Defending Cuba

Prominent intellectuals and artists
in defense of Cuba
• Architect Oscar Niemeyer, diplomat and priest Miguel D’ Escoto, philosopher Istvan Meszaros, and various famous musicians condemn the anti-Cuba media campaign Cuba • Asian solidarity organizations reject interference of European Parliament

Pedro de la Hoz

THE media campaign recently unleashed against Cuba has been met with a forceful response from prominent intellectuals and artists, who are calling for respect for the island’s sovereignty and a commitment to the strict truth surrounding events that have been manipulated and distorted by those – one example being European Parliament MPs – who are trying to revert Cuba’s history.

Architect Oscar Niemeyer Puerto Ricans Roy Brown

The most recent additions to the statement "In defense of Cuba," an initiative from the Mexican chapter of the network In Defense of Humanity, include Brazilian Oscar Niemeyer, a leading figure in global architecture of the last century; Nicaraguan diplomat and priest Miguel D’ Escoto, former president of the UN General Assembly; Hungarian philosopher Istvan Meszaros; Puerto Rican independence advocate Rafael Cancel Miranda; and Spanish novelist Juan Madrid.

A group of well-known musicians who have defined generations with their songs also agree with the description of European interference "not only as an act of interference, which we condemn in virtue of our commitment to the principles of non-intervention and self-determination," but also as the imposition of "a sole model of democracy that, incidentally, is revealing itself to be increasingly insufficient and questionable." They include Uruguayan Daniel Viglietti, Dominican Víctor Víctor, Nicaraguan Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy, Puerto Ricans Roy Brown and Danny Rivera, Argentines Víctor Heredia and Raly Barrionuevo, and Paraguyan Ricardo Flecha.

Lucid and honest voices from the United States – the political analyst Michael Parenti, filmmaker Saul Landau, anthropologist James Early, Italian-American essayist Piero Gleijeses, and actor Danny Glover – all signed the statement which states that "the economic and media harassment to which Cuba is being subjected constitutes an attack on the human and political rights of a nation that decided to take a different road."

Bolivian filmmaker Jorge Sanjinés, his Mexican colleague Jorge Fons, Argentine novelist Vicente Battista, and Spanish dramatist Jaime Losada share the same conviction.

A total of 197 representatives from 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific declared themselves "In defense of Cuba" in a solidarity meeting that took place in Vientiane, the Laotian capital. Among those attending were ministers and parliamentarians from 10 countries. They refuted the interference of European MPs and argued Cuba’s right to construct a just and humane society.