Aleida Guevara: “Revolutions cannot be exported”

Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che, assures The Prisma that the communist regime will continue in Cuba, beyond the Castro family. She sees the formation of a United Latin American States as essential, and thinks that at times what we need are more radical revolutions. And to her, anti-immigration policies are absurd.

Dr Aleida Guevara speaking at the University of Sheffield

Dr Aleida Guevara - paediatrician, medical mission veteran and daughter of Che - speaking at the University of Sheffield to Forge TV as part of her 2014 speaking tour organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. Watch her speak on issues such as education, the NHS, gender equality, ebola, internationalism and more below.

Dr Aleida Guevara speaking at University of Leicester

Dr Aleida Guevara - paediatrician, medical mission veteran and daughter of Che - speaking at the University of Leicester on 1 December 2014 as part of her speaking tour organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign.

The Greatest Story never told with Aleida Guevara March

Dr Aleida Guevara March was invited to our Students’ Union to address the student body and other guests about the Ebola crisis and Cuba’s position on the international stage.  She gave an informative and captivating speech which provided insight into Cuban internationalism and much more than just Cuba’s role in combatting Ebola.  Matthew Wilde and Polly Winn were able to interview Guevara March, and learn more about her perspective on Cuba, international healthcare, and the power of the media.

Hundreds make their voices heard in solidarity with the Miami Five

Chanting of “Free the Five!”, “Viva Cuba” and “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” were heard across West End of London after a crowd of over 300 people braved a cold December evening outside the US Embassy on Wednesday 3 December to attend a vigil organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC) in Britain.

Aleida Guevara provides inspiration at 10th Latin America Conference

The daughter of Che may share his iconic name but she is a Cuban legend in her own right. She spoke about Latin American integration, Cuban internationalism the need for solidarity at four sessions during Latin America 2014 on Saturday 29 November, and her presence helped make it not only the most well-attended in the conference’s ten year history, but also one of the most inspirational.

‘If The Blockade Was Lifted Today, The Cuban Economy Would Thrive Tomorrow’

The daughter of Che, Aleida Guevara, in London to address today the Latin America Conference, spoke to Ollie Hopkins about Cuba’s role in the developing world, the US obstacles to its development and the Miami Five anti-terrorists.

Aleida Guevara's Oxford talk a huge success

 

Oxford CSC welcomed Dr Aleida Guevara and long-term friend Luis Marron to a special public meeting on 19th September as part of her ‘Remembering Che’ speaking tour.

Aleida spoke to well over 100 people at the Tingewick Hall in the John Radcliffe Hospital about life in Cuba and how they had to buy powdered milk from New Zealand because of the US blockade and because Cuba's environment  cannot sustain a dairy industry. She spoke eloquently and passionately about the plight of the Miami Five and called for them to be repatriated.

Aleida then went on to do a book-signing at Waterstones’ in the City Centre following an exclusive interview with the Oxford Mail. The queue was long but people were very patient and wanted to talk to Aleida about her family. Aleida was offered courtesy and kindness by everyone involved.

 

Pictures and report courtesy of Oxford CSC 

Guevara's daughter visits Oxford

The following article appeared in the Oxford Mail following Aleida’s visit to Oxford as part of the ‘Remembering Che’ tour.

Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of the iconic Argentinian revolutionary, visited Oxford yesterday on the last stop of her Remembering Che tour.

As well as signing books and taking a whistlestop tour of Oxford, she used the trip to raise awareness of the situation in Cuba, which has been under blockade by the United States for 50 years.

In an exclusive interview with the Oxford Mail, she said: “The main purpose is to speak about the Cuban reality today, the struggle we wage in Cuba against the American blockade.

 “In the first place the United States has to lift the blockade. That will make life for Cubans much easier. Then it would be necessary to achieve a greater unity among Latin American countries.”

She spoke about her father, who was executed in Bolivia when she was seven years old, with great admiration, and said she had seen a massive demonstration of respect for him and his beliefs in Britain.

She said: “I didn’t get to live for a long time with my father, it was only through the love that my mother had for him that I learned who he really was.”

Fans of Dr Guevara and her family packed the Waterstones store in Broad Street to have copies of her mother’s book Remembering Che and other texts signed.

And Leighton Gibbins, 41, from Thame, pictured with Dr Guevara, said: “I came because of my interest in Che. He was a hero of mine.”

BBC interview with Aleida Guevara

In September 2012, Dr Aleida Guevara - daughter of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara - visited the UK as a special guest of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. She attended the TUC Conference in Brighton as part of her 'Remembering Che' tour and conducted this interview with BBC South East.

Aleida Guevara tells parliamentary meeting that “solidarity is the best expression of tenderness of the people”

Over 150 people – alongside a number of parliamentarians – crammed into a packed meeting at the House of Commons to hear an inspirational talk by Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che Guevara. She spoke about her father, the ongoing blockade of Cuba and the Miami Five’s continuing struggle for justice.

On the blockade, Aleida said that Cuba understands the America’s “right not to trade with us, but what is unacceptable is that the US tries to stop other countries from trading with us”. Denying Cuba the right to trade with its closest neighbour significantly increases the cost of imports and means that Cuba often has to travel around the world to do business with third countries.

“We have to go all the way to New Zealand to get powered milk for our children, and you can imagine how expensive this is. To go all that way, we have to charter a ship – but blockade legislation means that any ship that goes to Cuba is prevented from docking in any American port for 6 months. So ship owners will often charge us three times as much.”

“Since the blockade has not been enough to destroy the unity of the Cuban people and the revolutionary process, the US administration has tried a mixture of military and biological warfare against Cuba,” said Aleida. Furthermore, Cuban-Americans in Florida have been used to undermine Cuba’s sovereign government.

“If someone poisons the water of a nursery, is that a terrorist action? If an artificial disease is introduced to kill an animal population, is that a terrorist action? If a bomb is exploded on a civilian aircraft, is that a terrorist action?”

“How can we put an end to these activities?” asks Aleida. “The only option we have is through information. If you have adequate information, you can work to prevent these terrorist attacks.”

It was precisely for these reasons that Cuba sent the Miami Five to collect information on terrorist groups operating out of Florida. Aleida condemned their trial and their ongoing imprisonment.

“As a law, no trial should take place where there is bias and impartiality. This trial took place in Miami, in the same place where these terrorists are. What type of justice can you expect? We now have information that the media in Miami was financed before and during the trial by the government to spread information against the Miami Five.”

Despite struggling against economic blockade, biological warfare and terrorism, Cuba has built a society founded on the principles of free education, healthcare and unparalleled internationalism. It is able to send tens of thousands of doctors abroad and has led literacy campaigns across the under-developed world.

“Cuba is not perfect, we are aware of that,” said Aleida. “No society created by humans can ever be perfect. We make mistakes, but we defend the right we have to rectify those errors. No Cuban will ever go anywhere else to tell people what to do. We have learnt to respect other human beings.”

Aleida questioned why Cuba – a small country blockaded for 50 years – has contributed so much to under-developed countries whilst wealthy nations have done relatively little. “Cuba has proven that when a people rules over its own destiny, there’s no power on earth that can stop it. We have undoubtedly shown that there is another way in which you can live. We cannot give you special recipes – but if we can do it – why can’t you?”

A number of politicians spoke alongside Aleida as they welcomed her to parliament. Michael Connarty MP reflected on his long-standing affinity with progressive movements in Latin America and Che Guevara in particular. “When I was young, I grew my hair and had a beard to feel like I look like Che Guevara. Looking back, I looked more like Rasputin,” he quipped.

He praised ordinary Cubans and their commitment to social justice in the face of Western intervention. “The commitment and determination of the people – despite being crushed by blockade led by capitalist nations – is incredible. They are still determined to see the revolution through to create a better world”.

A number of years ago, Michael Connarty became the first MP to sponsor an Early Day Motion (EDM) in support of the Miami Five and last week tabled EDM 497 which calls for visitation rights to be granted to Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva to see their husbands, Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez.

“What was the crime of the Miami Five? To protect their country. We give people medals for that,” Michael lamented.

“They weren’t being violent, fomenting revolution, or planting bombs – they were trying to collect information on terrorists.”

Michael declared that the continuing denial of visitation rights represents a breach of human rights – rights which America “claim they are founded on”. He urged constituents to write to their MPs asking them to sign EDM 497 but also said, “write to the Prime Minister, write to William Hague, write to Obama, write to the European Commission on Human Rights, write to anyone supposedly interested in human rights. Never give up. Keep fighting, and I will fight with you.”

Cathy Jamieson MP spoke about her experience of being involved in a CSC local group before entering parliament and – once elected – how she felt it was her “duty to do what I could to highlight the issues around Cuba, particularly the blockade which has lasted 50 years”.

Cathy spoke about how she has helped to re-establish the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cuba and the recent IPU parliamentary delegation to the Caribbean island which “signal that parliamentarians from lots of parties are interested in Cuba and the issues facing the island”. The delegations was reminded of Robert Owen as they learnt about the co-operative movement in Cuba and the process of common ownership.

She emphasised that there is a “committed group of politicians in the Commons and the Lords who will continue to raise concerns around the blockade and the Miami Five” and echoed Michael Connarty by urging all those in attendance to write to their MPs to sign EDM 497.

Baroness Angela Smith, Chair of the APPG on Cuba and Vice-Chair of CSC, thanked Aleida for her attendance and called on the solidarity movement in the UK to increase pressure in support of the Miami Five and in opposition to the blockade and, in particular, the EU Common Position. Angela reflected on the recent parliamentary delegation to Cuba where the UK solidarity campaign is widely recognised as “the best in the world”.

Aleida thanked CSC members and affiliates for their continuing support. “Some have said, I don’t know if it’s true, that Che Guevara once said that solidarity is the best expression of the tenderness of the people. Men and women’s tenderness makes solidarity possible. When a person admires another person, it’s because that person has the same values. That’s why it’s great to see your solidarity and as a Cuban woman, doctor and mother, I have to say thank you very much. Thank you for your resistance, let’s all struggle together for a better world. Hasta Victoria Siempre!”

Aleida Guevara leads campaign to Free the Five on visit to Scotland

Aleida Guevara visited Scotland as part of her ‘Remembering Che’ tour. Her visit began with a short protest outside the Scottish Parliament on the Miami Five, coinciding with the 14th anniversary of their arrest.

Addressed by Aleida, MSPs, Elaine Smith, Sandra White, Neil Findlay, Jamie Hepburn, and STUC Deputy General Secretary, Dave Moxham, it called for an end to the silence around the case, and for their immediate release.

This was the first activity on the Miami Five at the Scottish Parliament, following May's historic debate on the case of the Five, around Elaine Smith's motion.

Later the Cross Party Group on Cuba met, and was addressed by both Aleida Guevara, and Luis Marron. A packed meeting heard Aleida speak movingly, not only of her father and mother, but of her own solidarity work as a doctor in Latin America, and what she had learned from it.

Referring to the Miami Five as her brothers, she reiterated the call for their freedom, and insisted that all that was required was for the USA to follow their own laws.

Elaine Smith, MSP Deputy Presiding Officer of the Parliament and Convener of the Group, who had lodged a motion welcoming Aleida's visit to the Parliament closed the meeting, promising that supporters of Cuba in Scotland would continue to redouble our efforts to bring and end to the illegal Blockade, and win Freedom for the Five.

Report and photo courtesy of SCSC

Che's daughter calls for more countries to follow Cuba's lead on health and education

The following review of Aleida Guevara’s talk in Brighton was written by Leo Garib for the Camden New Journal.

BRIGHTON was abuzz last Sunday. From outside the TUC conference, near the seafront, London Metropolitan University students barracked union leaders, demanding strikes over education cuts and expulsions of foreign students.

Among the dozens of protesters from the London Met, in Islington, were half-a-dozen working-class boys and girls, clearly dressed with the scorching hot weather in mind. They were reluctant to talk about themselves but were hoarse from letting rip at the TUC leaders.

About half-a-mile up the road another more modestly dressed woman was also speaking about the future of working-class boys and girls.

Che Guevara’s daughter, Aleida Guevara, was speaking about Cuba’s heroic struggle for survival in the face of the US blockade.

Like her father, the icon of the Cuban socialist revolution, 52-year-old Aleida is a doctor. A paediatrician, a spokeswoman for Cuban women and an author, she is in Britain to mark the 14 years since five Cubans were jailed in Miami after trying to bust a terror group with US political links.

Stocky, and with her father’s soft face and twinkling brown eyes, she spoke for almost two hours, pausing only to pour water for an elderly woman in the audience.

She explained how the Caribbean island has to pay through the nose for powdered milk imported from as far away as New Zealand because the US blacklists firms trading with it.

But Cuba has developed a health and education system that is the envy of the world, she said, sending 60,000 health workers to poorer countries – many times more than the US or any European country ¬- and offering 5,000 medical training scholarships to hard-up US students.

“If a country of 11 million people can do this there is no reason why other countries cannot,” she said. “What’s the difference between Cubans and other people? We may laugh more, but we face the same situations, we have the same needs. The only difference is the social system we have.”

Cuban scientists are working with Swiss experts to research vaccines against lung, breast and prostate cancer, she revealed.

Mobbed by the audience afterwards, Aleida broke away to throw her arms around a young disabled boy, her eyes misting over as she beamed down at him.

If Cuba gives up, she said, “Who has the most to lose? Young people.”

Aleida Guevara will speak at the House of Commons on September 17 (Grand Committee Room) at 7pm, and at a vigil outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square at 6pm on 18 September.

Guevara: Now is the time for action

This report of Aleida Guevara’s talk in Scotland appeared in the Morning Star.

A crowd of hundreds filled the main hall and an overflow room, and yet more people gathered in the first and second floor galleries of the STUC Centre to hear and be inspired by the remarkable Aleida Guevara, speaking about Cuba and her father Che.

Aleida was in Glasgow on a British visit, campaigning to win justice for the Miami Five and to end the illegal US blockade.

"Most of you will know the essential story of the Cuban revolution and the strides we have made since then," she said."But sometimes you might take your eyes off the situation. Living the blockade is a real struggle, every day."

Cubans had suffered 500 years of oppression and then 50 years of blockade, she said, but the most painful problem was the lack of vital foodstuffs and medicines.

Appealing for justice for the Miami Five political prisoners held in the US, Aleida added: "We are not asking the USA to do anything special, just to follow their own laws.

"If they did that, the five would be back in Cuba tomorrow."

Dr Guevara, a paediatrician, said Cuba was training doctors for other poor countries and drew some hard practical lessons for supporters in Britain and the developed world.

"Solidarity is sharing what you can see other people need," she said. "Not sharing what you already have too much of. It boils down to something very simple - we have to work together. There's a lot of talk about support for us, but we need action. You might be worried about us, but we are very worried about you too," Aleida quipped.

"You worked for many years get free public services like education and health - and now you're allowing them to privatise it all!"

'Che Guevara was just Papi to me': Daughter of icon revolutionary talks of her beloved father for the first time

Che with his second wife, Aleida March

The following article appeared in the Daily Mail.

The daughter of iconic South American revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara has told for the first time of her love for the man she called 'Papi'.

Dr Aleida Guevara was almost seven years old when her father was executed in the Bolivian jungle in 1967 by agents working for the CIA.

She recalls how he would occasionally visit her and her brother in disguise after vanishing from Cuba when he fell out with the Russians who backed his close confidante Fidel Castro.

Now 45 years after his death, Dr Guevara told the Daily Mirror: 'Up to 16 I wondered, "Why should I love my father?"  He was never beside me.

'Then I went through all the memories I have of him and realised he was a man who knew how to love. I had to love him back.'

The eldest of Che's four children from his second marriage, Dr Guevara is in Britain to speak at a fringe meeting at the TUC conference.

She is campaigning for the Miami Five, who were jailed in 1998 in the U.S. for allegedly infiltrating anti-Castro terrorist groups.

Her father's face has been exploited on millions of T-shirts, catwalk fashions, posters, a vodka bottle, and even a bikini worn by superstar model Gisele Bundchen.

Dr Guevara, 51, said she is happy for his image to be used by fans, but admitted she gets angry if her father is 'economically exploited.

She told writer Melissa Thompson: 'I don't want money out of it - just respect for my father.'

He left Aleida - named after her mother - when she was four but kept in touch by letter and tried to be a parent, inventing fantasy characters to keep the children under control.

She only learned he had died when posters bearing his picture started appearing on the streets of Havana where she lived with her siblings.

It was Castro himself who prepared her for his death when he told her she should not cry for her father because Che had written to the Cuban leader saying that he had died the way he wanted to.

The next day her mother read out a letter from her father which began: 'If you are reading this letter it means I am no longer around.'

Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and military theorist.

As a young medical student, Guevara travelled throughout Latin America and was radically transformed by the endemic poverty.

Later, while living in Mexico City, he met Raúl and Fidel Castro and joined their movement to overthrow the U.S.-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Guevara soon rose to prominence among the insurgents, was promoted to second-in-command, and played a pivotal role in the victorious two-year campaign that deposed the Batista regime.

Aleida accepts her father killed but told the Daily Mirror: 'Yes my father killed, but revolutions are almost always violent. If the enemy doesn't give you what you want you must take it.'

Minibus given to Che Guevara's daughter in memory of Gateshead union leader

The following article appeared in The Journal to coincide with Aleida Guevara’s visit to Newcastle as part of the ‘Remembering Che’ tour. 

THE daughter of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara has accepted a minibus presented in memory of union leader Kenny Bell.

Dr Aleida Guevara was in the region to receive the 16-seater bus in remembrance of the Unison deputy convenor, who tragically died last year.

For decades Mr Bell fought for the rights of workers, and continued to do so through a year when he knew his cancer was terminal.

The 62-year-old spent the last months of his life fighting coalition Government spending cuts despite being told that he had an aggressive form of throat cancer, which had sadly spread despite chemotherapy.

He also led the team of fundraisers who encouraged Unison branches to donate money to purchase the minibus, computers and medical equipment, which will be shipped to Cuba.

The minibus, named the Kenny Bell Minibus for Cuba, was handed to Dr Guevara at a ceremony at Newcastle’s Civic Centre.

Regional convener for Unison, Clare Williams, said: “Unison Northern Region were delighted to welcome Dr Aleida Guevara, the daughter of legendary Cuban hero Che, to Tyneside to talk about her experiences in International Health Brigades, and her father.

“This minibus project was inspired by our deputy convenor Kenny Bell, who died a year ago, and who was an inspirational figure with a tremendous commitment to international solidarity and encouraging young members.”

Mr Bell passed away on August 14 at his home in Blackhall Mill, Gateshead. He leaves behind his partner Joyce and their sons Patrick, Jack and Joseph.

'My dad Che was true to his beliefs'

The following article appeared in the Nottingham Post after Aleida’s visit to Nottingham as part of her ‘Remembering Che’ tour.

ABOUT 200 people turned out to see the daughter of Che Guevara speak in Nottingham city centre.

Aleida Guevara gave a lecture at the Square Centre, in Alfred Street North, on Tuesday night as part of a UK tour.

Che Guevara was an Argentinian Marxist who played a key role in the 1959 Cuban revolution which overthrew the country's military government.

Aleida Guevara was seven when her father was killed in Bolivia in 1967, aged 39, while trying to launch a revolution there.

After his death his name and image were immortalised by many young people and used as a rallying point for left-wing politics.

Ms Guevara told the audience: "I was angry, of course, growing up without a dad, but my mother always says, love your father for who he was, a man who had to do what he did.

"My father died defending his ideals. Up to the last minute he was true to what he believed in. This is what I admire."

Ms Guevara also spoke at the TUC conference in Brighton on Monday, and also visited Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Che Guevara's daughter tells of her anxiety for the future of Britain's health service

The following article appeared in the Derby Telegraph following Aleida Guevara’s visit to Derby as part of her ‘Remembering Che’ tour.

THE daughter of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara says any changes made to the NHS must be "for the better" – as it would be "very sad" if the system was lost.

Dr Aleida Guevara made the comments yesterday ahead of a workshop for health professionals at Royal Derby Hospital. She was invited to speak about the role Cuban doctors perform working overseas. There are 20,000 in more than 70 different countries worldwide.

But Dr Guevara – who also visited Derby in 2009, when she described the NHS as "one of the best healthcare systems in the world" – said: "I have been reading about the NHS being in danger or in a dodgy situation because of a tendency to privatise things.

"But it is a system which has been achieved and gained by this country and changes to it have to be for the best, otherwise they make no sense at all. It is one of the best systems in the world and it would be very sad to lose it."

Dr Guevara, who has previously stated that her father influenced her to train as a doctor, also said coming to talk about the work of her country was important.

The 51-year-old said: "I'm getting older now but I still find it is always beautiful to come and speak about the reality of Cuba, which is often silenced by mainstream media.

"It's crucial that people know what we do. The sharing of information is also very important."

Aleida Guevara draws huge crowd in Nottingham

Aleida’s visit started at the University of Nottingham where pure serendipity meant that she was able to charm and sing to assembled academics at the bi-annual Cuba Research forum. She made reference to the human effects of the blockade and rich mix of cultural and ethnic heritage that the Cuban people share, including the statistic that 70% of the population has an element of indigenous genetic make-up.

A brief visit to the Robin Hood statue followed as this had been a dream of hers from childhood to visit Nottingham, the home of the mythical hero.

So to the meeting, held at the Refugee Forum, it had attracted much interest and by 6:15 it was clear that the room would be full, about 250 in a room meant for 70. About 50 at least got turned away or had to wait for some time to get in. The first thing Aleida did was give away her chair so someone with a greater need could use it.

Luis Marron spoke first, encouraging everybody who had not already done so to join Cuba Solidarity and get their organisations to affiliate. He spoke too about the solidarity work he had been involved with particularly in the trade union movement while posted here.

Aleida spoke without notes and with humour, clarity and passion for her cause, that of the revolution, the return of the Miami Five and for Cuban sovereignty. For instance on the blockade she said it was easy to speak on this but it is more difficult to experience it especially when a child needs medicine that Cuba could pay for but cannot get because a patent is held by the US.

On terrorism (let’s remember that the meeting was on 11th September, the anniversary of not just terrorism in the US but also the bloody coup against the popular Allende-led government in Chile) she asked whether or not bombing a civilian airline was terrorism or similarly poisoning water supplies or introducing infectious diseases or launching seaborne invasions. This was why Cuba had to infiltrate and get information on terrorist groups operating from the US. So on the Miami 5 she simply demanded that the US obeyed its own laws and followed a proper judicial process. However, progress on this and on the blockade would only come from pressure of people and international solidarity. On intervention and regime change she asked, who gave the right to western nations to intervene and interfere in the internal affairs of developing nations.

She ended by surprising us once again by singing beautifully from a poem from Jose Marti: to a dear friend you must give a white rose but also to an enemy a white rose should be cultivated from the heart.

Aleida Guevara tells TUC fringe trade union support helps Cuba extend internationalism

Aleida Guevara – daughter of Che Guevara – received a standing ovation after delivering a powerful speech against the US blockade of Cuba at a CSC fringe meeting at TUC conference on Monday.

Over 250 delegates attended what Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey called “the biggest fringe meeting at the TUC” as Aleida spoke about a “blockade which marks everybody”. 

“In health, the blockade is felt very strongly,” she said. “For instance, there was a child diagnosed with a heart condition but we didn’t have the necessary equipment to treat. We have the know-how and the money to buy the equipment – but no-one will sell it to us because it is licensed by an American pharmaceutical company.”

Despite struggling under a fifty year-old blockade, Cuba has made exceptional advances in the field of healthcare and the development of medicines and vaccines. As Aleida noted, “Cuba is producing a vaccine to treat lung cancer, but the US government won’t allow EU pharmaceuticals to buy it. Why should we allow this to happen?”

Aleida thanked the trade unions for their continuing solidarity and said that this support “has allowed us to extend solidarity to the rest of the world. There are more than 24,000 health professionals working in 66 countries around the world, and this doesn’t include the projects we have in the ALBA countries like Venezuela where we have 10,000. All this is possible because your solidarity exists”

Len McCluskey, said he was proud of the role Unite has played in support of CSC, the Cuban people and the Miami Five. “If there is a still a branch in this room that isn’t affiliated to CSC, then please do. Our solidarity links are very important to what happens in Cuba.” 

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said that his union stood with the Cuban people – not just against the blockade – but because of the example which Cuba provides. “Why do the RMT believe that Cuba is such a beacon? Because they have decided to go down a different route. They have shown that there is a different world out there not based on the size of your wallet.”

“We have to decide what sort of a world we want to live in. The Cuban people don’t have a problem with the American government, it’s the American government that has a problem with them. Cuba is fighting for a different world that lives in peace, a world with housing, education and health. Viva Cuba!”

In his last TUC as General Secretary, Brendan Barber said he was “honoured to be the first TUC General Secretary to visit Cuba” and “proud of the links and relationships we have built up with trade unions in Cuba”. He urged the movement to intensify its support for the Miami Five on the fourteenth anniversary of their arrest. 

As Aleida concluded, “no country has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another. Fidel taught the Cuban people that if the people unite, there is no power in the world that can stop it. We are united, only 90 miles away from the US, and we have been able to maintain a socialist society. We have many problems, but we have heart.”

“Thank you for your resistance. In my country, it is very easy to be a revolutionary, but for you to keep going with solidarity, this gives us a lot of strength.”

Click here for full details of Aleida Guevara's speaking tour.