Juan Grabois leader of Argentinian Patria Grande Front visits Cuba

Images via the PCC

By Wennys Díaz Ballaga, translated from the Spanish

To further develop the friendship and cooperation between the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and Argentina's Patria Grande Front, Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the PCC, welcomed Juan Grabois, the leader and founder of the Argentine political organization, at the Central Committee headquarters in Havana.

Morales Ojeda expressed satisfaction that, during such challenging times, the political leader was able to visit Cuba to show support for the Revolution and to oppose the heightened blockade imposed by the U.S. Government on the island. He also criticized the inclusion of Cuba in the arbitrary list of countries sponsoring terrorism and specifically condemned the impact of the Executive Order that prevents the arrival of fuel supplies to the country.

Grabois's initial visit to Cuba is at the invitation of the PCC. During this visit, he has organized a comprehensive work program, which includes meetings with leaders of the Party's Central Committee, the National Assembly of People's Power, and visits to various institutions of interest in our country.

Later, the Argentine political leader and national deputy spoke to the press, outlining the reasons for his visit to the island amidst the imperial escalation against the peoples of Our America.

"My presence here responds directly to Trump's executive order.It is a political initiative by our group, Patria Grande, as well as numerous men and women from Latin American social movements, aimed at actively condemning a violation of public international law and humanitarian law by physically standing up against it," he said.

He described the measure as a "criminal action" that is part of an offensive against all the peoples of Latin America. He pointed out that Cuba suffers most particularly with "an intolerable blockade," which constitutes "an affront to international law because it is a collective punishment, something sanctioned as a crime against humanity in the Geneva Convention."

In this sense, he was blunt in dismantling the American justification: "It is laughable and falls apart under even minimal scrutiny to claim that Cuba poses a threat to the national security of the world's leading military power. There is no evidence of even the smallest loophole for that. It is simply a legal trick to apply certain legislation."

Grabois stressed the unprecedented nature of the siege and its consequences: "It is basically trying to promote starvation and a food crisis, which the people of Cuba, with the solidarity of other Latin American peoples, will be able to overcome and come out of stronger."

He defined his presence as an act of "reaffirmation of the sovereignty of the peoples, of the need for Latin American unity and of active repudiation against this neocolonial offensive."

The parliamentarian sent a message to the popular movements of the region: "Do not be intimidated. Defending the sovereignty and respect for the self-determination of the Cuban people has political costs, but those who are not willing to pay some cost will never be able to change anything." He regretted that many leaders, intellectuals and artists are today "intimidated by the aggressions on social networks," and urged them to break "the psychological terrorism of the right."

Asked about the role of Argentine President Javier Milei, Grabois was categorical: "Milei is not an ally of Trump, he is Trump's colonial administrator in Argentina. He sells his services in exchange for trampling on the dignity of our country." So much so, he said, that even the diplomatic tradition of voting against the blockade at the United Nations has changed, something that most countries around the world uphold despite their differences.

Regarding the relationship with the Communist Party of Cuba, he mentioned that he would review a cooperation draft upon returning to his country, taking into consideration the distinct identities that enhance the connection. "We have a humanist and Peronist perspective, and there are convergences in emphasizing the importance of the individual and the self-determination of peoples."

He remembered that during his exile, General Perón assisted in breaking the blockade in the 70s, a gesture that should be more widely recognized, just as Pope Francis' respect for Fidel Castro should be. "This is crucial: distinct yet converging identities can mutually enrich one another," he stated.

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC