The appearance of Fidel Castro on Cuban television shows him as still being alert and concerned about key issues. He speaks about the serious situation in which mankind finds itself referring to the imminent Copenhagen Conference when a statement is due about just this.
Anyone who looks at the Cuban publication “Granma” will already realised that Castro remains an interested observer and commentator on current affairs, and his views from years of experience on the international stage adds a considerable dimension to his thoughts.
While Cuba’s influence on other countries, notably in the Caribbean and southern Americas, providing humanitarian aid, the alternative to the sick world of Capitalism gives hope and inspiration to all of us.

I have not been keeping an eye on what is happening in South America as the western press are pretty dismissive of the world outside global capitalism. Whether China fits into that category is a moot point and what I’ve seen of intervention in African countries it can seem like neo-colonialism. However a report in Al-Jazeera shows Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales watching the launch of a satellite which the Chinese have launched on behalf of Venezuela to enhance the country’s telecommunication capability..

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Che Guevara’s daughter is visiting the UK and the Guardian has interviewed her.
The piece has some fascinating information about a highly secret visit to Cuba by Che and is revealing how she follows his example and demonstrates how Cuba alone has withstood US domination, particularly in the so-called “backyard”.

In his reflections Fidel Castro continues to talk about important aspects of history which throw a rather different perspective to that we are attuned to through western media. As far as he is concerned Carter was the most responsive in the years of blockade of Cuba. It also reveals Cuba’s attitude to ensuring its neighbours had a fair deal, in fishing agreements for example, although it might mean additional hardship for Cuba itself.
Cuba these days has won respect throughout Latin America as in the numerous countries across the globe which have benefited from the expertise of Cuba in areas such as health and education.

An article in the Cuban press, Granma, under the heading Reflections of Fidel, has pointed to the ongoing struggles in Bolivia. As was the case in Venezuela, the Bolivian media is still controlled by forces opposing the government of Evo Morales and their representatives in parliament are blocking continuing reforms and it seems elections due later this year. Morales has gone on hunger strike in protest at their actions.
Bolivia has introduced health care for all its people in a very short space of time and moved to put an end to illiteracy for the many indigenous people who have suffered centuries of oppression under colonial rule.

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Brown stopped off in Brazil on his globe trot in advance of the G20 summit in London next week. The President, known as Lula, while not dismissing Brown’s mission asked pointedly why the poor had to pay for the mistakes of the bankers. They by and large were not representative of many oppressed people, largely black or Indian and impoverished, they were white Europeans who claimed to know all about economics. Now it was clear they knew nothing about economics.
The sentiment is now widespread in the Latin American world where country after country has elected socialist leaders with Cuba a prominent voice in the region. So much of the moves to improve health and education have been inspired by the Cuban example, and probably teachers and doctors from Cuba have been working inm those countries.

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