Cuba Rebellion here ♦ Haiti Rebellion here ♦
Cuba Rebellion: Say “No” to Imperialism and Socialism, “Yes” to Real Communism
July 12—The largest rebellion in decades is rocking Cuba. Masses are outraged – as they are elsewhere– by the government’s response to Covid-19, by intensifying poverty and hunger and by police violence. Last year, the Cuban government suppressed protests that had been planned after police shot and killed an unarmed 27-year-old Black man, Hansel Hernandez. They couldn’t stop them this time.
The US imperialist press and anti-communist Cuban expats are trying to exploit these protests. They have been fomenting unrest for decades, trying to restore a pro-US “free market” capitalist government.
But the masses’ grievances are real. Their anger is justified. Cuban socialism does not and cannot meet their needs. Its ruling “communist” party is actually a new state-capitalist ruling class.
The US rulers, Republicans and Democrats, have tried for sixty years to destroy Cuba’s economy. One official wrote in 1960 that “every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. …to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.”
But Castro’s Cuban state-capitalism betrayed the masses’ interests by tying itself to global markets. Workers were exploited, first mainly in sugar and now mainly in the tourist industry, by this profit-driven policy.
What masses need is real communism: a system of production and distribution that will meet people’s needs without money. Without relying on any imperialists, Russian, US, Chinese or European.
Cuba and other Caribbean islands supported huge indigenous populations (mainly Taino) before the imperialists invaded and enslaved them. Food was abundant, and nobody went without. We can do that again, and better, now.
The Cuban rebels must break with imperialist anti-communism and the Cuban leaders who falsely call themselves “communists.” When they seize the Red Flag of communist revolution they will once again electrify the world.
July 8—Haitian workers and youth protest in front of a police station in Port-au-Prince after the assassination of hated Haitian president Jovenel Moïse
Haitian capitalist politicians had been divided over Moïse’s demand for another year in power. In March, mass demonstrations denounced his rule and intensifying poverty amidst the pandemic. Increasing gang violence has driven over 13,000 people from their homes in the last six weeks.
The Haitian capitalists and their imperialist backers can no longer rule in the old way. “Simply put, there is no one with any real authority in position to run the country,” editorialized the US Washington Post.
The Post editors wanted “swift and muscular international intervention.” The last time this happened was 2004-2017. That UN “stabilization mission” brought with it epidemics of cholera and rape.
The Haitian masses have long struggled against the worst inequality in the region. Over 60% live in dire poverty. Over 96% are endangered by earthquakes and increasingly hazardous hurricanes and floods due to global warming.
And they fight back. Even the Catholic Archbishop warned Haitian leaders in October 2019 that the people “cannot go on any longer.”
A revolutionary situation would exist in Haiti today if a true communist party was there mobilizing the masses and building a base to fight directly for communism.
It’s not enough to point out that the change so urgently needed cannot happen through capitalist elections. Or even that capitalism and imperialism are the problems.
The brave and angry masses need to become part of the process of envisioning and fighting to create a communist world. We ask all Red Flag readers to help carry this message and organize collectives of the International Communist Workers’ Party wherever you can.
Front page of this issue
