By Ernesto Gomez Abascal
to www.rebelion.org
The 16th of April marks the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of socialism in Cuba. There will be parade and rally in the Plaza of the Revolution in Havana and will begin the same day the 6th. Communist Party Congress. Also marks the 50 anniversary of Yankee mercenary invasion at the Bay of Pigs or Playa Giron, which was defeated by the people within 72 hours.
In these historic events I had the privilege of attending personally. He was 21 and since early 1960, being a union leader factory, I had built the first military training through trade unions, organized to defend the revolutionary process. Then came was not a Marxist nor even a leftist party. As the vast majority of young Cubans, had contributed in the struggle to overthrow the corrupt dictatorship that imposed by U.S. interests, keeping the people oppressed and impoverished, the country underwent a semi-colonial dependence on Washington. Had received a religious education, Christian and was influenced by the ideas of Jose Marti, who since the nineteenth century, sowed the seeds of national independence and revolutionary anti-imperialism, in a country that should be "all for the good of all."
I was difficult to accept the transit ideological and socialism when it was proclaimed. The true principles of religious faith coincided with new ideas that sought to develop the revolution: social justice, equality, honesty, doing good, being supportive ...
The first measures and laws adopted by the revolutionary government after coming to power the 1ro.de January 1959, responded to these ideas: give land to landless peasants and exploited to lower the rents, electricity and telephone services, working to end with high unemployment, which literacy to could not read or write, facilitate cultural, educational and public health, etc. At that time I concluded that there was no contradiction between religious faith honestly, whether Christian, Muslim or other, and the revolutionary ideas of socialism. I still believe so
In late 1960, the Revolution had been radicalized and U.S. imperialism launched a fierce campaign of attacks. Along with tens of thousands of Cubans, passed military training schools and integrates one of the first militia units were formed, Battalion 114 and I was sent to the Mountains are the center of the country, the Sierra del Escambray where counter-revolutionary forces sought to create a support base to nearby mercenary invasion, following the plans of the Central Intelligence Agency. In the early months of 1961 clean these mountains of criminals and bandits, and thwart the possibility that serve to support the invasion.
On 16 April, when Fidel Castro proclaimed the socialist nature of the revolution during the burial of martyrs killed in the bombing of the airports in Havana, my battalion, which takes months to mobilize and defense operations, was in the historic event. There is a picture that includes the time when a huge mass of militants raised their rifles FAL (automatic rifle Belgian-made light), giving a symbolic approval of what he said Fidel and proclaiming his decision to fight for socialism and independence of the Fatherland. I was there.
next day, April 17, there was the landing of the Bay of Pigs mercenary and our battalion left early to join the fighting. We fought, and in defense of socialism in one of two roads that gave access to the landing area. There, on a road linking the small town of San Blas on the coast Bay of Pigs, a part of our unit, which went along with some T-34 Russian tanks, came under enemy fire and suffered several injuries. But the mercenaries not resist the thrust of our forces and fled in disarray, so we stayed for a few days in the area to capture those who had hidden in the bush.
Today we remember those made with pride in a country that has over half a century to resist the aggressive policies of the most powerful empire that has existed in the history of mankind, which is just 150 miles off our shores.
against Cuba continue using all means and aggressive campaigns, including a genocidal economic blockade to change our socialist system. Fail and yet still fooling with the lies they create and end up believing.
The 6th. Congress to be held next days, will be the culmination of a broad democratic process, where not only the militants, but all workers, students, men, women and people in general, measured in the millions, have already been discussing the documents and proposals Congress to examine. This system is part of our participatory democracy, true democracy of the masses.
have a government and a party that serves the interests of the people, not the interests of a privileged class or group, we have no corrupt leaders admit therefore imperialism is wrong. We have difficulties and problems, but among all solve. We are not prepared a loss of dignity and all that we have obtained.
The masses will take to the streets of Havana the next day 16, but to proclaim their determination to defend socialism and national independence. The Plaza of the Revolution is our Tahir Plaza, Plaza of the Pearl or the Kasbah, we take more than 50 years and not abandon it. Ernesto Gomez Abascal
. Journalist and writer. Former ambassador to several Middle Eastern countries.
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