Solidarity must be written in material reality – Cuban ambassador

The ambassador praised PCS for its two decades of affiliation with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. She framed the relationship as a shared ideological battle, stating: "We stand here today not merely as a diplomatic representative... but as a fellow worker and an equal partner in this historic, global struggle for dignity, social justice, and the preservation of the public good."

She commended the union's practical internationalism, specifically noting the fundraising efforts of the Cuba Vivé appeal and the involvement of the PCS Young Members' Network in the May Day Brigade. The ambassador noted that both nations share a core belief in comprehensive public services, quoting the motto of the National Union of Public Sector Workers in Cuba: "With our services, we make revolution."

A significant portion of the address detailed the current economic crisis in Cuba. The ambassador attributed this directly to US foreign policy. She explicitly rejected the term 'embargo' to describe the situation.

"We must call this what it is," she stated. "This is not just an embargo, as they try to get us to call it. This is economic warfare. And more recently, this is an oil siege against Cuba."

Deep concern and pain

Ambassador Vargas Walter detailed the material consequences of these restrictions on Cuba's healthcare system. She noted that the lack of access to diagnostic tools, pharmaceutical components, and paediatric supplies has had severe outcomes. She remarked: "...we have watched with deep concern and pain as our infant mortality rate doubled. This is not the failure of Cuban medicine. This is the direct casualty of international geopolitical pressure."

Despite these challenges, the address emphasised proactive infrastructure development. The Ambassador outlined a rapid transition towards renewable energy. She noted that public sector workers are currently constructing 92 solar parks across the country, aiming to add two gigawatts of clean domestic energy to the national grid by 2028.

"We are not merely enduring this crisis with passive resilience," she declared. "We are actively engineering our way out of it."

The speech concluded with a direct appeal to British workers to amplify the Cuban perspective, correct prevailing media narratives, and maintain their vital support.

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