The Toronto Star published an editorial today, March 4th, entitled “
As the Castros bow out, Canada can help spur Cuban reform” (
on the hardcopy: “After Castro Aid Reform in Cuba”), which is filled with blatant lies and groundless attacks against revolutionary Cuba.
The types of fabrications exemplified in this editorial, are the
building blocks used to lay the foundation for the propaganda campaigns
launched repeatedly in the never ending and desperate attempts of
discrediting the Cuban Revolution and all its outstanding achievements.
The spreading of lies and misinformation, such as the publication of
this editorial, which unequivocally intends to establish a biased point
of view against Cuba amongst the general public in Canada, must be
repudiated and the truth must be brought to light.
The following information, addresses some of the fabrications and
misrepresentations contained in this particular editorial, in the hopes
of educating all those who share the responsibility in having mislead
their readers by deciding to publish it.
1. “... he and his ailing brother Fidel will have ruled the island nation for nearly six decades.”
The fact is that Fidel and Raul Castro were the founders of a
revolutionary movement which defeated the U.S.-installed Batista
dictatorship. They have not pocketed money and enriched themselves at
the expense of the tax payers as some members of the Senate in Canada
have shamelessly done. The length of time that Fidel and Raul Castro
have stayed in office is a direct result of the respect that Cuban
people have for them, acknowledging the sacrifices they made and putting
their trust in their leadership.
2. The Vice-President of Cuba’s Council of
State, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, elected just a few weeks ago by
Cuba’s National Assembly, is an indication that Cuban society was not
and is not ruled by a “clique” but by devoted revolutionaries
represented in all generations of Cuba. The fact that Cuba’s new
National Assembly counts on 48.86% of its membership being women and on
an average age 48, are the strengths of a revolution and speak volumes
about the new role of women and youth in society.
3. “The embargo served only to give the regime a pretext to jail dissidents under the guise of defending the revolution.” Is
the Toronto Star referring to the people who have been proven to have
been on the payroll of the U.S. government, serving their role in the
U.S. administration’s goal of trying to destroy the Cuban people’s
accomplishments and of trying to overthrow the Cuban government.
4. How is it possible for the Toronto Star to
not mention the terrorist organizations based in Southern Florida, which
carry out bombings and other criminal attacks against Cuba, while their
members, such as the self-confessed noted terrorist (as per a 1998 New
York Times interview) Posada Carriles, walk the streets of Miami
freely? And how is it possible that the Toronto Star also doesn’t
mention the fact that, just a few years ago, the Government of Canada
helped quash a resolution demanding his extradition to Venezuela at the
Organization of American States, to face justice for the blowing up a
Cuban Airliner in 1976, which killed 73 innocent people? Needless to
say that there was also not a single word about the Cuban Five
anti-terrorists who have been held behind bars in the U.S. for the
“crime” of fighting terrorism since 1998!
5. The Cuban people are not dying of hunger and
are not left to fend for themselves! In fact, at this very moment, Cuba
is training about 19,000 young people from around the world to become
medical doctors free of charge, amongst them is the first one from
Toronto by the name of Nabeel Yar Khan. Needless to mention a 1000
strong Pakistani youth, who are becoming doctors in Cuba, while Canada’s
allies are bringing death to the children of Afghanistan and Pakistan
by their blind drone attacks!
6. For the sake of brevity, here is a quick glance at Cuba:
- a life expectancy of 79.8 years
- an
average infant mortality rate of approximately 5 per 1000 births
(amongst the lowest in the world and, of course, better than the U.S.)
- an average literacy at the grade 10 level, which is amongst the highest in the world)
- art schools availability throughout Cuba, free of charge
- and the list goes on
We are ready to
debate the editorial board of the Toronto Star at anytime and anywhere
in this city, so that the truth may be told, the lies be exposed and
offering the Toronto Star the opportunity of conducting some sincere and
honest journalism
7. Cuba has no need to become a member of the
OAS, as it is carrying out its duties of the presidency of CELAC, which
does not include Canada or the United States.
8.
The genocidal blockade has not cost Cuba 100 billion dollars but,
rather, more than 970 billion dollars. In addition to the fact that
quite a number of patients have died due to the restriction in obtaining
medicine and/or medical supplies as a direct result of the criminal
blockade.
We hope that the Toronto Star will find the courage of providing its readers with the factual truths included in this letter.
Sincerely,
Morteza Gorgzadeh
Toronto Forum on Cuba
www.torontoforumoncuba.com
torontoforumoncuba@rogers.com
