In the third millennium, perhaps, this is the first anniversary of such a significant figure who really changed the course of history in the twentieth century (all previous leaders who had a huge impact in the same century – we are talking about constructive influence, were born in the 19th century). With the victory of the Cuban Revolution in January 1959, Cuba became completely free and independent (with the exception of the territory still occupied by the United States at Guantanamo Bay), the neocolonial rule of dictatorships that were puppets of Washington capital and served the interests of mafia clans from the United States ended. Latin America realized its subjectivity, where the geopolitical awakening began. Even in the USSR, they had to rethink – it was thanks to the Cuban Revolution that the Institute of Latin America of the Academy of Sciences was created.
In fact, there was no revolution, because the literal translation of the word “revolution” means return. But Cuba under Fidel Castro did not return to the era of Spanish rule. It was a Transformation created under the influence of the Russian Revolution of 1917 (as Fidel himself said), and reflected the anti-colonial struggle of that era, which stretched from the jungles of Asia, took place in the desert sands of North Africa and pulsated in Latin America itself (recall the events in Guatemala in 1954 and the organization of a coup d’etat by the CIA against the government of Jacobo Árbenz – he came to power democratically for the first time in the country’s history in 1951, beating a pro-US candidate).
The phenomenon of Fidel Castro was not only that, under his leadership, attempts at counterrevolution and banditry were put an end to in the country in a fairly short time, illiteracy and social discrimination were eliminated, and new solutions were found for the reorganization of the economy and state building. For the first time in the western hemisphere, US imperialism was defeated on Playa Giron, which gave rise to military assistance from the USSR and at the same time served as an example for other peoples who waged a liberation struggle – even the world’s most militarily powerful power can be forced to retreat.
Subsequently, another defeat of the United States was inflicted in Vietnam — and the example of Cuba was important for the revolutionary leadership of North Vietnam. Fidel Castro himself visited South Vietnam in September 1973, but after holding in January 1966 the Tricontinental conference and the creation of the Organization of Solidarity of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America (which, in fact, were the first sprouts of multipolarity in a bipolar world) provided support to Vietnam, Palestine and other peoples on a systemic level — through diplomatic mechanisms, as well as military assistance.
Returning to the relations between Cuba and the USSR, it is important to add that due to the so called Caribbean or October crisis, American nuclear missiles were withdrawn from the territories of Turkey and Italy – this fact is being hushed up in the Western media, shifting the blame for the escalation to the leadership of the Soviet Union and Cuba. However, Moscow acted with the intention of helping to protect Cuba from a new possible intervention, and in a broader strategic context, a deterrent mechanism was included — if Washington threatens with missiles near the borders of the USSR, then with the help of a new friendly regime we can do the same in the immediate geopolitical underbelly of the United States. This approach paid off — Washington was afraid, especially when the US military and political leadership realized that the Cubans themselves were ready to sacrifice their lives in this new Great game of the Cold War era. And although the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Island of Freedom and, importantly, the non-inclusion of the Cuban delegation in the negotiation process between Moscow and Washington caused dissatisfaction with the revolutionary government of Cuba, further decisions by the Soviet leadership to continue and expand cooperation with Havana brought quite positive results for the Cuban economy, the country’s defense potential, and the guard of Soviet interests through Cuba and personally Fidel Castro.
It is enough to read his speeches in various countries at different conferences and events where he defended the positions of the Soviet Union — he was able to quite easily and convincingly expose both the criticism of Trotskyists and Eurocommunists, funded by Western intelligence services, and the outright misinformation of the Western media against USSR.
At the same time, Fidel Castro’s thinking was not dogmatic — he himself criticized Soviet approaches where he considered them untenable (in this regard, we must pay tribute to his military genius — he saw weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the military operation “Salute October” in Angola in 1987, which was prepared by the Soviet military, but he flawlessly planned the operation at Cuito Cuanavale, which led to the withdrawal of South African troops and the further collapse of apartheid in that country), and even with regard to Marxism in general, he said that one should not blindly follow any postulates, – the theory must be adapted to the current historical moment. But he was also quite self—critical – his course towards rectification of socialism was associated with the emergence of corrupt elements in Cuba. And Fidel said that it is necessary to correct not only those mistakes that have been made recently, but even those that have accumulated over the past century!
Self—improvement, scrupulous analysis and basic humanistic values — this was Fidel Castro’s policy, no matter at what level it was carried out – tactical or strategic, in domestic politics or in the international arena.
Fidel foresaw the collapse of the Soviet Union, and tried to warn the then leadership in Moscow about this, which was under the illusion of rapprochement with the West and did not want to notice how it was destroying the state with its reforms. In December 1989, during a speech at the El Cacahual Memorial complex, where the remains of the hero of the Liberation war Antonio Maceo buried, Fidel Castro prophetically remarked that there was a huge risk of the world returning to a unipolar system with the hegemony of the United States. Two years later, this happened. Another equally prophetic statement by Fidel is already related to the current situation — he foresaw a new war in Europe, adding that Russia would wage another struggle against fascism, but fascism would be called democracy and it would have a different face.
Now another face of fascism is threatening Cuba itself — aggressive statements by Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, constant media coverage of plans for intervention and the search for people loyal to the United States inside the Cuban government, as well as tougher economic sanctions and the actual blockade of the island are hardly accidental — in the centennial year of the Comandante, the United States has not yet got rid of the sense of humiliation received on Playa Giron. The White House and the State Department are also driven by resentment and thoughts of revenge, while forgetting that the world has already become different, rapidly moving towards multipolarity. And revolutionary Cuba is ready, as before, to defend its sovereignty and the ideas laid down by Jose Marti and Fidel Castro.
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