SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba. – None of us who had the privilege of participating in this action under the guidance of Fidel could dream that we would be in a free, independent and sovereign country today, with a socialist revolution and a united people, the first Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Raul Castro Ruz, said.

When he pronounced the main speech words of the event for the 65th anniversary of the assault on Moncada barracks, he recognized the work of Santiago de Cuba province, under the direction of the first territorial Secretary, Lazaro Exposito, together with the President of the local government, Beatriz Johnson.

A comprehensive work has been deployed on a number of economic fronts, which allowed increasing the supply of goods and services to the people, and there is a progress in the program of housing and prioritized investments of national importance, Raul underlined.

He added there is much left to do to make Santiago a more beautiful, hygienic and disciplined city.

Towards a New Constitution

The first Secretary of the Party, Raul Castro, recalled that four days ago the National Assembly approved the draft Constitution that will be the subject of popular consultation and analyzed again in the Parliament, to elaborate the final text to be submitted to referendum.

The current Constitution, approved 42 years ago in a different national and international scenario, needs to be reformed to include the socio-economic transformations agreed by the Sixth and Seventh Congresses of the Party, Raul said.
He pointed out that a momentous political and democratic exercise begins, the success of which would depend on the active and committed participation of the Cubans.

It must be achieved that each citizen understands the needs of changes in the Constitution and that the irrevocable nature of Socialism is guaranteed, Raul asserted in the event for the 65th anniversary of the assault on Moncada barracks.

A Scenario Full of Complexities

We do not ignore the complexities characterizing the current scenario in the internal and external plans, Army General Raul Castro expressed in the national central act for the feat of Moncada.

He remarked that a tense situation of external finances is maintained as a consequence of the effects on the income expected by export of sugar and tourism caused by a prolonged drought, the devastating Hurricane Irma and events of intense rains out of season first, and then subtropical Storm Alberto.

The Army General explained that was in addition to the reinforcement of the American blockade and its extraterritorial effects that impacted trade and financial transactions.

He reiterated that despite these adverse factors, there was a discreet growth in the economy in the first semester, which was a promising result.

Driving Regional Integration and Unity

The first Secretary of the Party, Army General Raul Castro said the fastest source of resources is saving, something that must stop being a mere slogan to become a norm of conduct.

Raul highlighted that at the beginning of this century, as part of the resistance of the struggle of the peoples against the nefarious effects of the neoliberal models progressive and leftist forces came to power, and promoted the Latin American and Caribbean unity and integration.

In the national act by the July 26 feat, the first Secretary of the Party emphasized the constitution of organizations without the aegis of the United States, like CELAC or UNASUR.

He said that the successful trajectory of CARICOM, and the participation of all its Member States in CELAC, and the Association of Caribbean States and the membership of some in ALBA contributed to the advancement of regional unity.

An Unwavering Faith in Victory

In the face of the resurgence of an adverse scenario, Army General Raul Castro did not rule out that the Cuban Revolution should face new challenges and threats, although he recalled that we have run all risks and resisted unbeaten for 60 years.

For us it is clear that the siege is narrowed, and the people must be alert and prepared to respond to every challenge with unity and unwavering faith in victory, he said.

He added that 65 years after the Moncada´s exploit, with the independence conquered and the permanent presence of Fidel among us, we can affirm that no matter how great the difficulties the people will defend forever the socialist revolution.

History has shown that it was possible, it can be done and will always be, Raul underlined and announced that the national ceremony for the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution will also be in heroic Santiago de Cuba.

A Permanent Subversive Effort against Cuba

Tens of millions of dollars are allocated each year by the U.S. Government to promote subversion to provoke political changes contrary to the constitutional order of our country, Army General Raul Castro asserted.

He denounced that last June an American diplomat, at a meeting of discredited OAS, said that the countries of the continent have to accept that Cuba is the mother of all ills in terms of weakening democracy and human rights in the region.

It is not accidental that in the draft of our Constitution it is reaffirmed that the defense of the Socialist homeland is the greatest honor and supreme duty of every Cuban, sustained in the doctrine of war of all the people, Raul emphasized.

He warned that an adverse scenario has been formed again and the euphoria in our enemies reemerges in their predicament to realize their dream of destroying Cuba´s example.

Unit Can Be Never Neglected

The first Secretary of the Party, Raul Castro, reported that the United States, with the complicity of some governments, has tried to reinvigorate the Organization of American States, OAS, making it the scene of the onslaught against Venezuela.
At the current juncture, the Army General insisted in Santiago de Cuba, the way is never to neglect the unity of the revolutionaries and always keep the fight.

Later in his speech, Raul referred to the recently concluded Sao Paulo Forum, an essential space for political dialogue in the face of the need to redirect the struggle of leftist political forces and social movements.

He reiterated the unchanging solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela, with Nicaragua and its President Daniel Ortega, congratulated Mexico’s elected dignitary, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and claimed the freedom of Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, in Brazil.

Deep Discrepancies with Washington

Army General Raul Castro said that since last August the relations with the United States have been degraded, because it uses the pretext of affectations to the health of its diplomats in a so-called Sonic war whose origin no one has been able to prove or explain.

The first Secretary of the Party denounced the unfair expulsion of 17 officials from the Cuban Embassy in Washington, and the withdrawal of most of the employees of the diplomatic headquarters in Havana, which paralyzes much of the paperwork of visas for Cuban citizens.

He also said the application and extraterritoriality of the US blockade have increased, in particular the pursuit of Cuban financial transactions.

Raul warned the pronouncements of the main officials of the current U.S. Government regarding Cuba are characterized by aggression, interference and manipulation of the historical truth.

Respect for Peace

The first Secretary of the Party highlighted the relevance of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, signed in Havana in 2014, which pledged to respect the inalienable right of every State to choose its political, economic and social system.

In the central ceremony for the Day of National Rebellion, he referred to the methods of unconventional warfare, put into practice by power circles in Washington to hinder the return of progressive governments in the area.

Raul denounced the deployment of monopoly control of the media in the interest of promoting rigged judicial processes, and campaigns of misrepresentation and disrepute against leftist figures.

The Army General highlighted that the right also recovered political power through electoral triumphs in some countries, sometimes fraudulent and sometimes under the protection of political and technological manipulation.

Total Validity of the Monroe Doctrine

The American Government declared a few months ago the total validity of the Monroe Doctrine, which reserves to the Latin American and Caribbean nations a status of dependence and submission to the imperial interests, first Secretary of the Party Raul Castro said in the central act in occasion of July 26.

He pointed out that it is demonstrated by its aggressive and interventionist actions, the deployment of military forces and the incessant search for new bases in the region demonstrate so.

In the ceremony dedicated to the Day of National Rebellion, the Army General remarked that one of Washington´s purposes is to reverse the gains made in the integration and exercise of sovereignty, to impose its racist and supremacist agenda against the peoples.

Similarly, Raul pointed out, the U.S. attacks with a neoliberal offensive to destroy a decade of development in the region.