Cuban leader to Workers World meeting:Revolution perseveres, improves

[XXPANTHAXX]

Alicia Gonzalez spoke at a Jan. 21 Workers World
meeting

By Teresa Gutierrez
New York

"Men dream of a woman that no longer exists. Women dream of a
man that does not yet exist."

These are some of the profound words of wisdom spoken by
Alicia González, the International Relations representative
of the Federation of Cuban Women at a Workers World Party
meeting on Jan. 21 in New York.

The FMC representative stirred the crowd in part because of
her tremendous devotion to the Cuban Revolution.

The information González shared spoke once again to why the
Cuban Revolution has had such a profound impact on the world.

Despite 45 years of U.S. aggression against the island-
including the longest economic blockade in U.S. history as
well as armed acts of terrorism-the Cuban Revolution
continues to stand firm.

Not only does it stand firm--it perseveres in building and
improving on its socialist society despite U.S. hostility.

In early January, for example, Cuba's government reported
that it had attained the lowest infant mortality ever in its
history. It is in fact one of the lowest in the world.

Cuba reported that it currently has an infant mortality rate
of 5.8 per thousand live births. In some of the provinces on
the island, such as Sancti Spiritus, the rate is an amazing
3.3, the lowest ever in that province.

Such statistics were noted in a Jan. 12 opinion piece in the
New York Times. Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof wrote: "Here's
a wrenching fact: If the U.S. had an infant mortality rate as
good as Cuba's, we would save an additional 2,212 American
babies a year.

"According to the '2005 State of the World's Children',
published by UNICEF", he continued, "the United States
finished 2004 with an infant mortality rate of 7. According
to the latest CIA World Fact book, Cuba is one of 41
countries that have better infant mortality rates than the
U.S.

"Even more troubling, the rate in the U.S. has worsened
recently. In every year since 1958, America's infant
mortality rate improved, or at least held steady. But in
2002, it got worse.

"'America's children are at greater risk than they've been in
for at least a decade,' said Dr. Irwin Redlener at Colum bia
University and president of the Children's Health Fund.
"The rising rate of infant mortality is an early warning that
we're headed in the wrong direction, with no relief in sight."

U.S.: Outpost of tyranny

The contrast in the trends of infant mortality between the
United States and Cuba is one more example of the superiority
of Cuba's socialist system versus the United States'
capitalist system.

In Cuba, all the wealth produced by the workers is used to
defend and improve life. The nation's doctors, for example,
have established the 120 Club, where the goal is to increase
people's life span to 120 years.

In the United States, just the opposite trend is occurring.

Speed-up on the job, the loss of health care, a lifestyle
with tremendous stress and alienation all lead to a shortened
life span.

González from the FMC gave other examples that show the
dramatic difference between the two countries.

According to González, Cuban Presi dent Fidel Castro recently
said that there could be societies with no jails.

In the United States, on the other hand, more money goes to
build jails than to build schools or hospitals. More money is
spent on locking up Black and Latino youths than on job
training or university education.

González reported that at a recent Congress of the Young
Communist League of Cuba (UJC), UJC leaders invited some
prisoners out of the jails to discuss the problems in society
that drove youths to behavior resulting in jail time.

In order to reverse a trend of sending youths to jail, these
leaders thoughtfully addressed the problem. One of the
prisoners who addressed the Congress, González reported, is
in fact now a director in programs for youth.

The FMC leader also reported other moving statistics: 100
percent of Cuba's children attend school, 86 percent of the
women belong to the Federation of Cuban Women, each teacher
in Cuba has only 20 students per classroom and in primary
schools it is 15 per teacher. More universities are being
built in local provinces to deepen education in the society.

In December, González said, Cuba carried out Bastión 2004, a
military exercise. The goal of the exercise was to practice
in case of a U.S. military invasion against Cuba. Bastión
2004 is another example of how Cuba's government genuinely
prepares the population for any situation. As in natural
disasters, Cuba has a highly sophisticated system of
organization.

A military invasion of Cuba by the United States is not a
farfetched idea. The Bush administration is quite capable of
carrying out such a mind-boggling act.

Indeed, on Jan. 21, according to the Associated Press,
Condoleezza Rice, about to be confirmed as secretary of
state, named Cuba an "outpost of tyranny requiring close U.S.
attention, along with Myanmar, Belarus and Zimbabwe."

U.S.-Cuba relations have deteriorated a great deal under the
Bush administration, which has tightened trade and travel
regulations and announced a plan for a "democratic Cuba."

González thanked everyone at the Jan. 21 meeting not only for
the Party's ongoing defense of Cuba, but for its work to free
the Cuban Five being held in U.S. prisons. The meeting set
the tone to build for the important New York premier
of "Mission Against Terror," a new documentary film released
from Cuba and slated to be in New York on Feb. 3. For more
information on that premiere, call the New York Com mittee to
Free the Cuban 5 at (212) 633-6646.