Seven Oaks Magazine.

Statement signed by 400 intellectuals defending Cuba's sovereignty
August 9, 2006

An open letter has been issued by over 400 intellectuals from 50 countries, demanding that the U.S. government respect Cuba's sovereignty. Initial signatories include writer Noam Chomsky, singer-songwriter Harry Belafonte, actor Danny Glover, as well as Nobel Prize winners Desmond Tutu and José Saramago. The statement is reproduced below in both spanish and english. You can add your signature or your organization's endorsement at http://www.porcuba.org/.

The sovereignty of Cuba must be respected

As a result of the communication of Fidel Castro on his state of health and the provisional delegation of his responsibilities, high ranking U.S officials have formulated more explicit statements about the immediate future of Cuba. The Secretary of ommerce Carlos Gutierrez said that “the moment has arrived for a true transition towards a true democracy” and the White House spokesman Tony Snow said that his government is “ready and eager to provide humanitarian, economic and other aid to the people of Cuba", as was recently reiterated by President Bush.

Already the “Commission for Assistance to a free Cuba”, presided over by the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, pointed out in a report issued on June “the urgency of working today to ensure that the Castro regimen's succession strategy does not succeed” and President Bush indicated that this document “demonstrates that we are actively working for change in Cuba, not simply waiting for change”. The Department of State has emphasized that the plan includes measures that will remain secret “for reasons of national security” and to assure its “effective implementation”.

It is not difficult to imagine the character of such measures and the “announced assistance” if one considers the militarization of the foreign policy of the present American administration and its performance in Iraq.

In front of this increasing threat against the integrity of a nation, and the peace and the security of Latin America and the world, we the signatories listed below demand that the government of the United States respect the sovereignty of Cuba. We must prevent a new aggression at all costs.

A raíz de la comunicación de Fidel Castro sobre su estado de salud y la delegación provisional de sus cargos, altos funcionarios estadounidenses han formulado declaraciones cada vez más explícitas acerca del futuro inmediato de Cuba. El Secretario de Comercio Carlos Gutiérrez opinó que “llegó el momento de una verdadera transición hacia una verdadera democracia” y el vocero de la Casa Blanca Tony Snow dijo que su gobierno está “listo y ansioso para otorgar asistencia humanitaria, económica y de otra naturaleza al pueblo de Cuba", lo que acaba de ser reiterado por el Presidente Bush.

Ya la “Comisión para una Cuba libre”, presidida por la Secretaria de Estado Condoleezza Rice, había destacado en un informe a mediados de junio “la urgencia de trabajar hoy para garantizar que la estrategia de sucesión del régimen de Castro no tenga éxito” y el Presidente Bush señaló que este documento “demuestra que estamos trabajando activamente por un cambio en Cuba, no simplemente esperando a que ocurra”. El Departamento de Estado ha subrayado que el plan incluye medidas que permanecerán secretas “por razones de seguridad nacional” y para asegurar su “efectiva realización”.

No es difícil imaginar el carácter de tales medidas y de la “asistencia” anunciada si se tiene en cuenta la militarización de la política exterior de la actual administración estadounidense y su actuación en Irak.

Ante esta amenaza creciente contra la integridad de una nación, la paz y la seguridad en América Latina y el mundo, los abajo firmantes exigimos que el gobierno de los Estados Unidos respete la soberanía de Cuba. Debemos impedir a toda costa una nueva agresión.