Among the political upheavals in the Caribbean region, recent assassination of Haitian president, Jovonel Moipe, is noted as the latest incident of a series of assassinations of heads of states. James Holagen who has been serving as the chief security officer of the Canadian embassy in Haiti was arrested. 35 years old Holegan is also a senior officer of a non- governmental organization operating in Haiti. As is seen, Jovonel Moipe has been trying to redirect the freedom of Haiti that has been under cruel grip of the USA for a long time. While political turmoil take place in Haiti, political disturbances took place last week in another Caribbean country, Cuba, that is only 80 km from Haiti. Video clips and pictures of Cuban public protesting against the shortages of essential food items were continuously circulated in the international media.  It was a painful as well as unbelievable scene to watch the protest of Cuban masses on the streets in a country that is considered to be the beacon for socialist minded people living at the four corners of the world. Accordingly, Mr. Jeewantha Jayatissa, the coordinating secretary of the Bolivian solidarity of Sri Lanka interviewed Mr.  Wilfred Jayasingha, a longstanding coordinating officer of the Cuban embassy in Sri Lanka. We will report the proceedings as follows:

Jeewantha Jayatissa(left)

Jeewantha Jayatissa:  International media recently published news about a series mass protest in Cuba. Constraints introduced to control COVID – 19 and economic difficulties were the reasons for the mass protest. What is your reading about this situation?

Wifred Jayasinghe: The imperialists led by Americans introduced sanctions against Cuba from the very first day upon establishing the victorious Cuban socialist government following the Cuban revolution led by Fidel and the other leaders. As a result of these sanctions the Cuban Socialist republic had to face with enormous economic and humanitarian difficulties.  It was an inheritance carved on the forehead of Cuban revolution. Fidel Castro built Cuba with that inheritance. Equitable distribution of available limited resources among the people on the basis of their needs was in-built into their philosophy. From the year of revolution, 1960, up to date they have protected their people. Cuba earns an incomparable place in the medical services in the world. In the field of education Cuban Socialist Republic shines as a country that provides free education and supplies   to all the Cubans from primary to higher level. A country with least natural resources and also prone to natural disasters such as cyclones etc the country also has to cope with rural-urban movement of the people that creates new problems amid which the country is struggling to look after the lives of the people. The lives of the Cubans are very difficult due to the sanctions imposed by America.

Wifred Jayasinghe

Jeewantha Jayatissa(JJ):  : Bear with me those sanctions that you mentioned have been there since 1960. But some 637 attempts being made by USA to assassinate Fidel Castro failed because the Cuban Communist Party was so much linked to the people. But it is difficult to believe that people have come to the street only because of the pandemic situation. Accordingly, despite a strong communist party, if the people all over the country have come to the street, the American imperialist taht you mentioned seem to have succeeded in politically organizing the people. It happens because of a radical weakness of the communist party that you mentioned. We feel that the people have lost the confidence and trust on communist party following Fidel and Raul.

Wifred Jayasinghe: Your reading is not correct. Devadatta who hurled rocks on Gauthama Buddha was also the brother – in – law of Siddhartha, (the lay name of Gauthama before becoming Buddha) Not only that Ven Devadatta also had some 500 following.  637 attempts by the Americans to assassinate Fidel was not done in American soil. It happened in Cuban soil. Somebody within Cuba has given some kind of support for those attempts. It is therefore clear that there are certain supporters of the imperialist living in Cuba. But, they cannot organize themselves as a political force. That is why we claim that Cuban Communist Party is well embedded within Cuban population. Perhaps you know Some 1400 Cubans who fled the country participated at the Bay of Pig attack launched by the Americans in 1961.  That attack was thwarted through the intervention of the strong Cuban Communist Party. Although thousands of anti imperialists people, who love Cuba worry, the protests similar to the ones to make the imperialists happy, which was seen recently have had in the country before as well.

Jeewantha Jayatissa: We have not seen the reports of the kind of protests that you referred to.

Wifred Jayasinghe: Yes! You are right! Such reports are not easily found. But, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990s, Cuban economy that depended upon Soviet Union shook more than today. Serious shortages of agricultural inputs were felt. Believe me that the Cuban embassy staff in Colombo also went through serious difficulties. Because of that the maintenance of Cuban embassy in Colombo was also taken over by Cuban Sri Lanka friendship Association. During that most difficult period also protests emerged within Cuba. The imperialists led by America extensively propagated and, and built into the society that the socialisms would be completely wiped out with the collapse of the Soviet Union. That situation affected the Cuban society as well; World media continuously reported those days that   Cuba was about to be collapsed. But Cuban Communist Party under the leadership of Fidel managed to achieve huge victories in the field of agriculture. The public protest gradually disappeared.   To the surprise of the world, Cuba very successfully managed the food crisis that resulted from the collapse of he Soviet Union.

Jeewantha Jayatissa: Since 1990, the world has marched forward by thirty years. Fidel has passed ay. His brother Raul, who gave the leadership along with Fidel is now retire Current president Miguel Dias had just born when the Cuban revolution took place. He has no organic relationship with the revolution. He only enjoy the results of the Cuban revolution. Therefore, it is doubtful whether current president can manage the situation as Fidel managed the crisis in 1990 because present Cuban youths have no experiences of the Fidel’s revolution.

Wifred Jayasinghe: Your reading is entirely wrong. If you think that Cuban revolution is only what Fidel, Che and others won through armed struggle, it is completely wrong. Fidel and other leaders of July 26 campaigns built a strong communist party upon the victory of the revolution. They labored day and night for the establishment of Socio political and economic stability of the Cubans. They made that the Cuban revolution is a part of the lives of the Cubans. Cuban revolution was adapted and inbuilt to the social psychic of the people. The entire Cuban Communist Party along with the current president grew up within that socio-political condition. A Vast majority of the Cuban population has a deep understanding over the importance of the Cuban revolution. They come forward to defend the revolution. It is a universal truth.

Jeewantha Jayatissa:  How come such a countrywide spread of giant mass protests arises if the Cuban Communist Party is so Strong?

Wifred Jayasinghe: It should be emphasized again that the recent incident is not the first mass outcry in Cuba. But there is something special in this because the Cuban crisis was published in social media. Imperialist global media has given a very high priority for the Cuban crisis. It is true that certain groups have protested at several locations in Cuba against the shortages of pharmaceuticals and food items. But the Cuban Communist Party along with the Cubans following day launched a series of countrywide protests against those reactionary groups. All the leaders including the President Miguel Dias participated at these protests. As a results reactionary protests just disappeared. It is necessary to understand the under current behind the assassination of Jovenal Moipe for better assessment of these reactionary protests in Cuba.  The assassination of Jovel Moipe has been conducted by a group of mercenaries among whom there were Venezuelans, Colombians as well as Haitians with American citizenships. They had arranged helicopters to flee Haiti once the assassination was done. President Jovenl Moipe had initiated actions to change the socio-economic direction of Haiti. The distance between Haiti and Cuba is about 80 km and, this area has become safety heaven for the mercenaries, it has now revealed that protests in Cuba have been organized through Face Book. There are reasons to suspect that whether there was a plan to destabilize Cuba through protests created by America and carry out assassination of Cuban leaders in the rush. The imperialists have successfully carried out this method in Libya. The international mass media has published the pictures of the five national heroes as the protesters. It shows how partial has been the international media. It is because of the strength of the Cuban Communist Party that helped to control the series of the reactionary protests so easily, On the other hand trying to ascertain who are the people behind the ongoing protests in Sri Lanka. at present.. Whatever the justifiable reasons are there for the protests in our country, cats paw of international NGOs along with those who benefited from millions of Rupees worth of vehicles by being a parliamentarians are protesting against this government in Sri Lanka. It is possible that such ghostly figures are there behind the protests in Cuba as well.

Jeewantha Jayatissa:  How can those countries you claim to be the countries that support Cuba can help Cuba in its humanitarian issues.

Wifred Jayasinghe: The countries such as Russia, China and Venezuela have come forward to help Cuba. Further Cuba has made available free supply of Covid Virus vaccination that has been developed in Cuba at the same time countries like Venezuela have bought the vaccine that was developed in Cuba. At present Cuba is faced with a severe shortage of syringes required for vaccination. Australia- Cuban friendship association has so far supplied a considerable quantity of syringes. You may recall that China has proved that the Covid Virus that was found in Wuhan province in China is actually a creation of America. Accordingly it is a proof that America has sent Covid virus to China as a biological weapon. If that is true it is suspicious whether America introduced Covid virus in Cuba as well. America is clever to engage in emergency management politics!