Morning Star Monday 28 July 2008

CUBA celebrated the 55th anniversary of the first battle of its
socialist revolution on Saturday, as the Miami Five continue to
languish in jail in the US.

Cuban President Raul Castro addressed a 10,000-strong rally on the
site of the July 26 1953 attack on the Moncada Barracks, now a museum,
in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, and the Carlos Manuel de
Cespedes barracks in Bayamo.

Although the attempted uprising failed, with Raul and former president
Fidel Castro captured, the battle marked the beginning of the
revolutionary war that culminated, five years, five months and five
days later, in the liberation of Cuba by the July 26 Movement from the
US-backed regime of Fulgencio Batista on January 1 1959.

The victory of the revolution was declared in Santiago, which was
liberated by troops under the command of Argentinian-born revolutionary
Che Guevara.

President Castro told the crowd, which included international
solidarity campaigners, that July 26 had marked the beginning of a new
era in Cuban history.

Mr Castro celebrated the achievements of the revolution, pointing
out that life expectancy in Cuba had increased from 59 years in 1959 to
79 years today.

But he warned that the new challenges of climate change and global
conflict over scarce oil, food and water resources lay ahead, in
addition to continued aggression from Cuba’s superpower neighbour.

“Our battle today is the same that started on July 26 1953. It is
only taking place in new scenarios, at a higher scale and now in
defence of the great conquests attained in half a century.

“We are now facing an enemy which is much more powerful than the
soldiers of the tyranny entrenched behind the walls of this barrack and
in Bayamo.”

But, he added: “The strength of our people has also grown tremendously
thanks to its revolutionary unity, organisation and conscience and to
its education. We also have very superior reasons to sacrifice our
lives for, if need be.”

Mr Castro paid tribute to the Miami Five, who have been imprisoned
in the USA for 10 years on false charges of espionage and murder after
they had exposed anti-Cuban terrorists operating in Florida, and urged
Cuba’s youth to follow their example.

“We shall continue to care for, prepare and listen to our youth, so
that they can act with the firmness, the conviction and the loyalty of
our five heroes,” he said, expressing his certainty that they would
“live up to their historical moment” as did the followers of Cuban
liberation heroes Carlos Manuel de Cespedes in 1868, Jose Marti in 1895
and Fidel Castro in 1953.

The President dedicated the celebrations to revolutionary leader
Fidel Castro declaring: “Fifty-five years ago a bunch of
revolutionaries attempted to take heaven by storm. We were then
impelled by the decision to free our land from ignominy and to fulfil
Marti’s purpose, to conquer all the justice for the people. Everlasting
glory to our martyrs! Long live the Revolution! Long live free Cuba!”