"We are realists... we dream the impossible" - Che Fire This Time!

Page 24 eland is Huma Hom nity Page 26   Artwork by: Gerardo Gomez Artwork by: It's best to be lifting up all parties at the same time. In the end everyone will José Martí be" up. Refusing to lift up one part is Cuban Revolutionary no way for lifting up the whole. Internationalist Homeland is humanity. CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY INTERNATIONALISM" IS SAVING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD FIGHTING COVID-19

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Volume 14 Issue 3-5 • March-May 2020 • In English / En Español • Free • $3 at Bookstores www.firethistime.net Cuba’s Revolutionary Internationalism Lights a Path Forward for Humanity During the Global Covid-19 Pandemic

By Tamara Hansen rd l population-wise the U.S. is the 3 argest ELAND IS HUMAN country in the world. How do President HOM ITY May 19, 2020 marks 125 years since the Trump and Secretary Pompeo dare to accuse death in combat of Cuba’s national hero, Cuba of crimes when the wealthiest country #CUBASALVAVIDAS poet, writer, and anti-colonial revolutionary, in the world has left its own people to die? é í Jos Mart . At events in Cuba to mark this Humanity in the Face of a Global Pandemic anniversary, Cuban President, Miguel Díaz- Medical Brigades (HRIMB). Cuban medics Canel expressed that when Martí died, “in an On March 11, 2020, the World Health are famous for working free of charge with unfinished letter, he warns of the dangerous Organization (WHO) formally declared the their patients and for working in communities plans of the empire against Cuba and Our outbreak of Covid-19 a pandemic. At that that often lack healthcare necessities. time, a British cruise ship, the MS Braemar America. History confirms his prediction and While Covid-19 is a new virus, Cuba’s affirms our rebellion.” had five confirmed and dozens of suspected cased of Covid-19 on board. The ship had over medical internationalism is decades old. In José Martí famously proclaimed, “patria es a thousand passengers and crew aboard on its fact, Cuba is marking 57 years since its first humanidad” (homeland is humanity). Martí’s journey in the Caribbean Sea. The Braemar international medical brigade. That brigade call for unity has inspired Cuba’s dedication needed to dock urgently to fly its passengers left Cuba in May 1963 bound for Algeria, to struggling for human dignity and home before the virus continued its deadly where 56 Cuban doctors, nurses, dentists, and independence around the world. spread throughout the vessel. The cruise was medical technicians lent a hand to the newly independent country. However, as José Martí warned, these denied entry to multiple countries – Cuba alone important projects have come under attack, stood up and invited the ship to dock in its port, While the work of the HRIMB is truly further revealing what President Díaz-Canel despite the risks. impressive, Cuba actually has much more to called, “dangerous plans of the empire.” On One of the ship’s passengers, Steve Dale, offer humanity – from its focus on preventative May 1, U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, expressed on Twitter, “Thanks once more to medicine, to its biotech and new medicines, to attempted to scold countries accepting Cuban the people of Cuba for their generosity and its other forms of internationalist solidarity, doctors. He stated, “The regime in Havana has humanity.” to other lessons and gains of the Cuban taken advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to revolution. When asked why Cuba welcomed the MS continue its exploitation of Cuban medical Building Solidarity with Cuba workers. [...] Governments accepting Cuban Braemar and its sick into Cuba – Cuban doctors must pay them directly. Otherwise, Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, simply During this time of global pandemic, when they pay the regime, they are helping expressed, “Let’s reinforce healthcare, solidarity humanity is being forced to revaluate the the Cuban government turn a profit on and international cooperation.” societies in which we live. We are questioning human trafficking.” Send in the Reinforcements! our priorities, our lifestyles, and the foundation of our global economy, capitalism. Pompeo and the Trump administration have The comments of Cuba’s Foreign Minister One country which has been questioning the been slandering the work of internationalist are not just words, they have been matched by inequality and inhumanity of capitalism for Cuban doctors consistently. They have often Cuba’s deeds. 2,579 Cuban medical professionals over six decades, is Cuba and its revolutionary referred to Cuban health professionals are working in 26 countries throughout the socialist leadership. During this time of as ‘modern slaves’ or ‘victims of human Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Europe, and questioning who we are and where we are trafficking’. But while the U.S. attempts to the Middle East. These are special emergency going, undoubtedly Cuba is shining a light on demonize Cuba, the U.S. is leading the world medical teams tackling the Covid-19 global the path forward for humanity. in Covid-19 deaths. Despite the fact that pandemic, with the Henry Reeve International If you have found this article and these stories compelling, please speak out for Cuba. The important work being done by Cuba to the benefit of humanity is under consistent attack by the U.S. government, which is seeking to destroy Cuba’s example. Why? Because Cuba’s example exposes the U.S. government’s own lack of care for its citizens. Imagine the richest country in the world is the first nation to reach over 100,000 dead from Covid-19! Why are they trying to protect capitalist corporations and their profits, instead of using their wealth for humanity? Just as Cuba is reaching out to help humanity, Cuba needs our help. There are many ongoing efforts to support Cuba today in Canada and the U.S. Please consider supporting them!

Follow Tamara on Twitter:@THans01 2 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 International Women's Day 2020 What is ‘Women’s Day’? By Tamara Hansen Is it really necessary? “What is ‘Women’s Day’? Is it really necessary?” In 1913 Russian revolutionary, Alexandra Kollontai began her article for International Women’s Day with the above two questions. In hindsight, I think almost everyone would NO MORE OUR agree that women in 1913 – who could not vote and had few civil/legal rights – needed STOLEN TRANS WOMEN BODIES a women’s day to advance their rights. Since the first International Women’s Days (the SISTERS ARE WOMEN OUR first women’s day was 1909, while the first #MMIWG International Women’s Day was 1911), the CHOICES struggle of women to defend and expand our rights has resulted in many monumental gains throughout the world. Nevertheless, over 100 years after Kollontai was forced to answer these questions, feminists in 2020 are asked the same questions: “What is ‘Women’s Day’? Is it really necessary?” Indeed, our forbearers of the women’s rights movements of the 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 1990s, and 2010s also faced World Report” & half (58%) of all female victims of intentional these same questions: “What “Progress of the homicide were killed by a family member, is ‘Women’s Day’? Is it really World’s Women amounting to 50,000 deaths in the year or necessary?” Report”: 137 women each day; and more than a third But just as the question was - Women earn 23% less (30,000) of these were killed by their current ridiculous in 1913, it remains than men globally. or former intimate partner. absurd today. - Women occupy only - In 19 countries and territories (out of As Kollontai responded in 24% of parliamentary 189) the law explicitly requires women to 1913, “Life itself has already seats worldwide. obey their husbands; in 17 countries and supplied a clear and eloquent territories, married women are not allowed to answer.” - 1 in 3 women have travel outside of the home in the same way as experienced physical What is life’s “clear and married men. or sexual violence eloquent answer”? throughout their The non-governmental organization Oxfam’s According to the United Alexandra Kollontai (center) along lifetime. annual report, “Time to care: Nations’ “2019-2020 with other delegates at the Second Unpaid and underpaid care work International Communist Woman's - In 2017, more than and the global inequality crisis” Families in a Changing Conference, in Moscow, Russia, 1921 reports that in 2020: - The 22 richest men in the world have more wealth than all the women in Africa combined (approximately 670 million women). - Women and girls put in 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work every day —a contribution to the global economy of at least $10.8 trillion a year, more than three times the size of the global tech industry. From economic inequality, to inequality under the law, to femicide, women worldwide continue to face injustice and Women's Memorial Memorial March in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous inequality in every country. women and girls, Vancouver, Canada, February 14, 2020 Fighting these injustices is a challenge, not only because FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 3 of systemic sexism and inequality but also governments presented their mandate for National Inquiry would be similar to dozens because of the divisions we face as women. the government-funded NIMMIWG. The of previously written reports. Meanwhile, Racism, sexism, ageism, xenophobia, ableism, mandate requested a report on: many unsolved cases and families are waiting homophobia, transphobia, and other forms for loved ones to come home – yet this “i. Systemic causes of all forms of violence of systemic discrimination are all ideologies inquiry had no mandate to open police files – including sexual violence – against that separate women from recognizing our or demand the records for these families. So, Indigenous women and girls in Canada, common interests and working together for while the report criticizes institutions and ‘the including underlying social, economic, our rights. system’ - it did not actually have the power cultural, institutional, and historical causes to force police to surrender information Women in Canada: Highlighting one contributing to the ongoing violence year since the National or to reform the inequalities in Canada’s Inquiry into Murdered justice system. and Missing Indigenous Almost a year ago, on June 3, 2019, the Women and Girls NIMMIWG concluded and published its While International important report. Most surprisingly, the Women’s Day celebrates report called the ongoing neglect by the the gains and achievements government of Canada towards murdered of women around the and missing Indigenous women and girls world, it is also a time to “an ongoing genocide.” The report further reflect on the year that explains, “The truths shared in these National has passed and assess our Inquiry hearings tell the story – or, more tasks for the years to come. accurately, thousands of stories – of acts of In Canada, women have genocide against First Nations, Inuit and made many advancements Métis women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA in our rights: from the people. [...] This genocide has been right to vote to equality empowered by colonial structures, evidenced under Canadian law, and notably by the Indian Act, the Sixties Scoop, the creation of various residential schools, and breaches of human institutions for women. and Inuit, Métis and First Nations rights, At the same time, many leading directly to the current increased systemic issues continue rates of violence, death, and suicide in Stolen Sisters Memorial March in honour of missing and Indigenous populations.” to hold back women in murdered Indigenous women and girls, Victoria, B.C., Canada. February 15, 2020 While calling out Canada for genocide, In my article for Fire This Sisters in Spirit Vigil & March in downtown Saskatoon, SK to honour the 1,200-page report Time Newspaper for International Women’s missing and murdered Indigenous women, October 6, 2019 also features 231 “Calls day in 2017, I wrote, “While Canada’s Prime for Justice.” Many of Minister Justin Trudeau calls himself a these calls are aimed ‘feminist’ and has garnered much praise for his at the government of open stance on gay marriage and LGBTQ+ Canada and its inaction rights, we have yet to see what he will do for in the face of dozens Canada’s most marginalized women; or how of reports on the issues his feminism will work to provide affordable facing Indigenous childcare and housing for women who need it; women and girls. The or his policies to end violence against women “Calls for Justice” also in Canada; or to improve access to abortion call for changes in other for women in rural communities, or eliminate institutions, including the wage gap. Of course, we understand the media, health that men who call themselves feminists are services, social work, useless to our cause unless they take action education, and others. by our sides.” (“From Canada to Cuba: What Meanwhile, the simple Women Have Achieved and What We Need publishing of the to Keep Fighting For” FTT Vol. 11 Is. 3) NIMMIWG report Today, three more years with Prime Minister has not made life safer Trudeau have elapsed, and his brand of for Indigenous women ‘feminism’ has been further exposed. None and particular vulnerabilities of Indigenous and girls in Canada. The Statistics Canada of the issues I raised in 2017 have been women and girls in Canada, and “Homicide in Canada” report clarifies that in 2018, Indigenous women accounted for tackled in any real or life-changing way for ii. Institutional policies and practices women in Canada. However, one of the nearly 37% of female homicide victims, implemented in response to violence despite representing only 5% of Canada’s steps taken for women under the Trudeau experienced by Indigenous women and girls Liberal government, which was repeatedly female population (this is an 11% increase in Canada, including the identification and from 2014). The report also explains that, rejected by the previous Conservative Harper examination of practices that have been government, was the establishment of the tragically, Indigenous homicide victims were effective in reducing violence and increasing generally younger than non-Indigenous National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing safety.” Indigenous Women and Girls (NIMMIWG). victims, “the average age for Indigenous On the surface, this seems positive, as they are female victims was 30 compared to 43 for In September 2016, the government of looking for systemic and ‘root’ causes of the non-Indigenous females.” Canada and all provincial and territorial issue, in many ways. However, this meant the Continued on page 32 4 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 The U.S. Military is the World’s Biggest Climate Destroyer! No to War and Occupation! No to Environmental Degradation! Emerging Dynamics of Antiwar and Climate Justice Movements

By Alison Bodine for 17 years by U.S. led war and occupation. which has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Over a million people have been killed, not According to a 2007 report by the U.N. Talk by Alison Bodine at the United National Environment Program, between 1000 Antiwar Coalition National Conference held to mention the millions who were killed before the war began in 2003 when the and 2000 metric tons of depleted uranium February 21-23, 2020 at the People’s Forum in were fired into Iraq. New York City. U.S. and the United Nations Security Council imposed severe sanctions between Now I will bring it back home to the U.S. To begin, I hope everyone has been able 1991 and 2003. Iraq is a devastated country and Canada. In Canada, an Indigenous to see on of actions across Canada in where the U.S. has set up 500 big and Dené nation community in the Northwest solidarity with the people of Wet’suwet’en small military bases throughout 17 years of Territories became known as the “Village media and social media lately, footage and occupation, and deployed countless bullets, of Widows” because men of the population their hereditary chiefs who are standing bombs, chemical weapons, depleted died of cancers that they developed when against a fracked gas, or what they call uranium and burn pits filled with toxic mining for uranium. This was the same a “natural” gas pipeline, up in northern plastics, heavy military machinery and uranium that was used in the bombs British Columbia. This struggle is part of shells of weaponry. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As my talk today, however, the focus of what No wonder people in Iraq were demanding well, the radium and the uranium mines I wanted to say is about the importance U.S. Out of Iraq Now! Because of the in the community released tailings into of bringing the anti-war movement and devastation that has been brought upon the lake and landfills. The devastating the climate justice movement together or them. But I wanted to further centre our effects of this are still experienced in the anti-war organizers and the climate justice discussion on climate justice by talking community today. movement together. about one example of what climate That brings us to what has been said many The Devastating Human anddevastation and climate justice means to times, importantly, in this conference Environmental Impact of War & people in Iraq. already, which is that the U.S. Department Occupation In 2010, the International Journal of of Defense is the world’s largest polluter. I want to start with just three short Environmental Research and Public We are talking about 1.2 billion metric examples of the impact of war on the Health wrote an article where they tons of greenhouse gases emitted annually. environment that I think are very reported a 38-fold increase in leukemia, That is the equivalent of 257 million cars important to remember. a tenfold increase in breast cancer, and an on the road for a year. On January 24th, over a million people infant mortality rate eight times higher In Canada, the Department of National protested in Iraq. The streets were full than in neighboring Kuwait, following Defence also makes an enormous in Baghdad of people demanding the what had then been seven years of U.S. war contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. U.S. Out of Iraq Now! It was incredibly and occupation in Iraq. A big cause of this A portion of this is through the fueling inspiring. could be linked to the chemical weapons of the warplanes of Canada and other used, and especially to depleted uranium, imperialist countries. The government of Iraq is a country that has been devastated Continued on page 36 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 5 In Solidarity With Black Lives Matter & Victims of Police Brutality U.S. Colonialism at Home and Abroad A Human Appeal from Tunisia

By Hamma Al-Hammami Hamma Al-Hammami

The demonstrations in the United States of America are growing greater and greater, day scary un-employment after day and have drawn protesters from all rate (40 million classes of society, groups, races, and ethnic out of 328 million communities. Their rage quickly reached the people), an extreme doors of the White House. Agents of the U.S. poverty (more than 43 National Guard made the White House into Million people) and a highly guarded fortress out of fear of being a complete absence stormed and invaded by the protesters who of national health are surrounding it. insurance for everyone (approximately 50 These demonstrations began following the Protest in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and against racism million people without on June 6, 2020 in Tunis, Tunisia brutal racist killing of George Floyd, at the health insurance) and a hands of the police. The victim was begging persistent criminality preoccupations or internal problems are not for help, telling the officer who had his knee (1.2 million crimes of violence, 132,000 acts an excuse. There is no doubt that the many on his neck that he was un-able to breathe, of rape and 16,214 murders only in 2018) ... but the officer kept crushing his neck until Arab rulers will not do it because they are he released his final breaths. That heinous The movement of the American people today afraid of Trump’s anger and retaliation, but crime lit the fuse on the already deteriorating gives the progressive forces in the world an the people… or at least the progressive forces situation, and the right wing, populist, unprecedented chance to express their support have nothing to fear and nothing to lose if extremist Donald Trump made it only worse and help to the American people in their fight they support the struggle of American people. with his reckless and racist policies and against the capitalist imperialist American By doing so, like them, we will gain dignity, decisions. beast. The American people are offering a honor, and humanity. huge service to all the nations of the world by The America that is revolting today is neither Trump has behaved in the same way any denouncing and weakening this beast that has Trump’s America nor the America of injustice dictator in any region of the world would. He harmed and is still harming them. It is indeed and criminal greed. It is the America of the quickly criminalized the protests and accuse a great opportunity for all nations around hard-working class, the poor, the persecuted the “radical left” of “chaos and sabotage” and the world to rebel and liberate themselves women, and the ethnic communities that even “of practicing terrorism”. He demanded from the shackles of U.S. imperialism. This suffer the worst. the police to crush the protestors relentlessly. matter means a lot to the Tunisian people in When the police failed in containing the particular and to the Arab nations in general. This is the America of the women textile protests, he called on the “National Guards” It is a fact that this American beast that has workers whose epic struggle is immortalized for help. And finally, he threatened to use always supported the dictatorship in Tunisia on Math 8, the International Women’s the U.S. army against the protesters. This and provided the rulers with the necessary Day, and the workers of Chicago whose is the first time in the U.S. for more than assistance to brutalize their own people. The great sacrifices and struggles in 1886, decades. It is on the record that not long ago different American governments have always are immortalized on May 1st each year, he was criticizing others, in several countries supported the Tunisian government in its International Workers Day. It is the America of the world, and accusing them of having repression of its people’s struggles (to name a of John Steinbeck’s “the Grapes of Wrath” no respect for “people’s right to freedom of few, the general strike in 1978, the bread riots in 1939, and Jack London’s “the Iron Heel”, assembly and protesting” which he then used in 1984, the December 17, 2010- January 14, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s to threaten military intervention in these 2011 Revolution...) Cabin”, William Faulkner’s “The Sound and countries. But this brutal repression and the the Fury,” that of working class heroes “Sacco This beast is also the main ally to the increased threats only made the American and Vanzetti,” Martin Luther King’s “I have Zionist entity who is raping Palestine’s land demonstrators more determined to continue a dream” and Angela Davis, the famous and people. And Trump himself has taken the fight for dignity, equality, and social communist activist, and Muhammad Ali, unprecedented steps in this effort which could justice. who refused his military enrolment to fight in be summed up by what is called the “Deal Vietnam, and the list goes on ... The on-going police brutality in the United of the Century” that aims to permanently States of America reveals the atrocities of bury the Palestinian cause. As well as, to Young people of Tunisia, hard-workers, the capitalist system and its cruelty within allow the Zionist entity to get its hands on women, educated and creative people, stand its main stronghold. This proves that what the whole land of Palestinian, in perfect up to support your sisters and brothers in the the U.S. imperialism is doing abroad, such as, collusion with reactionary Arab governments. U.S. You are standing up for your own cause. brutal attacks, looting, and racism is nothing It is that same beast who raped the lands of but a horrible extension of its domestic policy. Iraq and destroyed it, and contributed to the Hamma Al-Hammami, is the Secretary General A deep rooted racism towards Blacks, Latinos, destruction of Syria and Libya and the list of Workers Party of Tunisia Asians and others, a savage exploitation goes on and on... This is an excerpt of an article in arabic and translated and a horrible class system (the richest one and edited by Azza Rojbi originally published at: percent of American hold more wealth than However, Arab people including Tunisians, www.sawt-achaab.tn/?p=23511 like Europeans, must not remain silent, that of middle and upper class combined), a Published with the author's permission 6 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 The Wars Come Home Defend Black Lives! NO Police State! NO Military Dictatorship! Release all arrestees! NO more attacks on anti-racist protesters!

The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) stands in solidarity with A mural tribute to George Floyd painted by Palestinian artist communities across the country who are rising Walid Ayoub on the Israeli apartheid wall in the West Bank up in protest against racist police violence. As Donald Trump calls for the deployment of characterized by a week of major protests and gone on for too long in this country. There the U.S military in response to these national acts of civil disobedience in nearly every state are over 1,000 victims of lethal force every protests, UNAC condemns the use of any throughout the country. Hundreds of actions year in the U.S. And unarmed black men and police and military forces being deployed have taken place in cities big and small, from women and children have been terrorized to violently suppress coast to coast, to denounce not only the and killed by police these protests. We call murder of George Floyd, but the long history for over a century on all anti-war activists of oppression and state-violence against black with hardly any of to help organize or Americans that never ended and that has the cops involved join in these actions never even been truly acknowledged by the ever facing charges demanding justice and United States. for their crimes. an end to the state- Within the last Just as the antiwar movement has challenged terror being inflicted years alone, only the ongoing U.S. racist and imperialist wars upon black and brown those cases caught abroad, the massive protests across the country communities within on camera or other today are challenging the institutionalized this country. recording devices racist violence at home. The millions in the The ongoing protests have caught the streets today are a harbinger of the broad and began in Minnesota eyes and ears of united mobilizations to come that have the on Monday May 25, those in power; and potential of posing a fundamental challenge 2020 in response to even then, justice is to the oppressive, racist, violent system itself. the murder of George rarely served. Statement by The United National Antiwar Floyd, a 46-year old Most recently, Coalition (UNAC) black man, by four cases such as that www.unacpeace.org police officers in the of Breonna Taylor city of Minneapolis. and Ahmaud The horrific killing was Arbery have gained #EndPoliceBrutality caught on multiple national attention videos which revealed weeks after they two cops pinning an were killed by #BlackLivesMatter already handcuffed police and former Floyd facedown to Massive march in Houston, Texas against George police officers the ground, one cop Floyd’s death and police brutality #ICantBreath and only after standing over him, videos and 9-1-1 ✊ and a fourth one pressing his knee into the recordings were leaked to the media. The police #GeorgeFloyd victim’s neck for nearly nine minutes even as who murdered Taylor in her own apartment he cried, “I can’t breathe,” and soon became have not been charged, unresponsive. Floyd died moments later. and Arbery’s killers Join us to build a revolutionary movement! On May 29, only after FIVE DAYS straight who shot him while Distribute Revolutionary Change in Your Area! of militant protests in Minneapolis and in he was out jogging For distribution of Fire This Time in your area, across major cities across the country, the cop caught were not indicted until BC, and internationally, please contact: kneeling on Floyd’s neck was finally arrested video of the incident and charged with third degree murder. His caused public outcry and Thomas Davies Publicity & Distribution Coordinator three accomplices have yet to be charged. protests weeks later. Phone: (778) 889-7664 Of course, this tragic killing did not happen This current nation- Email: [email protected] in a vacuum. It represents a trend that has wide uprising has been FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 7 US CONTINUES SANCTIONS AGAINST VENEZUELA, CUBA AND IRAN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By Frederick B. Mills #SANCTIONSKILL not surgical strikes at government officials; they bring suffering and death to the most As most of the world is building bonds vulnerable. By hampering the government’s corruption scandals involving his inner circle of solidarity to contain the COVID-19 ability to access medical equipment and and widespread anger over his support for pandemic, the US continues to impose supplies during the present pandemic, sanctions and outside intervention against his crippling economic sanctions on Cuba, sanctions will only multiply the number own country. He is still the darling, however, Venezuela, Iran and other nations for resisting of victims and therefore constitute a gross of true believers in Washington. the political and economic imperatives of violation of human rights. Today Guaidó is overshadowed by moderate Washington. Even Colombia and Venezuela, opposition forces who are pulling together whose relations recently reached a new The US combines sanctions with threats of military intervention to confront the pandemic. For example, low, today buried the hatchet in order to opposition leader Claudio Fermin (Solutions coordinate efforts against the coronavirus. Given the gravity of the present pandemic, for Venezuela SPV), who supports the path Yet the US continues to impose sanctions on it is unconscionable that sanctions remain an of dialogue and elections, issued a statement Venezuela and other nations, and this curtails instrument of choice in Washington’s foreign yesterday: “We call the political factors in their efforts to deal more effectively with the policy toolbox. Over the past two years, the dispute, above all those trapped in a war to crisis, needlessly putting millions of more Trump Administration has sought to ratchet the death on account of polarization, to a lives at risk. up the pain imposed on Venezuelans, and political truce, that suspends the permanent Time is of the essence for lifting sanctions President Trump has even contemplated a conflict to give priority to dealing with the The US economic war against Venezuela pandemic in national unity.” makes it more difficult to fight the Venezuela acts against the pandemic pandemic because it freezes the country’s with one hand tied behind its back foreign assets, prevents international The Maduro administration has acted bank transfers, and penalizes third party decisively in the face of the crisis, businesses for engaging in commercial including an education campaign, the transactions with this South American implementation of a country wide nation. This makes it more difficult to quarantine, and an effort to equip obtain vital medicines and equipment. designated hospitals to treat possible As a form of collective punishment infected patients, despite a scarcity with lethal consequences, these punitive of medical equipment and supplies measures arguably constitute crimes exacerbated by the sanctions. Maduro is against humanity. starting out with one hand tied behind Sanctions kill his back by the economic war against On February 13, Venezuela asked the his country. But Venezuela is not alone. prosecutor of the International Criminal This South American nation is presently Court to investigate U.S. officials for crimes receiving technical and material medical naval blockade against this country. In May against humanity because, said Venezuelan assistance from Russia, China and Cuba and 2019, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, sanctions is armed with a limited but vitally important warned “We have a full range of options that constitute “a death sentence for tens of supply of the Cuban drug, interferon alfa we’re preparing for [Venezuela]” including thousands of Venezuelans per year.” 2b. Executive Vice President of Venezuela, “diplomatic options, political options, options Delcy Rodríguez has been in contact with There is empirical evidence for the claim that with our allies and then ultimately a set UN officials as well as the Pan American sanctions “are a death sentence”. A report by of options that would involve use of U.S. Health Organization to obtain testing kits the Center for Economic and Policy Research military.” and other supplies and to “reinforce planning (CEPR), “Economic Sanctions as Collective Such coercive measures and threats are and coordination of preventive measures to Punishment: The Case of Venezuela,” found unpopular in Venezuela, where a majority of avoid the spread of Coronavirus Covid-19.” that: Venezuelans want peace and support national This assistance is urgently needed, but the “The sanctions have inflicted, and increasingly dialogue. This dialogue, which has had the lifting of US sanctions would alleviate serious inflict, very serious harm to human life and support of the UN, recently made significant obstacles to meeting the challenges of this health, including an estimated more than strides in determining how to address crisis. 40,000 deaths from 2017–2018; and that political differences between the government States define their national character in the these sanctions would fit the definition and moderate sectors of the opposition. midst of a pandemic of collective punishment of the civilian Rather than support efforts of Venezuelans to population as described in both the Geneva Each state is defining its national character resolve their own differences and to cope with and Hague international conventions, to on the world stage in terms of its collective the pandemic, the Trump administration which the US is a signatory. They are also responsibility for human life on the planet continues to back the hardline right wing illegal under international law and treaties in the face of the pandemic. China has shadow government of Juan Guaidó which which the US has signed and would appear risen to the occasion. China now plays a is opposed to the moderates who have opted to violate US law as well.” leading role in the worldwide fight against for dialogue. Guaidó’s base of support inside the coronavirus, offering assistance to other As the CEPR report suggests, sanctions are Venezuela has dwindled on account of nations regardless of ideological differences.

8 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 It has also taken issue with US efforts to strangle non-compliant economies: #UNBLOCKCUBA “The practice of the US of continuing with sanctions against Venezuela while countries #CUBAVSBLOQUEO around the world struggle together against the new pandemic . . . goes against the By Janine Solanki basic human spirit,” said Geng Shuang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of For the last 60 years the U.S. government has imposed a criminal blockade against Cuba, Foreign Affairs. costing Cuba’s economy over $1 trillion in losses over the last six decades. The U.S. blockade prevents Cuba’s access to everything from vital medicines to construction supplies. Cuba has also risen to the occasion. And this is in keeping with its traditional leadership in In order to counter the increasingly harsh U.S. blockade, individuals and organizations training health professionals and providing in the U.S. and Canada came together to organize the International Conference for the medical assistance to countries in the global Normalization of US/Cuba Relations. While planned for March 21-22, 2020 in New York south. City, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the conference was rescheduled to November 13-15, 2020. The International Conference for the Normalization of U.S./Cuba Relations is now Cuba has played an important role in more important than ever, which is why the organizers are not waiting for the rescheduled China’s treatment of COVID-19 patients dates but organizing ongoing online webinars about Cuba and the U.S. blockade. and both nations continue to provide material and professional medical assistance March 21 not only in underdeveloped countries, but in The first online webinar organized by the U.S. Cuba Normalization Organizing Committee Europe as well. Today Cuba, at the request was on March 21 and 22, the original conference dates. The March 21 webinar was a of the UK government, has authorized the conference opening plenary, with speakers including Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodríguez cruise ship MS Braemar, which carries a from the Cuban Mission to the United Nations and Cuba solidarity activists from number of travellers who are infected with throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. The next day was the first International the coronavirus, to dock in Cuba’s port, Cuba Solidarity Webinar titled “The Impact of the Blockade of Cuba on the People of the after being turned away by several other U.S. & What We can Do about It.” Caribbean countries. (18) Cuba will arrange for the safe return of the travellers, following April 9 World Health Organization and Cuban The next International Cuba Solidarity Webinar was “Cuba Leads in the Global Fight Ministry of Health protocols, to the UK. Against Covid-19” held on April 9. This webinar was MC’d by Alison Bodine from Fire The Cuban Embassy in Italy issued a This Time Movement for Social Justice in Vancouver, Canada, and Claudia de la Cruz, the statement on March 15 urging that “These Executive Director of The People’s Forum in New York City. The webinar started with a are times in which understanding, and featured speaker representing Cuba, Ambassador José Cabañas from the Cuban Embassy sensibility should prevail over any other cause. in Washington, DC. Speakers joined from many time zones, one of the benefits of an The challenge faces all of humanity, without online forum! Dr. Helen Yaffe joined from Scotland where she is a lecturer in Economic distinctions. Only social responsibility, the and Social History at the University of Glasgow, as well as author of several books on joint effort of everyone and international Cuba. Dr. John Kirk joined from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he is a professor in the collaboration will help bring about a Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies at Dalhousie University. Dr.Isaac solution, in the shortest possible time, to the Saney, also in Halifax, is the co-chair of the Canadian Network on Cuba. health, social and economic situation caused April 18 by the Coronavirus pandemic.” The next webinar was held on April 18, on the theme “Cuba Leads in Global Fight Against This is an opportune moment for Washington Covid-19 – Worldwide Health Crisis Demands Solidarity, Not Sanctions”. Alison Bodine to end the embargo against Cuba and join also chaired this webinar, along with Brenda Lopez, co-coordinator of US Hands Off forces against the coronavirus. Year after year Cuba Committee in Los Angeles. For this webinar the Cuban Ambassador to Canada, the United Nations votes overwhelmingly Josefina Vidal, spoke and represented Cuba. Speakers also included: Dr. Christine Knight, against the embargo, yet Washington’s a graduate of Cuba’s Latin American School of Medicine; Medea Benjamin, co-founder policy towards Cuba is still held hostage to of Code Pink; Dr. Horace Campbell, Professor of African American Studies and Political an extreme right wing lobby that does not Science in Syracuse, NY; Fernando Perez-Viart, former MD from Cuba and President of forgive the fierce independence and socialist Louisiana’s Cuban Club. form of governance on the island. May 2 Today, in the name of defending human life This webinar was chaired by two members of teachers federations: Tamara Hansen, in and putting diplomacy over necropolitics, Vancouver Canada, also coordinator of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba, the Trump administration ought to end Executive Committee member of the Canadian Network on Cuba, and author; and the sanctions against Venezuela, Cuba and Lucy Pagoada-Quesada, in New York City, Official Coordinator of the Honduran Libre Iran. These nations seek relations with the Party. From Cuba, despite technological limitations due to the U.S. blockade, Cuba was United States based on mutual respect represented by: Gilda Chacón Bravo from International Division of the Central Union and sovereign equality. All peoples of the of Cuban Workers, and World Federation of Trade Unions, Americas Region, Cuba; and world would benefit from cooperation and Yamil Martínez Marrero, former General Secretary of the Trade Union at Cuban Institute peace rather than aggression and economic of Friendship With the Peoples and Member of the National Secretariat, Union of Public warfare in the common cause of fighting the Employees in Cuba; Tulio Virguez, International Secretary of the Venezuelan Public coronavirus pandemic, and, in the long term, Sector Workers Union. building a world “in which many worlds can fit.” Find out how to join and watch previous webinars at www.us-cubanormalization.org This is an excerpt of an article originally Follow Janine on Twitter: @janinesolanki published on: www.frederickbmills.com

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 9 “THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN VENEZUELA HAS UNDERGONE GREAT CHANGES & MANY ACHIEVEMENTS.” Interview with Venezuelan Revolutionary Leader Carolys Pérez

Sign reads: "Women, Struggle and Resistance" seen at the International Women's Day march in Caracas, Venezuela. March 8, 2020

of violence against women. At the same time, the ability to report violence against women has also increased because we Interview by Alison Bodine raised the ability for women to self- recognize our rights and the forms of Transcribed & translated by Alison Bodine organize. Chávez loved us with two hearts, violence that are imposed against us. with three hearts, and told us that we could This increase in reporting has naturally developed in Venezuelan society. I would While in Caracas, Venezuela, in January 2020 take the reins towards transforming society say that in general, in all societies, because for the First International Encounter Against and that for that, it was necessary for us to when women identify the violence, they Imperialism, Fire This Time had the honour organize ourselves as women. denounce it, and there is a dedication to to sit down with Venezuelan revolutionary Because of this, from the beginning women seeking justice. Violence against women Carolys Perez to discuss the gains and the took on the organization of people’s power challenges facing women in Venezuela today. is recognized and is in our constitution, as leaders of the Urban Land Committees, which reminds me to invite you to read it. As a young Afro-Venezuelan woman and first through the “mesas técnicas de the Vice Minister for the Social Protection of agua,” [community-based organizations In our constitution, work in the home (or Women’s Rights of the United Socialist Party formed at the beginning of the Bolivarian housework) is paid. The work of housewives of Venezuela (PSUV), Carolys is a leader in revolution that were dedicated to is treated the same as a working day. As the struggle for women’s rights in Venezuela, improving the availability of clean and work done in the household is necessary as well as the in the fight against U.S. potable water], as one tool to strengthen work. It is, among other things, a way imperialism. the work that women born and living in to include women in the social security system. Work at home is work that is Fire This Time: Thank you for your the most impoverished areas were already doing naturally. done with love and for love, but it is a time and your work as a revolutionary working day that is now recognized in the Venezuelan woman. Since the beginning, On the other hand, the women’s movement Venezuelan social system. women’s rights have been a focus of the underwent significant changes when Bolivarian revolution. What are the main Chávez declared himself a feminist. Ours As well, since Comandante Chávez achievements of women since Chávez was is the first revolution worldwide that has assumed the Presidency and the Bolivarian first elected in 1998? declared itself feminist from its first day, revolution began with him – and now from its first President. continues with President Maduro – we have Carolys Pérez: Well, since Chávez become visible. We are no longer afraid of was elected, the women’s movement in From this starting point, we built a legal putting ourselves out there, for example, Venezuela has undergone significant system that now is considered one of in exercising our participation or being changes and many achievements. the most advanced in the world, if not leaders in various spaces or institutions, However, before I begin, I have to say the most advanced, which classifies 21 because we recognize ourselves in others. something that is not necessarily related forms of violence against women. This You also should know that since the to the common struggle of feminism has allowed us to create prosecutors and revolution, we have come to understand worldwide. Among other things, Chávez courts specialized in the care of victims our strength and potential. Therefore, 10 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 institutional developments have also been the food production and accompanied by social development and distribution system, we the participation of our representatives. have organized the Local F TT: Under imperialist attack, Supply and Production blockades, and sanctions, women suffer Committees, CLAP, disproportionately due to their central role which now provide a as caregivers and organizers in the family supply chain based on and society. What is the impact on women popular production. of the war and blockade led by the United Women run 72% of the States against Venezuela? CLAP’s headquarters - so the organization CP: Since the beginning of the attacks on of CLAP rests on the the Bolivarian revolution by imperialists, shoulders of women. sanctions, unilateral coercive measures by the United States, have had a direct impact Now, a new process of on and been directed towards women. organization is taking Hugo Chavez with Indigenous leaders in Venezuela place in Venezuela Numerous, I would say, assaults have through the development of been through to create this consciousness. been carried out to make it impossible socio-political action networks. These Let me also give you other information. to access medicines, food, and items for networks facilitate social mapping, Venezuela has the fifth-highest level of our hygiene. These aggressions have been community by community, street by university enrollment in the world. 72% directed against women because the street, and house by house. Once the of the university population, between 72 Venezuelan woman is a bastion, as I was social composition of each of these streets and 80 percent, are women. Women are saying, a fundamental pillar in the popular has been completed, an assembly is held studying and training to be able to fill all organization of society. and people on the the roles that society has opened for them. Because of this, we have street choose their also been the target leadership. So far, Of course, the war has an impact. Women of forms of counter- 279,800 streets have experience it in everyday life, not by revolutionary political been organized chance, because the popular organization violence, such as: in this way in our of the revolution resides in us. attempts to criminalize country, perhaps F TT: One of the achievements of women community leaders and a little more, and in Venezuela is the creation of a Women’s brutal murders which 80 percent of the Ministry. What is the main task and have been carried by elected leaders are responsibilities of the Women’s Ministry, paramilitary gangs or women. and what are the main challenges of the people on the payroll of Ministry right now? criminal gangs. Some So, it is no social leaders have been coincidence that the CP: Yes, the Ministry of Popular Power for condemned in public impact of the war Women and Gender Equality was created squares or meeting is felt by women, in the revolution. The head of the Ministry places in communities, because women is Minister Asia Villegas, who was as an example to the lead community appointed by President Nicolás Maduro. rest of women not to organization, the Together with Asia, we are a group of mobilize. care of children, women with different responsibilities, the and additionally, the first of which is to promote the defense of Now, why have women political resistance women’s rights. become a target for against imperialism. this form of political One of the main challenges we face is violence? How have sanctions the prevention of adolescent pregnancy. Alison Bodine & Carolys Pérez after the had an impact? We are also challenged with the task to We have various forms interview at the Simon Bolivar Plaza in reform the Organic Law of the Right of of social organization Of course, when you Caracas, Venezuela Women to a Life Free of Violence so that here in the revolution, cannot access the other types of violence are included, in for example, the medicine that you addition to the 21 that are included now. communal councils. In the communal need, when you cannot find food and you Fundamentally we need to incorporate councils, more than 60% of the leaders are have a small child, it becomes a desperate laws against right-wing political violence women. Additionally, regarding the party, situation. This desperation has increased and laws that strengthen the prevention of in the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, intra-family violence because frustration femicides and violence against women and which brings together almost 10 percent often lashes out against what it considers that ensure justice for victims and their of the country’s population, we have base the weakest element. Women and children families. organizations, which are the Hugo Chávez have become the object of frustration in Battle Units [UBCh, by the acronym in a macho society and have experienced Because of our level of organization, we Spanish]. There, 80% of the leaders are violence because of this. So, there is a have a great movement of defenders of women. significant impact, but there is also a women’s rights in our communities. Also, high capacity for resistance based on the fundamentally by mainstreaming the idea As a result of the war and its impact on consciousness of women and what we have Continued on page 31 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 11 Open Letter to Oil and Gas Workers from Climate Justice Organizers

Dear Oil and Gas Workers, helping to defray the costs of our healthcare system, As climate and social justice activists, we acknowledge among a great many other worthy programs? We that you need help and solidarity right now. It may should certainly hope so. surprise you to learn that we believe the common After all, it was mother nature, not “the industry,” that ground we share far outweighs the number of issues put oil and gas in the ground for companies to extract. on which we differ. More importantly, we wish you People in Canada are entitled to expect to benefit from and your loved ones well, and we are not your enemy. whatever revenue the natural resources inside its borders We want to address an open letter that ran recently generates. But the history of the oil and gas sector in major Canadian newspapers, and whose CEO in Canada is mostly one of corporations pocketing authors claim to speak on your behalf. What strikes billions from the extraction of those resources, while us about that letter is not the concern it expresses operating under one of the most industry-friendly for your welfare and the specific challenges you royalty regimes in the world. If the authors of the open face, but the lack thereof. The only demands these letter get their way, the gap between the upside we all CEOS make seem geared to benefit themselves, not deserve and what most of us ultimately receive will be working people. even greater. In the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, your safety and No one in the country understands this disparity better wellbeing are on our minds. We understand that the than First Nations peoples, whose on-reserve public Alberta government has designated your industry an services are funded at cents on the dollar relative to essential service, leaving many of you no choice but those in non-Indigenous communities. Adding insult to continue working in a dangerous environment to injury, they are, in effect, the original owners of the exposed to Covid-19. On work sites in Alberta and resources the fossil fuel industry is extracting. Many in other provinces, including BC, there is evidence are also forced to bear a disproportionate share of the that social distancing protocols recommended by increasingly heavy costs the fossil fuel industry imposes both Canadian medical authorities and the World on the public, another important detail the authors Health Organization are not being followed. neglect to mention. Is it any wonder that Indigenous peoples are so often on the front lines of the resistance Nowhere in the letter do the authors demand work to fossil fuel expansion? stoppages and direct cash payments to oil and gas workers to tide you through this difficult period, and What costs do we have in mind? For starters, there protect your families from the pandemic. With oil are direct, deferred expenses related to cleaning up prices crashing below $0, we believe such a policy orphaned wells and tailings ponds. There are the would make real and immediate sense. The letter also massive public subsidies that governments both federal omits the role automation has played in the mass and provincial continue to bestow on the oil and gas layoffs in your industry in recent years, a process sure sector. (Though estimates vary, this figure amounts to to continue as companies try to maintain profitability billions annually, excluding the federal government’s by shedding payroll. The record of deadly industrial purchase of the Trans Mountain project, and the accidents at oil sands worksites, even in normal Alberta government’s recent multi-billion-dollar times, doesn’t come up either. investment in the Keystone XL.) Beyond that, there are also huge costs related to environmental degradation, The authors’ chief demand is yet another injection pollution of land, air, and waterways, and arguably the of public funds into the pockets of owners and greatest challenge humanity has ever faced: climate investors in the oil and gas sector—funds that would change. Left unchecked, the already vast human toll be better spent elsewhere. To justify their position, of that still escalating crisis will dwarf the value of all these CEOs jump from one bogus argument to the income derived from the fossil fuel sector in Canada. next. Moreover, much like cigarette and asbestos Have revenues from oil and gas production corporations, by funding one of the most sweeping contributed to public coffers over recent decades, disinformation campaigns in living memory, the fossil Continued on page 33

12 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 * EN ESPAÑOL * WOMEN’S “By Any Means Día de la Mujer DAY Necessary...” Por MIRITA By MIRITA

Celebramos nuestro día We celebrate our day marchando hasta el Panteón marching to the Pantheon una mano en la bandera a hand on the flag y otra en el corazón and another on the heart luchamos contra el imperio we fight against the empire que nos quiere dominar who wants to dominate us luchamos contra los hombres we fight against men que nos quieren silenciar who want to silence us luchamos porque en el mundo we fight for a world no haya desigualdad where there is no inequality luchamos por las mujeres we fight for the women que viven en mi ciudad who live in my city por las que viven en Lima for those who live in Lima en Santiago o Bogotá in Santiago or Bogotá la mujer a quien lastiman the women they have hurt y la que abusada está and the one they have abused MALCOLM X SPEAKS por la desaparecida for the missing y la que en la cárcel está and the one they have imprisoned “The police are able to use the press sin derecho a protestar with no right to protest to make the white public think that por las que lo tienen todo for the ones who have everything ninety per cent or ninety-nine per por las que no tienen na for the ones who have nothing cent of the Negroes in the Negro por las mujeres violadas for the violated women community are criminals, and once y las que en la tumba están and those they put in the grave the white public is convinced that por las madres, por las hijas for the mothers, for the daughters most of the Negro community MUJER es humanidad WOMAN is humanity is a criminal element, then this Son tantas las que han matado So many that have been killed automatically paves the way for por defender su verdad for defending their truth the police to move into the Negro Derechos ? ya los tenemos Rights? we have them community exercising Gestapo y hay que hacerlos respetar and they must be respected tactics, stopping any black man Día para celebrar A Day to celebrate who is on the sidewalk, whether he Día de conmemorar A day to commemorate is guilty or whether he is innocent, Día para no olvidar. A day to not forget. whether he is well-dressed or whether he is poorly dressed, 8 marzo 2020, Ottawa, Canadá March 8, 2020, Ottawa, Canada whether he is educated or whether Miriam Meza de Acuña socióloga, jubilada de Miriam Meza de Acuña is a sociologist, retired he is dumb, whether he’s a Christian la administración pública en Venezuela en el from public administration in Venezuela in or whether he’s a Muslim, as long área de vivienda. Actualmente formó parte de the area of housing. Currently working at the as he is black and a member of the la Embajada de Venezuela en Canadá. Embassy of Venezuela in Canada. Negro community the white public thinks that the white policeman Saving Lives The campaign calls for: is justified in going in there and Allowing U.S.-Cuba-Canada medical, trampling on that man’s civil rights Campaign clinical and scientific collaboration, and on that man’s human rights. including inviting Cuban medical brigades to provide direct medical assistance and/or to provide Once the police have convinced the advice and guidance in treating COVID-19. white public that the so-called negro Incorporating Cuba’s Interferon Alfa 2B Recombinant in clinical community is a criminal element, Scan to endorse trials in the U.S., Canada and the WHO, and the granting by the they can go in and question,  U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Cuba’s Interferon Alfa 2B Recombinant. brutalize, murder, unarmed innocent negroes and the white public is Ending U.S. economic and travel sanctions against Cuba, including its extraterritorial nature and the attempts to stop all gullible enough to back them up.” other countries accepting Cuban medical brigades and assistance, and all ongoing measures that prevent Cuba accessing and importing medical equipment and medicines to confront COVID-19. Excerpt from Malcolm X speech in For more info visit: www.savinglives.us-cubanormalization.org Los Angeles, May 5, 1962

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 13 According to Pepero, they were intended to divert the attention of Venezuelan security Precedents services to entertain them and to guarantee protection for the landing plan, which took place this past May 3 in the town of Macuto, in Cuba of in the state of La Guaira. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the U.S. government has used the DEA to “Operation carry out these actions, as well as to play a façade role in Operation Gideon. If this turned out to be successful, there would be applause, if it went wrong, they would disqualify their Gideon” agent. Poreso did not use an American, but rather By Manuel Yepe in his defense that “if we had been behind the Venezuelan drug trafficker-agent those actions the result would have been Socorro Hernández (aka) Pepero, who is The partial or total crushing of Operation different”, omitting any comparison of such a linked to the Colombian cartels operating in Gideon against Venezuela left a significant humiliating American defeat what happened Zulia. This is on the border with the Upper number of mercenaries captured, including in Vietnam. Guajiracolombian-Venezuelan region, a a self-confessed DEA agent supposedly Something similar was done by the US territory that was under the control of the dedicated to the fight against drug smuggling ambassador to the UN, Adlai Stevenson, on powerful leader of the Northern Block of the and abuse. April 15, 1961, when he denied any link of narco-paramilitaries, Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, extradited by Álvaro Uribe Vélez in 2008, who The DEA, which employs more than his country with the bombings of mercenary claims that Uribe betrayed him. 10,000 people to implement its objectives planes against Cuba. as well as to prosecute money laundering The Cuban Foreign Minister at the time, It should come as no surprise to anyone that linked to these crimes, also often serves the the U.S. government has used the DEA to imperialist purposes of the carry out these actions, as well U.S. government in Latin as to play a role as a front for America and other parts of Operation Gideon. If it went well, the world. they would applaud it; if it went badly, they would disown their This new victory of the agent, and therefore they did not Bolivarian Armed Forces use an American, but a Venezuelan and the Venezuelan people counter-revolutionary drug has been another defeat trafficker. for Donald Trump’s neo- colonigializing policy. It has The installation of 10 U.S. military created a focus of violence bases in Colombia, officially agreed in various Venezuelan states to by the government of Barack and in the capital, Caracas. Obama, is a humiliation to its It’s done against a backdrop people and a regional threat. It of systematic campaigns of will take years for the Colombians lies in the hegemonic media Arsenal of weapons and equipment confiscated from the mercenaries to eliminate this Yankee military aimed at spreading disorder arrested by the Bolivarian Armed Forces in Venezuela occupation. Guantánamo is an in order to make governance example, illegally occupied and impossible. denounced in all international Raúl Roa, unmasked this when it became forums whose agreements are not obeyed and/ The idea is to create a matrix of opinion that known that the mercenaries in the service of or blatantly violated. shows Venezuela as an ungovernable country Washington had surrendered to the Cuban by forcing its president, Nicolas Maduro, to militia troops barely 64 hours after the ask for support from the OAS and Inter- invasion landed at Playa Girón (Bahía de Manuel E. Yepe, is a lawyer, economist and American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance Cochinos, aka Bay of Pigs). (TIAR), first. These would then approve a journalist. He is a Professor Emeritus at the humanitarian military intervention in his Stevenson made an ethical gesture and Higher Institute of International Relations in country. recognized that this was the greatest Havana. He was Cuba’s ambassador to Romania, humiliation that his government would have general director of the Prensa Latina agency; vice It is not news that President Trump and received, an ethical gesture that cannot be president of the Cuban Institute of Radio and his officials have denied Washington’s expected from Trump or Pompeo. Television; founder and national director of the participation in the defeated maritime Technological Information System (TIPS) of the incursion. They know that it would be But now the shot has backfired on Trump, United Nations Program for Development in contradictory and unacceptable for the U.S. who apparently did not know that drug Cuba, and secretary of the Cuban Movement for government to appear linked to mercenaries trafficker and DEA agent Jose Alberto the Peace and Sovereignty of the Peoples. Socorro-Hernandez, aka “Pepero,” had been and drug traffickers. Such a scenario is not Source: POR ESTO! newspaper compatible with the image of representation apprehended in Caracas. There, he confessed that they want to project to internal and to the instructions he received to carry out www.englishmanuelyepe.wordpress.com external public opinion, much less admit this various violent actions in the state of Miranda scandalous failure now. that were carried out by DEA-oriented drug A CubaNews translation. Edited by gangs and common criminals, Walter Lippmann. That is why Mr. Mike Pompeo told the press www.walterlippmann.com 14 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Attack on Embassy of Cuba in the United States and Ongoing U.S. Aggression Against Cuba

the context of increasingly hostile and belligerent actions against Cuba by the administration of Introduction by Tamara Hansen U.S. President Donald Trump. Washington’s hostile actions Early in the morning on Thursday April 30, extend to actively and openly 2020, a gunman attacked the Cuban Embassy denying the island nation access to in Washington, DC. He shot at the building the medical equipment, medicines using an assault rifle, while yelling obscenities and protective gear needed and threats to those inside. Thirty-two bullets to confront the COVID-19 were fired damaging the building and courtyard, pandemic. thankfully, no one was hurt. Surely, in the face of the worldwide Statue of Jose Marti seen through a bullet hole in a Recently from Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister, corona virus menace, now is the window at the the Embassy of Cuba in the United States Bruno Rodriguez, once again denounced the time put political differences aside ‘complicit silence’ of the White House, which has in order to control the pandemic taken little action in seeking justice for Cuba. and save lives?! the island nation. The attacker, Alexander Alazo Baró, has been In 2014, the world rejoiced to see the In closing, I wish to thank you in advance for presented as an unstable drug user living in his restoration of diplomatic relations between your consideration of these issues. If you have car who hears voices by the American mainstream the U.S. and Cuba. The world held out great any queries, please do not hesitate to contact media. However, Cuba sees clear evidence that hopes that relations between the two countries me. this man arrived with the intention to attack and would be normalized. Canada helped by Respectfully, kill for political reasons, this was made clear with providing a venue for the talks which led to an “AK-47 rifle, 32 shell casings, 32 bullet holes the improvement of those relations. However, Isaac Saney, and a statement,” Rodriguez stated. Furthermore, under the administration of Donald Trump, Co-Chair and National Spokesperson Rodriguez reminded the world that the U.S. we have witnessed an incessant and unabating Canadian Network On Cuba government’s silence cannot be separated from its policy of overt and ever escalating hostility hostile policy against Cuba, which incites hatred and aggression against Cuba. The United and violence towards Cuba. States continues to zealously pursue and Battle of Ideas Press In a letter to Canada’s Foreign Minister, implement the extensive series of economic François-Philippe Champagne, the Canadian sanctions arrayed against the island nation. 5 Decades of the Cuban Revolution In short, Washington is waging an economic • • Network on Cuba is asking Champagne to work The Challenges of an with Cuba to insist that the U.S. investigates war – more than an embargo - and an overt Unwavering Leadership the April 30 attack with full transparency and campaign of subversion against Cuba, with disclosure. the objective of negating and extinguishing Cuba’s right to self-determination, sovereignty --- and independence. Dear Minister Champagne, For 28-consecutive years, the United Nations Re: April 30, 2020 Attack on Embassy of has rejected this policy of aggression and Cuba in the United States and Ongoing U.S. subversion by condemning the economic Aggression Against Cuba sanctions – a veritable blockade- imposed on Cuba by United States. Canada has repeatedly The world, including Canadians, were shocked been counted in the vast ranks of the world’s by the attack on the Embassy of Cuba in the nations resoundingly rejecting the coercive United States that occurred on April 30, 2020. and unilateral U.S. policy The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) resolutely and unreservedly condemns this Therefore, the CNC - representing, Canada- terrorist act. Cuba friendship and solidarity organizations across Canada, ranging from Vancouver to Under international law - specifically the 1961 Halifax - calls on the Government of Canada Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations By Tamara Hansen to insist that the United States: Coordinator of Vancouver Communities - the United States is obligated to ensure the in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC). She is security of diplomats and diplomatic premises. 1. Investigates the April 30 attack with full transparency and disclosure; also an editorial board member of The Fire Not only did Washington fail in that duty, it This Time newspaper. She has travelled to has failed to condemn the attack. The failure 2. Ceases its acts and policy of hostility and Cuba over a dozen times and has written to condemn this act of terror is a flagrant aggression against Cuba; extensively on Cuban politics since 2003. violation of diplomatic norms, creating a 3. Ends its on going measures that prevent April 2010, paperback, $10.00 situation in which Cuban diplomats in the 314 pages, illustrated, United States will face the very real possibility Cuba accessing and importing medical Copyright © 2010 by Battle of Ideas Press equipment and medicines to confront of ongoing coercion or harassment. This is WWW.BATTLEOFIDEASPRESS.COM unacceptable. COVID-19; and [email protected] Moreover, the April 30 attack occurs within 4. Ends all U.S. economic sanctions against FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 15 Support Cuba to Fight Against COVID-19 Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) Fundraising for Cuba: A New Stage

There has been as yet no new hurricane, no earthquake, no tornado this year, affecting our dear Cuba. But there has been a combination of two things: a plague and an intensification of the viciousness of panicked imperialism. This combination is compelling friends of Cuba to take some urgent action to help Cuba to alleviate the burdens being piled onto the island. Revolutionary Cuba has always been blessed with leaders who know how to think, to think with compassion about compliance of some of its own citizens and Firstly, we have to let Cuba’s achievements the interests of their own people and with of others in other parts of the world, in the be known. Interferon Alfa 2B has a high extraordinary generosity about others. That ugliest schemes devised by its government profile right now, but the lung cancer vaccine attribute has gone a long way to keeping the in the attempt to frustrate Cuba’s principled known as CIMAvax—developed by Roswell country bouyant, spiritually and materially. defiance of oppression. Park Comprehensive Cancer Center based in Buffalo, New York, and Cuba’s Center for Cuba knows how to multiply whatever help it One of the Revolution’s great achievements Molecular Immunology, and produced at the gets. These qualities have evoked in frustrated in education has made it possible for Cuba to first-ever joint venture between an American imperialism the most flagrant manifestations produce a therapy to combat the new corona hospital and Cuba, launched in September of imperialist hatred. virus, COVID-19: its Interferon Alfa 2B. The 2019 in Cuba under the name: Innovative Trump administration’s answer to this success Hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes lack Immunotherapy Alliance, S.A. —may soon be is to launch an intense campaign to dissuade this cruel emotion which imperialism with seen as equally important. its present leader is now displaying. U.S. countries, desperate to help their people, from imperialism with its control of the world’s purchasing this desired source of reasonably Secondly, we have to help Cuba not only reserve currency is able to print as much priced medicine. to continue providing for a healthy life for its heroic people, but to go further in money as it wants to and to purchase the Already as of March 29, 45 countries have fulfilling the potential of its educational and requested Cuba’s social systems so that it can contribute even inhalant Interferon. more amazingly to human well-being and This includes Brazil, development. We will recognize the crucial which, in a moment importance of helping Cuba at this time by of Bolsonaro’s extreme initiating a vigorous fundraising campaign, to irrationality and support Cuba’s humanitarian efforts in this mimicking imperialist fight against COVID-19. propaganda, had expelled Cuban doctors The CNC is launching this Cuba Against from Brazil calling COVID-19 and 100 percent of all funds used them terrorists. 6,000 will be sent to Cuba. Cheques should be made Cuban doctors will out to the Canadian Network on Cuba note in now be redeployed to the memo line – Cuba Against COVID-19.  Donate to Cuban International  repentant Brazil. But Mail to: Sharon Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Medical missions: the provocations will Bolton, Ontario L7E 1S4. not end. The U.S. keeps 1) Write a cheque to "CNC", with "COVID-19" written in Unfortunately we are still not able to provide arbitrarily imposing the memo line, and then mailed to: charitable tax receipts, although we send sanctions against the receipts for the funds donated, together with 📪 CNC c/o Sharon Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, island and its stalwart our thanks for your support. Ontario L7E 1S4. allies, such as the March 30, 2020 2) Send an email money transfer to: Bolivarian Republic 📧 [email protected] of Venezuela, whose Keith Ellis, Coordinator president it now, in a Contact Sharon to set up the the e-transfer info and preposterous gesture CNC Campaign to Support Cuba’s password: of war promotion, Contribution to World Fight Against ☎ 905.951.8499 attempts to demonize COVID-19 📧 [email protected] as a narcotrafficker.

16 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020

deadly sanctions! deadly and and their destructive their war drive U.S. must allies end and their imperialist occupation. Now more than ever, the of war and era against the new mobilize continues to organize, and educate From the streets to online, MAWO was reflected in media.Yemeni news 17 years of the U.S.-led war on Iraq and of U.S./Saudi-led war on Yemen and milestonemarked of 5 years the grim of Coronavirus crisis. This action also put oppressed nations in greater danger led wars, occupations, and sanctions had announcement reminded us that U.S. a global pandemic,was declared the Kill!” Covid-19 after Just two days reading are “Sanctions War! Sanctions worldwide. Activistssigns held picket campaign, joining in action with cities Kill Sanctions of the new was part and petition drive antiwar rally On March 13, MAWO’s monthly against Venezuela. and sanctions foreign intervention Group, is bent on which promoting meeting hosted in Canada of the Lima Lima Group!” in response to a recent Venezuela” and of the “Canada Out This action also demanded“Hands Off to sign petitions and talk to organizers. many table stopped at the information NATO/All Troops of Iraq!” Out and “No War with Iran! U.S./Canada/ couldn’t miss the banners demanding in their countries.intervention Passersby Iran were demanding an end to U.S. when mass demonstrations in Iraq and and petition campaign, also at a time MAWO rally a monthly organized sanctions.criminal 21, On February end to U.S.-led wars, occupations and out to the streetscame to demand an Against War and Occupation (MAWO) In Vancouver, Canada, Mobilization wars, & sanctions! occupations Now more – end U.S. than ever

By Janine Solanki Mobilization Against War and Occupation -MAWO ✌

@NoBloqueoVan onor follow Facebook or Twitter action visit www.vancubavsblockade.org than ever! To find out about the next the U.S. on blockade Cuba, now more activists are demanding an end solidarity online or on the streets,Whether Cuba in. and participated and discussion, FCAB which supported online meetings with speakers organized both Québec-Cuba de solidarité Connections and la table de concertation way to continue online. Cuba Ottawa had, like much of the world, a found 17,By April activists Cuba solidarity blockade! posts demanding an end to the U.S. activists shared tweets and social media related restrictions. Online, however, at the U.S. Consulate due to Covid-19 actiondecision not to hold the monthly - FCABBlockade made the difficult action, Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. before days the March 17 monthly A few defiance of the U.S. blockade. signs, banners, and the Cuban flag in of the U.S.front Consulate sign, holding protesters gathered a group for photo in coordinated action. up, Before wrapping their from shared a message of solidarity Cuba Connections. Ottawa from They speakers, the crowd listened to a greeting speakers.to hear from Alongside local rounds of picketing, before gathering on the Blockade Cuba Now!” during protest signs high and chanted “Lift Ukraine. Activists in Vancouver held and Montreal, Canada, as well as Kiev, in coordination with activists in Ottawa demand an end to the U.S. is blockade actionThis monthly in Vancouver to to protest the U.S. of Cuba. blockade Consulate in downtown Vancouver of the U.S.joined together in front 17,On February of Cuba supporters THE U.S.THE BLOCKADE ON CUBA! NOW MORE EVER – LIFT THAN Friends of Cuba Against the Friends of Cuba Against the  US Blockade - Vancouver Resist & Fight Back Social Justice Activities in Vancouver the 27 -VCSC night about an info organized with Cuba Communities in Solidarity 28,On February Vancouver and Instagram @VanCuba_VCSCand Instagram Facebook or @vancubasolidarity Twitter www.vancubasolidarity.com on or follow events, online webinars, including at Find out about upcoming Cuba solidarity Cuba and Venezuela are taking today. Day and the leading role that women in of International Women’sthe history coordinator of VCSC, then spoke about and song.drumming Tamara Hansen, the who shared a welcoming Sandy Vivian and IndigenousWhite elders Kelly world! out with evening started The women of Cuba, Venezuela, and the Women’s Day and the revolutionary held a celebration of International following The week, on March 6, VCSC brigade are at www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/ November 15 – 30, 2020. More details has now Brigade been rescheduled to song. the event, Since the Che Guevara and together with drumming everyone own connection to Cuba before bringing shared her elder and activistWhite Kelly to a close, the event bring Coast Salish and answered2020 trip questions. To previous brigades, gave details on the Brigade, then shared a slideshow from national coordinator of the Che Guevara Cuba is like! Janine Solanki, who is the to of what travelling was an exciting view Brigades,and past Che Guevara which out with videos about Cuba started event workshops, and more! dance classes The institutions, sites, historical as well as activities, visiting health and educational encompasses volunteer work, cultural and beyond. two-weekThe program across Canada alongside from brigadistas Cuba firsthand,way to experience to Cuba! Brigade is a unique This trip Solidarity with Cuba-VCSC Vancouver Communities in CUBA’S EXAMPLE SOLIDARITY INSPIRES ⭐ th Che Guevara VolunteerGuevara Che Work the sanctions and war being imposed about responsibility to think critically and Canada we haveUnited States the As peace-loving people living in the not in the interest of rights.”“human four months the first of 2020 is certainly sanctions against Venezuela, throughout and crippling as the increase of brutal people of Venezuela “democracy.” –Just announced in March, the is not to bring surrounding to the Caribbean Venezuela, of warships, aircraft, military and soldiers government’s deployment United States pandemic.time of the Covid-19 The Venezuela exposed in the are further in and Lima Groups interventions face of the brutal The truly U.S. government America.wing governments in Latin government of Canada and 11 right- the representatives includes which from fact, of the Lima Group, the sole purpose Venezuela Nicolás Maduro. This is, in elected President of the democratically about the overthrow to bring campaign assist the United States-led can about how the community”“international another round of planning and discussion and rights”“human this meeting was yet Quebec. Under the guise of “democracy” Lima Group held in Gatineau,called Champagne at a meeting of the so- opening remarks by Foreign Minister of the The above quote is an excerpt Canada, 20, February 2020. Champagne,Phillipe Foreign Minister of in that country.”re-establish democracy – community together to the world bring of us and how we, the Lima Group, can the Venezuelan represents crisis all for “We gather today to discuss the challenges Demand: U.S./Canada Hands Off! Vancouver Protests Monthly Tears the People for of Venezuela - Crocodile The U.S. and Canada Cry Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Continued on page Continued 35

✊ www.RepealBillC51.org at www.facebook.com/RepealBillC51 or Twitter or on Facebook @StopBillC51 be organizing activities soon – check Working C-51 will Bill Group to Stop hitting the streets,actions from the regarding has kept these Covid-19 situation the challenging While talk to those passing through. and to hand out information opportunity in Burnaby. This was another great stationat Joyce Collingwood Skytrain On March 2, the 233 a petition C-51 and C-59. against Bill where passersby stopped to sign on to Station, Skytrain Central held at Surrey On February 25,On February the 232 reading C-51 and C-59!”. Bill “Repeal banner table under the big colourful info through this busy area stopped at the in Vancouver. Many people transiting Station Skytrain was held at Main Street demanding C-51 and C-59”“Cancel Bill February 3 the 231 February to the last actions, back Looking on to Covid-19. suspended due protests are temporarily although as of this report, the public across Metro Vancouver stations, transit actions bi-weekly continues to organize of our rights. in defence back The group in C-51 was formed Vancouver to fight In 2015, the Working Bill Group to Stop the beginning. databases of our information, this is just actions of CSIS to enable collecting Freedoms. see with the recent As we can of Rights and the Canadian Charter of “disruption” and to be able violate and undefined powershave the chilling (CSIS) to Intelligence Service Security It continues to allow the Canadian regime. surveillance worseeven cyber C-51,concerns in Bill it also creates an many of the fundamental human rights doesn’t C-59 not only of Bill address that he would “fix” C-51, Bill the passage Prime Minister While Trudeau promised C-51 and C-59 ! Repeal Bill our privacy? violating is really Who Working Group to Stop Working Group to Stop Bill C-51& Bill C-59 ✊ st bi-weekly action bi-weekly rd action was held nd action was

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 17 DOCTORS, Fidel:MÉDICOS NOT Y NO BOMBS BOMBAS Excerpts of speech by Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro, Fragmentos del discurso pronunciado por el Comandante en Jefe, en in Buenos Aires, in May of 2003. Buenos Aires, en mayo de 2003. Since I am an optimist, I think this world can be saved, in spite Pienso –porque soy optimista– que este mundo puede salvarse, a pesar de of the mistakes made, in spite of the immense, hegemonic powers los errores cometidos, a pesar de los poderíos inmensos y unilaterales que se that have been created, because I believe ideas prevail over force.… han creado, porque creo en la preminencia de las ideas sobre la fuerza. (…) Our country does not drop bombs on other peoples, nor does it Nuestro país no lanza bombas contra otros pueblos, ni manda miles de send thousands of planes to bomb cities; our country does not aviones a bombardear ciudades; nuestro país no posee armas nucleares, possess nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, or biological weapons. ni armas químicas, ni armas biológicas. Las decenas de miles de Our country's tens of thousands of scientists and doctors have científicos y médicos con que cuenta nuestro país han sido educados been educated in the idea of saving lives. It would absolutely en la idea de salvar vidas. Estaría en absoluta contradicción con su contradict this concept to put a scientist or a doctor to work to concepción poner a un científico o a un médico a producir sustancias, produce substances, bacteria or viruses to kill other human beings. bacterias o virus capaces de producir la muerte a otros seres humanos. Allegations that Cuba is doing research on biological weapons No faltaron, incluso, las denuncias de que Cuba estaba haciendo have even been made. In our country, research is conducted to investigaciones sobre armas biológicas. En nuestro país se hacen cure diseases as severe as meningococcal meningitis and hepatitis, investigaciones para curar enfermedades tan duras como la meningitis to produce vaccines with genetic engineering techniques, or, meningocócica, la hepatitis, a través de vacunas que produce por técnicas de something of great importance, to discover vaccines or therapeutic ingeniería genética, o, algo de suma importancia, la búsqueda de vacunas o de formulas through molecular immunology; some of which can fórmulas terapéuticas a través de la inmunología molecular; y lo mismo unas prevent and others cure. We are moving forward along this path. pueden prever y otras pueden, incluso, curar, y avanzamos por esos caminos. This is the pride of our doctors and our research centers. Ese es el orgullo de nuestros médicos y de nuestros centros de investigación. Tens of thousands of Cuban doctors have provided internationalist Decenas de miles de médicos cubanos han prestado servicios services in the most remote and inhospitable places. I once said internacionalistas en los lugares más apartados e inhóspitos. Un día dije that we could not and would never carry out preventive or surprise que nosotros no podíamos ni realizaríamos nunca ataques preventivos y attacks against any dark corner of the world; but rather that our sorpresivos contra ningún oscuro rincón del mundo; pero que, en cambio, country could send needed doctors to the darkest corners of the nuestro país era capaz de enviar los médicos que se necesiten a los más oscuros world. Doctors, not bombs. Doctors, not smart weapons. rincones del mundo. Médicos y no bombas, médicos y no armas inteligentes.

18 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Artwork by Ahmed Jahaf @A7medJa7af Ahmed Jahaf Artwork by And Resistance Continues!

By Azza Rojbi third consecutive month in March [2020] Those that are still operational deal with lack rising to 227 bombings, a 46% rise from of medical staff, equipment and medicine. As the world fights the Covid-19 global February”. Today, despite Saudi Arabia’s According to the United Nations an estimated pandemic, the people of Yemen face this announcement of a ceasefire in Yemen, The 19.7 million people in Yemen lack access to threat under the Saudi-led bombing and Yemen Data Project continues to record basic healthcare.” blockade. According to data collected by The air raids by the Saudi-led coalition. The Yemen Data Project: “February [2020] saw 5 Years of Saudi-led War, What Has Been continuous bombing worsens an already dire Achieved? the highest number of air raids in a single humanitarian situation in the country. month since December 2018 and one of March 26, 2020 marked five years since the the deadliest air raids for children since the An outbreak of Covid-19 would be start of the U.S. backed Saudi-led war on coalition’s air campaign began in 2015. 155 devastating for Yemen. The Saudi-led war Yemen. What did the Saudi-led coalition Saudi-led coalition bombings in the month destroyed the healthcare infrastructure of the achieve in Yemen except for death and resulted in 58 civilian casualties, 43 of them country. Already Yemen has been grappling destruction? Where are the Saudi promises of children - the highest number of casualties in with high rates of the spread of diseases bringing back peace and stability to Yemen? a single month since August 2019.” like malaria, diphtheria, cholera and also acute malnutrition. Less than 50 percent of Yemen today is home to the world’s worst “Saudi coalition air raids escalated for the healthcare facilities in Yemen are functioning. Continued on page 22 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 19 SYSTEM CHANGE! NOT CLIMATE CHANGE!

FIRETHISTIME.NET Continued from page 19 “Saudi Arabia was the world’s largest arms for 2019 but it won’t be surprising to see importer in 2015–19. Its imports of major Saudi Arabia again as one of the top export humanitarian crisis. Five years of war and arms increased by 130 per cent compared with destinations for Canadian weapons and bombing by the Saudi-led coalition destroyed the previous five-year period and it accounted military goods. the life and future of the Yemeni people. for 12 per cent of global arms imports in According to the U.S.-based research group The Canadian government has also moved 2015–19. Despite the wide-ranging concerns Armed Conflict Location and Event Data ahead with a controversial $15 billion arms in the USA and the United Kingdom about Project (ACLED), over 100,000 people have deals to supply Saudi Arabia with light- Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in been killed in Yemen since 2015. In addition armored vehicles (LAV) equipped with heavy Yemen, both the USA and the UK continued to the tragic human loss, the Saudi-led guns and cannon despite Saudi Arabia’s to export arms to Saudi Arabia in 2015–19. coalition bombing targets and destroys homes, horrific track record! A total of 73 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s arms schools, hospitals, mosques, markets, factories imports came from the USA and 13 per cent Hands Off Yemen! and many other vital infrastructures. Over 24 from the UK.” million people, 80% of Yemen’s population, Imperialist countries make billions selling are in dire need of humanitarian aid and 14 In addition to the United States and the weapons to Saudi Arabia and the UAE million are on the brink of famine, according UK, Canada, France, Germany and other and have fueled the war against the people to the United Nations. European countries have sold weapons and of Yemen. They never cared about the life and future of the Yemeni In the midst of this people, their main interest humanitarian crisis was always to further and the ongoing expand their hegemony and global Covid-19 control over countries in pandemic, the the Middle East and North Saudi-led coalition Africa (MENA). continues its bombing campaign in The war has brought death Yemen. In addition and destruction over Yemen to the destruction and further fractured and and killings, Saudi destabilized the country Arabia has been and region. There cannot be imposing a sea, land peace in Yemen without the and air blockade on full withdrawal of all foreign Yemen. The blockade troops and mercenaries and continues to cause a full lifting of the Saudi shortages of fuel, blockade on the country. food and much Yemen is one of the oldest needed medicine. cradles of civilization Who’s Behind the in the world. The proud Crisis? Yemeni people deserve a future of peace and The Saudi-ledChildren protest against the Saudi-led coalition outside the U.N. offices in Sanaa, Yemen November 20, 2017. prosperity in a sovereign coalition supported and independent country. by the United A future involving Yemeni States intervened in Yemen under the provided technical training to Saudi Arabia voices without any foreign intervention or guise of defending legitimacy and stability. meddling. Nevertheless, the main Saudi Arabia and the UAE since the start of the war in motivation was to restore to power their 2015. In this time of the Covid-19 pandemic it is exiled puppet former President Abd-Rabbu Canada exported over $2 billion of military crucial to demand an immediate end to the Mansour Hadi. Saudi Arabia and the United goods to Saudi Arabia between 2015-2018 war on Yemen and the full lifting of the Saudi States could not afford the possibility of according to Canada’s annual “Report on the blockade and sanctions against Yemen to allow the formation of an independent Yemeni Export of Military Goods.” Saudi Arabia has for critical goods, medicine and humanitarian government that would not bow to their been the largest non-US buyer of Canadian aid to reach people in need. orders and interests. As the war enters its military goods for three consecutive years: Imperialists/Saudi Arabia Hands off Yemen! 6th year, it becomes clear that the Saudi- 2016, 2017, and 2018. The Trudeau Liberal End the Blockade of Yemen! led intervention and war on Yemen has only government has not yet released their report destroyed life in Yemen and devastated what Follow Azza Rojbi on Twitter: @Azza_R14 was already the poorest country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Battle of Ideas Press By Azza Rojbi Saudi Arabia and its close ally the United Azza Rojbi is a Tunisian anti-war and social justice organizer based Arab Emirates (UAE) are seen as the face of in Vancouver, British Columbia, the war on Yemen, but they would have not •New Book • Canada. She is an executive been able to carry it out without the military, member of Vancouver's anti-war logistical and political support of the United coaliton Mobilization Against War States and its imperialist allies such as Canada, & Occupation (MAWO) and a U.S. & SAUDI WAR ON member of the Editorial Board of France, Germany and England. THE PEOPLE OF YEMEN the Fire This Time Newspaper. According to the report released in March 2020 by the Stockholm International Peace WWW.BATTLEOFIDEASPRESS.COM Research Institute (SIPRI) on the “Trends in [email protected] International Arms Transfers, 2019”: 22 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Escalating U.S. War and Sanctions on Venezuela During the Covid-19 Pandemic   By Alison Bodine  On April 1, 2020, U.S. President Trump  dedicated time during the Covid-19 daily update press conference to announce an  escalation in U.S. military threats against - Announced a the inducing widespread suffering. This policy Venezuela. In the midst of a pandemic “Democratic Transition  is unconscionable and flagrantly against threatening to kill hundreds of thousands Framework for Venezuela,” international law. Yet worse, it is now of people in the United States, under cover which outlines measures defined  feeding the coronavirus epidemic.” of a so-called counter-narcotics operation, by the government of the United  Since 2014, the United States has Trump called for one of the largest States, clearly meant to coerce the imposed 47 rounds of sanctions deployments of the U.S. military into the people of Venezuela to into overthrowing against Venezuela. Although the Caribbean since the U.S. invasion and the democratically elected government most recent escalation in sanctions occupation of Panama in 1989. of President Maduro, including that has come through President Trump’s the U.S. government is offering to lift “Today, the United States is launching executive orders, U.S. sanctions against certain sanctions against Venezuela if the Venezuela are supported by both the enhanced counter-narcotics operations “transition plan” is followed; and in the Western hemisphere to protect the Democrat and Republican parties. These American people from the deadly scourge - Announced that they would be sanctions have been turned into law of illegal narcotics…We are deploying deploying U.S. Navy warships, surveillance through the U.S. Congress, which uses the additional Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircraft, and special forces to the waters same rhetoric against the independent and aircraft and helicopters, Coast Guard surrounding Venezuela, doubling their sovereign government of President Nicolás cutters, and Air Force surveillance aircraft, military presence in the Caribbean. Maduro as the Trump administration. doubling our capabilities in the region.” – As U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo The “unilateral coercive measures,” as U.S. President Trump arrogantly said on March 31, 2020, they are referred to in international law, President Trump further justified this “Nicolás Maduro must go” – and the which constitute the blockade, have dangerous and provocative military United States and their imperialist allies been reinforced by further sanctions on escalation with the statement that, “As are not about to let the health and well- Venezuela by Canada, the European governments and nations focus on the being, or even the lives of people in Union, the United Kingdom, Panama, coronavirus, there is a growing threat Venezuela get in their way. and Switzerland. These criminal measures that cartels, criminals, terrorists and other U.S. Escalates Blockade & Sanctions mean that the government of Venezuela is malign actors will try to exploit the situation Against Venezuela effectively cut-off from international trade and banking. for their own gain.” In fact, it is the United The callousness of the U.S. government States government that is attempting to in the face of COVID-19 can be seen not According to estimates by the government of exploit the Covid-19 pandemic for its own only in its intentionally negligent refusal Venezuela, sanctions have cost the economy “regime change” agenda in Venezuela. to protect people in the United States of Venezuela at least $116 billion in the last This outrageous announcement was the from the virus, but also in their continuing five years. On top of this, the government pinnacle of a week of growing attempts by murderous sanctions against countries of Venezuela has had nearly $6 billion the United States government to sew fear such as Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela. Not frozen in U.S. and European banks – 12% and chaos within Venezuelan society, a only have sanctions remained firmly of which was frozen during transactions component of their campaign to overthrow in place, but they have been increased for the purchase of vaccines from the Pan the democratically elected government of throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. American Health Organization in 2019. President Nicolás Maduro. Within seven As Jeffrey Sachs, professor and director of In February 2020, Alfred de Zayas, a days, the U.S. government: the Center for Sustainable Development former U.N. Rapporteur on Human - Indicted President Maduro and other at Columbia University, explained in a Rights, spoke at an international United government officials for “narco-trafficking” March 18, 2020 press release from the Nations forum in Geneva, Switzerland, and announced a bounty on President Center for Economic Policy Research, for economists and human rights experts. Maduro’s head – a $15 million award for “The Trump administration is using As he reported, “It can be said that to date his arrest, and lesser amounts for the arrest sanctions against Iran and Venezuela more than 100,000 Venezuelans have died of other members of the government; to pressure those governments by as a result of unilateral coercive measures, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have died

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 23 payments for exports. On top of this, the U.S. government is continuously imposing new measures that prevent or discourage non-U.S. based companies and foreign governments from trade with Venezuela, especially in the oil sector. The brutal U.S. sanctions regime is one component of the war against Venezuela –  one which the people  of Venezuela are resisting  every day. Imperialism Continues to Fail in Cuban medical team arrives in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in a plane of  Venezuela the Venezuelan airline Conviasa, to help fight against Covid-19  “Brothers and sisters of the world, you  can be absolutely sure that Venezuela will due to not having access to medicines.” that codified many stand firm in its fight for peace and that, Even before the Covid-19 pandemic began, U.S. sanctions imposed under any circumstances, it will prevail. U.S. sanctions against Venezuela had through executive  orders in No imperialist aggression, however already put a deadly strain on Venezuela’s December 2019. The new laws ferocious it may be, will divert us from free and universal healthcare system. included, “those prohibiting the the sovereign and independent path that Doctors Tanya L Zakrison and Carles Maduro government’s ability to trade gold, we have forged for 200 years, nor will it Muntaner summarized some of these finance debt, or use cryptocurrencies to distance us from the sacred obligation to impacts in a “Correspondence” article avoid U.S. sanctions,” as summarized by the preserve the life and health of our people published in the Lancet Medical Journal Congressional Research Service. in the face of the frightening global in June 2019, “The impact of the U.S. In February 2020, the U.S. government pandemic of COVID-19.” – Nicolás sanctions on the Venezuelan population implemented sanctions against Conviasa, Maduro, President of Venezuela, March cannot be overstated. More than 300 000 Venezuela’s national airline. This is the 29, 2020 Venezuelans are at risk due to a lack of airline that the government of Venezuela Over one year ago, the United States was lifesaving medications and treatment. An uses to carry out critical social programs, attempting to install a puppet government estimated 80 000 HIV positive patients including “Mission Milagro,” or Miracle in Venezuela in the form of Juan Guaidó have had no antiretroviral therapy since Mission in English. This mission provides – who declared himself “interim President 2017. free eye surgeries for people with cataracts of Venezuela,” at the end of January Access to medication such as insulin has throughout Venezuela and neighbouring 2019. However, even with the support been curtailed because U.S. banks refuse countries. Most recently, it is Conviasa of the United States government, the to handle Venezuelan payments for this. airplanes that are transporting Cuban government of Canada, and other Latin Thousands to millions of people have been doctors to fight COVID-19 in countries American right-wing allies, Guaidó has without access to dialysis, cancer treatment, throughout the Caribbean. completely failed in his coup attempt. or therapy for hypertension and diabetes. Then in March, in fact, one day before Far from becoming “interim President” Particular to children has been the delay of the first coronavirus case was declared of Venezuela, Guaidó has spent much of vaccination campaigns or lack of access to in Venezuela, the United States further the new year roaming through Europe antirejection medications after solid organ tightened its grip on Venezuela’s oil sales, and North America meeting up with his transplants in Argentina. Children with the primary source of income for the imperialist masters such as U.S. President leukemia awaiting bone marrow transplants country. Through an executive order, the U.S. Trump and the Prime Minister of Canada abroad are now dying. Funds for such government sanctioned the Switzerland Trudeau. When he finally returned to health assistance programs come from the based Russian company Rosneft, which has Venezuela, he wasn’t greeted with open PDVSA state oil company. Those funds are been exporting 70% of Venezuelan oil. now frozen.” This is yet another In the time of Covid-19, this blockade escalation of attacks has the potential to be devastating for the on Venezuela’s oil health of the people of Venezuela. sector, which first had Despite this, since the pandemic began, the imposed sanctions United States government, supported by its against it in August allies, including the government of Canada, 2019. Among has directed new sanctions against the people other measures of Venezuela. This cruelty demonstrates just calculated to how far imperialist countries are prepared strangle Venezuela’s to go in order to try to bring about the economy, the overthrow of the democratically elected PDVSA, Venezuela’s President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro nationalized oil and reverse the gains of the Bolivarian company, is currently revolutionary process. unable to export oil to the United U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announcing “narco-trafficking” The U.S. Congress passed legislation States or receive charges against President Maduro and other members of government 24 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 arms, but instead faced ridicule and insults was launched to coordinate Venezuela’s the time of Covid-19, we must continue at the airport from people in Venezuela he response to the pandemic. This commission our fight to lift the sanctions on Venezuela.

claims to represent. has organized for the shipment of Not only to provide much-needed relief

Covid-19 related medical supplies and during the time of the pandemic, but to put 

During the Covid-19 crisis, Guaidó has 

continued to carry out the orders of his tests, which have come from China, Russia, an end to the cruel U.S.-led blockade once

and for all.  friends in the White House and call for the World Health Organization, and 

increasing U.S. intervention in Venezuela. the Red Cross. The commission also The pandemic has intensified the 

Continuing to pretend that he has any plans the government response to the sharp contrast between the

political power or control pandemic, which has followed the mass- inhuman policies of the U.S.  in Venezuela, Guaidó government and their allies, presented a “plan” for and the pro-human responding to the pandemic, and internationalist which included establishing actions of revolutionary a “National Emergency governments such as Government.” This is an Venezuela and Cuba. extraordinarily cynical There is a great opportunity and pointless maneuver. that we have as peace-loving The democratically elected people to appeal to the government of President humanity of poor, working Maduro responded quickly and oppressed people from and effectively to the all walks of life throughout

pandemic threat the U.S. and Canada, and

 – including  ask them to join with us

immediately to end the U.S.-led war on  establishing  Venezuela.

a government 

commission to 

 respond to the pandemic.  The so-called plan of Venezuelans participating in a massive march against U.S. sanctions and threats on their country, March 10, 2020 Guaidó is nothing but an echo Follow Alison on Twitter: of the “democratic transition” plan @Alisoncolette presented by the U.S. government. testing method that China used to defeat the pandemic successfully. Despite sanctions, war, and continuous Battle of Ideas Press meddling in Venezuela by the U.S. There has also been an increase in the government and their allies, including number of Cuban doctors in the country, Revolution & Counter Revolution Canada, the people of Venezuela which has enforced the “Barrio Adentro,” • • continue to defend their democratically free neighbourhood medical clinics, and in Venezuela elected government and the Bolivarian provided additional support in public revolutionary process. The leader of the hospitals. In addition, medicines developed Bolivarian revolution and President of in Cuba, such as interferon Aplha2b, are Venezuela from 1999-2013, Hugo Chavez, also being used in the country as part began this process over 20 years ago. The of treating Covid-19. The Bolivarian people of Venezuela have not lost their revolutionary process brought free and conviction to struggle with escalating U.S. universal healthcare to people in Venezuela. war and continuous U.S.-backed counter- This is no different during Covid-19 – revolutionary violence and sabotage during where testing and treatment are provided the Covid-19 pandemic. for free. The People of Venezuela Fight Back! Build Solidarity with Venezuela! As of May, 2020, 1370 people in Venezuela For over 20 years, the Bolivarian revolution have confirmed cases of Covid-19, and has come under constant attack by the 14 people have died from the virus. Like U.S. government and its allies. The people so many other countries around the of Venezuela are prepared to continue world, these numbers are expected to rise. fighting. They stand defiant in the face of By Alison Bodine However, the revolutionary government of crippling U.S.-led sanctions and a cruel Writer and researcher on Venezuela. She is Venezuela quickly implemented essential blockade that prevents Venezuela from a member of the Fire This Time Newspaper measures to protect the health and the importing essential goods such as food Editorial Board and is the coordinator of and medicine. This will of the Venezuelan the Fire This Time Venezuela Solidarity well-being of poor, working, and oppressed Campaign. Alison Bodine is an electrical people. Despite the public health challenges people to not bow to imperialist pressure designer based in Vancouver, Canada. caused by the U.S. blockade and Covid-19, continues to make them the target of the the Bolivarian revolution has continued to U.S. war, threats, and hostilities. October 2017, paperback, $10.00 190 pages, illustrated, ISBN 978-0-9864716-5-0 march forward during these difficult times. As people in the United States and Canada, Copyright © 2016 by Battle of Ideas Press is it our responsibility to stand with the A Presidential Commission for the WWW.BATTLEOFIDEASPRESS.COM prevention of Covid-19, led by the Vice- people of Venezuela, in defense of their [email protected] President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez, sovereignty and self-determination. During FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 25 The Fire This Time Movement for Social of fighting the “war on drugs,” which the indictment of President Maduro by Justice – Venezuela Solidarity Campaign includes access to Colombian military the government of the U.S. on charges of in Vancouver, Canada condemns the bases. In 2018, Colombia also became the “narco-terrorism” and the announcement attempted violent attacks on Venezuela first Latin-American “Global Partner,” of by the U.S. State Department of a $15 by U.S.-backed mercenaries, which began the U.S.-led NATO military alliance. million award for the arrest of President in the early morning of May 3, 2020. Maduro. Since 2020 began, the United States In one week, 31 mercenaries have been The Fire This Time Movement for Social arrested by the government of Venezuela. government and their allies, including the government of Canada have been Justice - Venezuela Solidarity Campaign This includes two former U.S. army salutes the special forces, bravery and Luke Denman Condemn the U.S. Sponsored determination and Airan of the people Berry, who have of Venezuela. implicated the Mercenary Military Attack and They have U.S. government defeated and their right- Attempted Coup on Venezuela! these latest wing puppets mercenary in the foiled attacks and para-military dealt another operation. blow to the U.S.-sponsored U.S. President Trump is campaign to overthrow of denying any knowledge of the democratically elected the thwarted attempted government of President coup d’etat against the Nicolás Maduro and reverse democratically elected the gains made by poor, President of Venezuela, working and oppressed Nicolás Maduro, but the Venezuelans in the Bolivarian murderous fingerprints of revolution. the U.S. government are The people of Venezuela everywhere. To start, the every day demonstrate entire criminal operation to their commitment to “remove the current Regime, defend their sovereignty, and install the recognized self-determination, and Venezuelan President Juan the democratically elected Guaidó,” began with an government of President $213 million contract U.S./Canada Hands Off Venezuela! Maduro. It is our between U.S. puppet responsibility to elevate the Guaidó and Silvercorp, a No Regime Change in Venezuela! voices of poor, working and security firm ran by former oppressed people, including U.S. Green Beret Jordan relentless in their escalation of blockade the voices of the humble fisherman Goudreau. Since declaring himself and sanctions against Venezuela. Despite Chuao, who aided in the capture of some “interim President” in January 2019, the deadly threat of the Covid-19, the of the armed U.S. mercenaries off their the government of the United States United States government has imposed coastline. has handed Guaidó tens of millions of further sanctions on Venezuela that dollars from Venezuelan government continue to severely limit Venezuela’s As people living in the U.S. and Canada, assets seized in the United States. He and access to food, medicine and medical we have the responsibility to hold the his counter-revolutionary lackies do not equipment needed to combat the government’s of the United States and operate without the support, guidance, pandemic. These sanctions have cost Canada accountable for their support for and permission of their U.S. government the economy of Venezuela at least $116 Venezuela’s violent counter-revolutionary puppet-masters. billion in the last 5 years and killed an opposition and their puppet Juan Guaidó. estimated 100,000 people in Venezuela, We must work to build a more united Therefore, this failed plot, now dubbed and stronger movement in solidarity with “Operation Gedeon” was hatched in according to Alfred de Zayas, a former UN Rapporteur on Human Rights. Venezuela, to stop military provocations the United States and launched from and interventions in Venezuela. We Colombia, which is also where the training Dangerously, at the same time the United demand with millions of the people of the counter-revolutionary mercenaries States government has also escalated around the world, no to sanctions and took place over the last few months. The military threats against Venezuela. In blockade. United States government and military March, U.S. President Trump announced have a close relationship with the right- the largest U.S. military deployment to U.S. and Canada Hands Off Venezuela! wing government of Colombia. The U.S. the waters of the Caribbean surrounding May 11, 2020 military has had a constant presence in Venezuela since the U.S. invasion of Vancouver, Canada Colombia for decades under the pretext Panama in 1989. This threat followed 26 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 ¡Condenemos el ataque militar mercenario e intento de golpe de Estado en Venezuela respaldado por EE.UU.! EE.UU./Canadá ¡Fuera de Venezuela! ¡No al cambio de régimen en Venezuela!

* EN ESPAÑOL *

La Campaña de Solidaridad con Venezuela en Colombia del Movimiento por Justicia Social “Fire durante This Time” en Vancouver, Canadá, condena décadas con el intento de violentos ataques en Venezuela el pretexto de parte de mercenarios respaldados por de estar EE.UU. que comenzaron durante las luchando en primeras horas del 3 de mayo de 2020. la “guerra En una semana, 31 mercenarios han sido contra las arrestados por el gobierno de Venezuela. drogas”, lo que incluye acceso a bases “Fire This Time” aplaude el coraje y la Entre ellos, dos ex miembros de las fuerzas militares colombianas. En 2018, Colombia determinación del pueblo venezolano. especiales del ejército estadounidense, Luke también se convirtió en el primer “socio Este pueblo ha derrotado los últimos Denman y Airan Berry, quienes implicaron global” latinoamericano de la alianza ataques mercenarios y asestado otro al gobierno de EE.UU. y sus marionetas de militar OTAN liderada por los EE.UU. golpe a la campaña patrocinada por derechas en la fallida operación paramilitar. EE.UU. para derrocar el gobierno Desde que comenzó el 2020, el gobierno de elegido democráticamente del Presidente El presidente de EE.UU. Donald Trump los Estados Unidos y sus aliados, incluyendo Nicolás Maduro y revertir las conquistas niega todo conocimiento del frustrado al gobierno de Canadá, no han cesado en la obtenidas por el pueblo pobre, trabajador intento de golpe de Estado en contra escalada de bloqueo y sanciones en contra y oprimido de Venezuela durante la del presidente de Venezuela electo de Venezuela. A pesar de la amenaza fatal revolución Bolivariana. democráticamente, Nicolás Maduro, del Covid-19, el gobierno de los Estados pero las numerosas huellas del gobierno Unidos ha impuesto sanciones adicionales El pueblo de Venezuela demuestra todos estadounidense están por todas partes. En contra Venezuela, agravando de manera los días su compromiso en la defensa primer lugar, toda la operación criminal crítica las restricciones que impiden el de su soberanía, su autodeterminación para “derrocar el régimen actual e instalar al acceso a los alimentos, los medicamentos y el gobierno democráticamente electo presidente de Venezuela reconocido, Juan y el equipamiento médico necesario para del Presidente Maduro. Es nuestra Guaidó” comenzó con un contrato de $213 combatir la pandemia. Según el ex relator responsabilidad potenciar las voces del millones entre la marioneta de EE.UU. especial de Derechos Humanos de las pueblo pobre, trabajador y oprimido, Guaidó y Silvercorp, una empresa de Naciones Unidas, Alfred de Zayas, estas incluyendo la voz del humilde pescador seguridad privada dirigida por el ex boina sanciones le han costado a la economía Chuao, quien colaboró en la captura en verde estadounidense Jordan Goudreau. venezolana al menos $116 miles de la costa de algunos de los mercenarios Desde autodeclararse “presidente interino” millones en los últimos 5 años y han estadounidenses armados. en enero de 2019, el gobierno de los causado un estimado de 100.000 muertes Como personas que vivimos en Estados Unidos entregó a Guaidó decenas en Venezuela. Estados Unidos y Canadá, tenemos la de millones de dólares de los bienes de Más grave aún, al mismo tiempo el gobierno responsabilidad de exigir la rendición Venezuela embargados en EE.UU. Guaidó de los Estados Unidos también ha escalado de cuentas de estos gobiernos por y sus lacayos contrarrevolucionarios no las amenazas militares contra Venezuela. su apoyo a la oposición violenta y operan sin el apoyo, la guía y el beneplácito En marzo, el presidente de EE.UU. Trump contrarrevolucionaria de Venezuela y a de quien tira de sus hilos, el gobierno de anunció el mayor despliegue militar su marioneta Juan Guaidó. Debemos EE.UU. estadounidense sobre las aguas del Caribe trabajar para construir un movimiento Por ende, este complot fallido, ahora que rodean a Venezuela desde su invasión a más fuerte y unido en solidaridad con conocido como la “Operación Gedeon”, fue Panamá en 1989. Esta amenaza es posterior Venezuela, para detener las provocaciones concebido en los Estados Unidos y lanzado a la acusación al Presidente Maduro de e intervenciones militares en Venezuela. desde Colombia, donde también tuvo parte del gobierno estadounidense bajo Junto con millones de personas en todo el lugar el entrenamiento de los mercenarios cargos de “narco-terrorismo” y el anuncio mundo, exigimos el cese de las sanciones contrarrevolucionares durante los últimos del Departamento de Estado de EE.UU. y el bloqueo. meses. El gobierno y las fuerzas militares de una recompensa de $15 millones por la EE.UU. y Canadá, ¡Fuera de Venezuela! de los Estados Unidos tienen una estrecha captura del Presidente Maduro. relación con el gobierno de derecha 11 de mayo de 2020 La Campaña de Solidaridad con Venezuela Vancouver, Canadá colombiano. El ejercito de los Estados del Movimiento por Justicia Social Unidos ha tenido una presencia constante FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 27 Lenin is One of Those Truly Exceptional Cases Excerpts from speeches by Comandante Fidel Castro in 1970, 1981, 1992 & 2001

We drew decisive conclusions from Lenin’s works. Of course, when I talk about Leninism, I am talking about Marxism, about the essential ideas of Marx developed by Lenin, and one very specific idea of Lenin’s, State and Revolution, which clarified so many concepts for us, which enlightened us so much when the time came to develop our revolutionary strategy, the struggle for the conquest of revolutionary power. It was very decisive to the preparation of our strategy. At a time when luminaries of revolutionary thought in Europe did not take into account Russian revolutionaries at all, when they Rarely in any process, perhaps never in a political process, has a looked with a certain disdain at these revolutionaries, when many of thought, a mind, an intellect been able to make such a significant them would not have even deigned to consider Lenin’s thought at all, contribution. Lenin was a tireless investigator and worker. It can be or even the possibility of a Marxist revolution in that Russia of the said that after acquiring political consciousness, he did not rest a czars, Lenin was undertaking his long pilgrimage, his long, protracted single moment during his lifetime. struggle to carry out a Marxist revolution in the conditions of that He did not cease to investigate, to study, and to work on charting the country. revolution’s course. But a truly objective study of history does not admit any possible There has been no gladiator who fought more ideological battles comparison, no possible comparison is admissible, putting any other than Lenin. It is surprising how many he fought in the ideological thought on the par with Lenin’s is not admissible, because Lenin’s arena. His history cannot be compared to that of other men who thought stands out from the beginning to the end, and was the accomplished extraordinary feats, in terms of personal merit. backbone, the soul of the process. Lenin is one of those truly exceptional cases. A simple reading of his And it is precisely in the bosom of that country, in the bosom of the life and his work, the most objective analysis of the way his thought empire of the czars, that this brilliant, truly brilliant man emerged, and activity developed throughout his life, shows him to be a truly, I and developed Marxist doctrine there and applied it there, with repeat, exceptional man in the eyes of all human beings. extraordinarily creativity. Lenin had the possibility to not only develop theory but to find a He defended Marx’s ideas against all mystifications, distortions concrete field of action and the opportunity to implement his theory. and deformations. He defended it and showed how right he was. We honor Lenin with emotion, but when his work and life are Historical facts showed how all those currents in different European studied, when his thought and doctrines are studied, peoples can countries, against which Lenin fought, contributed to the crisis acquire a true treasure from the political point of view. of the revolutionary movement, to the failure of the revolutionary movement, to the betrayal of the revolutionary movement. When a better, superior evaluation is made history’s personalities, Lenin, along with Marx, will stand out among the most transcendental Lenin said that a revolution was real when it was capable of defending thoughts, intellects, efforts in the history of humankind itself. To tell the truth, our Revolution has shown that it is capable of defending itself. And it defends itself with powerful instruments. We recall how, in the months preceding July 26, 1953, most of the small group of compañeros working on those tasks were always We will not stop admiring Lenin, and every day we will admire him carrying the works of Marx and Lenin, and we remember how some more. How we miss him! of Lenin’s books, because they were Lenin’s books, fell into the hands Not even they could ever imagine that such a small country, so close of the police during searches made after the Moncada attack. to the monster, on its own - without the slightest help, not a penny, We remember how, during the Moncada trial, a politically motivated not a weapon, not anything, on the basis of our own conclusions - prosecutor included among his most serious accusations against us, could have made such a radical, profound social revolution, as we among his most capricious questions, whether it was true that we did in our country, inspired by the traditional patriotic ideas of our had books by Lenin and whether they were ours. people and our great heroes, by Martí, but also by Marx, Lenin, Engels and others who gave us - at least me - an idea of what society Lenin from the very outset was not only a and the world were! political theoretician, a political philosopher, It must be said that Lenin was not only one of the most creative, but a man of action, a permanent, tireless most combative and most brilliant men, but one of the most revolutionary. courageous, morally courageous men. Courage that he demonstrated He had the opportunity to develop a doctrine in very difficult trials, in very difficult decisions, throughout his life and apply it under difficult conditions, really and throughout the revolutionary process.  impossible to imagine any worse. Source: www.granma.cu 28 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Lenin es de esos casos humanos realmente excepcionales Fragmentos de discursos del Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz en los años 1970, 1981, 1992 y 2001

Pocas veces en ningún proceso –y tal vez nunca acusaciones, entre sus más –digamos– en un proceso político– un pensamiento, una capciosas preguntas, hizo la pregunta mente, una inteligencia haya sido capaz de de si era verdad que nosotros teníamos hacer un aporte tan grande. Y es que Lenin aquellos libros de Lenin y si eran fue un infatigable investigador, un incansable nuestros aquellos libros de Lenin. trabajador. Y puede decirse que desde que Lenin fue desde el primer instante tuvo conciencia política no descansó un solo no solo un teórico de la política, un instante a lo largo de su vida, no descansó un filósofo de la política, sino un hombre solo instante de investigar, de estudiar y de de acción, un hombre de práctica trabajar en el camino de la revolución. revolucionaria constante e incesante, No ha habido gladiador que haya librado y le correspondió desarrollar aquella más combates ideológicos que los que libró doctrina y aplicar aquella doctrina en Lenin. Es asombrosa la cantidad de batallas condiciones tan difíciles, que resulta en el campo ideológico libradas por él. Y su verdaderamente imposible imaginársela en Defendió la doctrina de Marx frente a historia no es en este caso comparable con la situaciones peores. todas las mistificaciones, tergiversaciones historia de otros hombres que hicieron hechos De las obras de Lenin nosotros sacamos y deformaciones. La defendió y demostró extraordinarios como méritos personales. conclusiones que fueron decisivas –desde cuánta razón tenía. Los hechos históricos Lenin es de esos casos humanos realmente luego, cuando hablo del leninismo hablo demostraron cómo todas aquellas corrientes excepcionales. La simple lectura de su vida, del marxismo, de las ideas esenciales de contra las cuales combatió Lenin condujeron, de su historia y de su obra, el análisis más Marx desarrolladas por Lenin–, y una muy en los distintos países de Europa, a la crisis objetivo de la forma en que se desenvolvió su específicamente de Lenin, que fue El Estado del movimiento revolucionario, al fracaso del pensamiento y su actividad a lo largo de su y la Revolución, que nos esclareció tantos movimiento revolucionario, a la traición al vida, lo hacen en realidad ante los ojos de todos conceptos, que nos dio tanta luz a la hora de movimiento revolucionario. los humanos un hombre verdaderamente – elaborar la estrategia revolucionaria, la lucha Lenin dijo que una revolución valía cuando era repito– excepcional. por la conquista del poder revolucionario, y capaz de defenderse. A decir verdad, nuestra A Lenin le tocó la posibilidad no solo de que tan decisiva fue para poder elaborar esa Revolución ha demostrado que es capaz de desarrollar la teoría, sino encontró el campo estrategia. defenderse. Y se defiende con poderosos de acción concreto y la oportunidad de llevarla Cuando las lumbreras del pensamiento instrumentos. a la práctica. revolucionario de Europa no tomaban para No dejaremos de admirar a Lenin, y cada día El homenaje a Lenin se le puede brindar con nada en cuenta a los revolucionarios rusos, lo admiraremos más. ¡Cómo le echamos de el sentimiento. Pero cuando se estudia su obra cuando miraban con cierto desdén incluso a menos! aquellos revolucionarios, cuando muchos de y su vida, cuando se estudia su pensamiento ¡Ni ellos se podían imaginar jamás que un y su doctrina, los pueblos adquieren lo que ellos no se habrían ni siquiera dignado a tomar en cuenta para nada el pensamiento de Lenin país tan pequeño aquí, al lado del monstruo pudiera llamarse un verdadero tesoro desde el y por su propia cuenta, sin la mayor ayuda, punto de vista político. e incluso la posibilidad de una revolución marxista en aquella Rusia de los zares, ni un centavo, ni un arma, ni nada, sino por Cuando se haga una evaluación superior de emprendía Lenin su largo peregrinar, su largo nuestras propias conclusiones, hubiese hecho las personalidades –repito– de la historia, y prolongado combate por llevar adelante la una Revolución social tan radical y tan Lenin, junto con Marx, descollarán entre los revolución marxista en las condiciones de profunda como la que hicimos en nuestro país, hombres, los pensamientos, las inteligencias, aquel país. inspirados en las ideas patrióticas tradicionales las conductas que mayor trascendencia habrán de nuestro pueblo y de nuestros grandes tenido en la historia de la humanidad. Pero es que un estudio realmente objetivo de próceres, en Martí, pero también en Marx, la historia no admite comparación posible, ¡no Lenin, Engels y los demás que nos hicieron –a Recordamos cuando por aquellos meses que admite comparación posible!, no admite poner mí por lo menos– tener una idea de lo que era precedieron al 26 de julio de 1953, la mayor al lado de Lenin ningún otro pensamiento, la sociedad y el mundo!». parte del pequeño grupo de compañeros porque el pensamiento de Lenin descuella que estábamos dedicados a aquellas tareas desde el principio hasta el final y es la espina Hay que decir que no solo ha sido Lenin uno andábamos siempre con los libros de Marx dorsal, el alma de ese proceso. de los hombres más creadores, más luchadores y de Lenin. Y recordamos que algunos de y más geniales, sino uno de los hombres esos libros de Lenin –porque fueron los de Y es precisamente en el seno de ese país, en más valientes, moralmente valiente. Valentía Lenin– cayeron en manos de la policía, en los el seno del imperio de los zares, donde surge que demostró en pruebas dificilísimas, en registros que hicieron después del Moncada. Y este hombre genial, verdaderamente genial, decisiones dificilísimas, a lo largo de su vida y recordamos cómo en el proceso del Moncada, y desarrolla allí y aplica allí, con un sentido a lo largo del proceso revolucionario. un fiscal paniaguado, entre sus más graves extraordinariamente creador, la doctrina marxista. Desde: www.granma.cu FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 29 In defense of CLIMATE JUSTICE ORGANIZING Mother Earth IN THE TIME OF COVID 19

pipeline expansion project. The violations the Planet, Not Profits! Save People, Not of social-distancing protocols have been Pipelines! Climate Justice Organizing in the thoroughly documented by concerned Time of Covid-19.” This webinar brought members of community organizations; the together over 120 people from across the Mountain Protectors and BROKE. Despite Lower Mainland, BC, as well as throughout this evidence, construction work has been the U.S. in Colorado and California to begin allowed to continue. the important discussion about how we can By Alison Bodine The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed unite for our mother earth to confront the that Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier challenges of environmental crisis and the The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed John Horgan are both unwilling to act current health crisis. that Canada’s government places the on the environmental, health, and safety Presentations at the webinar included interests of pipelines before the interests of concerns of people in Canada. Dr. Chris Carlsten, Head of Respiratory people. Despite the threat to public health, Medicine Department at the University of and especially to the health and safety of The Trudeau Liberal government also British Columbia. Dr. Carlsten spoke about Indigenous people in Canada, both federal continues to funnel taxpayer money into the direct correlations between the impact and provincial governments continue to oil and gas. This includes the $4.5 billion of the Covid-19 pandemic and pre-existing give the green light to the construction of purchase of the Trans Mountain pipeline health conditions brought upon humanity climate killing resource extraction mega- and the expansion project, which is now by climate change and air pollution. Next projects and their billionaire backers during projected to cost over $12.6 billion in public was Brandon Gosnell of the Mountain the pandemic. funds according to Trans Mountain CEO, Ian Anderson. As one striking example, at the Protectors. He reported on their essential In British Columbia alone, the construction end of April, EDC, the export credit agency work exposing the ongoing Trans Mountain of the Site-C dam, Coastal GasLink natural of the government of Canada, also signed tank farm construction on Burnaby gas pipeline (CGL), and the Trans Mountain a loan agreement Mountain, which is regularly violating social pipeline expansion (TMX) has proceeded to for between $250- distancing measures and put the lives and safety of workers and the 500 million for the putting the surrounding surrounding communities at risk. Coastal GasLink community at risk. While people in Canada were being told to pipeline. Climate Convergence “stay at home” for public health, the number organizer Alison Bodine On February 29, of workers at the Site-C dam increased in closed off the panel by the grassroots March to nearly 1,000 people, sleeping, examining the failures climate justice eating, and working in close quarters. This of capitalist countries coalition, Climate recklessness did not go unnoticed, as Fort to protect human lives Convergence St. John city councillor Byron Stewart during the Covid-19 worked together explained to media, “It is not an emergency pandemic. This explains with the local service. It is not a front-line service. I how the capitalist system Climate Strike personally would like the province to come is even more unprepared organization, the in, shut it down, and send everybody home.” and unable to preserve Sustainabiliteens on However, his pleas and the demands of the humanity in the face of a fundraiser for the surrounding community and of the Union of the climate crisis. Unist’ot’en Camp, BC Indian Chiefs to halt construction of the Thomas Davies, Climate Convergence which is leading Climate Convergence Site-C dam were not met by the provincial organizer putting up a poster in Vancouver the resistance to the is continuing to support government. Coastal GasLink Pipeline on Wet’suwet’en and organize online Further North in BC, Wet’suwet’en Nation territory. This dynamic fundraiser, which actions that demand that the climate- members have repeatedly spoken out against packed the Burnaby Neighborhood House destroying mega-projects in Canada be the continued construction work preparing hall at a time when it was still safe to do so, stopped immediately and the billions in the way for the CGL pipeline on their had something for everyone to contribute Covid-19 bailouts go directly to workers and territory. Not only is this work being carried and a way for all to donate. There were communities in need, not the corporations. out without the approval of the Wet’suwet’en live music and poetry, a bake sale, delicious Climate Convergence organizers have people, but it is also threatening their homemade soup by donation, a book sale, also been bringing new art to Vancouver’s health and safety. They have reported CGL and a silent art auction. The artists who boarded-up streets, in the form of large, contractors on-site delivering pipe and donated their time and talent included climate justice posters that call on Canada’s clearing forests, increasing the risk of a Tawahum, Nitesun, Kaya Ko, Dae Nneka, government to “Save People, Not Pipelines” Covid-19 outbreak in an area of BC that Rupert Common, and Estea Elements. and “TMX and CGL: Get Your Dirty already faces severe healthcare shortages. Hands Off the Lands!” Fast-forward only two weeks and gathering This gross negligence of health during the in large groups for climate justice actions To join the bi-weekly online meetings, time of Covid-19 has continued in the urban was no longer possible due to Covid-19. and get involved in Climate Convergence, center of Burnaby. There, construction work Adapting to this change, on April 15, visit www.climateconvergence.ca, on at the Burnaby Mountain tank farm has Climate Convergence organized its first Twitter: @cliamte604 and Instagram: continued preparing the way for the TMX webinar, an online forum titled “Protect @climateconvergence.

30 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Continued from page 11 native peoples have a feminism that must of gender equality into all state policies, be recognized, discovered, and integrated. we do not seek at any time the supremacy So, we have talked about writing what we would call Bolivarian feminism, which is OUR HERITAGE of women over man, but gender equality. In this way, non-discrimination has also nothing but feminism that is drawn from become one of our main struggles. our roots. F TT: The Bolivarian revolutionary Indigenous people in Venezuela have a process has brought Indigenous rights and Ministry for the recognition and care of the inclusion of Indigenous people in the Indigenous peoples, which is an important social, political, and economic front as an gain for Indigenous women, but that is not important and irreversible process. We see all. There are Indigenous women in the today in Venezuela that tens of thousands national leadership of the PSUV; there are of Indigenous people have been educated Indigenous women in Parliament; there and have earned prominent positions are Indigenous women in the Ministry of in Venezuelan society. How would you Popular Power for Women and Gender describe the current status of Indigenous Equality. women in Venezuela? Through all of these efforts, we have CP: Indigenous peoples and Indigenous been working to recognize the various women, specifically, are a source of pride. aspects of the women’s movement to Clara Zetkin Previously they told you when they were advance a unified platform for women, German Marxist theorist, leader, activist, and organizer of the first International called an Indian, it felt like an insult. We developing our class consciousness and Women’s Day in 1911 have been working to dismantle the history national consciousness. Because without of Venezuela, a homeland, the history if we lose our "The rising cost of living intensified written by the homeland, by profiteering and high taxes tear colonizers, we all lose. the piece of dry bread from her Having a from the mouth. Her earnings or those of consciousness perspective the husband are decreasing and no of ones of the class skilfulness, no ability protects her that they homeland and class from unemployment. The working represented. day is growing longer, the burden, Through the consciousness is an advance the torture and the danger of revolution, Logo of Venezuela's National Union of Women (UnaMujer) work is increasing. The employers, we are being for the collective insolent and challenging under taught to the protection of the state, are rediscover our history and our ancestors construction of gender consciousness and then also to ethnic consciousness. destroying the poor beginnings through the strength of the Indigenous of legal protection for the wage- population. But we are clear that there are different historical moments for the struggle and earning proletarian woman, for the The Indigenous woman today is, in the that the fundamental thing in any of those children, the half-fledged sons and first place, a woman who recognizes moments is to be united and to recognize daughters of the producing class. herself, as I would say, as a gold mine of each other. That is part of the sisterhood history, knowledge, and strength for the between women in Venezuela. The exploiting capitalist wants rest of society. An Indigenous woman is a to hold his own on the market woman who lives according to her culture, F TT: Do you have a message for women in Canada? and demands bigger profits. her norms, her laws, which are respected in Unfeelingly he tramples under foot Venezuela today. Carolys: Yes, I invite women in Canada to all consideration of the fact that If you examine the constitution of our raise the flag of feminism with us. Do not the woman who is continuously National Constituent Assembly and other rest. Do not let yourselves be invisible. Do employed, the housewife of the areas, you will see that Indigenous people not let yourselves be violated. As we fight factory worker, of the civil service choose their spokespeople according to for the society that will bring the highest worker, of the hand worker and the their norms because they do not necessarily happiness – among other things – write, small farmer, is a wife, a mother and have to use the direct vote. build, and be motivated by the love that a person. And, under this sacred gold moves us. Looking to the South as an hunger of the individual capitalist Additionally, in large part of the Indigenous example will make it possible for Canadian population, their family line is matriarchal. there stands today the consciousness society to transform little by little with your of the whole capitalist class that the Therefore, in Venezuela, we are writing own characteristics, your ways of fighting. our own feminist theory, while learning existence of its exploiting and ruling from and respecting earlier Indigenous I hug you in the name of all Venezuelan power is at stake." ideas and also inclusive of the Eurocentric women and I invite you to continue vision of feminism. We are raising the flags fighting, and not to wait on the sidelines. Excerpt from: The International of struggle that were raised by previous F TT: Thank you very much for your time. Women’s Day (February 1922) generations. Still, we also recognize that Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 31 Continued from page 4 JUSTICE FOR Statistics Canada also reports, MOTHER OF ALL STRUGGLES! “In 2018, there were six more NO TO INDIGENOUS Indigenous female victims of WOMEN OF Indigenous struggle homicide than in 2017, marking a RACISM WOMEN & second consecutive annual increase.” NO TO GIRLS THE WORLD against colonialism According to the CBC News, UNITE! “It is still not known how many ISLAMOPHOBIA Indigenous women and girls have been murdered or have gone missing in Canada. Some estimates have suggested approximately 4,000 Indigenous women have been killed or have disappeared over the past few decades, but the inquiry said an exact number might never be known.” Adding to this, we do know from the national inquiry that Indigenous women and girls are 16 Autumn Peltier times more likely to be murdered or important step, the fact that thousands came is Anishinaabe-kwe and a member of the to go missing than white women. to the streets again this year, demonstrates Wikwemikong First Nation. Autumn is a that those in struggle understand their fight a 15-year-old climate activist, an advocate So while the National Inquiry into Missing is not over. In many ways, after 29 years, it for clean drinking water in First Nations and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is finally beginning to get the attention it communities and chief water commissioner is consistently in news headlines, one might deserves. for the Anishinabek First Nation. think the situation is improving, however reading beyond the headlines we see that May 5 has also been declared a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Canada is still a very dangerous place to be “I will be 23-years old in 2028. In an Indigenous woman or girl. This also does Indigenous Women and Girls in both the not consider other inequalities Indigenous U.S. and Canada. While the global pandemic my mind I have taken a photo of women and girls face, such as lower life meant that many rallies and events were where we are today, where we are expectancy, higher prison incarceration rates, not organized in the streets, Indigenous at with various issues surrounding unequal access to education, healthcare, and women and girls continued to create spaces our water. My snapshot doesn’t social services, etc. This is but a small snapshot of resistance online. From the red dress feel good in terms of pollution, focused on the murdered and the missing. campaign, to webinars, to articles, to TikTok videos – Indigenous women and girls climate change, pipelines We cannot wait for change celebrated their strength and resilience while breaking, recycling, sanitation, On top of all of this, nearly a year after continuing to demand justice. poverty, hunger and illnesses the NIMMIWG published its report and Women unite! related to these issues. findings, the government of Canada continues Our water should not be for sale, to stall on implementing the “Calls for In Canada, looking at the level of comfort Justice.” The Trudeau administration recently and quality of life enjoyed by many, people we all have a right to this water as announced a delay in issuing their action often ask the same question that was asked we need it. Not just rich people, plan on missing and murdered Indigenous to Alexandra Kollontai and the women’s all people. No one should have women and girls, due to the Covid-19 global movement in 1913, “What is ‘Women’s Day’? to worry if the water is clean pandemic. This official government response Is it really necessary?” or if they will run out of water. to the 231 “Calls for Justice” was expected But through this small window highlighting No child should grow up not to arrive before the June 3, 2020 anniversary just the work of the National Inquiry into knowing what clean water is or of the report. Former chief commissioner of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women never knowing what running the NIMMIWG, Marion Buller, told CBC and Girls, life continues to supply “a clear and water is. News, “Using COVID-19 as an excuse for eloquent answer.” delaying a national action plan — to me The reason women have the right to vote is Now is the time to warrior up — is really like saying, well, the dog ate my and empower each other to take homework.” because women struggled. The reason women have the right to abortion in Canada is a stand for our planet. We need Despite the government of Canada’s because women struggled. The reason same- to sustain the little we have and continued stalling and inaction of the 231 sex marriage is legal in Canada is because the develop ways not to pollute “Calls for Justice.” Indigenous women LGBTQ+ community struggled. The reason the environment and sustain and their allies are not waiting. They are Canada had a National Inquiry into Missing relationships with mother earth continuing to mobilize for their rights and and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, against this ongoing genocide. On February is because Indigenous women struggled. and save what we have left. 14, 2020, thousands of people came together Society has never gifted women with their Let’s not let water and mother in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side for the rights, they have always had to unite and earth down.” 29th annual Women’s Memorial March. This fight - this is the importance and legacy of march has brought together people in British International Women’s Day. Columbia for dozens of years, demanding Excerpt from Autumn's speech at the UN justice for the missing and murdered. While General Assembly – March 22, 2018 the National Inquiry is seen by many as an Follow Tamara on Twitter:@THans01 32 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Continued from page 12 fuel industry has sown baseless doubts about the fact you to join us in fighting for a future that works for that human industrial activity is disrupting our climate everyone, including you and your family. The first system. This is part of the reason why climate activists and most obvious step is to reject further infusions like us are compelled to spend time rejecting irrational of public resources into the corporate suites of the proposals, like the one the authors advance: that we climate-destroying fossil fuel industry. should shovel even more public funds at unviable Like the Great Depression of the 1930s, Covid-19 companies to help them exploit more of our common has inflicted both humanitarian and economic property while paying us a relative pittance in royalties. distress across the country and around the world. As a further reward for our generosity, they’ll continue Now is an ideal time for all of us to come together to sow death and destruction worldwide and keep us to demand justice and build a greener, brighter, on course for an uninhabitable planet. All this to keep better world for all humanity. a relatively small number of Canadians employed in the existing paradigm for a few more years. Sincerely, We find this frustrating. We’d much rather talk about Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver plans for a sustainable future with well-paid employment www.climateconvergence.ca than to re-hash, for the umpteenth time, that because April 23, 2020 climate change is a serious, immediate Photos of Before and After Alberta Tar Sands threat, it’s necessary to phase carbon- intensive industries out of existence and stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure. The science is clear and well-established, and as multiple levels of Canadian government have recognized, climate change is an emergency. The world’s leading authorities on the topic at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have called for radical changes to the structure of our society over the next decade in order to avoid its worst impacts. When the transport and shipping infrastructure that dominates our world was first designed and built (mostly with public funding and initiative), the seriousness of the threat of climate change was not well understood. Governments and societies were operating on the assumption that fossil fuels could be burned indefinitely, without serious ill effects. Today, we know that assumption was false, and public policy interventions are again needed to redesign those systems to reflect our present understanding. To leave the kind of legacy to our children we can all take pride in, we’ll need to mobilize the expertise and know-how of our entire society, including workers like you. Instead of advocating for policies that will bring limited benefit and considerable harm, as the authors of the letter do, we invite

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 33 JUSTIN TRUDEAU MUST LIFT CANADA’S SANCTIONS NOW! 

The Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War his Easter message, Pope Francis and the Mouvement Québécois pour la echoed Mr. Guterres’s call to paix/Quebec Movement for Peace today suspend economic sanctions now. are forwarding to Prime Minister Justin Following upon Mr. Guterres’s Trudeau an open letter from one hundred those two countries during a pandemic is appeal, we, the undersigned, call upon simply barbaric. prominent Canadians, asking the PM your government to set a bold example to suspend Canada’s economic sanctions for the G-20 and the world by suspending We note that your government has also against the twenty countries against which all of the economic sanctions regimes levelled unilateral, i.e., illegal sanctions. it currently maintains these “coercive which Canada currently maintains Only in the cases of Iran and North Korea economic measures”. The purpose of the against twenty sovereign states and/or has the UN Security Council authorized request to Mr. Trudeau is to enable the their citizens, half of which are located in multilateral sanctions and, regarding Iran, sanctioned countries, and indeed the entire Africa. those sanctions were to have been lifted world, to cope better with the Covid-19 in 2015 in accordance with the signing pandemic. This request echoes the appeal by Applying economic sanctions is a warlike of the JCPOA and its ratification in United Nations Secretary-General Antonio act, and often kills more people than UN resolution 2231. In response to Guterrres to G-20 countries on March 23, actual weapons. That’s why the power to the global pandemic, we believe 2020, for those countries “to waive sanctions level economic sanctions is restricted that Canada’s economic imposed on countries to ensure access to food, exclusively to the United Nations sanctions, whether unilateral essential health supplies, and COVID-19 Security Council. Moreover, or multilateral (excluding medical support.” these sanctions hurt the those sanctions relating poorest and most to the arms trade) should For further information, please contact Ken vulnerable sectors Stone in Hamilton, Ontario, at 905-383- be suspended in accordance of society by with the wishes of UN Secretary- 7693 (cell 289-382-9008) or kenstone@ causing cogeco.ca, and/or Pierre Jasmin in Montreal, General Guterres. Quebec, at 819-847-1332 or jasmin. Finally, we note that, on April 10, your [email protected]. government publicized its full support for hunger, Mr. Guterres’s call for a temporary global disease, and ceasefire,4 but announced it would give The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau #NOSANCTIONSthe green light to new Canadian arms April 13, 2020 unemployment. sales to Saudi Arabia.5 We find these two Prime Minister of Canada They #SANCTIONSKILLare explicitly designed actions contradictory. We applaud the Dear Sir: to do so. Officials of the US former and oppose the latter, at least until government, which routinely the government of Saudi Arabia ends In his March 23, 2020, letter to the leaders levels sanctions against governments it its illegal war on the people of Yemen. of the G20 countries, UN Secretary- doesn’t like, have spoken openly about We further call upon your government General Antonio Guterres declared, “I using suffering to try and spur ordinary to follow action for divestment and am encouraging the waiving of sanctions civilians in targeted countries to rebel disarmament mandated by the United imposed on countries to ensure access against their national authorities. The Nations and to adhere to the climate to food, essential health supplies, and US government has also forced other objectives stated in the (COP21) Paris COVID-19 medical support. This is the countries to obey its sanctions regime Climate Agreement. time for solidarity not exclusion... Let against targeted states through the use In view of the urgency created by the us remember that we are only as strong of extraterritoriality, that is, by penalizing as the weakest health system in our pandemic, we look forward to your foreign corporations that dare to trade earliest possible reply. interconnected world.”1 At the same with countries which the USA has time, ambassadors of eight countries sanctioned. Humanitarian goods currently affected by economic sanctions, SCAN TO SIGN ... such as medical supplies, which are THE PETITION!  namely, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, exempted from economic sanctions Nicaragua, China, Russia, and North under international law, have OR VISIT: Korea, petitioned the secretary-general consistently been denied to countries https://www.change.org/p/ for “the immediate and complete lifting such as Iran and Venezuela, despite right-honourable-justin- of those (coercive economic) measures trudeau-suspend-canada-s- the crises that those two countries economic-sanctions-now to enable nations to respond to the face. That the US government would coronavirus pandemic.”2 Furthermore, in actually increase the sanctions against 34 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Continued from page 17 on people in Venezuela. We must question how it Puerto Rican freedom fighter is that these governments can claim they support the people of Venezuela, when their financial and commercial blockade killed an estimated 40,000 ¡Rafael Cancel Venezuelans from 2017-2018 alone? (As reported by the Centre for Economic Policy Research). And why is it that the mainstream media echoes U.S. Miranda, presente! President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau when they call for “new elections” in Venezuela, but then Message of The Committee in doesn’t say a word when on March 8, 2020 counter- Solidarity with Cuba in Puerto Rico revolutionaries destroyed 49,408 electronic voting machines and other voting devices by burning a Celebration of The Life of warehouse to the ground in Caracas? its’ 30th Anniversary trip in 2021. Don Rafa Don Rafael Cancel Miranda shares the same noble blood that coursed Each month, the Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice Venezuela Solidarity Campaign through the vains of Bolivar, Betances, Translated by Frank Velgara takes to the streets with supporters of Venezuela in Hostos, San Martin, Rius Rivera, Cespedes, Vancouver for two solidarity actions – a picket action Maceo, Maximo Gonez, Lolita Lebron, at the U.S. Consulate and information tabling at the This past March 2, a little after nine in the Carmin Perez, Blanca Canales, Doris Vancouver Art Gallery. At these dynamic actions, evening, a hero born in Mayaguez, Puerto Torresola, Pedro Albizu Campos, Filiberto participants raise their voices against the cruel U.S. Rico, but acclaimed for his actions as a hero Ojeda Rios, Jorge Farinacci Garica, Avelino and Canada sanctions and war on Venezuela and of our entire homeland, decided to pass on to Gonzalez Claudio, Hugo Chavez Frias, Fidel hear speeches from people from a wide variety the plane of immortality. He did not choose Castro Ruz and all the heroes and sheroes of backgrounds and experiences in support of a day before nor a day later: he had decided that have given their lives in the struggle Venezuela’s sovereignty and self-determination. that we would have for another year the joy of in solidarity with the independence and The February 7, 2020 protest action and information celebrating with him his most honored action, liberation of our Latin American countries. tabling in Vancouver took place three days after the carried out with another three valiant patriots, These men and women as Marti would say U.S. President rhetorically declared that “Maduro’s on March 1, 1954, in the imperial Congress in his work, Three Heroes, “are the ones that grip on tyranny will be smashed and broken,” of the United States. That slap in the face of rebel ferociously against those that rob our during his State of the Union address. Trump’s war-mongering rhetoric gave the chants of “Trump that monster has never been emulated . . . nor peoples of liberty, that is to role our men of forgotten. Hands Off Venezuela!” an extra boost as picketers their decorum. In these men are thousands marched at the steps of the U.S. Consulate. Recent From his youth in his native Mayaguez, Don of men, entire nations and the dignity of all U.S. increased sanctions against Venezuela, and Rafael Cancel Miranda always carried on his humanity. Their lives are sacred” . . . and I a meeting between the self-declared “interim shoulders, as Martí would say, “the decorum of add . . . and those of women are sacred. President” of Venezuela Guaidó and Prime Minister many men”. His complete dedication to the Trudeau were important topics of discussion with This past March 2nd, a little after nine in passers-by. defense of the independence of his homeland the evening, Rafael Cancel Miranda, took and his determination to his place with the women and On March 5, 2020, the Fire This Time Venezuela free the countries of our men that have raised high our Solidarity Campaign’s actions also marked the 7th anniversary of the passing of Comandante Hugo América from the imperialist flag to wave it with strength oppression that for more than Chávez, the leader of the Bolivarian revolution and in the illuminated space where President of Venezuela from 1999 until his untimely a century had bled our Latin his presence already resides death in 2013. As participants in the actions American peoples, led him to alongside his heroic peers. chanted at the front steps of the U.S. Consulate broaden his struggle and to in downtown Vancouver, they were inspired by the raise a vibrant voice in favor That day he also decided to give eternal example of Hugo Chávez, and especially by of Cuba, Dominican Republic, the ultimate slap in the face of his fierce defense of Venezuela’s sovereignty and Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico the empire in order to make self-determination in the face of U.S. imperialist and other Latin American clear before our people that attacks. March 2 is not the day that nations. The people of Venezuela are determined to defend U.S. citizenship was imposed Don Rafa, as many of us call their democratically elected government, and their upon our people, but the day rights that they have gained through the Bolivarian him, always collaborated with that our RAFAEL CANCEL revolution - rights to housing, healthcare, education, our Committee in Solidarity MIRANDA, continued his nutritional food, and many more. They do so not with Cuba that I am honored to lead. He struggle from the realms of immortality. only as they face COVID-19, which now threatens always lent his unconditional support for all nearly every country on the planet, but murderous the activities of the Solidarity Committee. I Eternal glory to our heroes and heroines! U.S. blockade and war. Eternal glory to Rafael Cancel Miranda! cannot forget that he was the first that took As Comandante Hugo Chávez said, “In Venezuela, up the banner of our Brigade in 1993 and that Long Live the Solidarity of the Peoples of Our America and the World! they don’t command us from the Pentagon, the he was always present in all of our activities. White House or the United States Embassy. We are He always provided his most decided and Long Live A Free and Socialist Puerto Rico! free and we will never be slaves, at all costs.” enthusiastic support to the Brigades and Milagros Rivera Pérez, President From the U.S. and Canada, we, as poor, working our annual Solidarity dinners, as he did Committee in Solidarity with Cuba, Puerto and oppressed people, must amplify the voice with all activities in solidarity with Cuba Rico of the people of Venezuela, and work to build a and other peoples in struggle. Don Rafa March 6, 2020 more united and stronger movement in defense of also accompanied us in several international Bar Association of Puerto Rico Venezuela’s sovereignty and self-determination. events. To find out about the next FTT Venezuela Don Rafa deserves that we dedicate the trip Frank Velgara is a Puerto Rican revolutionary Solidarity Campaign action, including on-line of the Juan Ruis Rivera Brigade to Cuba in activist of the Socialist Front, living in actions, visit www.firethistime.net, or follow on New York City. Facebook, on Twitter @FTT_np and on Instagram @ftt.venezuela FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 35 Continued from page 5 countries such as the U.S. and Canada are also carried out against people at home. And I think every once in a while, there are these escalated times when that reality can shake oppressed people and their very foundations. And that has happened with Indigenous people in Canada over the past few weeks. There is a war against Indigenous people in Canada. There has been since the colonisation of Indigenous land. The Canadian state has the same roots as the United States of genocide, residential schools, and reservation systems. This history and the current reality of colonization are reflected in the mobilization of Indigenous and non- Indigenous people in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en today. It is important to understand that one year ago, the RCMP -the Canadian Infografic from Watson Institute national police- first invaded the territory of the Wet’suwet’en people, and they kept a detachment there for an entire year. Canada is often claiming that they are not these agreements, countries are “required,” participating in U.S.-led wars, but then Then this January is when things escalated as much as the Paris agreements can again because the RCMP moved further refueling all the jets that are dropping the “require” anything, to report on their bombs. The Canadian military provided 65 into the territory and cleared people off of military emissions. Still, countries are not a road to make way for the development million pounds of fuel to refuel aircraft used obligated or encouraged to do anything to in the bombing of Iraq and Syria between of the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which reduce them. In the international climate is in violation of the demands of the 2014 and 2019. This is incomparable, of agreements that proceeded with the Paris course, to the fuel consumption of the Wet’suwet’en people. British Columbia agreement, the Kyoto Accords, military is an unceded territory. No treaties, in vehicles that any of us here in this room emissions were not even part of the drive. 92 percent of the land, were ever signed. discussion. Military emissions continue So hereditary chiefs and their system The Department of Defense in the United to be considered a so-called necessary of governance are law in those unceded States is the largest institutional consumer expense for our planet. territories. of fossil fuels. In Canada, the Department Then, there is the issue of military budgets. of National Defence is the largest The Japanese city Nagasaki before For example, the world’s biggest military and after it was flattened by the United consumer of petroleum and Canada’s budget ever has been passed yet again States’ atomic bomb, August 9, 1945 largest landholder. in the United States recently. This is added to the continued Instead of being spent on human environmental and human impact of and environmental destruction, chemical and radioactive weapons such as this money could go towards Agent Orange and depleted uranium. Also, climate justice, meaning health the military bases of the United States care, education, jobs, public and its allies around the world persist in transit, and more. poisoning and in polluting. As Martin Luther King Junior Another topic to talk about that is important said, and I think this is a good to the discussion about environment and quote for us to use when talking war is military emissions, because specific about the environment and war, sources of greenhouse gases are excluded “Our scientific power has outrun from federal reduction targets due to their our spiritual power. We have important role in “ensuring the national guided missiles and misguided safety and security of all Canadians” – as men.” Canada’s previous environment minister, So, where is the technology that Catherine McKenna, justified why the we need to save our planet earth declared emissions of the Department now? of National Defence in Canada has never been counted in Canada’s emission The War at Home: Wet’suwet’en reduction targets. & the Struggle for Indigenous Rights Military emissions are explicitly stated as excluded in the targets set by the 2015 The wars abroad by imperialist United National Paris agreements. Under 36 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 The Coastal GasLink pipeline is fracked We cannot just be talking about the U.S. exploitation by the capitalist class and the gas. There has been a lot of talk, specifically occupying other countries but also what it denial of their rights. in the Province of British Columbia about means when there are oppressed nations Within the antiwar and the climate justice how the Coastal GasLink pipeline is within the U.S. and Canada borders. movement, we must also emphasize that we going to “replace coal for the world,” and Thirdly, we need to fight for a world are building an international movement, at the same time, not have a big impact without NATO and U.S. military bases, one that is also internationalist in character. on greenhouse gas emissions. However, because of the environmental pollution The struggles of people against massive the impact of “natural gas” emissions can and also because of the way that the United resource extraction projects are similar only be considered minor when you ignore in Standing Rock in the methane and poisons North Dakota or the that are released when it is Amazon rainforest in extracted and considering Brazil. The struggle that when it is burned, for a sustainable world Canada does not have requires international to count those emissions cooperation between targets. oppressed people. It It is Time to Unite the requires solidarity and, Antiwar and Climate more importantly, Justice Movement unity across borders to That brings me to my become powerful and final point, which is effective. about bringing together There are many the anti-war movement opportunities for with the climate justice antiwar activists to bring movement. One way the antiwar movement to do this is by making to the climate justice sure “self-determination movement. There were for oppressed nations, Protesters in canoes demonstrate against the construction of a runway into massive protests around including Indigenous the sea for a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan, December 14, 2018 the world in September nations!” is always part 2019; over 9 million of our demands. This has always been people participated in global climate strike part of our demands within Mobilization States uses these bases to increase their actions. And I think we need to continue to Against War and Occupation (MAWO) wars and occupations and consequently take advantage of that mobilization on the and MAWO has consistently brought this further ecological degradation. streets. We need to strategically bring the demand to the cross-border movement Lastly, I think the environmental struggle antiwar movement and the environmental that we would like to strengthen and build ties into the movement against sanctions movement together. Fighting against together, including with this conference. and blockades, which are war. These war is fighting against the degradation I think there are four strategies and attacks do not allow countries to develop of the environment and fighting for demands that we need to bring into their economies or to use their resources climate justice is fighting against war and our antiwar, anti-pollution, and anti- for the good of their people. Sanctions occupation. We are in an era of history imperialist movement. The first is that and blockades enforce the hegemony of that these two causes have become two we must build a movement that is against the world’s biggest corporations, which are struggles for one purpose, to save our lives imperialist war and occupation. Today, also the world’s biggest polluters. and the planet. we live in what we in MAWO call “the If we combine these four pillars, which I think we are now facing the opportunity new era of war and occupation,” which bring together the war at home and to build a better and sustainable world. We is the never-ending wars that started in abroad, this is how we can build an anti- must not feel inactive or depressed about 2001, that we are all coming together to imperialist movement, how we can move the climate crisis or endless wars and organize against. This era is characterized from just being against war to also being occupations around us. In the face of this by a campaign to regain hegemony in the against imperialism. I think we cannot devastation, we have no choice but to take Middle East, North Africa, and Latin build an effective anti-war movement up the call and fight back. America by capitalist countries that are without centralizing and emphasizing People marching on the streets today facing a grave economic crisis and a rapid the slogan of self-determination for all against climate change can also be very falling rate of profit. These countries are oppressed nations. capable of understanding that it is not just on the war path to gain new markets and I will say that I think this slogan of self- a clean planet we are fighting for. It will not resources, which means more killing of our determination for all oppressed nations matter if we have a clean planet if the earth planet. is as important as “Workers of the world is still full of poverty and human suffering Secondly, self-determination for oppressed unite,” from Marx and Engels. and wars and occupations. The antiwar and nations, as I said, must be part of our People of oppressed nations face war climate justice movement now more than work, from Indigenous and Black people, and occupation and the denial of self- ever has one cause: Save the planet. to oppressed countries under attack and determination, which unites them in the United we will win! occupation. This important demand calls fight against imperialism. The common on us to have strategical unity against any struggle that unites workers is their occupation, domestic or international. Follow Alison on Twitter: @Alisoncolette FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 37  Upcoming social justice webinars ✊ The Newspaper Of FIRE THIS TIME MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE TUESDAY JUNE 16 5pm PT, 8pm ET www.firethistime.net Actor Danny Glover talks "Covid, Cuba & Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 Saving Lives" with Cuban Ambassador to Published Monthly Political Editor: the U.S. Jose Ramon Cabañas Ali Yerevani - [email protected] @aliyerevani Learn more: savinglives.us-cubanormalization.org Editor: Tamara Hansen @thans01 Editorial Board: Tamara Hansen, Alison Bodine, Janine Solanki, WEDNESDAY JUNE 17 4pm PT, 7pm ET Azza Rojbi, Thomas Davies, Ali Yerevani Layout & Design: Virtual Picket Against the U.S. Blockade Azza Rojbi, Janine Solanki, Tamara Hansen on Cuba! #SanctionsKill #UnBlockCuba Contributers: Featuring speakers across Canada & around the world! Manuel Yepe, Hamma al-Hammami, Frank Velgara, Frederick B. 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38 FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 LET'S GO TO CUBA ON THE CHE GUEVARA VOLUNTEER WORK BRIGADE! Why travel to Cuba? What's the latest news on the Cuba is famous for many things around 2020 Che Brigade? the world, from its exemplary healthcare The 27th Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade is and education systems to Cuban salsa scheduled for November 15-30, 2020. The Che Guevara dancing and music. Over 1 million people Brigade will be joining an inernational volunteer work from Canada visit Cuba each year for brigade, made up of people from around the world. This its extraordinary beaches, resorts and brigade is named “The International Brigade for the 60th sun. However there is another way to Anniversary of ICAP” in honour of our host organization, visit this dynamic island - The Ernesto the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade! who will be celebrating this milestone anniversary! Within the International Brigade, the Che Guevara Brigade will What is the Che Guevara Brigade? retain its own coordination. Most importantly, brigadistas will have the unique opportunity to not only experience The Che Brigade is a unique opportunity to experience Cuba but also connect with people from around the world! the Cuban Revolution and its accomplishments. There is no better way to get to know the Cuban people than This year the Che Brigade will participate in working alongside them, sharing meals and leisure an International Youth Meeting, hosted by the time - including going to the beach! The Brigade’s Union of Young Communists (UJC). This will be an vibrant program also includes exchanges with Cuban interesting experience for brigadistas of all ages! organizations, visiting healthcare and educational institutions, touring historical sites, participating in How do I find out more? workshops and of course experiencing Cuba’s rich culture! Join the online webinar on June 14! This online event, Recently you may have heard how Cuba is showing held on the birthday of Ernesto Che Guevara, will their international solidarity - Cuba has sent over commemorate the life and legacy of this revolutionary 2000 medical professionals to 24 countries to assist hero who the brigade is named for. The event will also be in the fight against Covid-19! On the Che Brigade, a chance to learn more about the Che Guevara Brigade, brigadistas will have the opportunity to show their from both Cuban speakers and former brigadistas! solidarity with Cuba and learn more about Cuba’s You can register for the June 14th webinar, and inspiring example of international solidarity! get more information on the Che Brigade, at: This Volunteer Work Brigade is open to everyone www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade of all physical abilities and ages. There have been An updated program and cost for the Che Brigade Brigadistas from 7 to 86 years old! The Che Brigade will be released soon – you can check back on the has been visiting Cuba since 1993 and is a project brigade website or contact Che Brigade coordinator of the Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) and the Janine Solanki at [email protected] or 778- Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP). 881-6156 to be updated or to ask any other questions. Ready to join the Che Guevara Brigade? Registration is open and online at www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade/register1.html - Let's go to Cuba! The Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade COMMEMORATES THE LIFE & LEGACY OF ERNESTO CHE GUEVARA ONLINE WEBINAR

 L earn about Che Guevara’s ideas and his legacy today!  Hear from Cuban speakers and former brigadistas  Find out how you can travel to Cuba on the 27th Che Guevara Brigade to Cuba, November 15-30, 2020! SUNDAY June 14 Link to join via Zoom at Che Guevara’s Birthday www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade 4pm PT / 5pm MT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET Che Guevara Brigade is a project of the Canadian Network on Cuba

FIRE THIS TIME Volume 14 Issue 3-5 March-May 2020 39 34 CUBAN HENRY REEVE INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL BRIGADES FIGHT COVID-19 IN 27 COUNTRIES AROUND Mural in Turin, Italy to thank the Cuban doctors helping THE WORLD the Italian people to fight the Covid-19 pandemic

Angola Belize Dominica Cape Verde

Grenada Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua

Saint Vincent Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia & the Grenadines South Africa

Suriname Crema, Italy Togo Trinidad & Tobago #CUBASALVAVIDAS