The birth centenary of Cuban leader Fidel Castro was celebrated in a grand manner in Chennai on August 13. The occasion was marked by, among other things, cultural performances, photo exhibition and addresses by leaders of the Cuba Solidarity Movement.

The attacks on Cuba have intensified since January 2026, with the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro and his wife from Caracas by the US in the dead of the night on January 3. Then, US President Donald Trump turned his sight towards Cuba. Not only that, he actually seeks to control the strategic natural resources and rare minerals all over the world. Cuba did not get even a drop of crude oil after March this year. The US sanctions have been intensified and the blockade has become very stringent sending the economic activity of Cuba almost to a grinding halt. 

If we see the background of these developments, the necessity for strengthening the solidarity movement will be earnestly felt. In the backdrop of socialism facing a setback in the late eighties of the last century, and with the end of hostilities in the so-called Cold War period, imperialism got its hands strengthened. Over the past three decades a systematic dismantling of the world order, thitherto existing in the post-world war period, is being seen with disbelief.

Trump, now in his second term as the US president, cleverly manipulates the institutional frameworks of the old order to suit his imperial designs. In this stage of hyper imperialism, targeted ideological attack on socialism, in general, and centering its focus on Socialist Cuba is perceptible. 

Cuba has not provoked any State, leave alone the US. Cuba did not do anything to unsettle the American society nor its people’s lives. However, the US is wrecking vengeance on Cuba only for the reason that it is socialist and it is sitting strategically above the Caribbean Sea at a distance of 90 miles from the shores of the US borders.

The US had imposed economic sanctions on Cuba since 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis times. Soviet Russia, socialist countries and the entire third world stoutly supported Socialist Cuba all along. Defying sanctions and economic blockade she had made greater strides in many fields. Now, with the fast changing international political situation, imperialism has strengthened to tighten its strangulation of Cuba. 

Worldwide, nowadays the name of Cuba, the Socialist Republic of Cuba, is in the news more often than not. Cuba is treated as a whipping nation for the ideological conflict, about which the US is blatant. The contradiction between imperialism and socialism is getting sharpened day by day and imperialism is opening multiple fronts against China, North Korea, Cuba and others. They want to contain China in world affairs unsuccessfully so far. But, instead they think that Cuba is their soft target. 

In this background, the National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba (NCSC) in Tamil Nadu decided to conduct a Cuba solidarity movement along with the celebrations of Fidel Castro’s birth centenary. It was planned as a cultural evening too. 

The meeting at Sir Pitty Thyagarayar Hall in T Nagar, Chennai, was preceded by colourful cultural events and a photo exhibition which was inaugurated by former Rajya Sabha member T K Rangarajan, a senior leader of the CPI(M).

A short film by the Comrade Talkies, depicting the struggle of the Cuban people and the contributions made by Fidel, Che Guevara and others in the 1959 revolution and after was screened initially.

NCSC Tamil Nadu president Rohini presided over the formal programme. C P Krishnan, treasurer, welcomed the gathering. Sahitya Academy Award winning writer Tamilselvan, leader of TNPWAA, emotionally connected the mood of the audience with their commitment and solidarity towards the Cuban Revolution. He paid rich tributes to Fidel and his contributions.

Sonya Surabhi Gupta, an expert in Latin American studies, gave an elaborate address about the geopolitical developments and the current situation in Cuba. She historically explained what was happening in Latin America in the past and the current developments there, with a special reference to Cuba.

Ambassador of Cuba to India Juan Carlos Marsan Aguilera, his deputy Guadalupe De Regal Frometa Gomez, and Rajasekar, former Ambassador of India to Cuba, graced the occasion.

CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam, in his brief concluding address, recalled the long association of the party in the Cuba Solidarity Movement and expressed their continued strong commitment to the solidarity movement as ever. Theekkadir daily brought out a special edition commemorating the event.

Cuba has been a source of inspiration for the militant youth of the nation who dream big about the Indian Socialist Revolution; Cuba may continue to remain so till it is accomplished. “Socialist Cuba! We are with you” was the slogan reverberating in everyone’s ears, well after the meeting was over.