade, air raids
and attacks and systematic covert attacks, as well as a military direct
invasion.
In 1991, the IV Congress of the Communist Party analyzed the situation
and established the need to safeguard the Motherland, the Revolution and
Socialism, that is, the work of the Cuban people, which had cost so much
blood, sacrifice and efforts in more than one-hundred-years struggle.
The Congress adopted several important measures in reference to modifications
and amendments to the Constitution and Party bylaws. It also established
the bases for the strategy to overcome the crisis and start the recovery
from it.
The strategy implemented several measures aimed at improving economic
efficiency and competitiveness and internal economic health, at solving
the internal debt and reincorporating the Cuban economy into the international
economy, at encouraging foreign investment, and at strengthening the system
of Cuban state enterprises. This last one was a necessary and indispensable
condition for socialism. Implementation and improving of economic changes
were to be carried out in a gradual and orderly manner.
Of course, US imperialism and the Cuban counterrevolutionary groups in
Miami, annoyed by the reality of Cuban resistance, increased their actions
to discredit and destabilize the Revolution and to make the economic blockade
even worse.
Thus, by the middle of 1992 the US government passes the "Torricelli
Act." This Act grants the President of the United States the power
to implement economic measures against all countries that have economic
relationships with Cuba, and forbids all subsidiaries of US companies
in third countries to trade with the Island. This Act was another step
in the intentions to make the Cuban people surrender by hunger.
However, in spite of the Torricelli Act, Cuba expands its markets and
gets some financing for specific economic activities. Companies from various
nations invest in Cuba and establish economic relations with our country.
On the other hand, in February 1993, the worst year during the crisis,
new elections were held. The results show unequivocally the Cuban people
support to the Revolution: 99,7 per cent of the voters participated, and
only 7,3 per cent annul the ballot or do not mark it.
Nevertheless, the anti Cuban groups in the US recurs to internal subversion,
acts of terrorism, sabotage, infiltration of CIA agents and intensification
of propaganda against Cuba. Over one thousand hours of radio broadcasts
are directed against Cuba. Top priority is given to encourage illegal
emigration, mostly in stolen crafts, either boats or planes.
All this activity led in July 1994 to an increase of craft abductions
by persons mainly under the pressure of the economic situation, though
there were some cases in which crimes and assassinations were committed.
It was under these circumstances that towboat 13 de marzo was abducted
and boarded by more than 60 persons with the purpose of travelling to
the United States. In spite of the warnings about weather conditions and
the poor sailing conditions of the craft, they went on persecuted by several
other towboats. There was a collision and in the accident the 13 de marzo
wrecked. All the crafts that could reach the area of the wreckage made
everything in their power to rescue the people, but in spite of all their
efforts some 32 persons died. This accident was used to launch a slandering
campaign accusing Cuba of ordering the sinking of the small boat.
In face of the situation, the Cuban Government decided not to prevent
illegal emigration forcing the US authorities to sit with Cuban authorities
and start conversations on the migration problem and eventually sign a
migratory agreement with Cuba.
|
After 36 years, the US government had to adopt steps to discourage
illegal immigration into the US. In 1995, the Cuban people again
gave undoubted proof of the unity and support to the Revolution
in the partial elections of the People’s Power voting for the
delegates to Parliament.
|
 |
|
Direct and secret ballot guaranties free expression
of every citizen.
|
|
Despite the campaign of the propaganda encouraging abstention, 97,1 per
cent of voters participated, 7 per cent of the votes were annulled and
4,3 per cent were not marked.This means that over 87 per cent of the voting
population expressed its support to the Revolution.
The expectations of the counterrevolutionary Cuban exiles in Miami and
of some sectors of the US government, after the collapse of the socialist
block, failed. Nevertheless, they charged again, this time with a project
more akin to the cave men: the Helms-Burton Act.
This Act is aimed at a complete and absolute economic international blockade
and at preventing at all costs foreign investment in Cuba. Also it intends
to stop all sorts of financing, supplies from abroad, and establishes
sanctions against companies maintaining trade relations with Cuba. Apart
from this, the Helms-Burton Act legalizes US support to counterrevolutionary
groups in the Island and establishes the right of that country to determine
what type of government, society and relationships should have our country
after the Revolution is ousted. In short, it intends to make the Cuban
people surrender by hunger and annex Cuba to the United States.
After
Congress passed the Act, ultra right wing groups lobbied and exerted pressure
within the US Administration to sign the Act and put it into force in
August that same year. To get their purpose they used the incident created
by the counterrevolutionary organization "Brothers to the Rescue"
on February 24 1996, when the Cuban Government was forced to shot down
two airplanes that had violated several times the Cuban air space.
The Helms-Burton Act has not only been rejected by the Cuban people, but
by practically all the peoples and governments of the world, and of international
institutions and agencies. Proof of this is the vote against the blockade
in the United Nations, the Declaration of the Organization of American
States against the Helms-Burton Act, and the position of Mexico, Canada,
the Group of Río, the European Union, and others.
In spite of the negative effects generated by this Act and of the creation
of a much more complex and difficult situation, Cuba has continued to
implement its strategy and has managed to stop the decline of the economy
and to start the gradual recovery of the Cuban economy.
On the other hand, the educational, health care and social security systems
continue to exist no matter what the difficulties are. Not one Cuban has
been left unprotected. In 1997, infant mortality rate was 7,3 for one
thousand births, and life expectancy is now more than 75 years.
In January 1998, new elections for Parliament members were held in which
98,35 per cent of the voting population participated. Out of the total
ballots, only 1,64 per cent were annulled and 3,36 per cent were not marked.
The one-vote proposal (a united vote for the candidates proposed by the
National Assembly of the People’s Power) was accepted by 94,39 per
cent of the voters.
|
That same month, Pope John Paul II visited Cuba. The whole people
-believers and non-believers- offered the warmest hospitality and
respect, during the welcome ceremony, the religious services and
all other activities held in Cuba.
|
 |
|
|
His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, visited Cuba
in January 1998.
|
|
It
was then evident that all the campaigns and all the propaganda against
Cuba were false, for the rest of the world had the possibility to observe
the freedom of His Holiness in Cuba, not only in his homilies, but also
in his activities during all his visit.
In short, all the efforts of the counterrevolution and of imperialism
against Cuba had been useless, because they have ignored something vital
in our history: the Cuban people’s capacity to resist, the intelligence
and the capabilities of the revolutionary leadership. Moreover, they have
ignored the justness of the struggle of our people for its independence.
|
|
