By: Angélica Paredes López
In a complex and dangerous scenario of threats to peace in the region and the world, a new phase begins in Cuba for the Network of Artists and Intellectuals in Defense of Humanity (REDH), created in 2003 by Commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez.
In this context of revitalization, members of the Cuban Chapter, along with members of the REDH from other countries, met this Thursday in Havana with the First Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
At the meeting, attended by prestigious thinkers and writers from Cuba and abroad, as well as representatives of Cuban civil society, renowned intellectual Abel Prieto Jiménez, President of Casa de las Américas, recalled the genesis of this REDH, which was born with the decisive support of Fidel, and later Chávez, in the face of threats from the US government in a fascist global context, amidst the war against Iraq.
Prieto Jiménez reviewed moments from the REDH’s more than 20 years of existence, its challenges in mobilizing international public opinion and generating critical thinking that “puts the truth of our peoples in a visible place, dismantling the campaigns of lies.”
The defense of unity, popular participation, and the historical memory of the people were concepts addressed by Abel Prieto in his speech. “Our battle is for the present, for the future, and also for memory, which is our past,” he asserted.
For his part, Venezuelan philosopher and communicator Miguel Ángel Pérez Pirela—recently elected general coordinator of the Network in Defense of Humanity—assessed the very difficult times facing Caribbean nations with threats of war from the United States government.
“Here we are witnessing neo-fascism, colonialism, expansionism, and imperialism. There are four fundamental elements in terms of political philosophy that characterize this new onslaught,” the analyst asserted.
“The attack is against humanity,” Pérez Pirela stated. In this regard, he noted that in the face of barbarism, we must respond with ideas and solidarity. He also conveyed a message from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros, who was sent to this meeting, where the statesman expressed “the conviction that, with us, they will never succeed.”
At Casa de las Américas, the opinions of the participants in this exchange were heard from the auditorium, with a call to continue joining forces with the REDH at this crucial time for the region and the world, where the coordination of policies and strategies is essential to presenting common positions on different issues.
After more than three hours of debate on the challenges facing progressive forces in the current Latin American and international arena, President Díaz-Canel affirmed that “the revitalization of the REDH in this complex context of threat to humanity, and this meeting in Havana, constitute without a doubt the best tribute to Fidel in the year of his centenary.”
The Head of State commented that artists and intellectuals are a strategic forward front, due to their ability to influence and guide the conscience and subjectivity of peoples.
“That fascism that shows its face of exclusion, discrimination, and apartheid,” he said, “can only be confronted through ideas for humanity.”
“We must defend humanity against the fascist barbarism that is resurfacing alarmingly today,” the president emphasized. “We must defend humanity against hegemony, against cultural colonization, against media manipulation, and against lies,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, he reflected: “I believe that also, as has been expressed here, with a sense of solidarity and integration, and honoring Martí’s maxim, Martí’s vocation that the Homeland is Humanity, we are defending the great Homeland that is Humanity, we are defending all of us; we are defending all of our peoples, all of our cultures, all of our history.”
“From the left, we have the greatest strength: we have the truth, it is on our side,” Díaz-Canel emphasized.
Support for the Bolivarian Revolution in our sister country of Venezuela and the cause of the Palestinian people were reaffirmed by the President of the Republic, who called on us to fight for humanity with love, as Che Guevara taught us.
IMAGE CREDIT: Photo: ACN
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]Diaz-Canel: “We are defending the great homeland that is humanity”
