UNMemorandum Cuba:TheOngoingColdWar RalCastro,PresidentofCuba

NavjotVirk,ManpreetVirk,TasnimHussain&MoniyaAhmed

LadiesandGentleman, IgreatlyappreciateeveryoneforhavingmecomeintodaytodiscussCubasrelationstothe ColdWar.IfyouthinkaboutCubasrichhistoryregardingtermssuchasgeography,politicalsystems, humanrights,technologyandeconomics,IbelievethattheColdWarisstillverymuchalivetoday. Politics ThedaythatmybrothertookastandforourcountryisthedaythatCubafinallyfoundavoice. Forover40yearsFulgencioBatistawastheleader,butwhowashefightingfor?Hegaveusnopridein beingCubans,howeverFidelCastrofoughtforus,foughtforourfreedomandforourvoices.My brothersbraveandcourageousactionsinthrowingoverBatistasdictatorshiponlymadeusmore prosperousasacountry.OnceFidelCastrowassworninasourpresident,everythinghedidafterthat wasinthenameandgoodwillofCubaanditscitizens.Thedemocratsmayseeourgovernmentasabad modelwiththewrongchoiceofaleader,butCastrorelievedhispeoplefromthecruelandruthless campaignsofFulgencioBatista. Inhonoringmybrotherandhismemorableachievements,youcannotgowithoutmentioningthe greatErnestoGuevera,alsoknownasCheGuevera.Heplayedavitalroleinourrevolutionaryjourney. UponmeetingFidelCastro,theyorganizedthe26thofJulyMovementwhichinvolvedtheguerillaforce sailingintoCubawiththeintentionoffinallyremovingBatistasdictatorshipinCuba.Thisbattleledby ourheroesmarkedthecomingyearsofrevolutionarystruggleconsumedbytheguerillas.Evenafter winningtherevolutionover,GueveramaintainedhisclosetieswithmybrotherandCubabybecoming presidentoftheNationalBankofCuba,ministeroftheindustry,inadditiontotravellingaroundthe worldasanambassadorofCuba.Also,hesupportedCastroindevelopingaconnectionwith

CommunistRussia.Tothisday,CheGuevaraisseenasasymbolofrebellionandinspiresrevolutions allaroundtheworld.HeisseenasaheroandanidoldespitebeingaMarxist. OurtieswithVenezuelaarestillstrongtothisdayHugoChvezhasbeenwithussincethe beginningandprovidedresourcestoboostoureconomy.Wehavebeenagreathelptothemaswell, byprovidingmedicalaid,developmentassistanceandmanymorewhileinreturnVenezuelasuppliesus withrichresourcesthatareessentialtothiscountryandthatcomefromsuchacloseproximity.When FidelCastrocametopowermostglobalrelationswithCubadeteriorated,howeverthosecountrieswho stuckwithusarewitnessestowhatgreatthingsCommunistCubacando. Overall,withcommunism,ourpeoplehavesomethingtofightforandtheleaderandhispeople areonthesameside,fightingforthesamereasonsandeverythingisinthebestinterestofthecitizens. Althoughthisisn'ttheidealgovernmentsetupthattheU.S.wishesuponus,howeverthethingsthatwe doareonlyinourcitizensbestinterest.Everylawandrestrictionwepassisforthesafetyandwell beingofourcitizensinmind.CommunistCubahasprovedthedemocratswrongbyprosperingtonew heightsandprovidinganidealgovernmenttothepeopleofCuba. HumanRights IhavenoticedthattheU.S.isexaggeratingontheCubanshumanrightsviolationsing ordertomakeCubalookinferiorandtochangeitintoacapitalistcountry.Theywanttoblame itoncommunismwhichtheythinkisthecauseoftakingawaytherightsoftheCubans.Mybrother, FidelCastro,theformerpresidentofCuba,putlimitedfreedomforthepurposeofmakingeveryone equal,tohavenochaos,andtopreventriots.Ourpeopledonothavefreedomofexpression(freedom ofspeechandfreedomofpress)forthebenefitofourcitizens.Forexample,ifagroupofCuban

citizensweretosay,WehateCommunismtoexercisetheirfreedomofexpression,anothergroupin favorofcommunismwouldhaveanargumentthatwouldleadtoahugeproblemthatmightcauseawar tohappeninCuba.Wedon'twantourcountrytosplitintotwoparts. IhaveheardthattheU.S.wroteintheU.S.DepartmentofState2010ReportsHumanRights PracticesandindescribingaboutthelackofCubans'humanrightsinanegativeway.Thereislimited freedom.Cubancitizenscannothavefreedomofexpression(freedomofspeechandfreedomofpress). Peoplecannotsay,Iwantmyrightsorgathertoprotestorwritearticlesabouttheirlackofhuman rights,andiftheydothentheywillbesentencedtojail.Thisistopreventchaosandtostoppeoplefrom fightinginthestreets.Theydonothavefreedomofreligion.TheyarenotallowedtoworshiptheirGod. Thisisforthepurposetopreventpeoplefromhavingreligiousdisagreements.Citizensdonothave freedomofmovement.Theycannotmovetoadifferentplacenortravelorworkwheretheywant.This istopreventthedifficultyofmovingtootherplaces.CamerasareplacedaroundtowatchCubans.This isfortheirgoodtoprotectthemfromfacingdanger.Politicalprisonersarethepeoplewhoareputin prisonbecausetheyhaveopposedorcriticizedthegovernmentoftheirowncountry,bydoingthisthey arejeopardizingthelifestylewehavebuiltforCubans,therefore,placingunnecessarydoubtinCubas people. Thisisjustthewayhowourenemiesthinkaboutusinanegativeway.Theypulloutthe weaknessintermsofhumanrightsinCubabutnotthestrengthofit.Obviouslytheymightthinkthat despiteCubabeinganindependentcountry,itspeopleneverenjoytheirindependence.Ourstrengths includethepeacefulequalityamongthepeople,andnocompetitionbetweenfirmsthatwouldmakea sidetoloseinthecompetitionthatwouldcausethemdownfeelings.Wedocareaboutpeoples

feelings.Ofcourse,itispredictabletoseetheU.S.tryingtooverpowerthepositivesidewithnegative aspects..Theyneglecttospeakaboutmyactionsinlooseningthetightropeofrestrictionsthatwastied alittletootightbymybrotherwhenhewasincharge.Ieasedsomerestrictionsonpersonalfreedoms byliftingbansonmobilephonesandhomecomputerstoletthecitizensofCubatostayintouchwith theirrelativesandfriendsbycontactingwiththembycallingoremailingeachother.Ialsoallowthe CubancitizenstotraveloutofCubaastourists.TherewereninepoliticalprisonersinCubawhowere releasedandsetfreeandtheywereallowedtoflytoSpain. Geography AsthepresidentofCuba,ourgeographyiscriticalformanypurposes.Cubaslocationinthe worldisextremelyhelpfulbecauseitprovidesanabundantamountofresourcesthatcanbeprovidedto therestofthecountriesandthiscreatesmanytrading.DuringtheruleofBatista,theU.S.wastrading withusbutwhenweturnedintoacommunistcountrytheU.S.hadstoppedtradingwithus.Asthe presidentofCuba,IwouldgladlyliketotalkabouttheBayofPigsInvasionwhichtookplaceduring 1961.ThisparticulareventillustrateshowCubasgeographiclocationaffectedwhathappenedduring thisinvasion.DuetoCubabeingveryclosetoFlorida,theU.S.failedtoimplementasuccessfulattack becauseAmericanmilitaryequipmentwassurroundingCuba.ThispreventedtheU.S.fromattacking becausetheircountrywouldbeaffectedaswell. During1962,theU.S.hadfoundoutabouttheSovietUnionplantingnuclearweaponsinCuba thatcouldbeextremelydestructiveandcouldhaveattackedtheU.S.inaneasierandfasterway.Butas timeprogressedbytheSovietUnion,theU.S.fearedtheirsuperioritywouldsoonbeinquestionand statedthatthemissileswerenondestructivebuttheSovietUnionwaslying.PresidentKennedylater

announcedifanymissilelaunchthatgeneratedfromCubathattraveledtowardstheWestern HemispherewouldbeseenasathreatandtheU.S.wouldtakefurtheractionsupontheSovietUnion becausetheyplantedthosemissiles.TheSovietUnionhelpedusgaincontrolofourlandandour independencebeforetheU.S.invaded.TheSovietUniondecidedtoremoveallthenuclearweapons fromourland,iftheU.S.wouldpromisenoinvasionofournation.Beinganislandlocatednearthe AtlanticOceanandFlorida,oneofthemanystatesoftheU.S.andbeholdingweaponryofgreat disasterwouldbeseenasathreattotheU.S. Technology Beingacommunistgovernmenthasbroughtmanyaccomplishmentsforus.IthashelpedCuba prosperparticularlyduringourinvolvementintheCubanMissileCrisis.Duringthistimeinhistory, Russiasawourgeographicalpotentialandplannedtoplacemissilesonourland.TheU.S.sawthisasa threatandwarnedtotakemilitaryactionstowardscommunismasawhole.Onthecontrary,itwasn'tin ourplanstoeverthreatenthedemocraticsuperpowerlikethat.However,thiseventshowcasedour capablepowerandconnectionsthatcouldhavecausedapossiblethreatifneeded. Asanation,wetryourbesttopreservetheyoungmindsofmanychildrenandtheolder citizens,onlytohelpprovideourpeopleabetterfuture.Withouttheuseofwordsagainstour government,thenextgenerationsareguaranteedacountrywithnocivilorrebelliouswar.Thecensoring ofcertainmediamayseemlikeabadthingformanycapitalistcountries,howevereverythingisdonefor thesafetyofourcitizens.Inrecentyears,Ihaveliftedthestrictbanswehaveontechnologythatmy brotherpreviouslysetonCuba.Iunderstandtheneedtokeepupwiththeconstantchangeof technologyandnow,mypeoplehavemorepersonalfreedombutarestillcontrolledtocertain

boundaries. Economics Cuba'seconomyasalwayscannotbecomplainedabout.Ourcountryplansitsowneconomy, alsoknowntomanyasacommandeconomy.ThenativesofCubaareemployedbyourcountry,which manysayisoutrageousstepsforustotakeasacountry.However,ourcountrylacksunemployment ratesasmanyhavealargeamountofunemployedcitizens.Ourtypeofgovernmentmightnotplease outsidersbuttous,itisideal.Ithelpskeepeveryonefinanciallyequalasanotherpersonandprevents jealousyamongstoneanotherbecauseasacommunistcountry,wetryourbesttokeepourcitizens unitedandhappylivingamongoneanother. Althoughwedonttradealotwithothercountries,wehaveathrivingrelationshipwith Venezuela.Recently,asmanyofyoumayknow,wehavemadea$3.2billiontradingdealwith Venezuela.WehavealsodecidedtobuyconsumergoodsfromVenezuelasuchasclothing,foodand otherproductsthatVenezuelaisknownfor.AsImentionedbefore,Venezuelaisanimportantfactor thathelpedtobuildoureconomybecausebeingacommunistcountrieshelpedstrengtheneachotheras countriesandbecomeabettergovernment.Eversincemybrother,Fidelsrulewehavehadarich historywithVenezuelaintermsoftrading.We,togetherhavesuccessfuloilcompanies,military,and healthcare,whicharenotprovidedformanycitizenswhodwellinothercountries. OncetheU.S.foundoutwehadbecomeacommunistnation,thingswerealright,howeverin termsoftrading,webegantohavesometrouble.BeforeFidelsrule,theU.S.supportedBatistaand helpedaidourcountryeconomicallyandfinancially.TheU.S.placedatradeembargouponusbecause theydidntwantanythingtodowithanycommunistcountry.Thismadeourcountryseconomyto

decreaserapidlyandbeingnewtothecommunistwayofthinkingandgovernment,Venezuelawasour rock.Theyhelpedusregainoureconomyandbecomeamorestableandbettergovernment. ToconcludemypartinthisUNSummit,allaspectsofpolitics,humanrights,geography, technologyandeconomyplayedavitalroleinourhistorytoshapeCommunisminCubainthepastand aswellastoday.Communismhasalwaysbeendowngradedandputdownuponhowever,Ibelieve ourhistoryandachievementsallowforadifferentperspectiveonCommunism.Muchoftheeventsthat occurredduringFidelCastrostimestillimpactustodayinourdecisionsandrelationshipswithother countries.Asyoucanseetoday,Cubaisproudofitspastandhopestocontinuetoprosperwith communismstillbeingpartofourname.