Norberto Codina, a Cuban poet and editor of the magazine La Gaceta de Cuba, has begun a speaking tour of several U.S. cities. His first stop is the Latin American Studies Association (LASA) conference in Washington, D.C.
LASA president Cynthia McClintock, the many other professors and student representatives who extended an invitation to the Cuban poet, and the Norberto Codina Lectures Committee deserve praise for their success in obtaining a visa for the well-known leader of the Cuban union of writers and artists. Many Cubans who identify with the socialist revolution in their country are denied entry into the United States as part of Washington's unceasing cold war against Cuba. So this victory is a cause for celebration.
Young people, workers, farmers, and all those who abhor Wall Street's efforts to bring the Cuban people to their knees now have an important opportunity to learn about the Cuban revolution by meeting the renowned poet.
Building participation at campus meetings, poetry readings, encounters with working people, and other events during the tour will help thousands of youth and others to find out the truth about Cuba and broaden opposition to the U.S. economic war against the people of the island.
The visit by Codina coincides with efforts by affiliates of the National Network on Cuba to build regional mobilizations in Chicago and San Francisco October 14, as well as local actions in several other cities on that date, and in New York City October 21. These marches and rallies will demand an end to the U.S. embargo of Cuba, lifting Washington's travel ban, normalization of relations between the two countries, and respect for Cuba's right to self- determination.
The October mobilizations have the potential to attract youth and working people as Cuba continues to be in the news because of the ongoing debate and divisions within U.S. ruling circles over how best to weaken and eventually overthrow the Cuban revolution. The Helms-Burton bill, which would significantly tighten the U.S. embargo, was recently approved by a sizable bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives. It is soon slated to come up for debate in the Senate. The protests in October will help broaden opposition to this bill and other bipartisan policies by Washington against the Cuban people.
Many of those who will be attracted to meetings for Norberto Codina can help swell the ranks of protesters at the October actions.
Supporters of his tour must also grab the opportunity to sell dozens of subscriptions to the magazine Codina edits - La Gaceta de Cuba, published six times a year by the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC).
La Gaceta is a leading forum for discussion on culture, politics, and the challenges facing the Cuban revolution today. Its pages reflect the wide range of viewpoints being considered and debated in Cuba and throughout the Americas.
Recent issues of the magazine have included:
an exchange of articles on Cuba's cultural policy, its
history, and the political debates that have surrounded it
since the early years of the revolution;
discussion on the need for a fresh examination of Marxism, freed from the straitjacket of concepts copied from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe;
an interview with film director Tomás Gutiérrez Alea discussing his award-winning film Strawberry and Chocolate and questions of artistic freedom;
articles by and interviews with prominent writers, musicians, artists, and political figures such as UNEAC president Abel Prieto and singers Silvio Rodríguez and Carlos Varela;
news of recent developments in Cuban literature, music, and the visual arts;
plus essays, short stories, and poems.
Because of a tiny but important exemption in the U.S. economic embargo, which allows trade in educational materials, Cuban books and magazines can be imported and sold freely in the United States. Let's take advantage of it and spread the message of this invaluable publication. Significantly expanding the readership of La Gaceta will be an important aid to the fighting people of Cuba. The tour of its editor is the perfect opportunity to make big headway toward this goal. (For information on how to subscribe see ad on page 9.)
All out to build support for and participation in meetings for Norberto Codina and to sell subscriptions to La Gaceta!