Conversation with the communist: René González

In May of 2016 six Cuban heroes came to Moscow for the first time. Five of them are known to the whole world as the Cuban Five. This interview, that Ramon Labanino, Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero, Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez gave to the representatives of the Russian Free the Cuban 5 Committee – the Red TV and the Workers University, we named “A talk with a communist”. In the course of the discussion the heroes not only answered various questions about their life in Cuba after being released from jail, but also questions that are important for all of the Russian communist movement: on the development of Cuban revolution, reforms, normalization of Cuba-U.S. relations, on the revolutionary movement in the world and resistance to the imperialist reaction. Questions, which they answered as representatives of their country. As communists.

Correspondent: We are happy to see you in Russia. Please tell us from the point of view of a Cuban, but not an ordinary Cuban, but the like of you. How do you see the possible normalization of relationship between Cuba and the USA?

Rene: It's our fundamental opinion that all the countries in the world should be in good relations, irrespective of their ideologis.
When we send our doctors to help the victims of the earthquakes or hurricanes we do not look at the political ideology of the country. And our doctors do not ask about political views of their patients. According to us it should be so, it is not a question to discuss. All the countries should peacefully coexist and the contradictions between countries should be solved in civilized manner. So recovery of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the USA are in agreement with our position that we have always protected. And we hope that the government of the USA has the same intentions.

Before they sent terrorists to us, used the economic warfare against our country, now they’ll try to act in different manner, to dissociate our society. Their aim is the same and the same capitalists stand behind it. But it is our aim to normalize the relationships between our countries in that manner which would help in developing of our socialism.

Actually it’s a very tricky situation. It’s risky! But we have to go this way, because we can’t build our socialism in isolation from the other world. We can’t build it in the conditions of economical poverty. So we have to try hard to justify our risk and act in that way which would help in development of the socialism.

So we welcome the political changes in the USA. If we act properly, we could use these changes for the sake of our welfare.

Correspondent: What do you think about the economic warfare? When will it be cancelled? The situation in Latin America is getting worse and worse.

Rene: It’s difficult to say something about the time periods. But in current moment we can see the tendency that we are moving in a right direction, which leads us to the cancellation of the economic blocade.

Great importance play the results of the future elections in the USA. If in the Congress would be such balance of the power, which allows the cancellation, it will take only some months. And we have the impression that in both of the USA parties those forces are on the rise, which are interested in it. But on the other side, the issue of the economic warfare of Cuba is not the most important in the internal politics associated with the elections in the USA. Neither future president, nor the Congress that would be formed depend on this issue that much as they depend on the other issues, which are really important for the American voters. So we have to wait for the results of the elections and then we would be able to say something.

But the most important is that we are going to continue building our socialism anyway whether the economic warfare would be cancelled or not. And we have enough patience to wait untill this question would be solved, we shall wait as much as it needed. Of course it is better for both of the countries to solve it as soon as possible.

Correspondent: What is your brightest impression from the visit to Russia?

Rene: As to me the most important is that that kind of revolution which happened in your country never goes tracklessly, it marks an imprint on the souls of the people. October Revolution could be betrayed by some of the elements of the Communist party of the USSR, but it still continues to live in the heart of every Russian, in the form of aspiration towards peace, brotherhood and friendship. I find the way the young generation takes part in it great. They do it natural and with the happiness. They are very attached to their history, they save it and do not allow the others to destroy it. I think Russia would continue to play an important role in preservation of the peace and justice.

Correspondent: We hope that socialism in Cuba would gain the traction. In the last years you were a kind of flagship for us and we hope that our new revolution will follow your experience.

Rene: You have enough examples in the USSR, you do not need anything else.

Correspondent: Small Cuba in last 25 years had to bear the banner of socialistic ideas, without that we would suffer even more.

Rene: I agree with that. When we were in Kremlin we saw that part of history. And we are pretty sure than nobody could expunge it from the memory of the people, nobody can make the people forget their history. And we wish you to save your achievements and on the basis of them to go further. And we shall be by your side.

Correspondent: We are happy to see you again, visit us more often.

Translated by:Natalija Sulejmanova, Andrej Borisov

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