END POLICE TERROR! DEFEND BLACK LIVES! Federación de Mujeres Cubanas Struggle-La-Lucha.org Vol. 3, No. 17 · Aug. 31, 2020 Suggested donation: $1 Socialist Unity Party Partido de Socialismo Unido Twitter: @StruggleLaLucha Facebook.com/strugglelalucha email: [email protected]

• TikTok 2 • Stop unsafe school 3 • Evictions kill! 3  Postal workers 5 • FreeTransit • Portland, Ore. 5 Kenosha cops and • Election coup 6 • Fascism 7 • Belarus 8 • Bolivia 9 fascists work hand-in-hand • Fidel’s Birthday 10 • YouTube blocks Cuba 13

By Stephen Millies • Beirut, Lebanon 12

The 12-year old Black youth Tamir Rice had a toy gun when he was shot to death by a white Cleveland cop on Nov. 22, 2014. Armed fascist terrorists are driving up and down the streets of Kenosha, Wis., without inter- ference by police or sheri­’s deputies. PROOFPROOF TRUMPTRUMP ISIS Nightly demonstrations have taken place in the city against police violence. Videos show 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse carry- ing his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. On the night of DESECRATINGESECRATING OUROUR Aug. 25, the white teenager allegedly shot to death From video of police shooting Jacob Blake in front two anti-racists, Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosen- of three of his children waiting in the car. baum, and wounded a third, Gaige Grosskreutz. Wannabe cop Rittenhouse had been a police ca- exercise their constitutional right and to poten- ANCESTORSANCESTORS det and plastered his Facebook page with “Blue tially protect property.” Lives Matter” lies. Many of the armed thugs belong to the “Keno- The killings occurred two days after Jacob Blake sha Guard,” an outfit formed by Kevin Mathew- was shot and paralyzed by Kenosha policeman son. The former member of Kenosha’s City Coun- Rusten Sheskey. A video showed the white cop fir- cil posted a “call to arms” on its Facebook page. It ing seven shots into Blake’s back while the Black was only taken down by Facebook after Huber and father was entering his own car. Three of Blake’s Rosenbaum were killed. children were in the back seat. Tucker Carlson justified the shootings on Police o–cers in an armored car can be seen on Fox News. He asked, “How shocked are we that video tossing water bottles to Rittenhouse and his 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to main- fellow vigilantes, all of whom are armed. tain order when no one else would?” No attempt is made to arrest any of these racist To this ten-million-dollar-a-year hatemonger, thugs, even though it was after an 8 p.m. curfew. killing anti-racists is “maintaining order.” Carl- KUMEYAAY ancestral burial and sacred Instead, an o–cer is heard saying, “We appreciate son had earlier defamed Jacob Blake. you guys. We really do.” Another fascist — Ann Coulter — applauded sites desecrated to make way for a Another video shows Rittenhouse walking past the shooter, Rittenhouse, writing, “I want him as police with his AR-15 over his shoulder. Members my president.” wall along the Southern border of the crowd were yelling for him to be arrested The Kenosha County sheri­, David Beth, is just By Zola Fish because he had shot people. as racist. In 2018, referring to five accused shop- Police did nothing and Rittenhouse was allowed lifters who were Black, Beth said, “We need to On Aug. 19, a group of Kumeyaay Natives and lo- to return to Antioch, Ill., 20 miles away. There, in build warehouses, to put these people into it [sic] cal activists went out into the 105-degree heat to his hometown, Rittenhouse was finally arrested. and lock them away for the rest of their lives.” hold a Sacred Space prayer circle at a Kumeyaay Meanwhile, the paralyzed Jacob Blake is chained Is it any wonder that a Kenosha cop felt free to ancestral burial ground and ancient village at the to his hospital bed. pump seven bullets into Jacob Blake’s back? U.S.-Mexico border. The line is now spray painted Defending fascist terrorism Counterattacking Black Lives Matter by the Border Patrol to remind us not to cross. We met early in the morning and caravanned The Kenosha city police chief, Daniel Miskinis, Then there’s the bigot-in-chief who presided up the mountain to be met by the U.S. Army Corps refused to call the killings an act of homicide. He over a four-day hate fest known as the Republican of Engineers (ACOE) drilling into Mother Earth blamed the victims of fascist violence for their own National Convention. Kyle Rittenhouse loves Don- to plant dynamite to blow up the Kumeyaay an- deaths, since the killings occurred after curfew. ald Trump and was in the front row of Trump’s cestors and their historical villages for the wall But Miskinis says that it’s okay for vigilantes Des Moines, Iowa, rally in January. of white supremacy. We held circle and prayed at to break the curfew. The police chief claimed they The Black Lives Matter movement is the biggest many di­erent sites and at each site the ACOE had were just “armed civilians who have come out to Continued on page 11 to stop all work. Due to the e­orts of some dynamic female youth leaders from the La Posta Band of Diegue- no Mission Indians, one of the twelve bands of the Baltimore #SayHerName Kumeyaay Ipai, Tipai Nation, the ACOE is behind schedule, three weeks now. The Kumeyaay have historically lived in the San protest elevates voices of women vets Diego border region for over 12,000 years. Places along the border line play a part in their creation By Sharon Black Annetta Johnson, a veteran story. Among places scheduled to be dynamited from Baltimore, led the pro- and dug up, then filled with concrete and steel, Baltimore — The Peoples test. Earlier, she attended the is an ancestral cemetery near the community of Power Assembly and Women march for Vanessa Guillén in Jacumba. The Kumeyaay believe there are souls In Struggle/Mujeres En Lu- D.C. Johnson is the founder of attached to bones and the bones are being dese- cha held a rally and march to Purpose Driven Journeys and crated so the U.S. president can get his monument “Say Her Name” at the Gar- has spoken out on the lack of to himself and to white supremacy. matz Federal Courthouse in services for women and Black Midden soil has been found where the ACOE downtown Baltimore July 30. veterans. is currently working. Within the midden soil is It coincided with a march in Ellen Barkfield, an organiz- proof that this land has always been Native. The Washington, D.C., for murdered Army Spc. Vanes- er with the Philip Berrigan Memorial Chapter of artifacts found in midden soil tell a story of vil- sa Guillén, who was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Veterans for Peace, also spoke out. Barkfield was lages, religious life and cemeteries of the Kumey- The event also highlighted women killed by police, also stationed at Fort Hood. She gave a moving ac- aay ancestors. Middens are an archive of ancient including Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Korryn count of her own experience of sexual assault and lifestyles and environments. Middens can pre- Gaines and others. Continued on page 2 Continued on page 2 Page 2 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA Trump, China, TikTok, Tulsa. Free speech?

By Jasmine Johnson Tok users see the hypocrisy in ban- is in full support of this ban. ning one app for collecting the user’s Another factor that may have On Aug. 5, President Donald Trump personal information but not the played into this was the sabotage announced that he’s planning on other apps. It’s obvious that Trump of Trump’s Tulsa rally. TikTok us- banning TikTok due to “security and his supporter’s only issue is that ers had shared videos on how to get risks” and the fact that the app col- this is someone from China who is free tickets for Trump’s June 20 rally lects data of the users. There are lots collecting this information. in Tulsa, Okla. He went on Twitter of people happy (mostly right-wing Not once has Trump ever men- to say, “Almost One Million people Trump supporters) about this deci- tioned banning Facebook or Ama- requested tickets for the Saturday sion due to the fact they’re not okay zon for their collection of data in- Night Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma!” with the idea of their information formation. An alternative to the ban Despite bragging about getting one being collected by someone in China. is for ByteDance, the company that million RSVPs, fewer than 6 thou- That’s despite the fact that TikTok, owns TikTok, to give up ownership sand turned out. Trump couldn’t fill like many other websites and apps, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Amazon and to companies like Microsoft. Even his 19,000-person capacity arena. has a terms-of-service in which it so many more were already collect- if Microsoft were to buy TikTok, I’m not defending any of the com- explains that “by agreeing you ac- ing users’ data. It’s evident that this Trump said a fee would have to be panies, but it’s obvious that this is cept our privacy policy.” This pri- has nothing to do with security and paid to the U.S. Treasury. This isn’t Trump and his supporters being vacy policy explicitly explains the everything to do with the anti-Chi- just among Trump and the right. very anti-China. This is also his way information they collect. The irony na sentiment that Trump loves to This anti-China propaganda is of retaliating against the sabotaging of all this being that before TikTok promote. common among liberals and Demo- of his rally. Many supporters of his was even available on the app store, While many people aren’t self- crats. Sen. Chuck Schumer said that are pro-free speech but they don’t websites and apps like Google, Face- aware enough to recognize the irony he was the one that had first “ex- realize (or make him accountable) book, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, of wanting to ban the app; most Tik- posed” TikTok’s links to China and that Trump is against free speech. ₪ PROOF TRUMP IS DESECRATING OUR ANCESTORS

Continued from page 1 formal government-to-government con sul tation, yet the Border Patrol serve a record of a thousand years of and Army Corps of Engineers con- ancestral occupation. tinue to move forward with grading There is proof of what the Kumey- and bulldozing through our ances- aay have been trying to tell the gov- tral lands. With no other options, we ernment. Protesters were told the now ask the court to intervene and ACOE would be skipping a consul- stop the construction so that consul- tation with the tribe for “national tation can take place to mitigate the security reasons.” On several days, impacts to our sacred sites,” Parada there was work with no Native mon- continues. itor on site. In a statement published in the San The La Posta Band of Digueno Diego Union Tribune, Je­ Stephen- Mission Indians filed a lawsuit to get son, the supervisory agent for the an injunction to stop all work at the U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego sector, wall. The lawsuit was filed against said, “No biological, cultural or his- the Trump administration; Secre- torical sites were identified within tary of Defense Mark Esper, who the blasting area located within the oversaw the military funds diverted Roosevelt Reservation.” from the military to the border wall; The “Roosevelt Reservation” Is Acting Secretary of Homeland Secu- not a Native reservation. President rity Chad Wolf; and Lt. Gen. Todd Se- Theodore Roosevelt created it in monite, commander general of the 1907 to discourage smuggling. It is U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. a 60-foot-wide piece of land owned The lawsuit states: “Defendants Midden soil, the dark layer on top, has been found where the ACOE is working. by the federal government that runs are currently constructing the bor- for 2,000 miles down the U.S.-Mex- der wall directly through Kumeyaay are desecrating Kumeyaay ancestral The lawsuit was announced by Save ico border. Federal and Tribal lands Burial Sites and Sacred Lands, caus- burial and sacred sites to make way the Homelands of the Indigenous make up about one-third of the ing irreversible and easily avoidable for a wall along the Southern border.” and End Land Desecration (SHIELD), Roosevelt Reservation and private damage to Kumeyaay remains, cul- Another part of the lawsuit says a coalition of advocates battling the and state owned lands make up the tural items, history and religious the construction is “excavating and Trump administration’s construction other two-thirds. The current mon- practice.” desecrating Kumeyaay remains and of a border wall on sacred Kumeyaay itor is from the ACOE and is using More of the court filings say: prohibiting Tribal members from sites and burial grounds. a 10-year-old survey done by the “Since the arrival of Europeans in properly treating the remains and “We cannot sit back and continue ACOE. They claim there are no burial the region, the Kumeyaay territory, participating in religious ceremo- to watch the bones of our ancestors sites being interrupted. If that’s true, culture, religion and very existence nies at the Tribe’s sacred sites where being dug up and strewn about then why not allow a monitor from have been under attack to make the border wall construction is tak- like random debris. Ancestral the Kumeyaay Nation? way for non-Indian settlement. In ing place.” It further states that no Kumeyaay burials are being im- The protests will continue until the most recent episode of Indige- tribal consultation has taken place pacted, and construc tion continues the Kumeyaay ancestors are no lon- nous erasure, the President of the between the federal government and to tear through our former village ger being dug up and desecrated. The United States and his administration the tribe. sites along the border wall areas,” struggle against colonization is an Cynthia Parada, spokeswoman for ongoing struggle that Native peoples SHIELD and council member with have been fighting since the begin- Baltimore #SayHerName the La Posta tribe, said. ning of the genocide of our people. “With no prior consideration or The fight for liberation, freedom and protest elevates voices of women vets attempt to mitigate impacts, our justice is an uphill battle against the sacred sites are being carved into anti-Indian, anti-Immigrant, pro- Continued from page 1 Power Assembly organizer, said, and desecrated for construction of wall, pro-Trump sentiment. The “Our fight is right here in the U.S.” the Border Wall. We have asked for struggle continues. ₪ the futility of reporting it to the U.S. She emphasized, “We live in a capi- military command. talist, racist country, and if we never The protesters pointed out that fight them then it won’t change.” Join Us ! Support us! rape and sexual violence are an in- The action ended with a march Socialist Unity Party West Coast office tergral part of police and military around the courthouse under the Partido de Socialismo Unido 5278 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles., CA 90019 culture. It is a form of terror used watch of an overwhelmingly large Struggle-La-Lucha.org Phone: 323.306.6240 by U.S. imperialism both abroad and presence of Department of Home- Twitter: @StruggleLaLucha East Coast office inside its own military as a method land Security agents, which included Facebook.com/strugglelalucha of genocide and control. dogs and a score of white vans lined 2011 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218 The Rev. Annie Chambers, Peoples up close to the protest. ₪ email: [email protected] Phone: 443.221.3775 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 3 Brooklyn march: Stop unsafe school reopening plan!

By Greg Butterfield tos of teachers who died from daily with the lack of basic COVID-19. supplies, inadequate medical Brooklyn, N.Y. — A protest led by The city was hard-hit by the sta–ng and unhealthy class- Black and Brown teachers and stu- pandemic in the spring, with rooms, even before the coro- dents drew hundreds of people to hundreds dying daily, mostly navirus. Grand Army Plaza on Aug. 20. Their in Black and Brown commu- Speakers at Grand Army call was to “oppose unsafe opening nities. Lockdown measures fi- Plaza demanded that the of New York public schools.” Orga- nally brought down the death government tax the wealthy nizers provided masks, hand sani- rate by June. and big business to provide tizer, water and snacks to those who But the uncontrolled spread an income for everyone to needed them. of the virus throughout the rest stay at home until a vaccine is Solidarity with the mass move- of the U.S. now threatens a new available and school facilities ment to defend Black lives from po- surge here. Infection rates were can be adequately renovated. lice terror was central to the action. rebounding by mid-August in They said the Department Many signs demanded “Defund the neighboring states and in some of Education should focus NYPD, fund public schools” and Brooklyn neighborhoods. on making sure all teachers “Police out of schools.” All summer, school work- and students have adequate Speakers called out the racist ers, students and parents have equipment and training for character of the city’s plan to re- argued that de Blasio’s plan to remote learning. open schools for in-person classes reopen public schools in Sep- They pointed out that de on Sept. 10. The unsafe conditions tember is not only inadequate, Blasio’s stubborn refusal to would fall on the backs of Black rushed and underfunded, but delay reopening schools is ac- and Brown communities and work- downright dangerous for the tually driven by Wall Street’s ing-class families, where and with community. Today, New York desire to make parents return whom the vast majority of public is the only major school sys- to work (also in dangerous school students live. tem in the country that plans conditions). Special education teacher Amy in-person classes for the be- Meanwhile, according to Tan works at a school in Brooklyn’s ginning of the 2020-2021 the Move ment Of Rank-and- Sunset Park neighborhood, where school year. File Educators (MORE-UFT), the infection rate is now 7 percent. Some smaller school sys- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tan described a “climate of fear” tems across the U.S. that be- plans to cut the public educa- in the multinational neighborhood, gan in-person classes, as SLL PHOTO: GREG BUTTERFIELD tion budget by 20 percent, fir- which has also been terrorized by well as some colleges and univer- ing 20,000 school workers statewide. the threat of Immigration and Cus- sities, have been swiftly forced to janitors and administrative workers Cuomo has refused calls to tax bil- toms Enforcement (ICE) raids. shut down as COVID-19 continues to joined the teachers in demanding a lionaires and stop giveaways to big “Are we going to ask our students spread. A growing number of studies delay in reopening schools. business in order to fund essential show that young people can spread services. to go into these conditions that have Tax big business been defunded for decades?” she the virus and become seriously ill. Protesters marched south through asked. “No!” shouted the crowd. On Aug. 20, United Federation of One chant at the Brooklyn protest Prospect Park, fired up with chants Earlier this year, New York Mayor Teachers President Michael Mulgrew was, “We need money for education! led by young activists, and were Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancel- said that city teachers could strike if We don’t have soap or ventilation!” greeted by many families and work- lor Richard Carranza delayed clos- they feel returning to work is unsafe, This reflects the reality of New ers along the way. They ended with a ing schools while the virus spread, despite the state’s anti-union Taylor York’s underfunded, overcrowd- rally in front of Chancellor Carran- until a virtual mutiny by teachers, Law, which prohibits strikes by pub- ed and often decrepit school facili- za’s home, vowing to keep organiz- students and parents forced them to lic employees. Mulgrew’s announce- ties — a reality that cannot be hid- ing and protesting for the safety of do so in late March. Some protesters ment came after unions represent- den from the parents, students and students, school workers and their held signs with the names and pho- ing principals, cafeteria workers, school workers who have struggled communities. ₪ ‘Billionaire landlords have to go!’

By Stephen Millies Madison and Park av- enues past dozens of Aug. 20 — Over five hundred peo- skyscrapers that house ple came to New York City’s public much of U.S. big busi- research library on Manhattan’s ness. Fifth Avenue this afternoon. They There were probably were determined to stop the wave of at least 100 construction evictions that is coming. workers who died build- New York Gov. Cuomo’s ban on ing these structures. evictions will expire on Sept. 4. Nowhere was there a Tenant groups across the state are plaque remembering preparing to stop the slumlords and those who were killed. sheri­s from throwing families into People ended up at the street. 51st Street and Lexing- The action today was called by ton Avenue, the head- the Right To Counsel NYC Coalition, quarters of the Real Es- Housing Justice for All and the Met- tate Board of New York. ropolitan Council on Housing. Peo- Known as REBNY, it’s SLL PHOTOS: STEPHEN MILLIES ple belonging to local tenant organi- the united front of all the zations came from all over the city. marks translated. Stephen Sullivan fired two blasts landlords and developers in the city. Members of the Crown Heights One woman talked of how she from his 12-gauge shotgun at her. If it was up to REBNY, every poor Tenant Union, the Flatbush Ten- wanted to move to another state so Bumpers owed $394 in back rent. person would be driven out of the Big ants Union, the Northwest Bronx she could be near her terminally ill As the sign read, evictions kill! Apple. People held a speakout right Community and Clergy Coali tion, mother, but the big landlord refused in their face. Community Action for Safe Apart - to break her lease. REBNY here we come Ti­any King of the Crown Heights ments (CASA), Tenants & Neigh b ors This writer carried a sign from People were eager to march Tenant Union told listeners of her and other neighborhood groups came Struggle-La Lucha that said, “Nev- through the biggest concentration family’s righteous struggle against with their colorful banners. er Forget Eleanor Bumpurs.” The of corporate criminals on the planet. their greedy landlord. Ms. King is “Cops and landlords have to 66-year-old Black grandmother was They chanted, “We believe that we determined to persevere. go!” was a favorite chant. Speakers killed on Oct. 29, 1984, as police en- will win!” as they left Fifth Avenue That spirit is shared by thou- in both Spanish and English de- forced an eviction from her Bronx and went east on 42nd Street. sands who are determined to stop nounced evictions with their re- apartment. New York policeman Hundreds of people trooped up evictions. ₪ Page 4 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA Wrecking the post office and the election

By Stephen Millies Trump threatened to invoke the justices selected Bush as president union workers in the U.S. 1807 Insurrection Act — which was on Dec. 12, 2000. These cuts have fallen heaviest From Harlem to Seattle, mail box- enacted to suppress rebellions of The 15th Amendment to the U.S. on Black workers, who comprise 27 es are being removed by orders of enslaved Africans — to send troops Constitution was ratified in 1870. It percent of postal employees. The Trump’s handpicked postmaster to shoot protesters. mandates that the right to vote can’t post o–ce is the largest employer general, Louis DeJoy. Trump is sab- It’s absurd to claim that the post of- be denied “by any state on account of African Americans earning more otaging the post o–ce in an attempt fice can’t handle the mail-in ballots. of race, color or previous condition than $50,000 per year. to steal the 2020 presidential elec- Last year the postal workers handled of servitude.” Over 40 percent of postal work- tion. 142.6 billion (that’s “billion” with a “b”) The capitalist class never enforced ers are Asian, Black, Indigenous or The mail is being deliberately de- pieces of mail. In three weeks, postal their own constitutional amend- Latinx. layed with processing machines be- workers handle as much as UPS Inc. ment while millions of Black peo- Billionaires have never forgiven ing removed from postal facilities. and FedEx combined handle in a year. ple were denied the vote by Ku Klux postal employees for their rebellion, Postal workers have been told to Just the 16.5 billion single pieces of Klan terror. the Great Postal Strike of 1970. Pres- leave mail behind if delivering it will first class mail that were delivered is The FBI did nothing when Harri- ident Richard “Watergate” Nixon result in overtime pay. 110 times the 150 million ballots that ette and Harry T. Moore were sent GIs to try to break the strike. The first victims will be seniors will be cast, many of which will be bombed in their home on Christmas The 200,000 workers who went on and all other persons whose pre- cast in person. Day, 1951. They were murdered by a wildcat strike won a victory for all scription medicines are arriving late. the Klan for registering Black voters. poor and working people. For people with diabetes, the delay They sneer at democracy The 24th Amendment is also a Postmaster DeJoy is a multimil- in receiving insulin could be fatal. Stealing elections in the United dead letter. Ratified in 1964, this lionaire who bought his position To Trump and DeJoy, anyone dy- States is nothing new. That’s how amendment prohibits poll taxes. with millions in campaign contribu- ing as a result is just “collateral George W. Bush got to the White Yet the U.S. Supreme Court has tions. As CEO of the New Breed Lo- damage.” That’s the lying term used House 20 years ago with help from his upheld state laws requiring voters gistics, he refused to hire members by the Pentagon to justify the deaths brother, then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. to have photo identification, which of the International Longshore and of children and other civilians in The wealthy and powerful scorn usually costs money. If people have Warehouse Union in a Compton, Ca- bombing raids carried out for Big Oil. democracy. They find it repulsive to spend money to vote, isn’t that a lif., facility. Being targeted are the tens of mil- that the vote of a homeless person — poll tax? Four women in New Breed’s Mem- lions of voters who will be mailing in or any poor and working person — If the U.S. were a democracy, peo- phis warehouse su­ered miscar- their ballots because of the COVID-19 should count as much as theirs. ple could vote in referendums for riages in 2014 because supervisors pandemic. The postal service sent The late oil billionaire H.L. Hunt — free health care, a $20 per hour min- refused their requests for light duty. letters to 46 states and Washing- who may have been a co-conspirator imum wage and community control On Aug. 18, DeJoy announced that ton, D.C., warning that the mail-in in John F. Kennedy’s assassination of the police. he’s suspending, but not revers- ballots may be delayed and thus not — wanted a social order in which After people in Baltimore voted for ing, any further cutbacks in postal counted. the richest could cast the most votes. rent control in a 1979 referendum, a service until after the presidential DeJoy sent out this threat not only Hunt even wrote a novel entitled “Al- judge threw out the election. election. to discourage people from voting by paca” describing this monstrosity. This union buster can’t be trusted. mail but also to cast doubt on the re- The Wall Street Journal’s edito- Why they hate postal workers The capitalists want to privatize the sult. It’s part of a White House cam- rial page editor Robert L. Bartley The attacks on the post o–ce are postal service and break the postal paign that’s meant to enable Trump justified George W. Bush going to not just because of the election. For unions. to claim vote fraud if he’s losing the the White House despite winning over 40 years, postal workers have That disaster would be followed election. 543,895 less votes than Al Gore. been under assault. Dozens of em- by Social Security being taken over This attempted election tamper- Bartley did so on the basis that many ployees have died of the coronavirus. by Wall Street brokerage firms and ing is a follow-up to Trump’s June of the Democratic votes were cast by Employment has fallen from al- hedge funds. 1 coup attempt. Millions of people “union households” and “Blacks.” most 800,000 workers in 1999 to a The people need to be mobilized were in the streets demanding that The day after this racist rant was half-million last year. Yet the Post- to defend the post o–ce and the Black lives matter! published, five U.S. Supreme Court al Service is the largest employer of elections. ₪ ‘Feds get out’ Portland movement fights to put power into the hands of the people

By Scott Scheffer sion have been centered downtown liberation, etc.) have come together tional situation of U.S. imperialism outside the Justice Center, symboliz- under the basic unity of ending rac- today. The Trump regime finds itself Struggle-La Lucha spoke with ing the people’s rage at the countless ist police terror. overstretched in countless wars and Cody Urban of the International lives taken and immense public theft One of the greatest things to see is occupations overseas, looking for League of Peoples Struggle (ILPS) at the hands of bourgeois “justice.” how many youth have risen into the any method to maintain the dwin- about the protests against racist po- But while the downtown protests leadership of this mass movement. dling public support for this aggres- lice terror in Portland, Ore., and the could rightfully be seen as the cen- Organizers as young as high-school sion. These actions were the testing violent federal agents dispatched by tral focus of confrontations against age are organizing rallies that hun- grounds for the tactics we’re seeing the Trump administration to terror- state forces, it would be remiss not dreds of people of all ages attend. It on the streets of the U.S. today. ize the community. to mention the near-daily rallies truly is a “movement moment” of Next, there is the situation nation- Struggle-La Lucha: All eyes were in streets, parks, car caravans and today that I hope lays the foundation ally. In one of the most bizarre elec- on Portland as the fight for justice many other locations in defense of of new organizational leadership for tion years in U.S. history, Trump’s and the outpouring of rage over the Black lives and against the increas- tomorrow — younger, newer activ- narcissism and thirst for dictato- murder of George Floyd by the Min- ing attacks on all working and op- ists taking action for the first time rial privileges pushes the regime to neapolis police exploded there. After pressed people. These attacks start- against an enemy that previously do whatever it can do to cover up its more than two months of standing ed increasing long before COVID-19, felt insurmountable will be hitting mishandling of the COVID-19 heath up against brutality and arrests, can but it took a moment like now to the streets and other public spaces crisis and to divert attention away you tell us who is involved? What ar- heighten the class contradiction to a for years to come as they commit to from the impacts of his white su- eas of Portland are the protests tak- point in which it no longer felt like a a life of organizing for the long term. premacist rants on racist police im- ing place in? choice but a necessity to take to the It’s these kinds of moments, en- punity around the nation. We’ve seen Cody Urban: Protests have been streets and make our demands heard gendered by the crisis of the crum- Trump singling out certain organi- organized and led all over the city in one united voice. bling system itself, that will lead the zations and people’s movements as a and most suburbs — that’s been one People are really coming out from people to one day soon challenge the means to make an example to oth- of the greatest achievements of the all walks of life to mobilize and show capitalist system itself. ers, and it seems that Portland is just mass movement here in Portland. their rage. Many di­erent politi- SLL: Can you talk about the role of the latest “example” to be made. While generally decentralized, the cal tendencies (including social- the federal agents that were sent to Finally, despite the city of Portland protests have really reached so many ist, communist, anarchist, liberal Portland? joining the calls of “Feds, Get Out!”, people from so many corners of the democratic and more) encompass- CU: When we talk about the role federal agents have had a welcome metro area. The protests that have ing many di­erent issues (human of federal troops in Portland, I think home in Portland for a long time un- garnered the most news and have rights, anti-racism, national liber- there are multiple factors for us to der the Joint Terrorism Task Force. been met with the harshest repres- ation, women’s liberation, LGBTQ2S consider. First, there is the interna- Continued on page 5 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 5 Socialism & Dignity. We need free public transit

By Stephen Millies Bloomberg are the real thugs. His shouldn’t be pitted against each $54.9 billion stash could give every other. New York City bus riders will have New Yorker $6,383. Millions live in rural areas to start paying $2.75 again on Aug. Back door loading on buses helped without any public transporta- 31. That’s 55 times what the fare was protect the operators from the tion at all. Seniors su­er the most. Malaysia Goodson in 1948, when it cost a nickel. corona virus. If even one more bus Thousands of miles of electric Transit systems in Baltimore, Chi- operator catches the virus, it must interurban railroad lines that con- to pay interest on its $44 billion debt. cago and Detroit have already been be reinstated. nected cities and served the coun- In 2018, banksters and other bond- collecting fares, while Atlanta’s local In the city that never sleeps, tryside were ripped out. Beneficia- holders slurped up over $2.5 billion buses are still free. Cuomo’s MTA suspended overnight ries of this wrecking were Big Oil and in tax-free interest. Millions of people need buses to go subway service. One reason was to GM, who wanted to get rid of compe- While this robbery was going on, to work, go to school or see a doctor. clean the trains. Another was to kick tition to private automobiles. cops arrested thousands of poor One out of eleven households in the out homeless people. The tracks of the Key Line that people because they couldn’t a­ord United States doesn’t have a car. In 2017, 75 percent of NYC bus rid- connected San Francisco with Oak- the fare. Ninety percent of them Yet public transit in much of the ers were people of color. The medi- land and other East Bay cities were were Black or Latinx. U.S. is inadequate or doesn’t exist. an yearly income of riders with jobs removed from the Bay Bridge in 1958. The socialist Soviet Union built Only a quarter of New York City’s was just $28,455. The $2.75 fare eats The largest interurban system was subway systems in almost all of 472 subway stations are accessible to up 5 percent of these workers’ in- the Pacific Electric. Its “big red cars” its large cities. The stations on the disabled people. come in a city where 44 percent of once operated over 700 miles of Moscow Metro are famous for their It was the lack of an elevator at households have to spend more than track in Southern California. Rich- beauty. the Seventh Avenue and 53rd Street 30 percent of their income on rent. ard Nixon’s father was employed as During World War II, they were station in Manhattan that killed No wonder Mike Quill — the a motorman. used as bomb shelters. Never forget Malaysia Goodson. The 22-year-old founder of the Transport Workers The last line from downtown Los that 27 million Soviet people died Black mother fell down the stairs to Union — once called for transit fares Angeles to Long Beach stopped run- defeating Hitler. her death while protecting her one- to be free. ning in 1961. The Los Angeles Met- Before the Soviet Union was over- year-old daughter. ro’s A line now uses the right of way. thrown, the fare on the Metro was COVID-19 continues to kill people War against public transit five kopeks or less than a nickel. and a fifth of New Yorkers are un- Most U.S. cities have worse public Socialism means good public transit During the Korean War, U.S. planes employed. That hasn’t stopped New transportation systems than New Capitalist New York City took 90 dropped 420,000 bombs on Pyong- York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Met- York’s. The lack of public transit years to open three stations on the yang. Today, the capital of the social- ropolitan Transportation Authority rein forces housing segregation and Second Avenue subway, a line that ist Democratic People’s Republic of CEO Patrick Foye from demanding makes it harder to find and keep a job. was first planned in the 1920s. Korea has a beautiful subway system. that every bus rider pay. That in- The original plan for Baltimore’s Twenty-one cities in the social- The Socialist Republic of Vietnam cludes seniors and disabled people subway included a line from the ist People’s Republic of China have is building rapid transit systems in who are charged half fare. city’s downtown south to the Thur- opened subway systems just since both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The MTA never stopped mak- good Marshall International Air- 2009. The gleaming subway systems Working and poor people in the ing people pay to take the subways. port. Politicians in Anne Arundel in Beijing and Shanghai are the bus- U.S. need free public transportation. Generosity wasn’t the reason why County initially blocked it. iest in the world, each moving more Millions of workers could be em- buses were made free on March 23 These racists didn’t want Black than 9 million passengers a day. ployed at union wages building new with backdoor boarding. Cuomo and youth to come to their suburb and fill That’s the power of socialist eco- transit systems and high-speed rail Foye did so because they feared jus- out job applications. A light rail line nomic planning. All the socialist lines between cities. tified job actions. was later built to the area. countries emphasized public trans- Two hundred billion dollars a year At least 127 MTA workers died of New o–ce buildings and industri- portation systems in order to make can be found to do this by abolishing COVID-19, forty of whom were bus al parks are often located on the out- life easier for working people. the police and bringing 2.3 million operators. Over 9,500 MTA workers skirts of metropolitan areas. Capi- In contrast, under capitalism, the prisoners home to their families. got sick. talists use the lack of bus service as main function of New York’s MTA is The writer is a retired Amtrak worker. The heroic Transit Workers an excuse not to hire Black and Lat- Union Local 100 members who kept inx workers living in central cities. New York City moving were called Many folks need cars, including “thugs” by former Mayor Bloomberg disabled people. Workers who have Postal workers rally during a 2005 strike. Billionaires like cars and those who use public transit By Stephen Millies NEW YORK

Continued from page 4 CU: Regardless of what happen ed in Postal workers and their support- This relationship between Portland the fight against the federal occupa- ers demonstrated across the coun- Police and the Department of Home- tion of Portland, lasting change needs try on Aug. 25. They were protesting land Security lasted for years. It was to be struggled for. That means that the attacks on the postal service by only removed through mass mobi- the city of Portland needs to take an President Trump and Postmaster lization in 2019 after the arrests of honest look at what led to this situa- General DeJoy. numerous activists and members of tion to begin with. The federal troops In New York City, a protest rally the Muslim community. took advantage of a genuine peoples’ gathered at lunchtime on the steps Jonathan Smith, president of the N.Y. Add to this the countless Immi- uprising against the impunity of the of the main post o–ce on Manhat- Metro Area Postal Union, speaking. gration and Customs Enforcement Portland police as their excuse to en- tan’s Eighth Avenue, across from SLL PHOTO: STEPHEN MILLIES (ICE) raids that this so-called sanc- ter our city. This grievance with the Pennsylvania Station. ing the Iranian couriers of 2,500 tuary city has allowed to brutalize city government still exists. Among the speakers was Jonathan years ago, who, along with the Inca undocumented communities since I do believe that this is a moment Smith, the president of the 5,000 messengers in Peru, were employed long before the Trump regime came to push for winnable change at the member New York Metro Area Postal in the most famous postal systems to power, and the question of federal city level, change that the city can Union, the largest local in the Amer- of olden times. troops today merely becomes one of be held accountable to. Demands to ican Postal Workers Union. Smith The words of the ancient writer quantity, not quality. halt the funneling of army-grade described how postal workers deliv- also describe the hundreds of The assaults, kidnappings and equipment to the police, an end to ered “not the Republican mail or the thousands of postal workers who intimi dations at the hands of feder- the city’s contracts with human Democratic mail — they deliver all promptly deliver medicine and other al troops in Portland are an escala- rights- violating companies like G4S the mail.” mail from Florida to Alaska. Dozens tion of fascist state violence, but they and to stop the open collusion with Smith spoke in front of the best- of postal employees have died of the must be seen in this wider context. white supremacists can all be used recognized U.S. post o–ce. It’s named coronavirus. The anthrax attacks in SLL: The mayor of Portland and as rallying cries to ensure our or- after former Postmaster General 2001 killed two postal workers. the governor of Oregon opposed the ganizations are stronger than they James A. Farley, who was a political fix- Other rallies defending the postal presence of Trump’s federal agents. were before this moment began. er for President Franklin Roosevelt. system were held in Sunset Park in Mayor Ted Wheeler has said the city In short, what’s needed is a true Inscribed across the front, above Brooklyn and in front of the Knick- will “reimagine” police accountabil- mass movement that is rooted 100 its stone columns, are the words of erbocker post o–ce in lower Man- ity and redirect funds from the police percent in working and oppressed Herodotus: “Neither snow nor rain hattan. There, on East Broadway in bureau. How do you think the move- communities, that has the strength nor heat nor gloom of night stays Manhattan’s Chinatown, 20 people ment might respond to concret- and will to fight to take power away these couriers from the swift com- gathered to denounce the cutbacks, ize and extend any gains that come from the bourgeois state and put it pletion of their appointed rounds.” which include the proposed closing about as a result of the uprising? into the hands of the people. ₪ The Greek historian was describ- of the Knickerbocker station. ₪ Page 6 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA Election by coup?

By Gary Wilson tion until people can properly, securely and safely vote???” With President Donald Trump Jamelle Bouie wrote, “Trump ruling mainly by decree, there were has made no attempt to win a many who thought his recent tweet majority of voters, no e­ort to about delaying the election meant bring a skeptical public to his that he intends to decree himself side. Instead, he has directed president for another four years. The his energy toward suppressing purpose of that tweet seemed to be opposition in hopes of winning to raise uncertainty about the valid- by technical knockout for a sec- ity of the November vote. ond time. His chief target right The November vote is to select now is the United States Post- electors for the Electoral College, al Service, whose operation, it which then elects a president and almost goes without saying, vice president. Trump lost the popu- is critical for the success of mail-in and order.” He proceeded to char- ‘I have to see,’ he said during a Fox lar vote in 2016 but won the Electoral voting.” tinyurl.com/y4zkk7te acterize the large-scale protests in News interview this month. ‘I’m not College vote, which is the only one An Electoral College victory like response to the murder of George going to just say yes. I’m not going to that matters. The U.S. has never had that should not be accepted as legit- Floyd and against police violence as say no. And I didn’t last time either.’ a democratically elected president. imate. The mass anti-racist move- “acts of domestic terror.” “The president has warned for All have been selected by the Elec- ment, Black Lives Matter and more If the marches and demonstra- months that mail-in voting — ex- toral College. — the largest movement in U.S. his- tions did not cease, Trump promised pected to be used more widely than In 2016, the Electoral College was tory — can and should respond. to invoke the Insurrection Act of ever due to the coronavirus pan- manipulated with vote challenges. 1807 and “deploy the U.S. military” demic — or potential foreign inter- June 1 coup attempt Some 1,913,369 ballots were chal- on the streets of every major city, ference in Democrats’ favor could lenged and thrown away in key states The U.S. is in the midst of a great including Washington. Trump went yield widespread fraud and a ‘rigged’ in 2016, giving Trump the Elector- crisis, an economic and political on, “As we speak, I am dispatching election, comments his critics worry al College win. George W. Bush did crisis. Unemployment is in the tens thousands and thousands of heavily are laying the groundwork in case he this in the 2000 election, challeng- of millions, at levels not seen since armed soldiers, military personnel decides to dispute the result. ... ing and invalidating the Black vote the Great Depression of the 1930s. and law enforcement o–cers to stop “Scholars cautioned that they are in Florida. When a recount to in- Homelessness has reached record the rioting, looting, vandalism, as- not suggesting that the military clude the Black vote was demanded, levels. For those workers who have saults and the wanton destruction would proactively seek to influence the Supreme Court intervened and jobs, pay is at record lows, income of property.” the vote, but rather that Pentagon handed the Electoral College and the inequality at record highs. He then issued the following leaders could be forced in a disputed presidency to Bush. Before the coronavirus shut- threat: “If a city or state refuses to election to become involved in a way According to the U.S. Civil Rights down, 44 percent of all U.S. work- take the actions that are necessary to that would appear partisan, similar Commission, which investigated in ers were in poverty, not even a liv- defend the life and property of their to what occurred in the nation’s cap- Florida, the chance of your ballot be- ing wage. Almost 200,000 have died residents, then I will deploy the U.S. ital in the wake of protests in June. ... ing challenged and uncounted is 900 from COVID-19, with the spread of military and quickly solve the prob- “Fears about the use of the mili- percent higher if you are Black than the infection and the daily death toll lem for them.” (“Trump’s June 1 coup tary have arisen during some previ- if you are white. continuing. All of these have hit the attempt” tinyurl.com/june-1-coup) ous presidential transitions. ... That’s what Trump did in Detroit Black and Brown communities the The unidentified paramilitary se- “In 1934, a retired Marine Corps in 2016, challenging the Black vote. hardest, exposing the devastating cret police force that was unleashed general, Smedley Butler, testified Trump “poll watchers” challenged conditions of racism in the U.S. in Washington on June 1 has since before Congress that a group of in- every single Black vote in Detroit, On top of that came the murder been used by Trump against the cit- dustrialists had conspired to create preventing the counting of 75,355 of George Floyd by the Minneapolis ies of Portland, Ore.; Seattle; Chica- a fascist veterans group with him at ballots in the city. That gave Trump cops, the police murder of Breon- go; and other places, targetting any the helm and use the organization a “victory margin” of 10,000 to take na Taylor in Louisville, Ky., and the and all anti-racist protests. to overthrow President Franklin D. Michigan’s Electoral College vote lynching of Ahmaud Arbery in Geor- Trump’s e­ort to establish a per- Roosevelt in a scandal that became and the White House. gia. In response, an uprising for jus- sonal dictatorship on the basis of known as the ‘business plot.’ There is already a widespread sup- tice, against police terror, defend- military rule is the product of a pro- “Nevertheless, experts said they pression of Black, Latinx and Indig- ing Black lives and rights swept the tracted economic and political crisis are most worried about a handful of enous peoples’ voting rights. country. in the U.S. of extreme social inequal- hypothetical situations, including a At least 1,688 polling places have The protests were described by ity and endless war. The system is in scenario in which Trump might re- been closed across 13 states, nearly the New York Times as “the largest crisis and is unstable. fuse to concede victory to Biden, or a all in the South and West, between movement in U.S. history.” legal challenge to the outcome might 2012 and 2018, according to a report Anti-racism had become the ma- November 3 to January 20 remain unresolved by Inauguration by the Leadership Conference on jority view for the first time and The run-up to the Nov. 3 Electoral Day, prompting him to assert presi- Civil and Human Rights. the protests were continuing and College selection (Election Day) and dential authority beyond Jan. 20. In addition, states “have short- expanding. The White House was the 11-week period between the se- “In that scenario, experts hypo the - ened voting hours, enacted new bar- gripped by fear. Trump responded lection and the Jan. 20 inauguration sized, the White House might call on riers to registration, purged millions with what can only be described as a threaten to be periods of deep polit- the military to protect the president or, from voter rolls, implemented strict military coup attempt. ical crisis. more likely, respond to potential pro- voter identification laws, reshaped A reminder here: Richard Nix- The Washington Post reported: tests on ‘law and order’ grounds, pos- voting districts and closed polling on also saw the massive civil rights “As Trump demurs, an unimag- sibly leading the president to follow places,” the report says. and anti-war protests, in the hun- inable question forms: Could the through with earlier threats to send “For many people, and particu- dreds of thousands, as a revolution- president reach for the military in a active-duty troops to American cities larly for voters of color, older voters, ary challenge. In the spring of 1971, disputed election?” or take control of state- commanded rural voters and voters with disabil- Nixon brought troops from the U.S. The Post reports: National Guard members. ities, these burdens make it harder Army’s 82nd Airborne division into “President Trump’s refusal to “Already, his administration has — and sometimes impossible — to Washington, D.C., in response to a commit to accepting the results of mounted a shock-and-awe response vote,” the report adds. planned mass anti-war protest. The the November election, paired with to protests in Portland, Ore., sending Using voter suppression and chal- police, the military and the Nation- his penchant for plunging the mil- in federal agents from the Depart- lenges to win the Electoral College al Guard rounded up and held some itary into the partisan fray, has ment of Homeland Security over the votes in so-called swing states like 12,000 protesters. prompted scholars and legal experts objections of local and state o–cials, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Later, during Nixon’s impeach- to ask a once-unthinkable question: in what critics have called a political Wisconsin, Trump can lose the pop- ment, it was widely believed that How would the armed forces respond e­ort to boost Trump in the polls. ... ular ballot by as many as five million Nixon had begun organizing a mil- if pulled into a disputed election? “Crucially, a contested outcome votes nationwide and still win an itary coup, talking about the need “Speculation about whether the lasting beyond Jan. 20 would force Electoral College majority. to bring in the 82nd Airborne to military could be asked to play a role the military to make an implicit de- Trump’s July 30 tweet casting “protect” the White House, in order in events following the 2020 pres- cision about who is commander in doubt on the November election’s to keep the presidency. Both Henry idential vote has intensified in the chief. According to the Presidential legitimacy said it “will be the most Kissinger and Al Haig, who were part wake of the Pentagon’s involvement Succession Act of 1947, Trump would INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Elec- of Nixon’s White House sta­, are re- in the government’s response to cease to be president on noon of Jan. tion in history” due to states’ de- ported to have been involved in the demonstrations against racism and 20 if Congress does not certify him as cisions to expand mail-in voting coup talks. police brutality. ... the winner, passing his authority as during the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, June 1, 2020, outside “As the election approaches, the commander in chief of the military As a result, Trump suggested the the White House, Donald Trump de- president has once again declined to the acting president, the speaker vote be postponed: “Delay the Elec- clared, “I am your president of law to say he would accept its results. of the House of Representatives.” ₪ STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 7 FASCISM how it develops and how to fight back By Sam Marcy

With the 2020 elections fast approaching, the workers’ and progressive at the end of the 19th century that developed. Not as an automatic, an- movements in the U.S. are debating the best tactics to fight the Donald Trump the workers’ movement would take ti-democratic tendency, but because regime and the growth of violent white-supremacist, neofascist groups. As a over in Germany. It was the gener- of the ruling class’s organic need to contribution to this urgent discussion, Struggle-La Lucha is publishing excerpts al understanding that as a result of save its class interests and system. parliamentary means the workers’ from two articles by Sam Marcy, a leading Marxist thinker and fighter of the What led to Mussolini’s takeover movement would ultimately rule. second half of the 20th century, about the nature of fascism and how to fight it. But that turned out to be an illusion. The first to go over was Italy. The From “The specter of fascism,” origi- The ruling class could not easily working class was strong in Italy. nally published in December 1993. It is said that in Italy it was all overcome the great achievements of Even the monarchy did not stand in Mussolini’s fault; that in Germany it the way of the workers’ organizing. Bourgeois democracy won the working class by mere elections. was Hitler; and that Franco brought Even if they could win absolute ma- When it did, it was soundly trounced. in struggle about fascism in Spain. The empha- jorities in a few elections, they could The workers’ movement was also Bourgeois democracy is not a gift sis is always on the individual and not fundamentally change the class reaching out to the peasants. from the ruling class. It was won in not on the social basis for the rise of position of the working class. So In the years immediately after struggle. A capitalist democracy, that individual. much had been won that it would the Russian Revolution, the Italian whether in Britain or France or other We do not deny the role of the in- take a military struggle to change it. masses tried to take it all. They or- countries, is the result of working- dividual in history. But we ask our- That is where fascism came in. ganized general strikes and tried to class struggles that have forced the selves why it is that in these partic- The bourgeoisie in a number of take over all of industry by occupy- bour geo isie to grant democratic ular countries, individuals were able European countries turned in an ut- ing the plants. They wanted to make rights. to turn a bourgeois democracy into a terly di­erent direction. Instead of short shrift of the slow, eventual For all too long there were no rights fascist dictatorship. being the patron saint of bourgeois growth of the working class — par- for the masses in this country. Only Is it because they were unusual democracy, they slowly and grad- ticularly in a country that was not property-owning white men could and extraordinary people? Why ually gravitated toward a violent the richest and whose colonies did vote. Native people had no rights. In didn’t they do something else? Why break with that tradition. not bring in the kind of superprofits a great section of the U.S., there was didn’t they bring about a greater de- They began to instigate move- that Britain, for example, enjoyed. chattel slavery. Even after abolition, mocracy — a socialist democracy? As ments for the overthrow of capitalist Under those circumstances, the Black people had no rights at all for individuals, how did they build a fol- democracy altogether, as a means ruling class instigated the devel- many years. Women couldn’t vote. lowing strong enough to take power? to abolish the gains of the workers, opment of fascism by sponsoring It was only in 1971 that every cit- The individual becomes important, and revamp and redesign the form Mussolini to open a violent struggle izen at least 18 years old was legally most of all, if he or she is a represen- of class rule. Their objective was to against the working class. enfranchised, although registration tative of a class. develop on a world scale and become Bourgeois historians write a lot is still made di–cult enough to dis- Some capitalist historians will say the most aggressive group of capi- about Mussolini. But they will not courage many. fascism came as a result of a deep talist countries in order to redivide tell you how the ruling class con- So this democracy we have was economic crisis. That is true, but it is the colonies in their favor. ducted itself, what the bankers and earned in the course of struggle, in- not the whole truth. Poverty is deep- industrialists did. What were they cluding a bloody civil war. Bourgeois ly embedded in so many countries, Personality of leaders not decisive doing while the workers were mak- politicians, however, give the im- but that does not necessarily bring a The development of fascism didn’t ing gains? pression that it is part of the “bene- fascist dictatorship. The worst eco- have anything to do with the psy- Even if Mussolini had organized fits of capitalism.” nomic crisis that ever took place was chological bent of leaders. It didn’t the fascist coup d’etat on his own, But capitalism and democracy are in the United States, and it did not have anything to do with an aversion his subsequent stay in power shows not synonymous. Democracy is a bring about a fascist dictatorship. to liberty, free speech and the like. support by the ruling class in Italy form of state, as is fascism. The es- Some fascist groupings did arise, but It had to do with the necessity to and by the imperialists as a whole. sence of a capitalist state is the rule on the whole, fascism did not take sustain the rule of a particular class His march on Rome to “rescue Ita- of the bourgeoisie. Capitalism as a hold here. over another class, to sustain cap- ly from Bolshevism” and his Black system can exist without capitalist But it did in three leading capital ist italism when it is very much under Shirts would have been a temporary democracy. countries: Germany, Italy and Spain. siege from the workers. thing with no importance had big The working-class movement can What was their common social The enormous strength of the capital not supported him. thrive and advance if it utilizes cap- and political denominator? workers’ organizations on the Euro- So the first characteristic in the italist democracy to its own advan- pean arena had frightened the bour- development of a fascist regime of What turns the bourgeoisie tage in the struggle to bring about a geoisie. The confidence of the work- the classical type is the existence of a socialist revolution. into fascists ers’ movement was such that they revolutionary situation caused by the This introduction is necessary be- The first prerequisite of classical were openly speaking not only about rise of a workers’ movement. This in cause the bourgeoisie never refers to fascism is the existence of a revolu- the overthrow of the bourgeoisie but turn causes the capitalist ruling class the real significance of the struggle tionary mood in the working class. also how they would soon govern to abandon capitalist democracy and between bourgeois democracy and In Italy, Spain and Germany there over society. It was just a matter of turn to naked force and violence in fascism. They always give the im- was a revolutionary situation. The time before the ruling class would be the struggle to retain its rule. pression that they are in the forefront working class was on the edge of a out of business. True, a fascist dictatorship means of the struggle against fascism and socialist revolution. That is what When a ruling class sees its most that even the bourgeoisie has to give are the proponents of democracy. impelled the bourgeoisie to support substantial interests under siege, up certain of its rights. Nonetheless, There is nothing the bourgeoisie a fascist dictatorship in its most it doesn’t care much about democ- the results of fascism everywhere likes so much as to cover themselves brutal and complete form. racy, freedom or anything else. It is were to strengthen the ruling class with sugary, unctuous phrases about In these three capitalist countries, ready to stake its all on retaining its as against the working class. democracy as long as it seems to the working class had learned to use system, even to the point of the loss In Italy, this classical form of fas- serve their ends — and as long as capitalist democracy to defend its of millions of lives. It will think of cism existed from 1922 all the way the workers don’t use that democra- own interests to some extent. There its class interests above all and will up to the end of World War II, when cy for their own class interests, but were entrenched elected representa- throw overboard everything it has the workers overthrew Mussolini as only to advance this or that capital- tives of workers’ parties. They con- taught about democracy, freedom, a result of their own independent ist politician. trolled a number of cities and states, god or whatever — in the interest of e­orts. were in the legislatures and some- Full-scale fascism means the retaining its class position. Fascism in Spain times in the federal government. com plete abolition of capitalist de- This is how the fascist movements In Spain, fascism took a di­erent mocracy. That has happened several Wherever you went in Europe, so- cialists and communists route. The revolutionary working times in the 20th century. The ex- class developed very rapidly in the periences in some of the countries had some part in the cap- italist state. The workers’ 1930s — threatening not only the of Europe give us object lessons in monarchy but the capitalist system, what fascism is. movement was strong and seemed unvanquishable. which was still tied in with all the Lessons of fascism in Europe Under the democrat- ancient feudal institutions. The earliest form of fascism took ic form of the capitalist Spain seemed to be the country place in Italy. Later, it took over in state, the workers’ move- par excellence where feudal institu- Germany and then in Spain. ment had reached a stage tions could exist within the womb of Why did it come first in those in its development where it capitalist society. It seemed as if the countries? It is often explained as had become a threat to the working class was more removed due to the development of a dictato- very existence of capitalist from Marxism than in Italy, Germa- rial mentality in certain individual rule. Even Frederick En- ny and elsewhere in Europe. But this leaders. gels thought at one point Continued on page 8 Page 8 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA U.S.-NATO hands off Belarus!

By Greg Butterfield the city of Grodno, and rushed ad- ditional troops to the area to defend Six years after the U.S. govern- the country’s territorial integrity. ment helped to engineer a right- Both Lukashenko and indepen- wing takeover of Ukraine using dent observers say the actions of the mass protests, another former So- U.S. and other NATO powers, and of alization of the economy, and pro- viet republic — Belarus — is now in Tsikhanouskaya and other opposi- motion of the interests of interna- the gunsights of Washington and the tion leaders, reflect the well-worn tional financial organizations and European Union. strategy of “color revolutions” used Rally in support of President Lukashenko’s transnational corporations.” It is urgent for the anti-war move- to overthrow governments consid- ment here to raise the demand: re-election in Minsk, Aug. 16. ered inadequately subservient to Belarus, not West, will decide U.S.-NATO hands o­ Belarus! Western imperialist powers and Big “contract work” and raise the re- Communists and socialists in Be- On Aug. 9, presidential elections Capital, including Yugoslavia, Libya tirement age — modest when com- larus who seek to represent the in- were held in Belarus. According to and Ukraine. the central election commission, pared to “reforms” in other former terests of the workers and oppose incumbent President Alexander Why Belarus is a target Soviet countries — that have helped imperialist intervention are working to put wind in the sails of the oppo- Lukashenko won with 80.1 percent Belarus is a country of 9.5 mil- out the best tactics to use in this dif- sition, even though Tsikhanouskaya of the vote, easily avoiding a sec- lion people in eastern Europe. It is ficult situation. They understand the and other opposition leaders stand ond-round runo­. Opposition can- bordered by NATO members Latvia, frustrations and fears of the work- for speeding up privatization, im- didate Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, his Lithuania and Poland to the north ing class and the need to counter the posing austerity on the workers and nearest competitor, won just over 10 and west; NATO-aligned Ukraine to ways that the pro-Western opposi- making the country a vassal of the percent of the vote. No other candi- the south; and Russia to the east. tion tries to mislead them. Western powers. date received more than 2 percent. Although relations between Be- In Russia as well as in the West, But appeals by anti- Lukashenko Tsikhanouskaya claimed to have larus and Russia have been strained there are powerful capitalist inter- forces to workers at major state gotten 60 percent of the vote and recently, the two countries are mem- ests eager to see the privatization of enter prises to organize a national accused the government of fraud. bers of a Union State established in Belarusian industry and agriculture. strike have so far fallen flat, reflect- She immediately left the country 1996 with strong bonds of economic Although the present protest move- ing the disconnect between the con- for neighboring NATO country Lith- cooperation and mutual defense. ment may subside for a time, the cerns of the workers and the program uania, which is ruled by a far-right Belarus is also the last “bu­er pressure on Lukashenko’s govern- of the opposition over privatization government that persecutes com- state” between Russia and NATO ment to dismantle workers’ rights and austerity. munists, bans Soviet-era symbols since the neoliberal/fascist take- will continue to grow, as will NATO’s Andriy Manchuk, a Ukrainian and uplifts Nazi collaborators. over of Ukraine in 2014. The coup in military pressure. Marxist and editor of Liva.com.ua, Other opposition candidates fled Ukraine, backed up with anti-com- The best guarantee for Belarus’ exposed the “Resuscitation Reform to the West and charged fraud as munist, pro-privatization and ul- continued independence and access Package” promoted by opposition well. At first, they called for a re- tranationalist opposition protests to jobs, education and health care is groups earlier this year. It was of- count; but that was soon dropped in called “Maidan,” succeeded with the grow th of a work ing-class move- ficially sponsored by the European favor of demanding new elections. the cooperation of leading U.S. pol- ment rooted in the fight against im- Union, the U.S. Agency for Interna- The Organization for Security iticians like the late Republican Sen. perialism and for the restoration of tional Development, Pact, the Eu- and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), John McCain and Democrats Joe socialism. ropean Fund for Democracy and the aligned with the European Union, Biden (then vice president) and John Here in the U.S., we must fight International Renaissance Fund. was invited to send election observ- Kerry (then secretary of state), and against every manifestation of “The coalition that promotes it ers but declined, blaming “the lack Western-funded nongovernmental mili tary, political and economic is a clone of the Ukrainian ‘Resusci- of a timely invitation.” organizations. inter vention by Washington and its tation Reform Package’ — they ha- In Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, For almost 30 years, since the NATO allies. Building the movement ven’t even bothered to change the Tsikhanouskaya announced the for- breakup of the Soviet Union in the against war and racism, and orga- name —” Manchuk wrote, “... which mation of a “Power Transfer Coor- early 1990s, a major U.S. strategic goal nizing workers and oppressed peo- was formed in 2014 and supplies the dination Council” to implement the under both Republican and Dem- ples to fight for socialism here, is Ukrainian government with neolib- removal of Lukashenko. She sug- ocratic administrations has been the best way to assist the Belarusian eral reformers and experts, with an gested that she may declare herself to surround and carve up the Rus- people’s struggle to defend their emphasis on privatization, denation- the legitimate president. On Aug. 24, sian Federation. Belarus is the final sovereignty. ₪ she met with the second-highest- “domino” that has to fall for NATO to ranking U.S. diplomat, Deputy Sec- militarily dominate all the countries retary of State Stephen Bigan. on Russia’s western border. FASCISM how it develops These actions caused some com- Belarus is also a key link in the mentators in the former Soviet coun- world’s longest oil pipeline, the Dru- and how to fight back tries to label Tsikhanouskaya “the zhba or Friendship Pipeline, which Belarusian Juan Guaidó,” comparing runs between Russia and Western Continued from page 7 as retaliation against the workers’ her to the self-declared “president” Europe. Big Oil and fracking inter- theory vanished into thin air when movement for daring to take destiny of Venezuela, with the backing of the ests that are among the Trump ad- the workers’ movement went on in its own hands. Before the workers U.S. and European countries, against ministration’s strongest backers revolutionary strikes and threatened could succeed, the bourgeoisie inter- democratically elected President have an immediate profit interest to topple not only the monarchy but vened militarily, with no resistance Nicolás Maduro. in disrupting this relationship, just also the capitalist institutions. from England, France or the U.S. On Aug. 20, during the presenta tion as they are determined to prevent a There is a legend in the U.S. that Why German fascism of an award to Belarus Ambas sador pipeline through Lebanon and Syr- the whole struggle in Spain was was so destructive Oleg Paferov in Caracas, Vene zuelan ia that would make Iranian oil more between democracy and fascism. In Germany, it was the same, only Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said, accessible to the world. That is not true. It was between the more dramatic and more destructive. “Belarus and Venezuela are facing revolutionary working class and State ownership vs. privatization The workers’ movement in Ger- similar attacks that repeat the same the capitalist class. The bourgeoisie many was the strongest and most ed- scenario.” There is still another factor that masked itself in a democratic form ucated in all the world at that time. So Opposition groups protested the accounts for U.S.-NATO targeting of late in the day. many great Marxists had come from election results. State forces clamped Belarus, one of great importance to The existence of an armed and there: Marx and Engels, Mehring, down hard on the protests, arresting the workers of that country. revolutionary working class in Spain Kautsky, Liebknecht and others. many. There were reports of police Unlike other former Soviet repub- compelled the ruling class to appeal It was the land where socialism brutality. lics, Belarus has not been subject- to the military. Not being able to seemed to have originated, where Afterward, most protesters were ed to the wrenching privatization convince the entire military to stage the soil seemed ready for a takeover freed and the police backed o­, of large factories and farms that a counterrevolutionary insurrection, by the socialists and communists. apologizing for the harsh response wreaked economic and social havoc they got one of the leading milita- But that was not to happen, espe- and permitting protests to continue. on countries like Russia and Ukraine. rists — Francisco Franco — to lead cially given the existence of a world Since then, there have been large Although Belarus is today a capi- an open, violent, counterrevolution- ruling class with its eye sharply fo- demonstrations for and against Lu- talist country, it practices a form of ary assault on the workers’ move- cused on the situation. Germany kashenko’s re-election in the capi- state capitalism that has left more of ment in 1936. He openly denounced was the center of Europe. A revolu- tal, Minsk, and around the country. the gains of the Soviet era intact, es- bourgeois democracy as responsible tion there would change the basis for At the same time, NATO military pecially when it comes to social pro- for all the evils in Spain. He got the capitalist society. forces have reportedly engaged in tections for the working class. This support of the Catholic hierarchy. I am not unmindful of the policy of provocative movements near Belarus’ is why President Lukashenko has Armed to the teeth, Franco began the communist parties in these coun- borders with Poland and Lithuania. maintained a high level of support a bloody extermination of the work- tries; not unmindful of the fear of the The Belarusian government accused since he first took o–ce in 1994. ers’ organizations: the communists, Communist Party leadership under them of trying to destabilize the situ- Ironically, it has been recent socialists and anarchists. ation in western Belarus, particular ly moves by the government to enact Fascism was brought about in Spain Continued on page 9 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 9 Bolivia mass mobilizations against U.S.-backed coup continue

By Julia ‘Pachamama’ Fernández venil Cochala (RJC), which is Juventudes de la Democracia Huayl- A 12-day national Bolivi- funded not only by the oli- lani, which is a safe space for a com- an blockade led by massive so- garchs but by the National munity hit hard by the coup. There, cial movements, students, elders, Endowment for Democra- they hold group meetings, provide unions and farmworkers ended on cy — a private “nongov- support and guidance for one an- Aug. 13. It had paralyzed the en- ernmental” operation that other and grow their own medic- tire country, resulting in food/fuel is fully funded by the U.S. inal plants. I asked Calderón what shortages and in the complete in- Agency for Internation- people can do to help. Her response stability of the Andean nation it- al Development — began was, “Please keep speaking about self. The blockade was temporarily passing out leaflets outside us on social media. You are all our lifted after the government agreed local banks with 39 images voices. We need your support more to have presidential elections on of Indigenous community than ever. And, if people can help to Oct. 18, but union workers fore- leaders. The caption says, keep the doors of our center open, it warned that, if another delay oc- “Murderers Revealed!! would be a major relief to not only curs, expect more mobilizations to These Are Bolivia’s the youth but to the widows and continue. Enemies!” children of our protectors who were On that same day, a terrorist at- One of the people listed brutally killed in November.” tack by a group of hooded men used is a young Quechua medical If you would like to make a dona- explosives against the centers of Las doctor and MAS member and tion to help keep the Huayllani cen- Bartolinas, a primary union organi- liberate abandonment/neglect foist- leader, Marisol Coca Calderón, who ter open and to show your solidarity, zation of Indigenous women, and of ed upon the Original Peoples, Bolivia resides in the Sacaba/Huayllani area, please send to: Cash app: $AyniAlly- the COB, a union federation of Bo- continues to endure the worst state where a bloody massacre took place uSolidarity. For more updates, please livian mineworkers. Fortunately, no violence and political persecution it on Nov. 15, 2019. During a phone con- join us on our Facebook group, Ayni one was hurt, but the deliberate bru- has seen in decades. versation with Calderón, she shared Allyu: The O–cial Llajta of Evo Mo- tal attacks on rural Indigenous com- Since the U.S.-backed coup took with me how she is being threatened rales & Indigenous Bolivians. munities have the people on edge. over, the Movement Towards So- and harassed daily. But because the JALLALLA! Amid the blockades, student hun- cialism (MAS) and its Indigenous de facto government supports and Julia “Pachamama” Fernández is a ger strikes, privatization of natural leaders have experienced non-stop funds RJC, there is little she can do. Los Angeles Native/Quechua/Xicana resources, increased deaths due to civil unrest. On Aug. 18, the alt-right For now, she continues to orga- organizer/activist and member of the COVID-19 pandemic and the de- paramilitary group, Resistencia Ju- nize at a small local center called Ayni Allyu.

Continued from page 8 would be ready to strike first. cism. He stressed how important it and position of the big banks and Stalin of supporting the German rev- Trotsky urged the revolutionary is not to overlook what is happening, corporations over the entire planet. olution; not unmindful of the politics workers to be on guard and pre- how it is possible to lose the historic of the Kremlin at the time and how pare for insurrection. He also urged moment and allow the ruling class Opportunity for a mass struggle it dealt with the various situations. the Soviet Union to open up mili- to be victorious. We can go to the masses and pro- That is a history of the struggle be- tary maneuvers on its Western front He delineated in a dramatic and mote tremendous activity to chal- tween the policy of accommodation and to give courage and support to readable way the steps that led to the lenge the capitalist class. We needn’t and conciliation of the Soviet leader- the communists and the workers’ victory of fascism in Germany. be fearful about going beyond the ship under Stalin versus the revolu- movement. In the U.S. at that time there legal limits that the bourgeoisie tionary program of Trotsky. None of this happened. The Nazis were only the beginnings of fas- constrains us to. On a picket line, In Germany, the bourgeoisie had struck first, preparing a frame-up cist groupings. No sooner did the you never know when you’re going on its side not only the army and with the Reichstag fire. This demor- wave of reaction sweeping Europe to get arrested, but you don’t say, police but outside military organi- alized the leadership and paralyzed reach these shores than the great “Don’t have the picket line.” That zations that they began to build out the working class so that it could not sit-down strikes among the workers kind of talk leads to failure. ... of fear that they couldn’t rely on the take up arms. wiped them out completely. In the 1930s, the Communist Par- military. The communists and left There was a complete failure of They were never able to get a foot- ty and other organizations were socialists in the workers’ movement leadership by the most developed, hold among the workers. The myriad very conscious of the growth of fas- began to counter this by building up most serious, most loved working- of small fascist groups were washed cism. But to a large extent they were their own military formations. They class party at the time. It went down away by the upsurge of the working trying to win the big bourgeoisie to all were preparing for what was sure to defeat — and that changed the class. support the struggle against it. to come: a showdown between the international situation, leading to a That is the surest way to end any There is nothing wrong with asking two antagonistic classes. bloody war. fascist attempt to establish itself as a them to support the struggle against That is all a matter of documen- political force over the working class. fascism, but it’s another thing to ex- tation. Everyone knew. I remem- There’s been no experience here pect it from them. We have to explain From “Marxism and mass action: ber reading the papers every day at with fascism on a mass scale. So we this to the most oppressed and perse- Strategies for the struggle ahead,” the time to find out about the street are basically looking at a theoretical cuted people, in the Black and Native published in December 1994 struggles in Germany between the and ideological discussion. and Latino districts. Fascism should communists and the fascists — What to do next Our task is not to wait until things not be an after-dinner conversation counting how many the workers won happen, in which case you can be with bourgeois liberals. ... The art of revolutionary politics is and the Nazis lost, faithfully hoping absolutely sure the liberal bourgeoi- Marxism is as Marxism does. It knowing what to do next. It is okay that the day of reckoning would come. sie as well as certain sections of the is not merely an exposition of the to theorize about fascism or the The Social-Democratic Party was big bourgeoisie will get into it. Right tendencies in capitalist society that strength of the right wing. But our numerically the strongest work- now, the working class is either in- inevitably lead it to destruction. It is organization di­ers from a debating ing-class part y. Its electoral streng th di­erent or apathetic in this great also a means for arming the work- society. We must take a firm, indeed was enormous. It had not only won struggle. ers and oppressed people on how to revolutionary, stance. seats in the Reichstag (parliament), The possibility for the growth of proceed in the next period. Individuals can change, but the but had majorities in a number of the neofascism, if you can call it that, Are we mainly directing our at- ruling class’s trend is toward re- smaller cities and strong represen- and for political reaction generally tention to the program of the right- pression, solidifying in the most tation in the larger cities. The Nazis is in the soil because monopoly is wing Republicans? No. We shouldn’t undemocratic way possible its con- aimed their guns at both socialists growing. The contradiction between leave the other Republicans and the trol over the resources of the coun- and communists. the forms of capitalist production Democrats o­ the hook. try and indeed of the globe. U.S. The workers’ parties failed to rec- and the forms of capitalist distribu- To make it very clear, our struggle imperialism is on the march every- ognize that the hour of the strug- tion grows wider and wider. against the right wing is an exten- where. The devastating results fall gle for power was coming closer The struggle among the imperial- sion of our general program and not on the backs of the workers at home and closer, and that electoral gains ist nations grows sharper. There is some new development on our part. as well. or losses would not be decisive. The no tendency toward political equi- We are going to conduct a revolu- What do we do? We know the right struggle could not be resolved by so- librium there. tionary and working-class strug- wing is moving, and that there is called democratic or constitutional None of the small countries that gle in the way we have conducted only a thin di­erence between the means. Both sides of the barricades were actual colonies and became them before, with greater emphasis right and the ultraright. were being armed: the workers on independent has shown any move on developing an initiative in the One of the great lessons of the the one side and the Nazi goons sup- toward economic independence. struggle against the right wing and 1930s was Leon Trotsky’s writings ported by the ruling class on the They would like to do it but cannot the neofascist tendencies that may on the question of how to fight fas- other. The question was which side because of the monstrous growth spring up now and then. ₪ Page 10 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA Celebrating the Life of Fidel Castro Ruz

By Gloria Verdieu

On Aug. 13, 2020, the U.S.-Cuba Normalization International Con- ference webinar celebrated and honored the life and legacy of revo- lutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz on his 94th birthday. This historic event was attended by hundreds on Zoom and many hundreds more via a live Adán Chávez Josefina Vidal Ana Silvia Rodríguez Dang Dinh Quy Nancy Morejón broadcast on Facebook. The entire event can be viewed on the U.S.-Cuba Fidel lives on in our daily tasks and tions; Josefina Vidal, Cuban ambas- cranes and earthmoving trucks for Normalization website, and on the e­orts. He continued, saying, “It is sador to Canada; and Adán Chávez, construction of Grenada’s inter- National Network on Cuba Facebook almost di–cult to talk about Fidel Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba. national airport, today named for page and YouTube channel. Some of because we run the risk of omitting Ambassador José Ramón Cabañas comrade Maurice Bishop. the content is summarized here. aspects of his life that are of great [The full text of his remarks is pub- In the following months, Fidel Nalda Vigezzi, co-chair of the significance. However, it is impera- lished on Struggle-La-Lucha.org.] sent medical doctors, dentists and National Network on Cuba (NNOC), tive that we make reference to ICAP.” Ambassador Josefina Vidal refer red nurses, and then teams of Cuban en- opened the program, welcomed Fidel created ICAP to connect with to one of the pillars of Fidel’s revolu- gineers and architects who worked everyone and thanked all the or- the hundreds of thousands of friends tionary thoughts and work by quot- alongside their Grenadian counter- ganizers who worked to bring this all over the world who supported the ing, “The defense of universal access parts to construct the airport as well amazing virtual program filled with emerging revolution and wanted to and free health care is a fundamental as access roads to the airport. Today, distinguished speakers, ambassa- know firsthand what the revolution human right for every human being there are literally hundreds of doc- dors, scholars, statespeople, aca- was all about. Today, ICAP has links and the importance of training, the tors and nurses from Cuba scattered demics, activists and so many of us with more than 2,000 solidarity or- necessary resources, and establish- throughout the country assisting in who have learned from the brilliance ganizations in 158 countries. ing an e­ective health care system at the fight against the COVID-19 pan- of Fidel and the Cuban people. González highlighted the U.S. sol- all levels that allows the exercise and demic. The NNOC, the U.S. umbrella or- idarity movement continuing from enjoyment by the people.” Rojas concluded by saying that ganization of solidarity groups, has the Revolution’s earliest days to now. Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodríguez on this occasion, while we honor been involved in the struggle to sup- He mentioned Sandra Levinson, and remarked on Cuba’s foreign policy, the life and legacy of Fidel Castro, port Cuban sovereignty and end the Center for Cuban Studies; Rose- quoting Fidel at the United Nations “I also want to honor the memory travel ban and the unilateral eco- mari Mealy, former Black Panther General Assembly 60 years ago. He of the many Cuban internationalist nomic, commercial and financial and author of “Fidel & Malcolm X: said, “In sum, we support all the no- workers who fought and shed their blockade of Cuba since 1991. Memories of a Meeting,” who orga- ble aspirations of all peoples. That´s blood and died defending them- Vigezzi introduced the co-facili- nized Fidel’s second visit to Harlem. our position. We support and shall al- selves and defending their Grenadi- tators: Ike Nahem, anti-imperialist, Marazul Travel who organized im- ways support everything that is just, an comrades when the U.S. military socialist activist, author of “The Life migrant Cubans travel to Cuba even and be against colonialism, against under the command of President of Fidel Castro: A Marxist Apprecia- after their o–ces were bombed; exploitation, against monopolies, Ronald Reagan invaded Grenada in tion,” and member of Teamsters and Pastors for Peace caravans led by the against militarism, against the arms October of 1983, and to say, ‘Down, Railroad Workers United Union; and late Rev. Lucius Walker and defend- race, against playing with war. We down with the illegal and immoral Tamara Hansen, executive member ed today with dignity and courage shall always be against those things. blockade of Cuba! Viva Fidel and the of the Canadian Network on Cuba, by his daughter Gail; the courageous That shall be our position.” glorious Cuban Revolution.’” author of “5 Decades of the Cuban members of the Venceremos Bri- Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy said Clever Banganayi, with the Revolution: The Challenges of an gades, who worked side by side with that for the Vietnamese people Fidel Friends of Cuba in South Africa, is a Unwavering Leadership.” Vigezzi Fidel in cutting cane; our friend Glo- has been a symbol of revolutionary Cuban trained engineer who stud- also thanked all the organizers who ria LaRiva who Fidel asked to speak heroism. Cuba was the first country ied in Cuba from 1991 to 1996 and worked to bring this amazing pro- on May 1; the U.S. students who to recognize the National Liberation the recipient of the Friendship Med- gram together, virtually. graduated from the Latin American Front in South Vietnam in 1963 and al Award from the Cuban Council of Vigezzi spoke of the many lessons School of Medical Science and are the only country who set up an em- State for his work in the campaign learned from Fidel, beginning with practicing medicine at the invitation bassy in 1967. Fidel sent construction against the U.S. blockade and for the the first days following the triumph of Fidel; those who joined Fidel’s call engineers to build hospitals, and freedom of the Cuban Five. This is a of the revolution prioritizing edu- in the campaign to Free the Cuban those hospitals were built very well portion of the statement he present- cation and health care. She gave an Five; and the many who have visited and are functioning now. These are ed in person from South Africa. overview of the many struggles that Cuba in defiance of the travel block- concrete examples of solidarity that “We celebrate Fidel Castro’s out- many of us in the U.S. have partici- ade. These were among the many Fidel had with the Vietnamese peo- standing contribution as a world pated in, including traveling to Cuba activists and solidarity actions that ple and that solidarity exists today revolutionary leader, as a commit- in defiance of the travel ban, strug- González acknowledged. as we can see Cuban medical teams ted internationalist, as a statesman gling to return Elián González to González spoke of the current in many countries to fight COVID-19. truly devoted to the aspirations of his home, campaigning to Free the COVID-19 crisis, where the U.S. gov- Ambassador Adán Chávez is the freedom, social justice, equality for Five, organizing programs to bring ernment has blocked the purchase of Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba; the people of Cuba and for millions awareness of the medical opportu- medical supplies, and the many Cu- vice president of International Af- of people of the developing world. As nities o­ered by the Latin American ban medical personnel saving lives fairs of the United Socialist Party of a loyal friend of Africa, South Afri- School of Medical Science and of the in 28 countries. Venezuela; and director of the Hugo ca in particular, Fidel Castro led the many countries that currently have Cuba’s Henry Reeve Internation- Chávez Institute of Higher Studies. people of Cuba in a most significant volunteer medical sta­ from Cuba. al Brigade — named by Fidel Cas- Chávez began his presentation by international contribution for the A beautiful inspiring music video, tro for the 26-year-old U.S. soldier sending a big Bolivarian, revolution- liberation of the African continent Yo Te Veo by Raúl Torres, present- who fought and died on Aug. 4, 1876 ary, Chavista, Fidelista and, there- with his conviction, unity, and soli- ed pictures of Fidel embracing and in Cuba’s War of Independence — fore, anti-imperialist hug to all the darity as a tool of victory. Fidel Cas- being embraced by the Cuban peo- formed from the volunteers gath- organizers, speakers and viewers. tro’s lessons of unity, solidarity, and ple. Then, a moment of silence rec- ered to respond to the devastation President Dilma Rousseff, as pres- commitment to revolutionary peace ognized Eusebio Leal Spengler. This caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. ident of Brazil, invited Cuban doc- groups are a source of inspiration for important revolutionary died on July The three-hour program flowed tors to her country. She was removed today’s young generations of Afri- 31. He served as Havana historian nonstop with many live speakers, from o–ce on trumped-up charges cans and all other youth in the world. and directed the restoration of Ha- video-taped presentations, live cul- in a parliamentary coup. Rousse­ His profound political ideas must be vana’s historic architectural beauty. tural performances and solidarity said, “Cuba’s humanitarian rela- widely shared and understood. Only One of Fidel Castro’s early proj- messages. tionship with the world is exemplary socialism can ensure conditions of ects to respond to the global sup- Five ambassadors on the program and demonstrates that solidarity is survival of the human species, that port for the young emerging Cuban made amazing presentations on the its basic value and principle.” another world, a better and peaceful Revolution was the Cuban Institute legacy of Fidel and the Cuban Rev- Don Rojas, former press secretary one in harmony with nature is pos- of Friendship with the People (ICAP) olution and the promise that a bet- for the martyred prime minister of sible and that the oppressed have the formed in 1960. A video message ter world is possible: José Ramón Grenada, Maurice Bishop, recalled rights and capacity to build against from Fernando González Llort, one Cabañas, Cuban ambassador to the the day in early 1980 when a Cuban injustice.” of the Cuban Five heroes and now United States; Ambassador Dang ship arrived in Grenada to fulfill an Gail Walker, executive director of ICAP president, expressed high- Dinh Quy, permanent representative economic development goal ex- IFCO/Pastors for Peace, referenced lights of solidarity in the U.S. of Vietnam to the United Nations; pressed by Bishop to Fidel Castro. Its one of Fidel’s many living legacies, González began his presentation Ana Silvia Rodríguez, Permanent cargo included brand new construc- the creation of the Latin American by saying that, for the Cuban people, Mission of Cuba to the United Na- tion equipment from bulldozers to School of Medical Science (ELAM). STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 11 on his 94th birthday

Dilma Rousseff Fernando González Llort Gail Walker

of the relationship between Cuba and the U.S.; and João Pedro Stédile from Brazil’s Movimento dos Tra- balhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Vijay Prashad Clever Banganayi El Jones Don Rojas the Landless Workers Movement. Cultural performances were in- “It was the forward vision of Fidel today Cuba is beginning to revolu- terspersed throughout by artists and Castro to take a naval barracks and tionize health care in the U.S., one poets live and recorded and greatly convert it into an internationally re- ELAM grad at a time. And we are im- enriched the program. nowned medical training center and, mensely grateful to Fidel for plant- Nancy Morejón, Cuba’s most re - thanks to that vision, tens of thou- ing those seeds for solidarity that nowned, widely published and sands of young people from more are now bearing fruit.” translated post-revolutionary poet, than 125 nations including the U.S. Vijay Prashad, Indian historian wrote a Poem for Fidel during his are now practicing medicine in un- and Marxist intellectual, executive lifetime. The recorded poem was derserved communities across the director of the Tricontinental In- read by Morejón in Spanish and En- globe. In the year 2000 at that histor- stitute for Social Research and chief glish and provided by the Cuba In ical Riverside Church meeting, Fidel editor of LeftWord Books, joined in Focus monthly program on WBAI in o­ered free medical scholarships to person to celebrate the life of Fidel New York City. qualified candidates from all regions Castro. Prashad emphasized Fidel as El Jones is a Canadian poet, pro - of the U.S. from low income commu- a socialist human being, the highest fessor, activist and author of “Live nities and communities of color who form of human being. He explained from the Afrikan Resistance.” Jones would not otherwise have access to that Fidel’s real dynamism came out, recited her poem, which began with medical education. That was the gift not at a time of victory, but at a time “This is a birthday card from the with the only obligation being that of defeat. Prashad read a quote from Wretched of the Earth,” written for those scholarship recipients would the famous speech at trial after his Fidel’s 94th birthday, especially to return and practice in medically un- arrest at the Moncada Barracks up- the AAPRP stands in solidarity with be read at this program derserved communities in the U.S. rising, “History Will Absolve Me.” the Cuban Revolution and will uplift Singer-songwriter, musician and “And since that year 2000, under On July 26, 1970, after the 10-mil- the legacy of Fidel Castro. “The Cu- poet Normand Raymond sang and the direction of my father, Rev. Lu- lion-ton sugarcane harvest failed, ban Revolution embodies the possi- played guitar. He is a member of cius Walker, IFCO has been honored Fidel went before the people and bility of socialism, a world that can the Artistes pour la paix du Québec to take on the role for young people said, “I am ready to be removed from be built once people come together board of directors. As an anti-impe- to participate in this scholarship o–ce.” Fidel analyzed the mistakes. collectively and decide to be free and rialist and social justice activist, he program. To date, as the ambassador As his comrade Amilcar Cabral of move in a spirit of humanism and is a longtime supporter of the Cuban explained, Cuba has graduated 196 Guinea-Bissau said, “Tell no lies, solidarity. The AAPRP deeply re- Revolution. doctors from the U.S., the very coun- claim no easy victories.” Fidel never spects and honors Fidel Castro. We Katharine Beeman, poet and a try that has imposed a genocidal lied. Prashad ended by saying, “The study him, learn from his example, longtime member of La Table de blockade for more than six decades.” Cuban Revolution brought humani- we seek to continue his work in this concertation de solidarité Québec- Walker continued, “From Stand- ty to the planet earth. It a–rms life world and to bring that model of lib- Cuba, also presented. ing Rock to the front lines of the through the doctors, which is why eration to the African continent and In closing, co-facilitators empha- fight against coronavirus, we in the those doctors, more than anybody African people around the world.” sized that we have to continue to United States are the benefactors of else, deserve the Nobel Prize. It ex- Additional messages were aired fight to end the criminal U.S. block- Cuba’s long-standing commitment pends social resources of the Cuban from Mary-Alice Waters, president ade, and we have a duty to call on the to medical internationalism. The citizens to a–rm life, not to build a of Pathfinder Press, publisher of the world to mobilize and demand that U.S. government may have shame- military force.” Join together to de- speeches and writing of Fidel Castro. the Cuban doctors receive the Nobel fully rejected Cuba’s beautiful o­er feat the decaying forces of imperial- Waters has edited or written 30 books Peace Prize because they deserve it, to send doctors in the aftermath of ism, he urged. on the Cuban Revolution; Nancy because they are working towards Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans or All African People’s Revolutionary Cabrero from Casa de las Americas, peace and because they are work- to Puerto Rico after it was viciously Party representative Onyesonwu the oldest Cuban organization in the ing while under attack by the Trump slammed by Hurricane María, but Chatoyer said by video message that U.S. that supports the normalization administration. ₪

Kenosha cops and fascists work hand-in-hand

Continued from page 1 That’s despite Kenosha having African American families fell by 36 his bicep. He needs help paying his been an industrial powerhouse. The percent between 1978 and 1982. medical expenses. Donations to a Go- mobilization in U.S. history. Twen- American Motors assembly plant on A reverse migration to the South FundMe account can be sent to “Help ty million people have marched the lakefront once employed 14,000 began. Yet Kenosha’s Black commu- Gaige, Kenosha medic, with medical against racism in thousands of plac- workers who belonged to United nity has grown five-fold since 1970. bills” tinyurl.com/yyz49484 es, including rural areas. Many of Auto Workers Local 72. Thousands of Latinx people live in Kenosha belongs to the people, not the protesters have been white. Hundreds of people worked in Kenosha. the fascists! This unity is dangerous to the bil- other factories, including where Almost all of the factories in The writer is a former Wisconsin resident. lionaire class. Three months after Jockey underwear was made. Most Kenosha that paid union wages and the whole world saw George Floyd of the Black workers employed in benefits are gone. But capitalists being choked to death on May 25, the these factories lived in nearby cities, still need workers. police and other racist scum want to including Milwaukee; Racine, Wis.; White workers who have woken The long shadow of the strike back. and Waukegan, Ill. up because of the Black Lives Mat- There’s only been three days in the The American Motors engine plant ter movement will join Asian, Black, 1919 Chicago race riot last three months in which U.S. po- closed in 1990. The assembly plant Indigenous and Latinx workers in by Stephen Millies lice haven’t killed anyone. on the lakefront shut down three fighting the new Great Depression. SLL articles include:: Kenosha is their target. The cor- years earlier. Fifty-six years ago, the world porate headquarters of Uline — Luxury housing has been built on mourned the murders of James • Bombings greet the Great Migration owned by the ultraright billionaires the lakefront where Ramblers once Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Mi- • What did the unions do? Elizabeth and Richard Uihlein — is rolled o­ the assembly line. The chael Schwerner. The Black and Jew- • Communists fight racism located in Pleasant Prairie, a village housing’s residents can take a newly ish martyrs were killed by the Ku Klux and evictions in Kenosha County. built streetcar to the commuter rail- Klan near Philadelphia, Miss., in 1964. • Chicago Mayor Daley’s racist machine The Black community in Kenosha road station and travel to their jobs The anti-racist activists who were • Never forget Fred Hampton has always been small. in Chicago. killed in Kenosha, Anthony Huber • The people put Harold Washington Ten thousand African Americans Forty years ago, the first phase of and Joseph Rosenbaum, will not be in City Hall live there, a tenth of the city’s popula- deindustrialization was a disaster forgotten. • A city of struggle tion. According to the 1970 census, just for Black workers in the Midwest. Gaige Grosskreutz, who was wound- Available in a pamphlet form at 1,930 Black people lived in Kenosha. The median income of the region’s ed, needs reconstructive surgery on tinyurl.com/1919chicago Page 12 August 17, 2020 STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA After tragic Beirut explosion: Imperialist vultures pounce on Lebanon

By Greg Butterfield plosion was caused by a cache of talks failed to reach Hezbollah weapons stored at the A powerful explosion ripped an agreement and the Beirut port. through the port of Beirut, Leba- aid never came.” These charges were swiftly refut- non’s capital, on Aug. 4. At least 171 Mass protests ed by Hezbollah and other sources. people have died and thousands raged throughout But their real aim was to rally the were injured, including many Syri- 2019, driven by West- anti-resistance forces inside and an and other non-Lebanese workers. ern-imposed economic hardships. streets of Gemmayzeh in the devas- outside Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands were made The protests have revived in the af- tated Lebanese capital were repeat- In a televised speech on Aug. 7, homeless by the disaster. termath of the port disaster. The U.S., edly greeted with calls of ‘Freedom Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Beirut is the country’s main port. France and their allies are work- for Georges Abdallah’ by youth who Hassan Nasrallah said, “I categor- For Lebanon’s nearly 7 million res- ing overtime to support the most refuse to be treated as colonial sub- ically deny the claim that Hezbol- idents, the devastation will have reactionary, anti-Hezbollah and jects once again by France, reject the lah has arms cache, ammunition or an untold impact on their access to anti-Iran elements of the protest complicity of many Lebanese politi- anything else in the port. food, medicine and other essentials movement — some of whom have cians and see Georges Abdallah as a “Hezbollah is bigger, greater and for years to come. hanged or burned e–gies of Resis- symbol of Arab and anti-imperialist more noble than to be taken down by Lebanon’s poorest will su­er the tance leaders. These include the fas- dignity, resilience and resistance. some liars and inciters, who are try- most. That includes nearly half a cist, anti-Muslim Lebanese Forces “Many Lebanese journalists and ing to push for civil war,” said Nas- million exiled Palestinians living in and Kataeb Falange party, and the activists denounced the neocolonial rallah. “They have failed before and 12 camps across Lebanon. Hundreds Saudi-funded Future Movement. hypocrisy demonstrated by Macron, will fail again.” of thousands of Syrian war refugees The Western powers want to mis- emphasizing that his objective is to On Aug. 18, Lebanese President Mi- and workers from Africa and South direct mass anger — which should impose ‘structural reforms’ on the chel Aoun, in an interview with the Asia also live there. Lebanon has rightly be aimed against them — to- country according to the require- Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, more refugees per capita than any ward Hezbollah, which has fought ments of the International Mone- confirmed that it was “impossible” other country in the world. to defend the Lebanese people from tary Fund.” for Hezbollah to be responsible for the While the West Asian country reels imperialist and Zionist aggression. Mona Tahini, a Lebanese jour- blast, since the resistance does not from the explosion and struggles Some left forces, including the nalist with al-Manar TV, was pre- store weapons in the Beirut port. to begin its recovery, the govern- Lebanese Communist Party, have vented from asking Macron a ques- In fact, the blast was caused by ments of the U.S., France and Britain also taken part in protests. The LCP tion during his press conference in 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate re- — along with their regional attack issued a statement denouncing gov- Beirut, while other reporters were moved from an abandoned ship and dogs, Israel and Saudi Arabia — have ernment corruption while opposing allowed to ask multiple questions stored in a warehouse at the port seized upon the tragedy to ratchet up Western intervention. It calls for and pose for selfies with the French since 2014 — long before Prime Min- pressure on Lebanon. compensation to the victims of the president. Tahini wears a hijab. ister Diab took o–ce in January 2020. Warships from Britain and France blast and a nonsectarian govern- A virtual “humanitarian aid” con- The compound can be used to make — Lebanon’s former colonial ruler ment in Lebanon. ference headed by Macron on Aug. 16 both fertilizer and explosives. What — now patrol the waters of the Bei- Iran has called on Washington to reportedly gathered $300 million in sparked the blast is still unknown. rut port, under the pretext of provid- drop the sanctions in the wake of the pledges. But the organizers will not As first reported by the New York ing “humanitarian aid.” Meanwhile, explosion. “The blast should not be turn over the money to Lebanese Times, the U.S. government knew French President Emmanuel Macron used as an excuse for political aims authorities or communities; they about the large amount of ammonium rushed to Beirut on Aug. 6, not for al- ... the cause of the blast should be will channel it through Western-ap- nitrate stored at the Beirut port and truistic reasons, but to make a thinly investigated carefully,” Iran’s For- proved, nongovernmental organi- the danger it posed since at least 2016. veiled power grab. eign Ministry spokesperson Abbas zations and United Nations agencies. “According to the cable, the consul- The U.S. and European Union pow- Mousavi said on Aug. 10. tant, under a contract with the U.S. U.S.-France-Israel hands off! ers are eager to exploit the tragedy Army, advised the Lebanese Navy Macron’s colonial aims to destroy Lebanon’s fragile balance The hardships and frustration fu- from 2013 to 2016. The cable said that of political and religious forces, es- French President Emanuel Macron eling protests in Lebanon are real. the adviser ‘conveyed that he had tablished by the Taif agreement that wasted no time attempting to assert But they cannot be divorced from the conducted a port facility inspection ended the 1975-1990 civil war, and the former colonial ruler’s authori- long history of Western imperialist on security measures during which he particularly to strike a blow against ty. On a supposed humanitarian visit intervention that divided Lebanon reported to port o–cials on the unsafe the anti-imperialist Resistance bloc on Aug. 6, Macron stepped direct- and Syria and redrew their borders in storage of the ammonium nitrate.’ led by Hezbollah. ly into Lebanese politics, calling for 1920; carried out unspeakable acts of “It is not clear when he conveyed It was this movement that drove the formation of a “national unity theft and terror against the people; the information; however, several Israeli, U.S., and French occupation government” to be negotiated un- and created a hierarchy based on re- current and former American o–- forces out of Lebanon and rebu­ed der French auspices, and encourag- ligious a–liation, with French-iden- cials who have worked in the Middle an Israeli invasion in 2006. Its main ing right-wing elements among the tified Christians at the top and most- East say that the consultant would base is among Shia Muslims, Leb- protesters. ly poor and working-class Shiite normally have conveyed his findings anon’s largest community, but its “I will propose a new political pact Muslims at the bottom. immediately to the American o–- deeds have won it support in all Leb- [in Lebanon] this afternoon,” Ma- Throughout the 20th century, the cials who oversaw the contract, in anese communities. The Resistance cron told protesters in Beirut, who U.S. and European powers contin- this case the embassy, State Depart- bloc is part of the regional Axis of were chanting “revolution” and ued and deepened the exploitation ment or Pentagon.” Resistance that includes Syria and “down with the regime.” and division, closely connected with O–cially, the U.S. State Department Iran. “I will return on the first of Sep- the removal of the Palestinan peo- claimed to know nothing about it. Under pressure, Prime Minister tember, and if they [the Lebanese ple from their homeland, to secure leaders] can’t do it, I’ll take my polit- control of oil profits and strategic Hassan Diab’s government resigned Destructive U.S. sanctions on Aug. 10. He will stay on as care- ical responsibility,” he said. military positions. taker prime minister until a new U.S. sanctions, tied toWashington’s Macron’s hypocrisy wasn’t lost on And today, the U.S.-European government is agreed upon. decade-long war of aggression against many Lebanese and international response to the Beirut tragedy is On Aug. 11, just a week after the neighboring Syria, were tightened in observers, who pointed to his re- closely connected with Israel’s Beirut explosion, three Israeli tanks June in an e­ort to “starve” Leba- pression of France’s “yellow vests” genocidal war on Gaza and the West violated Lebanon’s southern bor- non, according to the Resistance. movement and union-led pro- Bank, the “deal” between Israel, the der and fired a phosphorus bomb. International sanctions have had tests against austerity programs he United Arab Emirates and Wash- The provocation came as Israel con- a terrible e­ect on the country’s champions at home. ington to normalize the occupation, tinued its nightly rain of U.S.-made economy. Before the COVID-19 pan- “Perhaps the clearest example U.S. theft of Syrian oil, sanctions missiles on the desperate and be- demic hit, poverty was estimated at of Macron’s duplicity is the con- and threats against Iran, Pentagon sieged people of the Gaza Strip. As of 45 percent and unemployment at 30 tinued imprisonment by France provocations over trade between Aug. 20, those attacks were in their percent. of [communist guerrilla] Georges Iran and Venezuela, etc. tenth night. “In March, as the economy fal- Ibrahim Abdallah, imprisoned by For anti-imperialists and anti-war Hezbollah has given aid and sol- tered, Lebanon defaulted on a $1.2 the French state since 1984 and el- activists here, the urgent need is to idarity to the Palestinian people of billion payment for foreign bonds igible for release since 1999,” noted demand: Gaza in their fight against the brutal for the first time in the country’s the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoners End U.S. sanctions against Lebanon U.S.-Israeli siege. history,” reported the New York Solidarity Network. “The Lebanese and Syria! U.S. troops out of West Times. “Diab’s government released government has o–cially requested Asia! End U.S. military support of Is- Resistance responds to false charges a recovery plan on April 30 that said his release and repatriation, yet he raeli apartheid! In the hours after the disaster, a the economy was ‘in free fall,’ and continues to be held hostage while No to Washington-Paris interven- narrative was quickly fashioned by that Lebanon would seek $10 billion calls for his release mount, especial- tion in Lebanon’s internal a­airs! the Western media and local right- in aid from the International Mon- ly in France and Lebanon. Self-determination for the people of wing forces claiming that the ex- etary Fund. But multiple rounds of “Indeed, Macron’s visits to the Lebanon! ₪ STRUGGLE H LA LUCHA August 17, 2020 Page 13

YouTube and Google attack Cuba and Venezuela

By Cheryl LaBash against Cuban internationalist med- ical solidarity. The Pan American Aug. 21 update: YouTube restored Health Organization awarded the Mesa Redonda’s account today Henry Reeve International Medical ašrming the account did not infringe Brigade the prestigious 2017 Prize on the Conditions of Service. for Public Health. Cuba’s 250 spe- No explanation was given. cialized “health workers constituted But as President Miguel Diaz-Canel the single largest medical operation tweeted, “Those who don’t want the on the ground in Sierra Leone, Guin- world to know about our vaccine ea and Liberia” during the 2014-2016 blocked Cuban digital channels. Any- West Africa Ebola outbreak. And now way, no one has been vaccinated and a global movement supports award- the needle prick is already hurting.” ing the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize to the As of 10 pm EDT, VTV’s account has Henry Reeve Brigade for the fight to not been restored. The blockade is real. curb the coronavirus pandemic and who developed the vaccine that is Since it was established in 2009, save lives. (CubaNobel.org) On Aug. 20, just ahead of program- big news for the pandemic-shocked the Mesa Redonda YouTube chan- In the late 1960s, the direct voice ming about the start of clinical trials world: the Director General of the nel had accumulated archives of the of Cuba was only available via short- for Cuba’s COVID-19 vaccine, Sober- Finlay Institute of Vaccines, the two programs, interviews and docu- wave Radio Havana Cuba broadcasts ana-01, YouTube management dis- women scientists who developed the mentaries, creating an international or hand-to-hand sharing of dated abled Mesa Redonda’s channel. Mesa vaccine and the director of Cuba’s resource that is now unavailable. print editions of the Cuban Com- Redonda (Roundtable) airs Monday medical regulator agency CECMED. Cubainformacion.tv also reported munist Party newspaper Granma. through Friday evenings on Cuban It is the first vaccine trial submit- the cancellation of three YouTube Now, many Cuban publications can national television. Its international ted from Latin America and the Ca- accounts for the Venezuelan state be found on the web, on Facebook, audience included more than 19,000 ribbean. Its name, Soberana, means television channel VTV and access to through Whatsapp or Telegram sub- YouTube channel subscribers. Mesa sovereign. its Gmail emails. The three accounts scriptions, YouTube, Twitter and Redonda is still streamed through According to a report from Cuba- were Complete VTV Programs, Mul- more. TeleSUR, the collaborative Facebook and the Aug. 20 program informacion.tv the number of sub- timedios VTV and the dedicated ac- media initiated by the Bolivarian can be viewed there. scribers to Mesa Redonda’s channel count for live transmission. Alliance for the Peoples of Our Amer- The Aug. 20 program features de- had doubled in 2020. Social media The development of digital me- ica is a powerful source for news tails about the investigative pro- like YouTube provide Cuba’s voice dia and communication platforms from the world, including Africa, the cess and clinical trials. Addressing unfiltered and unslanted by the im- opens new avenues to information Caribbean and the Americas. the world were the Cuban scientists perialist-minded corporate media. challenging the white- supremacist, Communication platforms taken neoliberal capitalist lens. These for granted and more widely em- tools combat the U.S. propaganda ployed in the U.S. during the pan- war of lies about Cuba and Venezuela demic, like Zoom and WebEx, are Solidarity with Cuban penetrating the media monopoly. blocked for use in Cuba. It is time for A current example is the scurri- the economic, financial and com- Women Federation lous U.S. slander campaign waged mercial blockade to end. ₪

Continued from page 14 • Solidarity with the Black Lives has forced the opening of a virtual Matter Movement and the immi- Stop the bombing! door to the world. The pandemic has grant movement in the USA. become a challenge and at the same time an opportunity to get intimate- • And with Puerto Rico, let’s raise ly closer to other struggles, to look our voices worldwide against 122 End the blockade! for the similarities and di­erences, years of invasion, occupation and to feel closer to their vicissitudes, colonialism by the USA. their su­erings and the resistance LET GAZA LIVE! of their peoples. It has led us to learn • We are experiencing very di–cult new forms of mobilization and re- times in our Boricua archipelago. sistance, to feel more a part of other There is hunger and unemploy- struggles. ment. There is still a lack of hous- Although we have not yet found ing ever since Hurricanes Irma and that crucial point of a global joint Maria three years ago. Since last response that could once and for all January, there have been constant destroy this capitalist system that is earthquakes in the south and more the root of so much oppression, this homes, schools and historical process is giving us the opportunity buildings have collapsed. There to launch global campaigns. have been droughts followed by The criminality of capitalism has heavy rains that cause landslides. been exposed more clearly with And then this pandemic during which the corrupt government and this pandemic. Cuba has defeated By Bill Dores lion children, women and men are the mistaken notion of the USA as its cronies have robbed the people incarcerated there. Their crime: be- and denied the help that is most “the savior of democracy,” the Cu- As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ing born Palestinian in the land of needed. ban medical brigades are bringing illegally addressed the Republican Palestine. health, hope and a model of gener- The straitjacket, that is being a national convention from Israe- Most of the families living in Gaza osity that only Revolutionary Cuba colony, does not even allow for clos- li-occupied Jerusalem, U.S.-made were expelled from their land a and its socialist development can do. ing the airport through which thou- Israeli planes launched U.S.-made few miles to the north in 1948. The Cuba has always been an exam- sands of people arrive daily — many missiles into the Gaza Strip. beaches there are now dotted with ple of humanity, and the women of contaminated with COVID — from Since Aug. 1, Israel’s U.S.-made, condos and luxury hotels for West- the FMC have been exponents of the states with the most contagion U.S.-paid for, Israeli Air Force has ern tourists and settlers. Now, the it. Wherever their delegations go, of the pandemic such as Florida and bombed the besieged enclave every U.S.-Israeli blockade, begun in 2007, they have stood out for their com- Texas. night. Israel’s Navy has shut down has made the place they were driven mitment to just causes raising their We have made a request for help Gaza’s fishing industry, stopping to uninhabitable. voice in all forums. They have never from the Cuban medical brigades, the people of Gaza from fishing their The U.S. corporate media are been silent observers. And they have but our lack of sovereignty prevents own waters. completely silent about the nightly always taken advantage of every fo- their arriving in Puerto Rico, while Israel has also blocked fuel from bombing and the intensified block- rum to defend their revolution, to the U.S. denies the Puerto Rican peo- entering Gaza, forcing its only power ade. Washington continues to pour expose U.S. crimes against their is- ple the most precious thing: their plant to shut down. This is while the arms and money to the Israeli occu- land, from Elián to the Five Cuban freedom. besieged enclave is on 24-hour lock- pation regime while people here in heroes, always demanding that this Comrades, thanks again for mak- down due to COVID-19. the U.S. face devastating unemploy- murderous blockade be removed. ing this forum possible and for the The U.S., Israel and their collab- ment and budget cuts. The people of So, following your example, honor of inviting us to participate. orators in Egypt have turned the the U.S. and the world must demand I would like to appeal to all the Long live the Federation of Cuban 25-mile-long Gaza Strip into the an end to the bombing and the block- participants by asking for: Women! ₪ world’s largest prison. Nearly 2 mil- ade. Lift the siege on Gaza now! . ₪ 60 ANIVERSARIO: . Una mensaje a Federación de Mujeres Cubanas

Apenas ocho meses después del tri- EUA contra su isla, desde Elián hasta unfo de la Revolución Cubana el 23 de los Cinco Héroes cubanos, exigiendo agosto de 1960, se fundó la Federación siempre que se elimine ese bloqueo de Mujeres Cubanas. En esa reunión asesino. Fidel Castro recordó las contribuciones Así que, siguiendo su ejemplo, históricas de las mujeres cubanas, in- quisiera hacer un llamado a todas cluidas madres como Mariana Grajales las participantes: cuyos hijos lucharon y murieron por la independencia de Cuba, las mu- • Solidaridad con el Movimiento Las jeres que llevaban mensajes desde la Vidas Negras Importan y el Movi- Sierra a las ciudades más allá de las miento Inmigrante en los EUA. líneas enemigas Clodomira y Lidia • Y con Puerto Rico, alzar nuestras finalmente fueron capturadas por la voces a nivel mundial contra 122 dictadura, torturada y asesinada sin años de invasión, ocupación y revelar secretos. colonialismo por los EUA. Desde la líder de la rebelión es- clavista Carlota hasta las mujeres • Estamos viviendo momentos muy del Moncada y el Pelotón de Mujeres difíciles en nuestro archipiélago. Hay hambre y desempleo, hay falta Mariana Grajales en la Sierra Maestra, FDIM luego de la desarticulación de pueblos. Nos ha llevado a aprender de viviendas desde los huracanes el desarrollo de CENESEX, el Centro los países socialistas en los 90, de nuevas formas de movilizaciones Irma y María hace tres años. Desde Nacional de Educación Sexual de Cuba continuar ese proyecto de unidad y de resistencia. De sentirnos más enero la tierra en el sur ha estado para abordar el espectro de la identi- internacional liderado por mujeres. parte de otras luchas. temblando constantemente y se dad de género y educar para eliminar Compañeras, después de haber Aunque no hayamos encontrado han derrumbado más viviendas, la homofobia y la transfobia, a las mu- participado en varios escenarios a aún ese punto crucial de respuesta escuelas y edificios históricos; jeres científicas de hoy que produjeron nivel internacional con las mujeres global conjunta que pueda de una Ha habido sequías seguidas de la vacuna Soberana-01 COVID-19 que de la FMC, nos gustaría compartir vez y por todas destruir este sistema lluvias copiosas que provocan comenzaron los ensayos clínicos el 24 algunas de las cualidades que más capitalista que es la raíz de tanta deslizamientos de tierra; y luego de agosto, las mujeres son una fuerza nos han impactado de ellas, cual- opresión, se está dando ese proce- esta pandemia durante la cual el revolucionaria dentro de la revolución. idades que sirven como ejemplo so de acercamiento que nos da la gobierno corrupto y sus secuaces, El 15 de agosto, el programa virtual para todas nosotras: su gran gen- oportunidad de lanzar campañas han robado al pueblo y negado las de la Federación de Mujeres Cuban- erosidad con su tiempo, siempre globales. ayudas que más se necesitan. as reunió a amigos de la Federación dispuestas a compartir experiencias La criminalidad del capitalismo Democrática Internacional de Mujeres, y sugerencias — férreas defensoras ha sido expuesta más claramente La camisa de fuerza que es ser la Marcha Mundial de Mujeres y otras de su revolución, su comprensión, con esta pandemia. Cuba ha der- colonia ni siquiera permite cerrar el organizaciones en un foro virtual con su búsqueda de consensos, y su te- rotado la noción equivocada de aeropuerto por donde diariamente la Secretaria General de la FMC Teresa nacidad para enfrentar problemas u los EUA como “ente salvador de la llegan miles de personas — muchas Amarelle Boué. Venezuela, México, obstáculos. Mucho hemos aprendido democracia”, las brigadas médicas contaminadas con el COVID — des- Ecuador, Brasil, Panamá, Argentina de ustedes compañeras. cubanas han llevando salud, esper- de los estados con más contagio de y Berta Joubert-Ceci de Puerto Rico Este año, nos hemos enfrentado anza y una muestra de generosidad la pandemia como son la Florida y cuyos comentarios a continuación: a un desafío a nivel global; la pan- como sólo Cuba revolucionaria y su Texas. demia del COVID-19 nos ha obligado desarrollo socialista puede hacer. Hemos hecho un pedido de ayuda Compañeras, gracias por hacer a asumir un aislamiento físico, sin Cuba siempre ha sido ejemplo para que vengan las brigadas médi- posible este foro de celebración y embargo, ese mismo aislamiento ha de humanidad, y las mujeres de la cas cubanas, pero nuestra falta de por el honor de habernos invitado a forzado la apertura de una puerta FMC han sido exponentes de ello. soberanía lo impide, a la vez que los participar. virtual hacia el mundo. La pandemia Por donde quiera que han ido sus EUA le niega al pueblo boricua lo Nuestra organización Mujeres en se ha convertido en un desafío y a delegaciones, se han destacado más preciado, su libertad. Lucha, miembro de la FDIM felicita a la misma vez en una oportunidad por su compromiso con las causas Compañeras, nuevamente gra- la FMC en su aniversario. para acercarnos más íntimamente justas alzando su voz en todos los cias por hacer posible este foro y Quisiera comenzar destacan- a otras luchas, a comprobar las si- foros. Nunca han sido observadoras por el honor de habernos invitado a do el papel de la FMC, a través de militudes y las diferencias, a sentir silentes. Y siempre han aprovechado participar. Vilma Espín, quien tuvo esa visión más de cerca sus vicisitudes, sus cada foro para defender su revolu- ¡Viva la Federación de Mujeres de asegurar la continuidad de la sufrimientos y la resistencia de sus ción, para exponer los crímenes de Cubanas! Solidarity with Cuban Women Federation on its 60th Anniversary

Just 8 months after the victory of the trials on Aug. 24, women are a revolu- jeres (WIDF/FDIM) congratulates us about them, qualities that serve Cuban Revolution, on Aug. 23, 1960, tionary force inside the revolution. the Federación de Mujeres Cubanas as an example to all of us: their great the Federation of Cuban Women was On Aug. 15, the Federación de Mujeres on its 60th anniversary. generosity with their time, always founded. At that meeting, Fidel Castro Cubanas virtual program gathered We would like to start by high- ready to share experiences and sug- remembered the historic contributions friends of the Federación Democrática lighting the role of the FMC, through gestions — strong defenders of their of Cuban women, including mothers Internacional de Mujeres (Women’s Vilma Espín, who had the vision of revolution, their understanding, like Mariana Grajales, all of whose International Democratic Federation), ensuring the continuity of the FDIM, their search for consensus, and their sons fought and died for Cuban inde- World Women’s March and other after the dismantling of the socialist tenacity to face problems or obsta- pendence, and the women who carried organizations in a virtual forum with countries in the 1990s, continuing cles. Much we have learned from you messages from the Sierra to the cities Secretary General of FMC Teresa Ama- the project of international unity led compañeras. past the enemy lines. Clodomira and relle Boué. Present were representatives by women. This year we have faced a global Lidia eventually were caught by the from Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, Bra- Comrades, after having partici- challenge: the COVID-19 pandemic, dictatorship, tortured and murdered zil, Panama and Argentina, and Berta pated in various international fo- which has forced us to assume phys- without revealing secrets. Joubert-Ceci from Puerto Rico, whose rums with the women of the FMC, ical isolation as a preventive mea- From the slave rebellion leader comments follow: we would like to share some of the sure. However, that same isolation Carlota to women of the Moncada and qualities that have most impacted Continued on page 13 the Mariana Grajales Women’s Platoon Comrades, thank you for making in the Sierra Maestra, from the devel- this celebration forum possible opment of CENESEX, Cuba’s National and for the honor of inviting us to Center for Sex Education, to address participate. the spectrum of gender identity and Our organization, Mujeres en educate to eliminate homophobia Lucha/Women in Struggle, mem- and transphobia, to today’s women ber of the Women’s International scientists who produced Soberana-01 Democratic Federation/Federación COVID-19 vaccine that began clinical Democrática Internacional de Mu- Vol. 3, No. 17 August 31, 2020 Vol. 3, Núm. 17 31 de agosto de 2020