Pinarayi Vijayan’s Visit to Cuba

KERALA chief minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan was in Cuba for a three-day tour starting June 14, the 95th birth anniversary of legendary revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara who played a pivotal role along with Fidel Castro in building socialism in the Caribbean nation. Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit coincides with the fresh round of economic crisis that has engulfed Cuba in the face of the decades-long blockade imposed by American imperialists who have made their positions more rigid for petty electoral reasons back home, and in flagrant violation of repeated UN resolutions calling for an end to sanctions on Cuba.

From the moment he landed at the José Martí international airport in Havana, Pinarayi told communist leaders who had turned up to receive him along with others that CPI(M) is solidly behind socialist Cuba. He said he and his party admire the will and endurance of the Cuban people who have fought against seemingly insurmountable odds to not only keep the flame of socialism alive but also forge ahead in innumerable fronts, especially biotech, healthcare, sports and education, among others.

Pinarayi – the first chief minister in India to have visited Cuba – led a delegation of ministers and top level officers, and had extensive discussions on wide ranging subjects from health to sports. The highlight of the visit was the meeting with Cuban President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel at the Palace of Revolution, which lasted for over half an hour. During the meeting, they discussed areas of mutual interest, shared objectives, and the current international situation. The meeting fostered a sense of camaraderie between both sides, given the common outlook and ideological perspectives. The president assured the chief minister that Cuba would always be there to help and support the initiatives of Kerala in every possible manner. He also promised to visit Kerala when he visits India; he knew so much about the state. In response, Pinarayi conveyed the solidarity and support of the CPI(M) and the people of Kerala for Havana’s relentless and incisive stand against imperialist forces.

The Kerala delegation had fruitful discussions with Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, first vice minister of ministry of public health (MINSAP) and her team where various aspects of public health, research and pharmaceutical production came up for in-depth analysis. It was interesting to note the similarities in the approaches and achievements in the spheres of public health in Kerala and Cuba. Both Cuba and Kerala laid emphasis on providing universal healthcare and education for its people, leading to commendable indices that deserve widespread praise.

Life expectancy in Kerala is 75.2 years whereas it is 79 in Cuba. Death rate is 7.1 in Kerala while it is 9.5 in Cuba. In the case of fertility rate, it is 1.6 and 1.58 respectively. Cuba has better indices regarding infant mortality rate (4.18) and neonatal mortality rate (2.4) compared to Kerala’s 6 and 5 respectively.

The Kerala delegation found it truly enlightening to discover the remarkable progress Cuba has made in the field of biotechnology-based research and innovations, as well as drug and vaccine production. Eduardo Martinez Diaz, the president of BioCubaFarma, gave a comprehensive presentation highlighting these achievements, from which Kerala could also learn and benefit. The delegation identified various areas, including the research and production of vaccines, medicines for lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cancer diagnosis and treatment, advanced research for dengue vaccines, and bio-pharmaceutical projects, as potential avenues for launching collaborative initiatives.

Prominent examples of the remarkable skill, intelligence, and revolutionary spirit of the Cuban people can be seen in organisations like BioCubaFarma and the National Health System. BioCubaFarma has many firsts to its credit. It is the first organisation to develop a COVID vaccine for children. It also played a crucial role in creating a protocol and vaccines for fighting COVID and in reducing deaths in Cuba as well as in countries that adopted their protocol. While American Pharma companies are keen to align with BioCubaPharma, the American government and the Deep State there were averse to the idea even if it meant more deaths of American citizens. BioCubaFarma has made long strides in their research and development of drugs for debilitating diseases including various types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and other ailments. Unfortunately, the public-run company couldn’t sell their best drugs to other countries because of American pressure and the fear it invokes among certain potential buyers.

The US's hypocrisy is evident as they deceitfully fund think-tanks to fabricate falsehoods about Cuba. They also propagate fake narratives through news channels, portraying the small socialist nation as a sponsor of terrorism. In the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, even the Pentagon had to refute reports of Cuba housing Chinese spies. Furthermore, a long-standing narrative has been constructed, claiming that Cubans in Miami, Florida are former political exiles who were forced to flee as they owned sugar mills and huge assets in Cuba prior to the revolution. Interestingly, pregnant Cuban women still travel from Miami to Cuba for abortions, as, upon arrival, they are treated as Cuban citizens and are offered best medical care. Florida being a Republican-dominated state makes it arduous for any woman to have her pregnancy terminated.

Cuba has gained a reputation over time for having best primary healthcare. Clinics equipped with specialised doctors can be found even in remote mountainous regions of the country. The concept of the "family doctor," introduced by Fidel, is a testament to the visionary approach of the country's socialist founders. Cuba remains committed to preserving this system and avoiding its opening up to corporate vultures.

Pinarayi Vijayan, acknowledging the strengths of Cuba, highlighted the potential for collaboration between Kerala and Cuba to mutually benefit from each other's knowledge and industries.

Another area of shared interest was sports and games. The Kerala delegation visited a sports complex to gain firsthand insights into Cuba's achievements. The delegation was received by Osvaldo Vento Montiller, the president of INDER (National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation). INDER, established in 1961, just two years after the revolution, played a crucial role in propelling Cuba as one of the leading sporting nations in the world. Montiller identified various areas where both sides could cooperate.

Health and sports were identified as broad areas for potential future discussions, with the aim of achieving significant gains. Both sides agreed to establish working groups to move forward in these areas.

The delegation was hosted for an official lunch by Yanet Hernández Pérez, the governor of Havana. Fruitful discussions took place on a wide range of topics, including urban planning and electric vehicles. The governor, who had also attended the delegation's meeting with the president, stated that they are keen to swiftly identify areas of cooperation with Kerala. She was particularly impressed with the diverse range of products made from coconut cultivation in Kerala and sought to learn more about it. In response, the chief minister offered the assistance of the Kerala Agricultural University to support Cuba, as the island nation also has substantial coconut production.

The Kerala delegation also had a meeting with Ana Teresita Gonzalez Fraga, the acting minister of MINCEX (ministry of foreign trade and investment), to discuss areas of mutual interest. As a result, it was agreed that Kerala would send a delegation to the Havana International Trade Fair, scheduled for November this year.

During their visit, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his team also visited places of importance like the Fidel Castro Centre, which portrays the heroic aspects of the Cuban revolution. The delegation also visited Gandhi Park, Rabindranath Tagore Park and José Martí Monument and paid floral tributes. In addition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala delegation included ministers KN Balagopal, Veena George, Rajya Sabha member John Brittas, State Planning Board vice chairman VK Ramachandran, chief secretary VP Joy, OSD (external cooperation) Venu Rajamony, and principal secretary of health, APM Mohammed Hanish. Indian Ambassador in Havana, S Janakiraman, and the Cuban Ambassador to India, Alejandro Simancas Marin, also participated in the discussions.