7th April, 2020
Dear comrades,
The Workers’ Party of Ireland extends our solidarity to all Cuban communists at this highly unstable period in world history. We congratulate Revolutionary Cuba for the role it is playing at this time.
For many years the work of Cuban doctors and other Cuban healthcare experts across many countries has been an example to all the world. The internationalist vision of your government, and the sacrifices by both your government and, in particular, your doctors and other healthcare workers have been an example in action of the internationalist spirit of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. The actions of your government and people are in total contrast to the blatant aggression of the imperialist powers, in particular the United States and the NATO military alliance.
Imperialism will attempt to use any global crisis as a cover for aggression against progressive countries and forces. In this instance these forces are attempting to use the cover of the Covid-19 pandemic to escalate both overt and covert attacks against both Cuba and Venezuela. The USA and the other members of the NATO imperialist bloc are attempting to weaponise their own failures in healthcare provision and health spending and to demonise the role being played by both Cuba and China in fighting this global pandemic. Specifically, they attempt to demonise and denigrate the work of the Cuban and Chinese people who are willing to share their expertise and resources to those most in need.
Furthermore, the USA, in particular, is using its military and financial power to monopolise the medicines and protective equipment originally designated for other countries and with absolutely no regard to the urgent medical needs of the poor and oppressed of the world. The USA is also forcing US pharmaceutical firms, no matter where in the world they are located, to prioritise the US market and are preventing these firms from supplying medicines or medical equipment to Cuba, Venezuela or Iran.
Now, more than ever, it is necessary to increase global solidarity and support for the Cuban people and to demand an end to the criminal blockade of Cuba by the United States, and to force the EU to ignore this blockade and trade freely with Cuba.
The Workers’ Party of Ireland will continue to campaign against this illegal blockade, and the unnecessary suffering it has caused the Cuban people, by every means at our disposal. At the same time, we will also use whatever resources we can gather to highlight the progressive role of Revolutionary Cuba across the world.
We also take this opportunity to reaffirm our unshakeable solidarity with Revolutionary Cuba.
Michael Donnelly
President
The Workers’ Party of Ireland