Montreal meeting celebrates 62nd anniversary of the Cuban Revolution
https://themilitant.com/2021/02/13/montreal-meeting-celebrates-62nd-anniversary-of-the-cuban-revolution/
BY MICHEL DUGRÉ
Vol. 85/No. 7
February 22, 2021
“Solidarity with Cuba is more necessary than ever,” Mara Bilbao, Cuban
consul general in Montreal, at mic, told Jan. 30 celebration of 62nd
anniversary of Cuban Revolution organized by Communist League. From
left, Michel Prairie, CL, and Yvan Abossolego, Walmart worker.
MILITANT/PHILIPPE TESSIER
“Solidarity with Cuba is more necessary than ever,” Mara Bilbao, Cuban
consul general in Montreal, at mic, told Jan. 30 celebration of 62nd
anniversary of Cuban Revolution organized by Communist League. From
left, Michel Prairie, CL, and Yvan Abossolego, Walmart worker.
MONTREAL — “Solidarity with Cuba is more necessary than ever,” Mara
Bilbao, Cuban consul general in Montreal, told two dozen participants in
a celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Cuban Revolution here Jan.
30, organized by the Communist League.
“Under the Trump administration, there has been a significant
strengthening of the blockade against Cuba,” Bilbao said. “Washington is
trying to increase discontent and create an internal opposition in Cuba.
But the opposition they create never wins support among the people.
“They do create serious damage to the Cuban economy,” she said. “But we
continue mobilizing to increase production under these difficult conditions.
“Meanwhile, we are planning to produce 100 million anti-COVID-19
vaccines this year, a lot more than what we need in Cuba,” Bilbao said,
pointing out they intended not only to organize to vaccinate everyone on
the island, but also to make it available to people around the world.
“This is part of confronting the imperialists, who make access to the
vaccines more difficult for oppressed countries.
“I want to thank you for organizing this celebration, and for organizing
the ‘physical’ picket in front of the U.S. Consulate two weeks ago,” she
said.
Monthly pickets are being organized on the 17th of each month here and
elsewhere in North America by opponents of the U.S. government’s
economic war against the Cuban people and their revolution. The actions
demand an end to Washington’s embargo, and its new sanctions and
provocations, and for the return of Guantánamo to Cuba.
Yvan Abossolego, a Walmart worker and student originally from Cameroon,
was the second speaker. “It was only here in Canada, working part time
at Walmart, that I met people who introduced me to the Cuban
Revolution,” he said. “For me, this is a magnificent revolution, marked
by human solidarity, the fight against social inequality, and
internationalism. It gives me confidence.
“It shows that we need to continue fighting against social injustice
everywhere,” he said.
Washington fears Cuba’s revolution
Michel Prairie, a leader of the Communist League, opened his talk
quoting from The Second Declaration of Havana, which Fidel Castro
presented in front of 1 million Cuban workers and farmers in 1962. “What
is it that is hidden behind the Yankees’ hatred of the Cuban
Revolution?” Castro asked. “What explains it is fear. Not fear of the
Cuban Revolution, but fear of the Latin American revolution.”
“Today, 59 years later, we would add, fear of the world revolution,”
Prairie said.
“Today capitalism is sinking ever more deeply into a social and economic
crisis,” he said. “They fear the example Cuba sets for the oppressed and
exploited all around the world. Cuba proves that a revolution is not
just possible, but can be made, and in doing so working people can
transform ourselves. That’s why the Communist League gives so much
weight to explaining and defending the Cuban Revolution. We think that
workers and farmers here can and will follow the example of our brothers
and sisters in Cuba.
“This will be a big part of our election campaign this year,” Prairie
said. The Communist League is running Beverly Bernardo for mayor of
Montreal and Philippe Tessier for mayor of Ville Saint-Laurent. “Join us
in this campaign — talking to people door to door in working-class
neighborhoods, on picket lines, at actions in the interests of working
people.
“And join us in front of the U.S. Consulate on Feb. 17 and every month
afterward to defend the Cuban people and their revolution,” Prairie said.
Participants stayed around long after the short program was concluded,
talking and discussing how to build the Feb. 17 picket.
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