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Cuba: The unalienable decision
to build socialism
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Text of the speech given by Salvador
Valdés Mesa, CTC general secretary at the central
event for May Day in the Plaza de la Revolución
Comrades from the Party, state, and government
leadership,
Distinguished guests,
Workers; Compatriots
WE
are celebrating this May Day with the joy of doing
so during the year celebrating the 50th anniversary
of the Cuban Revolution and the 70th anniversary of
the founding of the CTC.
A
day like today must also be to celebrate, out loud
and at the height of what we are and how much we
have built through the efforts and sacrifice of
several generations of Cubans, who have been model
protagonists of revolutionary work, taking unity as
the cornerstone of the resistance and victory of our
people.
We
arrive at this glorious date amidst daily work to
eliminate substantial damage suffered last year as a
result of the lashing of three hurricanes, which
became the most destructive in our history. Amidst
the extraordinary effort displayed by workers and
the entire people, who have shown their solidarity,
sacrifice, and will to move forward once again.
The
recovery from the effects on the economy,
infrastructure and housing stock is advancing in a
gradual manner and it will still be necessary to
dedicate much effort and resources to it in the
future in order to heal the wounds that these
natural phenomena inflicted on the country.
Even
more so, at a time when humanity is immersed in a
global economic crisis making the political,
economic and social situation more complex globally,
this impacts on the people, and workers face bleak
prospects from which no country can escape.
In
our case, this is compounded by the effects of the
ironclad economic blockade that the U.S. government
has maintained for almost half a century, with the
obsessive and failed object of destroying the
Revolution.
The
unity and resistance in the face of any obstacle,
which Fidel has formed within us, are pillars on
which the Cuban Revolution is triumphantly erected
and have become the central and constant battle
flags. We will continue supporting with
determination the measures that our government
adopts to reduce the effects of the crisis on the
population.
It
is our task as workers to be in the frontline of
this battle, with a greater dedication to work,
which is the principal source of the creation of
wealth; to raise production and productivity; to
reduce spending and costs; to increase exports and
all the conditions that reduce imports. For the
achievement of these objectives it is imperative to
work with more discipline, with more quality in all
services and develop a culture of saving, as the
most important source of resources within our reach.
Cuba’s prestige is growing. In Latin America,
popular governments are increasing and social
movements are becoming stronger, and we are
broadening and strengthening our relations with
them. We rejoice at the demonstrations of support
and respect expressed by many presidents from the
hemisphere during the recent ALBA and Americas
Summits. It is satisfying to see how wills are
uniting and a genuine program of regional
integration is advancing via the Bolivarian
Alternative for the Americas.
At
this commemoration, we are accompanied by labor
union leaders, leaders of social movements, and
other important figures from all over the world who
wish to celebrate May Day in
Cuba.
We thank them for the gestures of solidarity and
support that they have made throughout the decades
to our people.
We
would like to take the opportunity to express our
fervent thanks to the international labor movement,
workers and solidarity organizations, and all the
people around the world who are organizing events
and supporting the release of the five Cuban heroes
who are unjustly locked away in U.S. prisons.
Workers and compatriots of the capital and the
entire country.
We
raise our flags and our voices so that they make
resound, from one pole of the planet to the other
and from one continent to the other, the inalienable
decision of this extraordinary and combative people
to construct socialism under the leadership of the
Communist Party of Cuba, of Fidel and of Raúl.
You
will never have
Cuba!
Let the parade
begin!
¡Viva el 1ro de
Mayo!
¡Vivan Fidel y
Raúl!
¡Viva Cuba Libre!
Translated by Granma International
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