 |
| Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Minister of Health |
By
A.B. Kafui Kanyi
The
Ho Municipal Hospital has gradually become the toast of pregnant women after
recording low maternal deaths in four years.
The
facility in 2012 came under harsh criticism from the indigenes for recording 14
maternal mortality cases that year, some of whom were staff of the Hospital.
That
narrative appears to have changed since 2014 with the facility recording two
cases in 2014, a case in 2015 and a case in 2016.
Dr.
Lawrence Kumi, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital who attributed the feat
to “effective coordination and positive attitude” towards clients said, “we
delivered 1,444 babies last year and lost one”.
He
said the single cases recorded since 2015 and 2016 were “emergencies in bad
conditions” from outside the Municipal area.
Dr
Kumi said the history of people dying at the facility had changed to that of
hope and confidence and now they had clients from across the region.
He
said in view of the increasing number of clients, the facility had renovated
its maternity ward into an ultra-modern status and reconstructing a new labour
ward.
Dr.
Kumi said those projects had put financial pressure on the Hospital and called
for support to equip the facilities with new delivery beds and suction
machines.
A
few expectant mothers who spoke to the Ghana News Agency at the labour ward
said the show of care and love by the midwives made them keep faith with the
facility.
Editorial
CONGRATULATIONS
The
Insight is more than happy with the authorities and staff of the Ho Municipal Hospital.
Over
a relatively short period of four years, they have significantly improved
conditions in the hospital and made it a preferred medical centre for pregnant
women.
Out
of more than 1,400 births recorded at the hospital, there was only one
mortality and even that one was an emergency case which came from outside the
municipality.
In
congratulating the authorities and staff of the hospital, we take note of the
fact that a few years ago the same hospital was a dreaded location for pregnant
women.
The
people of Ho and the Volta Region have said in many ways that they are most
grateful to the staff of the hospital and we can only add our voices to the praise.
Very
well done!
Local
News:
Cardiologist Calls On Public to Report Disease Conditions
on Time
By
Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Dr.
Conrad Deckor, a Cardiologist at the Kwesimintsim Hospital in the Western
Region on Thursday asked Ghanaians not to take disease conditions for granted
but report early warning signs for prompt medical attention.
He
has also warned against the wrong usage of drugs, abuse of herbal medicine and
alcohol indulgence which he said put lots of strain on the kidney and therefore
affects its proper functioning.
Dr.
Deckor who is also the Ghanaian Representative for the Alpha and Omega Heart
Foundation in New York, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that kidney
diseases were increasing in the country due to the sedentary lifestyle of most
Ghanaians, coupled with other bad health care practices.
He
mentioned that hypertension and diabetes if not well managed could also result
in kidney problems, adding that heart related conditions also present kidney
diseases.
Dr.
Deckor explained that infection was a major cause of the disease and that
urinal tract infections if not properly taken care of could also result in the
condition.
The
Cardiologist mentioned some signs of the kidney diseases as pains in the rib
which corresponds with the kidney, general pains and prostate enlargement.
There
are other laboratory diagnoses which may be conducted but usually at the end
stage of the disease dialysis was needed, he added.
Dr.
Deckor advised people with hypertension and diabetes to control their pressure
and sugar levels adding, "Don’t go to any quack facilities to check your
pressure... Do you know if the machine is calibrated or working well."
GNA
Health:
Obesity and kidney disease in Ghana
By Dr Elliot Koranteng
Tannor| KATH, Department of Medicine and Renal Unit
According to the World
Health Organisation (WHO), about 13% of the world’s population are obese.
Obesity has dramatically doubled since 1980 and seem to be increasing due to
lifestyle changes and growing modernization.
As at 2014 over 600
million were obese worldwide and even many more were overweight.
Obesity is simply the
accumulation of excess body fat with health implication. It can calculated by
simply measuring your weight in kilograms and dividing by the square of your
height in metres to attain the body mass index (BMI).
A BMI value greater than
or equal to 30 defines obesity. Go ahead and calculate yours! You are
considered overweight if your body mass index is equal to or greater than 25
but less than 30. Obesity can also be assessed by measuring the circumference
of your waist with a tape measure.
A waist circumference of
102cm in men and 88cmin is associated with increased risk of diabetes, abnormal
cholesterol levels, high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart problems like
cardiac arrest.
In Ghana, obesity is
increasing at an alarming rate. Some earlier studies in Ghana revealed that
over 5.5 -14.1% of Ghanaian adults older than 25 years are obese with
females in the majority.
Obesity is more common
among the married and employed leaving in urban areas. Obesity was highest in
Greater Accra and virtually absent in Upper East or Upper West regions.
By ethnicity, obesity was
highest among Ga Adangbe followed by Ewes and then Akans of 14.6%, 6.6%
and 6.0% respectively. Obesity is also more common among literates and
sedentary workers in the Ghanaian population.
Obesity occurs when there
is imbalance between the consumption of calories as compared to energy
expended. You will potentially gain weight if your intake of calories exceed
the rate at which you use the energy accumulated.
Currently in Ghana,
people have become more sedentary, walk less, drive more, eat more fast foods,
take soft drinks and less fruits and vegetables.
These activities all
promote obesity with increasing health. Obesity also increases the risk of
developing cancers of the breast, prostate, ovary, liver and gallbladder just
to name a few.
Obesity has also been
identified as risk factor for developing kidney disease. This occurs either
directly or indirectly. Obesity directly leads to kidney disease by causing the
kidney to overwork to filter more blood due to the increased body weight. This
eventually wears out the kidneys leading to kidney damage.
When damage progresses,
it leads to end stage renal disease. At this stage the patient can only
survives on dialysis or after he/she gets a kidney transplant. Obesity also
leads to sieving of protein in the urine which has destructive consequences on
the kidney leading to kidney failure.
Indirectly, obesity
increases the risk of developing the major causes of chronic kidney disease
i.e. high blood pressure and high blood sugar. Obesity also increases
risk of renal cancers and formation of stones in the kidneys (uric acid and
calcium stones) which has the potential of causing kidney damage by obstructing
the flow of urine out of the body.
With high cost of dialysis
services and the unavailability of kidney transplant services currently in
Ghana, it is necessary to decrease the occurrence of kidney disease by
preventing and fighting obesity with all seriousness, without ignoring the
other causes.
This requires effort from
all of us to maintain a healthy dietary habits, exercise more frequently and
maintain an active daily routine. It has been estimated that even more people
are going to be obese by the year 2025.
There is evidence that
weight reduction can reverse the progression of kidney failure and therefore
strongly suggested. For this reason the upcoming world kidney day this year
will be celebrated on the 9th March, 2017 and has as its theme: ‘kidney
disease and obesity; healthy lifestyle for healthy kidneys’.
We seek as doctors
treating people with kidney diseases to highlight the effects of obesity on
kidney diseases and how to manage and prevent obesity by healthy lifestyle
modifications. This will go a long way to prevent kidney disease and prevent or
even reverse progression of chronic kidney disease in those who have already
been diagnosed with renal failure.
Managing obesity
I recommend regular
physical activities to reduce weight and maintain a normal weight. You can plan
regular keep fit sessions but it is also advisable to stay active at your
workplace. For instance, use the stairs instead of the lift, walk over to a
colleague’s office instead of calling on phone and pack your car away from your
work place to walk each day.
Enjoy physical activities
so you don’t get bored easily and stop. It has been suggested that at least 30
minutes of physical activity at least three times a week is helpful in
maintaining your weight.
Obesity
is NOT a sign of good living, it rather has consequences. In Ghana,
if you do not gain weight after marriage, then your spouse has failed. This is
dangerous and should be condemned. Let’s not try to gain weight or cause our
spouses to gain weight just to please society and our in-laws because it comes
with serious health consequences.
A visit to your dietician
is also necessary to learn dietary options with very low caloric content.
Starvation is not suggested as a way to lose weight, you may end up binging
after a period of starvation and this does not help you lose weight. On the
contrary, you might rather end up gaining a few more kilos. Low fat and low
caloric diet are highly recommended. Book an appointment with your dietician.
Maintain a healthy
lifestyle such as weekly weight checks, reading food journal, reading labels of
processed foods as you shop in the malls to know food content and focus on
eating a balanced lifestyle. Have a healthy way to manage your stress as some
people eat a lot when stressed or depressed. Depression has been associated
with obesity especially in younger females.
 |
| Exercise is good for Obese reduction |
Some gain weight because
they have eating disorders. You may need to see your psychologist if you have an
eating disorder. Some people cannot help it but eat and overeat. This will lead
to obesity and such patients should go for help.
Ensure you are not on any
medications that promote weight gain. You may need to discuss your prescription
or over-the-counter medications with your physician to help identify possible
obesity-causing medicines.
Weight reduction does not
happen overnight. It takes time and a lot of effort. You need to be very
disciplined if you are to become successful at it. Don’t give up too quickly,
as nothing good comes easy.
Doing nothing about your
weight will lead to an increase in weight. Sometimes, just maintaining your
weight alone is a great achievement and better than gaining weight. If checking
your weight too frequently depressed you, then check at longer intervals.
Self-check and good record keeping is key to success.
Lastly, be cautious about
any drug or herbal medication that promises ‘fast’ weight reduction. You may
end up with liver or kidney problems as consequences. Just stick to the basics;
good dietary habits and exercise.
All the best in
your weight reduction drive. Thank you.
Africa:
Africa gets its own
web address with launch of .africa
Africa
now has the unique web address .africa, equivalent to the more familiar .com,
following its official launch by the African Union.
AU
commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma hailed its creation as the moment
when Africa "got [its] own digital identity".
The
AU says the .africa domain name will "bring the continent together as an
internet community".
Addresses
can now reflect a company's interest in the whole of Africa.
For
example, a mobile phone company could create mobile.africa to show its
Africa-wide presence, or a travel company could set up travel.africa.
Icann,
the body that establishes these addresses known as generic Top-Level Domains,
approved the move, after lobbying by the AU.
The
campaign was spearheaded by a South African company ZA Central Registry (ZACR),
which will now be responsible for registering .africa names.
ZACR's
boss Lucky Masilela said that .africa addresses could cost as little as $18
(£15), AFP news agency quotes him as saying, and registration will start in
July.
Other
domain names recently created by Icann, include .fun, .phone and .hair.
LET’S NEVER FORGET WHY MUAMMAR GADDAFI WAS KILLED
 |
| Muarmar Gaddafi |
By
Peter Koenig
Gaddafi
was certainly not killed for humanitarian reasons. He wanted to empower Africa.
He had a plan to create a new African Union, based on a new African economic
system. He wanted to introduce the Gold Dinar to back African currencies, so
they could become free from the dollar. He wanted to protect Africa’s vast
natural resources from Western looting. The imperialists eliminated him.
Introduction
The text
below is a transcript of an interview by Alex Knyazev of Russia TV24
with Peter Koenig. Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst.
He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in
the fields of environment and water resources. He lectures at universities in
the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH,
RT, Sputnik, PressTV, The 4th Media (China), TeleSUR, The Vineyard of The Saker
Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An
Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate
Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience
around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and
Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance.
*****
Questions
Russia TV24: What were the
reasons Mr. Gaddafi was killed and NATO invaded Libya?
PK: Mr. Muammar Gaddafi
was certainly not killed for humanitarian reasons.
Mr.
Gaddafi wanted to empower Africa. He had a plan to create a new African Union,
based on a new African economic system. He had a plan to introduce the ‘Gold
Dinar’ as backing for African currencies, so they could become free from the
dollar-dominated western monetary system, that kept and keeps usurping Africa;
Africa’s vast natural resources, especially oil and minerals. As a first step,
he offered this lucrative and very beneficial alternative to other Muslim
African states, but leaving it open for any other African countries to join.
At
the time of Gaddafi’s atrocious murdering by Hillary Clinton, then Obama’s
Secretary of State, and the French President Sarkozy, driven by NATO
forces, on 20 October 2011 – Libya’s gold reserves were estimated at close to
150 tons, and about the same amount of silver. The estimated value at that time
was $7 billion.
It’s
your guess who may have stolen this enormous treasure from the people of Libya.
As of this date, it is nowhere to be found.
Gaddafi
also wanted to detach his oil sales from the dollar, i.e. no longer trading
hydrocarbons in US dollars, as was the US/OPEC imposed rule since the early
1970s. Other African and Middle Eastern oil and gas producers would have
followed. In fact, Iran had already in 2007, a plan to introduce the Tehran Oil
Bourse, where anyone could trade hydrocarbons in currencies other than the US
dollar. That idea came to a sudden halt, when Bush (George W) started accusing
Iran of planning to build a nuclear bomb which was, of course, a fabricated
lie, confirmed by the 16 most prominent US security agencies- and later also by
the UN body for nuclear safety – the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
in Vienna. Washington needed a pretext to stop the Tehran Oil Bourse which
would have decimated the need for dollars, and thereby most probably would have
meant the end of the dollar hegemony.
Saddam
Hussein had the same idea. He promised as soon as the murderous and
criminal embargo imposed by the UN – of course dictated by Washington – would
end in 2000, he would sell his petrol in euros. He was killed.
Gaddafi’s
new plan for Africa would have meant an entirely new banking system for Africa,
away from the now western (mainly France and UK) central banks dominated
African currencies. It would have meant the collapse of the US dollar - or at
least an enormous blow to this fake dollar based western monetary system.
So,
the Gold Dinar was not to happen. Anybody – to this day- who threatens the
dollar hegemony will have to die. That means anybody other than China and
Russia, because they have already a few years ago largely detached their
economy from the dollar, by implementing hydrocarbons as well as other international
contracts in gold or the respective local currencies. That alone has already
helped reducing dollar holdings in international reserve coffers from almost
90% some 20 years ago to a rate fluctuating between 50% and 60% today.
Also
the Washington/CIA induced “Arab Spring” was to turn the entire Middle East
into one huge chaos zone - which today, of course, it is. And there are no
plans to secure it and to return it to normalcy, to what it was before. To the
contrary, chaos allows to divide-and-conquer – to balkanize, as is the plan for
Syria and Iraq. One of the Washington-led western goals of this chaos of
constant conflict is to eventually install a system of private central banks in
the Middle Eastern/North African countries controlled by Washington – privately
owned central banks, à la Federal Reserve (FED), where the neocons, the
Rothschilds and freemasonry would call the shots. That is expected to help
stabilize the US dollar hegemony, as the hydrocarbons produced in this region
generate trillions of dollars in trading per year.
Gaddafi
also wanted to introduce, or had already started introducing into Africa, a
wireless telephone system that would do away with the US/European monopolies,
with the Alcatels and AT&Ts of this world, which dominate and usurp the
African market without scruples.
Gaddafi
was not only the leader of Libya, he had ambitions to free Africa from the
nefarious fangs of the west. Despite being called a dictator and despot by the
west – they do that to anyone who doesn’t submit to Washington’s rules – he was
very much liked by Libyans, by his people. He had a more than 80% approval rate
by the Libyan people. Libya’s oil fortune had allowed him to create a social
system in his country where everybody would benefit from their land’s riches –
free health care, free education, including scholarships abroad, modern
infrastructure, top-notch technology in medicine, and more.
Russia TV24: Why would the gold
Dinar be unacceptable for the western leaders?
PK: Yes, the gold Dinar
was totally unacceptable to western leaders. It might have devastated the US
dollar hegemony, as well as Europe’s control over the African economy – which
is nothing less than neo-colonization of Africa – in many ways worse than what
happened for the past 400 or 800 years of murderous military colonization and
oppression - which is, by the way, still ongoing, just more discretely.
Look
at the Ivory Coast 2010 presidential elections. Their arguably ‘unelected’
President, Alassane Ouattara, was in a tie with the people’s
candidate, Laurent Gbagbo. Gbagbo said he won the election and asked for a
recount, which was denied. Ouattara, a former IMF staff, was pushed in,
basically by ‘recommendation’ of the IMF. He is the darling of the neoliberal
international financial institutions – and is leading a neocon government – an
economy at the service of western corporations. That’s what they wanted. That’s
what they got. Modern colonization is well, alive and thriving. I call this a
financial coup, instigated by foreign financial institutions.
Gbagbo was
accused of rape, murder and other atrocities and immediately transferred to the
International Criminal Court (ICC) – what justice? – at The Hague, where he was
waiting five years for a trial which started on 28 January 2016 and is ongoing.
On 15 May 2017, it was extended at the Prosecutor’s request to collect further
evidence.
This
by all likelihood is just a farce to dupe the public into believing that he is
getting a fair trial. Already in hearings in 2014, Gbagbo was found guilty of
all charges, including murder, rape and other crimes against humanity. Like
Slobodan Milošević, he is an inconvenient prisoner, or worse, would he be
as a free man. So, he will most likely be locked away – and one day commit
‘suicide’ or die from a ‘heart attack’. The classic. That’s how the west
does away with potential witnesses of their atrocious crimes. End of story.
Nobody barks, because the ‘free world’ has been made to believe by the
western presstitute media that these people are inhuman tyrants.
That’s precisely what the western media’s headlines proclaimed about Muammar
Gaddafi: ‘Death of a Tyrant’.
On
the other hand, in 2015, Ouattara was “reelected by a landslide”. That’s what
western media say. Colonization under African ‘leadership’. He is protected by
the French army.
Back
to Libya: Take the specific case of France and West and Central Africa. The
French Central Bank, the Banque de France, backs the West and Central
African Monetary Union’s currency, the CFA franc. The West African Central
Bank, for example, is covered, i.e. controlled, by about 70 per cent of
the Banque de France. Banque de France has an almost total
control over the economy of its former West African colonies. No wonder,
Sarkozy, a murderer and war criminal – sorry, it must be said - backed
Hillary’s – also a murderer and war criminal - push for NATO to destroy the
country and kill thousands of Libyans, including Libya’s leader, Muammar
Gaddafi. Hillary’s infamous words: ‘We came, we saw, he died’. And that
she said shamelessly, jokingly, laughing. Would the term human
being still apply to such a monster?
Russia TV24: What countries are
mostly interested in the Libyan recovery and why? What are the chances for the
economy of Libya to be repaired?
PK: Well, if anybody
should be interested in Libya’s recovery it would be first the Libyans who are
still living in Libya, because they are now living in a Libya of chaos and high
crime, of mafia-economics, of tyranny by gang leadership. They certainly have
an interest to return to normalcy. North African neighboring countries should
also be interested in restoring order and rebuilding Libya’s infrastructure and
economy, stopping the spill-over of high crime and terrorism. They have lost an
important trading partner.
Of
course, the rest of Africa, who have suffered from continuous colonization by
the west, after Gaddafi’s demise, should also be interested in re-establishing
Libya. They know, it will never be the same Libya that was there to help their
economy, to help them prying loose from the western boots and fangs of
exploitation.
And
Europe should be most interested in re-establishing order and a real economy in
Libya - cleaning it from a murderous Mafia that promotes drugs and slave trade
ending up in Europe. Libya today is one of the key hubs for the boat refugees
from Africa to Europe. Instead of helping Libyans to come to peace within its
borders and to rebuild their country, the European Commission launched in 2015
a new European Border and Coast Guard Agency, targeting specifically Libya –
destroying refugee boats, if they cannot stop them from leaving Tripoli,
Benghazi and other Libyan Sea ports.
Of
course, spineless Europe doesn’t dare say they would like to remake Libya into
a functional state. Libya is Washington’s territory – and Washington wants
chaos to continue in Libya. As such Libya is a formidable ground for training
and recruitment of terrorists, drug and slave trading; a country where crime
prospers and the CIA takes their cut, as these criminal activities are directed
by the CIA and their affiliates. The rest of the world doesn’t see that. For
them it’s all the fault of the dictator Gaddafi, who thank goodness was
eliminated by the western powers, lords of money and greed.
Russia TV24: Decades ago Libya
was very successful from an economic point of view. What main things could you
remember?
PK: Libya was
economically and socially a successful country, arguably the most successful in
Africa. Prosperity from oil was largely shared by Gaddafi with his countrymen.
Libya had a first-class social safety net, an excellent transportation
infrastructure, free medical services, and modern hospitals, equipped with
latest medical equipment, free education for everyone – and students could even
receive scholarships to study abroad.
Under
President Gaddafi, Libya built friendly relations based on solidarity with
other African States and was always ready to help if a ‘brother nation’ was in
trouble. Gaddafi was a bit like Hugo Chavez in South America. He had
a large heart and charisma, maybe not so much for western leaders, but
certainly for Libya’s own population. Yet, he is accused of tyranny by the
West, and is said of having financially supported Sarkozy’s presidential
campaign – Sarkozy, the very ‘leader’ who then helped Hillary lynch Gaddafi. If
that doesn’t say a lot about Europe’s criminal leaders – what will?
Muammar
Gaddafi was accused by Washington – an accusation immediately repeated by the
spineless European puppets - of being responsible for the December 1988 PanAm
Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. More than 240 people perished in
the crash. Not a shred of evidence was discovered that Libya was behind the
plot. But it was a good reason to start a program of sanctions against Gaddafi’s
regime. It was most likely a false flag. What interest would anybody have to
bring down that flight, other than clamping down on an oil-rich country?
Russia TV24: Now we see oil
production has grown to at least 50% of the 2011 level. Can we expect it to
continue growing and affecting the oil market?
PK: Yes, Libyan oil
production has increased to about 50% of its 2011 level. Libya is known for her
high premium light oil, commanding premium prices. It is a market niche which
might well be affected by Libya’s stepped up production. But who really
benefits from this production increase? Most likely not the Libyans, but the
international corporations, mostly American and French oil giants. They call
the shots on the production levels. They are part of the international cartel
of oil price manipulators, as are the Wall Street banksters, predominantly
Goldman Sachs.
Russia TV24: The sanctions
against Libya are lifted and all barriers to foreign investments have
disappeared as well. Does it mean the county will face recovery soon?
PK: Sanctions may be
lifted, but that does not mean that foreign investments will now flow to Libya.
The country is still in chaos and disarray and- in my opinion - will stay so in
the foreseeable future. That’s in Washington’s interest. Investors are
reluctant to put their money into a crime nest and a terrorist breeding ground
which is working closely with Washington and its secret services – to provide
terrorists to fight US-proxy wars around the Middle East, for example in Syria
and Iraq – and now even in Afghanistan – and who knows where else.
Russia TV24: How do you
assess the political situation in the country today?
PK: As much as I
would like to end on a positive note, it is difficult. As long as the CIA,
chief instigator of all wars in the Middle East, is using the purposefully
created Libyan chaos to train and recruit Islamic State fighters, Al-Qaeda and
other terrorist groups which vary only in name but have the same objective –
namely regime change in Syria – prospects for a foreseeable bright future are
dim.
Of
course, a lot depends on the unpredictable Trump presidency. Will he seek peace
in the Middle East? – That would be the surprise of the Century – or will he
continue on the track dictated by the Deep State (not least to save his skin) –
continue destruction of the Middle East, balkanization of Syria – all as a
stepping stone to full spectrum dominance – as is written in the American Bible
– the PNAC – Plan for a New American Century – which outlines the ‘American Pax
Romana’? They were the bloodiest 200 – 300 years of the Roman Empire.
Here
comes the positive note: It is unlikely that the American empire will last that
long. It’s on its last legs. When it finally falters, Libya may recover, and so
may the rest of the world.
ANTI-CUBAN PROVOCATION FAILS
Over the last few weeks,
international media have reported the intention of OAS General Secretary Luis
Almagro Lemes to travel to Havana, in order to receive a "prize"
invented by an illegal grouplet, which operates in concert with the ultra-right
wing Foundation for Pan American Democracy, created in the days of the 7th
Summit of the Americas in Panama, to channel efforts and resources in
opposition to legitimate, independent governments in Our America.
The plan, plotted during
several trips to Washington and other capitals of the region, consisted of mounting
a serious, open provocation against the Cuban government in Havana, generating
internal instability, damaging the country's international image, and at the
same time, affecting the positive development of Cuba's diplomatic relations
with other states. Perhaps some calculated poorly and thought that Cuba would
sacrifice its fundamental principles to maintain appearances.
Drawn into the spectacle
were Almagro himself and other right wing figures who are members of the
so-called Democratic Initiative for Spain and the Americas (IDEA), which has
also behaved in an aggressive manner toward the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela, over the last several years, as well as other Latin American and
Caribbean countries with progressive and leftist governments.
Also conniving and
supporting the attempted plan were other organizations with well established
anti-Cuban credentials, such as the Democracy and Community Center; the Latin
American Development Research and Management Center (CADAL); and the
Inter-American Institute for Democracy, run by the terrorist CIA agent Carlos
Alberto Montaner. Additionally, since 2015, well known are the ties which exist
between these groups and the United States' National Endowment for Democracy
(NED), which receives funding from the government of this country to implement
its subversive programs against Cuba.
Aware of these plans, and
enforcing laws which sustain the country's sovereignty, the Cuban government
decided to deny entry into national territory to foreign citizens linked to the
acts described.
 |
| Cuba President Raul Castro |
In an irreproachable act
of transparency, in accordance with the principles which govern diplomatic
relations between states, Cuban authorities contacted the governments of
countries from which these persons would be traveling, and informed them,
attempted to dissuade those involved, and prevent the consummation of these
acts.
As international civil
aviation regulations stipulate, the airlines cancelled the reservations of
these passengers upon learning that they would not be welcome. Some were
rerouted. There were some who attempted to manipulate the facts to serve
strictly political interests within their own countries, given internal
processes taking place there.
Abounding were statements
by defenders of those who falsely claimed to have been persecuted, associates
of dictatorships and unemployed politicians disposed to allying themselves with
common mercenaries, at the service of and paid by foreign interests, which do
not enjoy any recognition in Cuba, live off unsubstantiated slander, pose as
victims, and act against the interests of the Cuban people and the political,
economic, and social system they freely chose and have defended heroically.
In regards to Almagro and
the OAS, we are not surprised by his declarations and openly anti-Cuban acts.
Within a very short period of time as head of this organization, he has drawn
attention by generating, with no mandate whatsoever from member states, an
ambitious plan of self-promotion with attacks on progressive governments such as
those in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
At this time, imperialist
and oligarchic attacks have been redoubled against Latin American and Caribbean
integration, and against democratic institutionality in several of our
countries. In a neoliberal offensive, millions of Latin Americans have returned
to poverty, hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs, they have been forced
to emigrate, or were murdered or disappeared by mafias and traffickers - while
isolationist and protectionist ideas, environmental deterioration,
deportations, religious and racial discrimination, insecurity, and brutal
repression are expanding across the hemisphere.
Where has the OAS been?
Remaining as always silent in the face of these realities. Why so silent? Only
someone completely out of touch with the times would attempt to sell Cubans
"the values and principles of the Inter-American system," given the
harsh, anti-democratic reality created by this very system.
One must have a short
memory to fail to recall that, in February of 1962, Cuba stood up alone before
this "immoral conclave," as Fidel described it in the Second
Declaration of Havana. Fifty-five years later, accompanied by peoples and
governments from the entire world, it is worth reiterating that, as President
Raúl Castro said, Cuba will never return to the OAS.
José Martí warned,
"Neither peoples nor men respect those who do not demand respect… men and
peoples travel the world poking a finger into the flesh of others to see if it
is soft, or if it resists. We must make our flesh hard, to repel the insolent
fingers."
In Cuba, we do not forget
history's lessons.
Havana, February 22, 2017
The Venezuela “Opposition” We Never Hear About
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| Map of Venezuela |
By Arnold August
This “opposition” has loyalties that lie with the
Bolivarian Revolution and nothing else.
At 35 years of age, he is tall and slim, and his
imposing stature moves about in a subtle swagger that exudes confidence
tempered with a humility that does not succumb to his good looks and natural
charisma. As a deputy, he is the leader of a block of 55 deputies in the
Venezuelan National Assembly. From all appearances, his personality and the
important position he holds should attract the sensation-seeking U.S. corporate
media that hangs on to every word and is so eager to capture images of the
deputies and their supporters to make a “story.”
There is, however, a problem for them and for
Washington. Héctor Rodríguez is the leader of this minority block of 55
Chavista-led deputies, Bloque de la Patria, which is an outcome of the Dec. 5,
2015 legislative election that saw the ruling socialist party, the PSUV, lose its
majority in the National Assembly.
Rodríguez opposes the majority in what has become
a bourgeois national assembly, to paraphrase the words that Nicolás Maduro used
in a talk in Caracas to national and international guests on March 7, 2017.
In the U.S. Congress, depending on its
composition, the minority Democrats or Republicans oppose the majority.
However, this “opposition” is always within the framework of the capitalist
status quo, preserving the racist state as a vestige of slavery, negating the genocide
of the Indigenous peoples (which is still under way in different forms) and
sacrificing the working people on the altar of capitalist globalization, which
itself is a key component of a foreign policy based on imperialist aggression
and wars.
In parliamentary systems, such as in Canada and
Britain, the establishment consensus adds a shameful British slant to the
“opposition” charade, which would be a comedy if it were not so tragic. In
these other countries in the North, the “loyal opposition” (as they are
actually formally recognized) can feel free to oppose as long as they are loyal
to the head of state, which in both Canada and Britain is the Queen of England.
However, Rodríguez’s loyalty lies with the
Bolivarian Revolution and nothing else. On March 6, in Caracas, he participated
in a more intimate meeting with delegates of the international Network of
Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movements in Defense of Humanity. It took
place in a small hall in the Foreign Affairs building. During the course
of this encounter, an exchange between the participants and the deputy
naturally evolved. It was so engrossing that the banal act of taking notes
would have failed to do justice to the content or the style in the best
Chavista tradition exhibited by Rodríguez, which is also increasingly being
demonstrated by President Nicolás Maduro and other leaders.
The discussion covered many themes. One, for
example, was an incredibly lucid explanation of the view that the Bolivarian
Revolution, which the block of deputies are part of, is based in words and
deeds on opposition to U.S. imperialism and capitalism. While the Revolution is
flexible in terms of tactics, for example, in negotiating with the majority
pro-capitalist, pro-U.S. force in the National Assembly in order to strive for
a peaceful solution to the crisis, when it comes to the question of principles
and objectives, there is no compromise possible.
No wonder that those in the North, who rely on
the corporate media, never hear about this “opposition” as personified in
Rodríguez. This censorship takes place even though the establishment media must
be in dire straits in the hunt for a new face to replace the bland
dinosaur-type politicians in the National Assembly. Washington and its media
would rather sink into the swamp of Venezuelan political oblivion, even though
they should pay formal attention to the “opposition” as they do so faithfully
not only in other countries but also, of course, in the U.S. Congress. If they
ever decide to focus on Venezuela’s opposition to the National Assembly
majority, Rodríguez and other such deputies would no doubt steal the show.
Another distinguishing feature of the Bolivarian
Revolution opposition is that its rejection of the status quo is defined more
by what it is in favor of than what it is against. The goals of the Bolivarian
Revolution comprise social and economic equality, housing, food, health,
education, culture, sports and a participatory and protagonist democracy, the
very essence of which is blocked by imperialism and the neoliberal status quo.
Those of us who came of political age in the
1960s felt right at home as the deputy zeroed in on the imperialists, gringos
and Yankees while making crystal clear what we already know. The conflict is
not with the people of the U.S., who were duly represented in red those days in
Caracas, but rather with the ruling circles who, as Martí and Bolívar said in
their own respective ways, are destined to plague the peoples of Latin America
and the Caribbean with hardship and misery.
Moreover, the U.S. is doubling-down on its
reprehensible destiny as the peoples in the South strive to finally break free
from the shackles of the most forceful and aggressive military and economic
power in the history of mankind (or surely since the fascism of WWII),
represented by Republicans and Democrats. Thus, it was encouraging to hear
President Maduro on that memorable evening in Caracas telling the truth:
Venezuela has not been attacked by any U.S. president as much as during the
eight years of Obama. Let that sink in.
In this context, the intransigent Bolivarian
opposition to U.S. imperialism is no small matter. Venezuela, at the forefront
of anti-U.S. imperialism today, is thus writing another chapter in modern world
history, as the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro have done in safeguarding
their sovereignty, dignity and the social system they have chosen.
For his part, Rodríguez walked the audience very
carefully and deliberately, repeating as if to test our determination (and
looking us in the eyes), that while the battle is at present still mainly in
the realm of ideas, if necessary – if necessary – Venezuela will also fight
militarily. There is no doubt that if forced to do so, the Bolivarian
Revolution will resist in this way as well. This is why all of humanity must
today more than ever stand with Venezuela
During the course of the exchange with Rodríguez,
what stands out is his deep political conviction illuminated by clarity in
theory. This is not merely manifested by ideas and words. When ideas and words
combine with action, they become a material force in society. Material force
means that the ideas become an organic part of society: the ideas in the minds
of individuals such as Rodríguez and other leaders and activists at all levels
are socialized and thus evolve into a common movement replete with diversity.
Yes, diversity – but always and only within the wide framework of broad-based
Chavismo.
Thus, the minority in the National Assembly — and
perhaps still a minority of 40 percent, or even half of the population in the
shifting sands, of Venezuelan society – represents the future of Venezuela and
that whole region. A material force such as the Bolivarian Revolution cannot be
snuffed out. Yes, it can suffer setbacks, but it cannot be eliminated.
Nevertheless, Chavismo is not an electoral
movement but a revolution in the making and constantly redefining itself. It
does so to the extent of fearlessly organizing revolutions within the
revolution, striving to carry this out in conjunction with the people and
activists at all levels. With this fresh approach so singularly characteristic
of the Bolivarian Revolution, the irresistible material force of socialism to
replace capitalism and foreign dependence increasingly takes root and grows in
Venezuelan society and on its political scene.
Arnold August, a
Canadian journalist and lecturer, is the author of “Democracy in Cuba
and the 1997–98 Elections” and, more recently, “Cuba and Its Neighbours:
Democracy in Motion” which explores Cuba’s relationship with the U.S.,
Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador. He is a collaborator of teleSUR
English. Arnold can be followed on Twitter @Arnold_August and
Facebook.
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