TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE COALITION OF UNITED STATES ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST FOREIGN MILITARY BASES (Jan. 12 – 14, 2018, Baltimore)
Dear friends,
World peace is seriously threatened by the actions of imperialism and its NATO allies, who insist on establishing a new geopolitical global order in favor of their illegitimate interests of domination.
Humankind continues to watch astounded the military interventions carried out openly or slyly in several nations and the regrettable consequences of death, destruction and poverty that they produce among the peoples. In addition to it is the terrible phenomenon of terrorism that, in a certain way plays their game and propitiates imperialist ambitions.
Another equally tragic consequence has been the disorderly migration of thousands of people trying to escape from war and terrorist actions. This has become a phenomenon of great magnitude that has caused the death of hundreds of people at sea and the neglect and slovenliness of many of the nations to which they manage to arrive.
On the other hand, the capitalist economic crisis threatens with recycling and reinstalling the neo-liberal model that had endured retreats in many parts of the planet.
A first-rank role in the enforcement of that whole imperial strategy is played by the military bases and installations of the United States and its European allies in numerous countries from all continents, with the approval of submitted governments. These installations become outposts for aggressions and interventions against many nations, as well as ignominious controllers of the will of independence and sovereignty of their peoples.
There are numerous and regrettable examples of violations of the peoples’ rights caused by the foreign military bases and installations, which have likewise been usurpers of the sovereignty and genuine independence of the nations where they have been set up.
The Proclaim of Latin America and the Caribbean as Peace Zone, approved by all the Heads of State and Government of our region during the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Havana, in January 2014, is in full effect today. It is necessary that all the peoples become aware that a peace zone is not just a zone without wars, but also a zone of economic progress, of justice and social dignity, and of independence and sovereignty.
Under such circumstances, it is essential that all peace-loving peoples strengthen the unity of action and coordination to strongly denounce the presence and actions of foreign military bases and convoke the peoples to express themselves against the permanence of those aggressive installations.
Therefore, the Cuban Movement for Peace and the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MOVPAZ) salutes and supports enthusiastically the healthy initiative of the United States Peace Council (USPC) of promoting the creation of a Coalition of United States Organizations against the foreign military bases and the celebration of their National Conference.
Cuba has the sad merit of having part of its territory illegally occupied by the oldest Naval Base of the United States in the world, against the sovereign will of its people
Hence, the sustained Cuban claim to the United States for the return of the illegally occupied territory of Guantanamo Naval Base is an essential issue and a matter of principles for Cuba that has been recognized by the huge majority of the international community, together with the claim for the lifting of the economic, financial and commercial blockade.
In May 2017, the province of Guantanamo and its homonymous capital again was the venue of the 5th International Seminar for Peace and against Foreign Military Bases. On that occasion, the seminar brought together more than 250 peace activists, a good many of them from the United States, who joined that just claim of the Cuban people.
We hope to have your presence again in 2019 when we will be celebrating the 6th Seminar, as well as your support in solidarity as peace friends from the United States.
Comrades and friends,
MOVPAZ shares the purposes and objectives that the Coalition seeks to achieve with this National Conference. We declare our readiness to subscribe and endorse the documents and results that emerge from such important meeting, given their relevance for our common struggle against the presence of foreign military bases in our region and worldwide.
Cuba is grateful for the just selection of February 23 as International Day against the Military Bases, since it was precisely on that historical day of 1903 that the first U.S. base outside its national territory was established.
We fervently wish you the greatest success in your deliberations, and we express our conviction that the actions that will derive from the Conference will be a landmark for world peace and consequently a new step of advancement in the peoples’ global struggle against imperialism .
Peace greetings,
Silvio Platero
President
