Havana. January 30,  2003

Fidel at closing session of the International Conference for World Balance

BY ROGER RICARDO AND ORFILIO PELAEZ —Granma daily staff writers—

"THE greatest moment in Cubans’ memory is having been able to construct and defend this trench so that nobody could descend, with even greater might, on the nations of America and the world," affirmed President Fidel Castro at the closure yesterday of the International Conference for World Balance, organized at the International Conference Center in tribute to the 150th anniversary of the birth of José Martí.

"We have learnt from Martí the infinite value and force of ideas, ethical principles, an inspired patriotism and an elevated concept of human honor and dignity, a lesson unequalled by anyone else," Fidel observed in another part of his address.

"If in some way we have been able to honor our national hero it is by having demonstrated that a little and poor country, still making many inevitable errors of learning, has been able to do a lot with very little, particularly in the field of culture," affirmed the leader of the Revolution.

Fidel attacked the aggressive policy of the U.S. government and stressed that, faced with the sophisticated and destructive weapons with which it is attempting to subject us in order to impose an irrational, unjust and unsustainable order, the alternative is to sow ideas, sow ideas, sow ideas, sow awareness, sow awareness, sow awareness."

FINAL DECLARATION

The conference’s final declaration convened a José Martí World Solidarity Project which, based on a wider representation of world peoples and civilizations and international organizations — in particular UNESCO — and the universal consensus expressed in the creation of the UN after the end of World War II, could promote the ideals of multilateralism in order to guarantee respect for the right of nations, peoples and human beings in the spheres of peace, culture, economy and politics.

The document, read out by Armando Hart, director of the José Martí Program Office, also confirms delegates’ agreement on the need to link Martí’s thinking with the mass movements developing throughout the world, particularly the Puerto Alegre World Social Forum, as well as other popular movements against the war and the arbitrariness and injustice of the dominant system.

Danielle Mitterand, the former first lady of France, spoke at the meeting to explain the meeting point between Martí’s ideals and their contemporaneity and the progressive thinking of the eminent French politician François Mitterand.

Madame Mitterand affirmed the need to defend the values of life, human dignity and solidarity, and stressed the imperative of subordinating profit and power to an equitable life for everyone on the planet.

The message from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela came from its Higher Education Minister Héctor Navarro, who confirmed the contemporary relevance of the ideals of Simón Bolívar and José Martí in confronting the challenges of Our America. At the same time, he expressed his people’s thanks for the demonstrations of solidarity with their fight against a fascist opposition.

The closing session likewise heard a message transmitted to the conference by the eminent Brazilian academic and theologist Frei Betto. His message emphasized the profound roots of Martí’s thought in the Cuban Revolution, and the significance of José Martí’s legacy in relation to the battles current social movements are waging against the imperial hegemony of our times.

www.granma.cu Havana. January 30,  2003

WASHINGTON (PL).- The White House might have announced that it was initiating a war on terrorism, but in its own backyard extremist groups Cubans and Venezuelans are plotting and receiving military training to attack their own countries of origin.

In their determination to bring down Presidents Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez, the capos of the F-4 organization, who have admitted their involvement in acts of terrorism against Cuba, plus the so-called Venezuelan Patriotic Front — led by a coup officer from the Venezuelan army — have signed a "civil-military alliance", according to The Wall Street Journal.

The F-4 Commandos are led by 56-year-old Rodolfo Frómeta and the Patriotic Front by coup member Captain Luis Eduardo García, (aged 37). During last April’s failed coup d’état, he was one of the first military dissidents to attack the Caracas Presidential Palace in order to topple the South American country’s democratically elected president.

According to the daily, the two groups are committed to uniting their "combined military experience and exchanging espionage information" in their attempts to attack the legitimate authorities in Havana and Caracas.

García himself revealed that he is offering military training to 50 F-4 Commando members at a firing range located in the Everglades swamps; 30 of the recruits are Cuban-American and the rest are Miami-based radical dissidents.

Miami has become the refuge for a growing number of anti-Chávez extremists, in the midst of an exodus in which some 10,000 Venezuelans have gravitated to the city in the last three years.

"New arrivals" discover a well-established Cuban-American community whose most radical sectors are particularly enthusiastic allies in the fight against Chávez, notes the publication.

Asunto: Mi_Último_aldabonazo_-_por_Robert_Alonso_G58 De: "Robert Alonso 2000" robertalonso2000@hotmail.com Fecha: Mié, 29 de Enero de 2003, 8:59 am Para:

¡MI ÚLTIMO ALDABONAZO!

Cuando ya en nuestro destierro alguien escriba la historia de cómo se perdió Venezuela, habrá que tomar muy en cuenta a dos personajes tremendamente importantes: Gahndi y Chacumbele.

A mediados de 1958, cuando la situación política en Cuba era poco menos que insoportable, al dictador Batista se le ocurrió hacer unas "elecciones" y lanzó a su candidato, un lacayo de nombre Rivero Agüero. Yo era un niño cuando la campaña electoral y aún recuerdo el "jingle" del candidato oficialista: "Cuba primero, y Presidente: Rivero Agüero..." El candidato de la oposición representaba al Partido Ortodoxo, quien pretendía heredar el apoyo que el pueblo cubano le había dado a Eduardo Chibás. Muchos cubanos rechazaron la farsa y no fueron a los comicios. Con la ilusión de estas "elecciones" convocadas por el dictador, millones de mis conciudadanos pensaron que se terminaría la guerra revolucionaria, Batista se iría al retiro y todos los cubanos seríamos felices, cual lombrices.

Como era de esperarse, Rivero Agüero salió "victorioso", pero jamás pudo asumir el cargo, porque la revolución se lo impidió. Ya para esa fecha, los partidos políticos -- y los políticos cubanos --, no sabían en cuál palo ahorcarse. Alguna similitud con situaciones y/o personajes actuales en la Venezuela del Sr. Chávez es pura coincidencia. Aprendimos todos - entonces -- que en cuestiones de dictadores, los votos no cuentan y las elecciones no son soluciones.

Venezuela se perdió porque nuestros líderes - viejos y jóvenes - no fueron capaces de interpretar al enemigo y entender la guerra que se estaba luchando. Mientras esgrimían las leyes, las buenas costumbres y la constitución, el enemigo arremetía con exabruptos jurídicos, eructos y descaradas violaciones a la carta magna. No supimos cuando dejar de tocar las cacerolas y los pitos. ¡Patria o Muerte, nos vencieron!

De aquí para adelante verán como comenzaremos todos a tirar tiros al aire a ver si nos caen los patos. Al final los que podamos nos iremos, unos se marchitarán en las nuevas e infernales prisiones y los que no mueran en los paredones se quedarán a morirse en vida en estas "montañas de felicidad".

Ya verán como encontrarán recuerdos en cada cosa que hoy les parece insignificante, son recuerdos tristes -- que como bien diría mi tío en la poesía que escribiera en su destierro en el año 69 --, desgarran el alma.

LA CASA DE LOS ABUELOS

Cuba treinta y nueve y medio, más tarde cincuenta y tres, moderno doscientos seis; la casa de Santa Clara. ¡Qué tristes son los recuerdos cuando desgarran el alma!

Amplia puerta que da acceso a la acogedora sala; tres ventanas a la calle que llenan de luz y gracia la casa de los abuelos, la casa de Santa Clara.

De madera son las vigas, de barrotes las ventanas; tejas rústicas el techo que lanza chorros de agua por sus roídas canales al patio central de malvas.

Un espejo ovalado refleja las porcelanas y las consolas de mármol, el sofá y las butacas, todos de factura antigua que amueblan la bella sala.

En ausencia del abuelo, preside la santa casa nuestra muy querida abuela, a quien veneran amigos, a quien bendicen mendigos, y sus hijos idolatran.

El toque de las campanas de la vetusta Pastora despierta a sus moradores desde horas muy tempranas. principia así un nuevo día, igual ayer que mañana.

Siempre está abierta la puerta, siempre la acogida es franca para el amigo que llega, para el mendigo que llama, para el extraño que pasa, y a todos afecto alcanza.

Suave y feliz es la vida en aquella vieja casa. el tiempo corre apacible que de bronce un reloj marca. ¡Quién detuviera tu ritmo de presentir la desgracia!

Los días de Nochebuena -- alegría en los mayores bullicio en la muchachada --, reúne allí nuestra abuela a nietos, hijos e hijas y a todos cuantos la aman. ¡Qué triste son los recuerdos cuando desgarran el alma!

Un día sobre la patria se desató la tormenta con fuerza tal, que a su paso todo cuanto encuentra arranca. ¡Qué a tanto llegan el odio, el rencor y la venganza!

¡Cuán triste ha quedado todo! Una soledad que espanta se cierne sobre la casa otrora risueña y clara, llena hoy sólo de recuerdos que hieren cual fiera daga.

Se acabaron las reuniones; se dispersaron las almas; unas hacia el infinito, en busca de eterna calma, otras por el ancho mundo sin rumbo fijo, sin nada.

Fuera de la Patria amada, en el corazón frialdad, en la mente, brumas vagas; pidiendo siempre en el rezo hallar algo que mitigue el vacío, la añoranza.

No hay lugar que nos cobije, no hay consuelo ni esperanza. pasan las horas, los días, y toda ilusión es vana

del regreso a nuestra casa; la casa de Santa Clara. ¡Qué tristes son los recuerdos cuando desgarran el alma!

Armando Alonso García Gainsville, Florida - marzo de 1969

El Hatillo, 29 de enero de 2003

Robert Alonso robertalonso@cantv.net

"El año que viene, nos vemos en Jerusalén."

Nota final: Esto no es un decreto de rendición, ¡es un último alerta!

www.granma.cu Havana. January 26,  2003

CRITICISM of the U.S. administration’s aggressive policy were heard in all the political activities taking place at the 3rd World Social Forum in Porto Alegre where, since before the event’s opening march, there have been constant attacks on the President George W. Bush’s military threats and preparations.

The possibility of a U.S. war on Iraq and its pernicious international consequences are among the main concerns of the 100,000-plus social activists, intellectuals and representatives of political organizations and institutions attending the forum.

Other issues of concern include the neoliberal globalization process to the benefit of the large transnationals, the Free Trade Treaty of the Americas (FTAA) and the external debt.

Referring to the globalization phenomenon, Juan Somavía, secretary general of the International Labor Organization (ILO) affirmed: “Just as the Latin American dictatorships were eradicated one day, globalization too can be changed.” The ILO leader took part in one of the events within the forum, which initiated its debates yesterday and continues until next Tuesday.

The welcoming addresses made reference to an issue that has caused disagreement: the transfer of the World Social Forum to India. Both Joao Verie, the mayor of Porto Alegre, and the governor of the state of Río Grande do Sul lamented that decision, while stating that they would welcome the fourth forum if anything prevented it taking place in India.

In any event, in 2005 Porto Alegre will one again be the venue of this international meeting of social groups, international organizations and progressive and international parties.

THE WORLD IS MISTAKEN

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the president of Brazil, reiterated in Porto Alegre that he is to participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos to state that the world is mistaken, that the political economy is not working well and that the world needs peace, not war. “I cannot miss the opportunity to speak on a global platform to say those things directly,” he added.

In a meeting attended by more than 100 leaders of NGO’S and social movements from all over the world, the Brazilian president stressed that he believes in promoting South American integration.

Meanwhile, in Davos, the possibility of a war against Iraq unleashed by the United States loomed over the opening of the World Economic Council. The issue was mentioned in the opening ceremony by Pascal Couchepin, the Swiss president, and Mahatir bin Mohammed, head of the Malaysian government, who alerted the meeting to the consequences of military action against Iraq. The Malaysian prime minister affirmed that such aggression would result in the death of many innocent people, which would anger many Muslims.

Throughout the Friday session further concerns on the possibility of the war were heard in the speeches of figures with different positions in terms of international events, such as Shimon Peres, former prime minister of Israel; Recep Tayyip, leader of the government party in Turkey; Zoran Djindjic, the prime minister of Serbia; and Salam Fayyard, the Palestinian finance minister.

www.granma.cu Havana. January 26,  2003 • Affirms Lula to tens of thousands attending the 3rd World Social Forum

“WHATEVER is, whatever happens, I will try to fulfill every word promised in the government program that elected me as president of the Republic of this country,” declared Brazil’s leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, addressing tens of thousands of participants in the 3rd World Social Forum at Porto Alegre.

Acclaimed by crowds, Lula warned that governing is like undertaking a Marathon, in that one cannot start at 80 kilometers per hour but take solid, concrete steps in order to complete the mandate with the security of having kept ones word. He went on to allude to the strategy he plans to develop in the international context and added that it would be good to say to the rich nations that instead of producing and wasting money on so many weapons, they should invest those resources in producing beans and rice to kill people’s hunger.

In reference to the possibility of a military conflict, he referred to the trillions of dollars that would be wasted on such a war, with soldiers killing other soldiers, killing innocent people, and, close to here, he stressed, “there are children who look up to beg a plate of food that in many cases is thrown away and not given to them.”

Speaking to Brazilians and the rest of the 100,000-plus participants from more than 100 countries in the Forum, he promised he would not fail them nor leave undone the things that have to be done. He also announced that he is hoping to make his contribution to helping other comrades win elections in other countries, so that the people, for once and for all, begin to elect persons of greater sensibility, who believe it is possible to change the history of humanity.