Translated "Avante!" interview with José Capucho, Member of the Secretariat of the CC, about PCP’s visit to Cuba on December 2014
Guaranteeing the socialist future of Cuba is the objective pointed out by the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) and shared by the Government, people and Cuban mass organizations. Recently a PCP study delegation travelled to Cuba. The visit allowed to deepen knowledge about the situation in the country and confirmed the ongoing exalting socialist challenge, referred José Capucho, of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Party, in an interview to “Avante!”
You led PCP’s study delegation to Cuba. What was the objective of the visit?
It was held in the framework of fraternal relations between PCP and the CPC, and in the sequence of the political delegation that travelled to Cuba, in the beginning of 2014, led by comrade Jerónimo de Sousa, General-Secretary of the Party, and his meeting with comrade Raúl Castro, first-secretary of the Central Committee of CPC and the President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba. Our delegation was composed by myself and comrades Luís Fernandes, from PCP’s Central Committee, and Luís Carapinha, from the International Section.
This trip served to deepen our knowledge of the current stage of the Cuban Revolution in its varied aspects, namely in the economic and social sphere, as well as about the role of the Party, the workers, the youth and the masses in accomplishing the conclusions of CPC’s VIth Congress, held in 2011, and the 1st Conference of the Communist Party of Cuba, held in 2012, among other topics we had the opportunity to approach.
A breadth and variety of meeting and encounters were arranged, among which a visit to a cooperative in the area of restaurants, in Havana; a meeting with the Cienfuegos Provincial Committee of CPC; contacts about the program of energy installation and visit to a photovoltaic energy station, as well as the “Camilo Cienfuegos” refinery, where we met the administration, an organization of CPC, the workers and the plant’s trade union. We met with the leaders of the Union of Communist Youth of Cuba (UJC) from the Cienfuegos province; with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba; with the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and the Workers' Central Union of Cuba (CTC).
It was also possible to meet and contact CPC leaders, namely from the Department of International Relations, comrade Oscar Martinez, from the Economic Department of the Central Committee of CPC and, of special interest, comandante José Ramón Balaguer, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of CPC and responsible for the Department of International Relations.
With the rich work program, we deepened out knowledge about the current stage of the Cuban revolution and obtained a more complete picture of the situation, the perspectives, responsibilities and challenges faced by the Party, workers, people and youth.
The CPC is committed to the processes of updating the Cuban socialist model. What are the main challenges to the implementation of the decisions taken in CPC’s VI Congress and the 1st National Conference?
This a process of great complexity. No less complex and demanding that other moments of the heroic struggle of the Cuban people for independence, revolution and Socialism. Challenged that have as their objective to defend the Revolution and guarantee a socialist future in the “island of liberty”.
The current ongoing process is based on the conclusions and decisions of the VI Congress and the 1st Conference of CPC, which was, in its preparation, the result of a broad and participated popular debate. A debate that gave the conclusions of the Congress and the Conference the expression of the people’s will, of their organizations and movements. Conclusions that were subsequently adopted by the National Assembly of People’s Power. And that is, as they say state, how it need continue to be, with a strong and determinant role of the Party and an ample and committed participation of the workers and popular masses.
The main challenges faced by the Cuban Revolution today are economic and social.
In the economic sphere, there is the objective to achieve an increase in production and productivity, maintaining all strategic sectors in the State’s possession to ensure the independent industrial development of the country; and in agriculture achieve the objective of food sovereignty, stimulating the distribution of public lands to different forms of exploration in a rent regimes.
The comrades point as essential towards the advance in the direction of the announced objective – “a prosperous and sustainable socialism” – the new laws on foreign investment and the socialist company (being elaborated and that aims to strengthen these companies as fundamental elements of the economy), as well as the conclusion on monetary unification (in preparation).
Also already being applied are the new fiscal and labor codes, which before being approved, as well as all laws, were amply discussed with the people. For instance, the labor Code was discussed with workers in the workplaces, and counted on thousands of proposals and was subjected to hundreds of alterations before being approved in the National Assembly of the People’s Power.
The Health and Education services are and will continue to be free for all Cubans, with 70% of the State’s investment allocated towards Health, Education, Culture, Sports, in summary, the social functions of the State.
Much has been said in Portugal, as speculation and trying to denigrate the Cuban Revolution, about the reduction of State employees. It is true that there is the objective to reduce the number of workers in the public sector, but these do not become unemployed. Until now more than 470 thousand of these workers, choose to maintain the activity they already developed, but organized in cooperatives, or working as freelancers. Almost all in the restaurant sector, transports (taxis), construction and other service areas.
All this process of implementation of the decisions of the VI Congress and the 1st Conference of CPC affirmed a planned economy , the Socialist State Company as the main element of society, but coexisting with other forms of property, as the cooperative or small company, or freelancers.
The ongoing experiences are tests, prior to their eventual generalization. A Permanent Committee was created to implement the economic directives, under the responsibility of the Minister of the Economy. Who decides, however, is the National Assembly of the People’s Power.
As is easy to understand, to achieve these objectives there are great economic, labor, social, political and administrative demands and also involving important corrections and improvements in the relation of the Party with the state and with the mass organizations, the leading role of the party and the participation of the masses.
With the ongoing measures is socialism in question?
No, it is not. According the Cuban comrades, on the contrary, the objectives outlined point towards updating the socialist economic system, and not reforms that alter the objectives of the Revolution. Affirming clearly that there are no models for building socialism, the comrades have the objective of its construction, and in the framework of the concrete situation of Cuba and the present international context, where the consequences of the defeats of socialism and the exploitative and aggressive offensive of imperialism are evident, considering the historic moment for the struggle for socialism.
It is without doubt an heroic task, that demands, and the Cuban comrades refer, the involvement and commitment of the whole Party and the participation of the masses, in particular the workers in the companies and workplaces. What we were given to see and feel in the multiple contacts we had was the will and confidence of the party leads and cadres, of the UJC, of the leaders of the mass organizations, particularly CTC. A will and confidence conscious of the complex and demanding challenged posed to the Cuban Revolution, the need to defend and deepen its achievements, in particular in the social sphere and guarantee the socialist option.
Looking to the Future
How does Latin America look upon Cuba?
First it is necessary to have present the heroic struggle of the Cuban people throughout these 56 years, facing the aggression and blockade of the US and the unfavorable evolution of the international correlation of forces. Fifty six years of several revolutionary generations who, by their action, fostered the admiration of peoples worldwide, but also the hatred of the oppressors. Fifty six years, also, of solidarity and struggle against the difficulties and contradictions that follow from the revolutionary process, as those faced following the end of the socialist camp and the USSR, and the consequent change in the world’s correlation of forces, economically and militarily.
If Cuba was and is the work of its people, it counted on the solidarity of workers and peoples worldwide, and Cuba also never ceased expressing solidarity with the struggle of peoples for liberty, emancipation and sovereignty. We, Portuguese, know the solidarity of Cuba towards the April Revolution and the struggle of the colonized peoples of Africa, particularly the people of Angola.
Today Cuba follows this path and supports the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela and the several processes that are developing in other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Revolutionary or progressive processes, or simply the affirmation of sovereignty before US imperialism.
Processes in development that clearly mark a new situation, with the development of cooperation among states based on common interest and an anti-imperialist character, like the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA). Note the relevant fact that Cuba will participate, for the first time, in the next Summit of the Americas, as a result of a direct and official invitation from Panama, who will preside this meeting, but also of the demand of other countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, who declared they would not participate if Cuba were not present.
Latin American today has a completely new scenario, be it by the progressive evolution of the situation in many of its countries, be it by the increasing clear affirmation of common cooperation and integration, be it yet by the rejection of subservience to US imperialism.
Only who has a narrow and dogmatic view cannot realize the progressive and even revolutionary advances that are being developed there and their importance in the resistance to imperialism, in a demonstration that it is by the mass struggle, with ample popular support, that we can conquer and achieve, with dignity, a better life, national sovereignty and independence, and a more just society.
Simultaneously, there is in Latin America a clear notion that imperialism already has its counter-offensive plan, in straight ties with the national oligarchies, as happened with the coup d’états in Honduras and Paraguay.
The internationalist solidarity with socialist Cuba and the revolutionary, progressive and sovereign processes developed in Latin America and the Caribbean are, for that reason, a task of the greatest importance in the present context.
Revolutionary Triumph
Regarding a topic that assumed increased actuality, how do you see the liberation of the Cuban patriots who were still incarcerated in the US and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US?
It was a great victory for Cuba, of the firmness and determination of the “Five”, of the Cuban people and all those that never gave up fighting and denouncing this injustice and claiming their liberation.
I recall the immense solidarity and claims for freedom of the three Cuban patriots who were sill in jail during the last Avante! Festival, expressed in several initiatives, which counted with the participation of a delegation of the Communist Party of Cuba, including René Gonzalez, one of the “Five” who had been incarcerated in the US.
Obviously we salute this victory, and the release of those who were unjustly incarcerated in the US for defending their homeland and their people from terrorist organizations and action developed in the US. This is a victory of those who do not give up, bend down, of those who maintain their dignity.
The announcement of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US represents the recognition of the failure of the aggressive policy of US imperialism. Note that this does not mean that serious problems among the two countries have been surpasses, such as the interferences against Cuban sovereignty by the US. The more important is yet to be resolved: the end of the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade by the US, as well as closing the base in Guantanamo, Cuban territory occupied by the US.
We can’t remain expectant. It is necessary, with heads held up high, to continue the struggle for freedoms, for sovereignty, for a socialist future in Cuba, and in any country of the world. The solidarity with the Cuban people and its socialist revolution should stand firm, determined and as broad as possible, This victory reaffirms its fairness.
Did the visit allow the deepening of relations between PCP and the CPC?
The relations between PCP and CPC are very good and fraternal. They are relations between two parties that respect each other, who speak openly and frankly, who seek to increasingly understand what each thinks and how they act in their country and in the regional and international sphere, without interfering in the internal life and underlining reciprocal solidarity. These are ties of friendship and cooperation we want to continue to deepen.
The relations between our two parties, the great convergence in the evaluation and appreciation of significant aspects of the international situation are also important references for the reinforcement of the communist and revolutionary movement, for the strengthening of the anti-imperialist front, namely towards broadening and consolidating the open characteristics of several international organizations of friendship, cooperation and anti-imperialist solidarity.
This visit by a delegation of PCP to Cuba constituted, beyond doubt, a new contribution to improve our reciprocal knowledge and cooperation and towards reinforcing the traditions of friendship, cooperation and solidarity between Portuguese and Cuban communists.
