On June 10, at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), an exchange took place between the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and the Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, on the unpublished 10 year "Defence Investment Plan (DIP)" [1]. Then on Thursday, June 11, Defence Secretary John Healey resigned over disagreements with Starmer over this unpublished DIP. These events regarding the DIP have further revealed the context of the crisis of the government and opposition, as well as the whole cartel party system in Westminster. They do not know which way to turn as they dangerously try to create a permanent war economy in Britain and put Britain on a war footing.

This is being attempted with an already militarised economy and a pro-war government that supports the escalation of their proxy war in Ukraine against Russia, as well as supporting the US/Israeli wars of aggression against Iran, Lebanon and Palestine. This government and official opposition, cartel parties representing the ruling elites, are facing the increasing opposition of the anti-war movement, and of the working class and people as a whole, to the destruction of the economy. Rather than having as a principle that the economy should meet the needs all, their well-being, peace and security, their right to modern public services and social programmes here in Britain, the cartel parties have been focused on further militarisation of the economy and its justification.

Protests against NATO's "Parliamentary Assembly" at Dayton, Ohio, May 25 2025 - Photo: KaJeza Hawkins

In the exchanges on the DIP, Badenoch criticised Starmer for delaying its publication. The DIP had been scheduled to be published this week even though originally it was to be published in 2025 alongside the Strategic Defence Review [2]. Kemi Badenoch launched into her attack, saying that the "Prime Minister says he has increased defence spending, but he has not". She said that it was reported that "the Chief of the Defence Staff told the Prime Minister that the Ministry of Defence needs an extra £28 billion. Will that requirement be met in full?" She also claimed that the Prime Minister "has only three options: cutting spending, more borrowing, or higher taxes". It seemed evident from the exchange that neither wanted to be perceived as an advocate of raising taxes to pay for further warfare and weaponry. So Badenoch attacked Starmer on what the state calls benefits or welfare, saying that he had got "things the wrong way round: he has a benefits plan until 2031, but no defence investment plan. Why not just cut welfare?"

Starmer in his replies, of course, did not defend the welfare system or benefits as meeting the necessary claims on society of the disadvantaged, claims as of right, but instead engaged in customary back and forth taunts with the Opposition leader. He derided the previous Conservative government as one that "neither reformed welfare nor spent on our armed forces". He boasted that it was his government that "have increased defence spending from 2.3% to 2.6% in 2027. That is a spending of £270 billion over this Parliament. We have carried out a strategic review of defence and we are committed to publishing the defence investment plan before the NATO summit." He outlined some details in the DIP on putting Britain's economy on a war footing over 10 years, claiming they had already procured "1,400 major defence contracts, and 94% of those are with British businesses. As the Defence Secretary said, that includes helicopters made in Yeovil, drones made in Swindon and armoured vehicle s made in Telford. We have also given our armed forces the biggest pay rise in over 20 years."

During the PMQs "debate", Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, commenting on a report that the government was to cut the hospital building programme to fund the DIP, asked whether Starmer would "rule out any cuts to the NHS budget to fund defence?" Starmer, of course, could only raise a diversion since cutting the funding for its hospital programme is indeed the government's intention.

In another act showing that the government has no way to turn, Defence Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11 over the disagreements regarding the unpublished DIP. Healey's decision to resign was lamented by the ADS Group (the UK's aerospace, defence, and security industry body), which praised him for understanding the importance of industry as a "strategic enabler". Healey has been deeply involved in military export deals and the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review.

John Healey's letter of resignation [3] praised the Labour government for its stand of urging on the proxy war in Ukraine against Russia, and saying that the government had "stepped up to lead internationally for Ukraine with the Coalition of the Willing and Ukraine Defence Contact Group, established Britain as a leading voice for Europe in NATO, raised defence investment to 2.5% of GDP three years earlier than anyone expected, launched the deepest defence reforms in 50 years, won the biggest UK defence export deals for decades..." However, the resignation letter went on to say that "your DIP financial settlement - which I was first given in full on Monday afternoon this week - falls well short of what is required". The letter pointed out that Starmer "had agreed to spend 3.5% of GDP in 2035 through the next Spending Review". But Healey said that the plan he was presented with on Monday moved too slowly, with defence spending rising "to just 2.68% of GDP in 2030, when we will reach 2.6% next year with the investment we are already making".

In his statement, Healey further revealed the quagmire of the government's stands on Britain's military interventions in Ukraine and the Middle East when he said that he was "forced to make decisions that would reduce the readiness of our forces and increase the risk to personnel on operations". In other words, he was talking about "personnel on operations" that are being deployed in Ukraine to support Britain's proxy war in Ukraine against Russia, escalating the war which Britain has no business being involved in. And presumably he was referring to "personnel on operations" which give their support to the US/Israeli aggression in the Middle East. The resignation letter concluded with a fraudulent assessment of the international situation, put forward to bolster his vision of putting Britain on a war footing, saying that "there could be an attack by Russia on NATO as soon as 2030". To put Britain on a war footing in an allegedly increasingly dangerous world situation clearly needs an enemy creating that threat, and according to Healey, and the whole of the ruling elite, Russia is that culprit.

In fact, the government continues to justify war preparations and make cuts to the NHS, to benefits, to the real income of doctors, nurses, government and council workers, which is why the government is facing huge opposition from the many strike and other struggles of the working class and people. The debate in the Commons and Healey's resignation further pointed to the arms companies waiting in the wings for long-term contracts that produce no socially useful value for the economy and fewer jobs. It is these and other pro-war interests that are behind the cartel party system of government that cannot reconcile their global ambitions without wrecking the economy and society. This is the crisis reflected in these exchanges in Parliament and the government delays in releasing the DIP.

The necessity for the alternative of an anti-war and pro-social government

As Workers' Weekly pointed out in reviewing the SDR [4], the DIP must also have no takers among the working class and people if there is to be peace and not more war. It is necessary to take heed of the aims of these war plans and to organise against them and what they stand for. Starmer and the government's attempts to further step up its militarisation and support for Israel's daily war crimes against the Palestinians and in Lebanon, its support for the US/Israeli aggression against Iran, are unacceptable and must continue to be opposed. The attempt of Starmer and the government to involve Britain further in NATO's proxy war in Ukraine against Russia is totally unacceptable and it too must continue to be opposed.

The call of the times is for the people to speak out in their own name for all that serves their own interests for peace and security. The context is the fight for a new direction for the economy and society that meets the needs of all and defends the rights of all. The aim for the working class and people must be always to prepare to establish an Anti-War Pro-Social Government in Britain that resolves conflicts in a just and peaceful way and fully recognises the rights and claims of the working class and people in society.

Notes
1. Hansard: UK Parliament Hansard Commons: 10 June 2026 Commons Chamber
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-06-10/debates/3219CC50-6B6A-4F88-8661-9E71FDEDF276/Engagements
2. Aligned with the 2025 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) the DIP is meant to "translate" the SDR's strategic goals into "funded programmes" to militarise the economy. The DIP was proposed as a 10-year "line-by-line investment programme", intended to map all major defence programmes, procurement, industrial capacity, and long-term spending.
The DIP originally was due shortly after the 2025 SDR and then continually delayed reportedly in disputes between the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with the MoD reportedly demanding an extra £28 billion and the Treasury reducing it to £13 billion. However, the Prime Minister is now saying that it will now appear "before the NATO summit" in July, but has not released any draft, summary, or detailed programme list.
Major areas expected to be covered are inferred from the SDR and MoD programme reporting. These include:

Nuclear deterrent modernisation and purchasing nuclear Capable US F-35s

AUKUS-related submarine and technology programmes

Army modernisation and armoured vehicle procurement

Combat air (including GCAP/Tempest)

Stockpile replenishment after the Ukraine war ends

Cyber, space, and resilience infrastructure

Industrial base expansion, including, steel, shipbuilding and munitions

3. Defence Secretary John Healey's resignation letter in full
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgjx64yl7z9o
4. Strategic Defence Review: Starmer's Attempt to Put Britain on "War-Fighting Readiness" Cannot Be Accepted
https://www.rcpbml.org.uk/wwie-25/ww25-13/ww25-13-01.htm

Chris Nineham, Vice President of the Stop the War Coalition speaking at the meeting -Photo: NSWC

On Thursday, June 11, more than 60 people took part in a packed meeting organised by Newcastle Stop the War on "Palestine, militarism and the right to protest". They listened to a broad line-up of speakers at a meeting that also called for the support of the International Conference Against War that is taking place in Central Hall Westminster in London on June 20.

Thousands of delegates from Britain and Europe are expected to take part in this vital annual conference to oppose the militarisation of Britain and other European powers. It is to oppose Britain and these other powers that are re-arming and escalating war in Europe with their proxy war in Ukraine against Russia and their support for US/Israeli aggression in West Asia, against Iran and Lebanon, as well as alongside their continuing support for the genocide in Palestine.

The speakers at the Newcastle meeting were Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition; Sarah Kilpatrick, NEU Deputy General Secretary; Humaira Khan, Green Party Councillor (Wingrove ward); Andrew Feinstein, former South African MP; and Mick Bowman, Trade Unions for Palestine Network NE. The meeting was Chaired by Tony Dowling of Newcastle Stop the War.

Some of the speeches can be heard on the website of the Newcastle Stop the War Coalition: https://www.northeaststopwar.org.uk

The May 7 elections in Wales and Scotland took place in the context of growing disaffection with the existing political process and the cartel-party system, and alongside the local elections in England. In an historic loss for Labour in Wales, Plaid Cymru became the largest party for the first time. In Scotland, the SNP remained the largest party. With Sinn Féin also in government in the north of Ireland, all three devolved administrations are now led by pro-independence parties.

In Wales, Labour ceased to be the largest party in the Senedd for the first time since 1999. The election was held for an expanded 96-member chamber, up from 60, under a fully proportional closed-list system with 16 multi-member constituencies, each electing six Members of the Senedd. Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party, winning 43 seats, up from 13, with 34% of the vote. Reform UK Wales became the main opposition party, winning 34 seats, up from 2, with 29%. Welsh Labour lost government and was reduced from 29 seats to 9, with 11%. The Conservatives won 7 seats with 11%, the Greens entered the Senedd for the first time with 2 seats with 7%, and the Liberal Democrats remained on 1 seat with 5%.

In Scotland, the SNP remained the largest party in Holyrood, winning 58 seats, down from 64, with 38% of the constituency vote and 27% of the regional vote, falling short of an overall majority. Labour and Reform each won 17 seats, with Reform entering Holyrood as a significant force. The Scottish Greens won a record 15 seats, the Conservatives 12, and the Liberal Democrats 10. Together, the SNP and Greens hold 73 of Holyrood's 129 seats, a clear parliamentary majority for pro-independence parties, with an overall combined vote share around 41%.

The Welsh result is especially significant because of the change to proportional representation, which has allowed the desire for Welsh nation-building to be more clearly expressed in the election. Under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, such a result was less likely [1]. With PR in place, a party committed to Welsh nationhood is now the largest party in the Senedd and leads the Welsh Government. Nation-building is no longer confined to opposition; the elections reveal that the question is coming to the fore.

The rise of Reform in Britain as a whole and in the nations reflects the broader crisis facing the cartel-party system, which is currently degenerating into warring factions, leading to disengagement and protest voting. The decline in the vote for Labour and the Conservatives across Britain is part of the same trend of decay and fragmentation, with growing disequilibrium. Reform's presence in Welsh and Scottish party politics is part of and reflects this deepening crisis of rejection.

The question is whether the peoples of Wales and Scotland become the authors of their own future. Wales and Scotland are not administrative regions of a British nation. They are nations whose people have the right to determine their own affairs. They require modern sovereign arrangements in which the sovereignty is vested in the people. On that basis, they may choose independence, or they may choose a free and equal union with others. But such a union can only be legitimate if it is voluntary, equal, based on the sovereign will of the peoples concerned, and does not subordinate Wales and Scotland to the existing British state.

The significance of the May 7 elections is therefore not limited to changes in party control. The contradictions of the existing arrangements have been placed more sharply on the agenda, and furthermore, the elections show that the peoples of Wales and Scotland are taking up the question of their nations' futures, in different forms and under different conditions. The old political alignments are weakening. The demand for national renewal is being expressed more sharply.

In Wales in particular, nation-building is no longer officially confined to opposition. The task now is to occupy the space for change and build the movement for modern nation-building, which must involve the people of Scotland and Wales themselves discussing and deciding what kind of nations and arrangements they require. Let the future of Wales and Scotland be decided by the peoples themselves.

Note
[1] In Scotland, the D'Hondt electoral voting system is modified FPTP. It consists of two parts. In the FPTP part, one member of the Scottish parliament is elected per constituency, exactly as in a standard British parliamentary election.
In the second part, constituencies are grouped into regions, and a second ballot paper is provided to elect regional MSPs. On this second paper, the vote is for a party, not for a person. As in the constituency vote, the regional vote is a simple X. The constituency MSPs won by a particular party in a region are discounted, and then the regional MSPs are divided between the parties on a basis broadly proportionate to that vote. It has been pointed out that if a party wins all or most of the constituency MSPs in the region, it is unlikely to get any regional candidates, unless it is polling at over 50%.

The restructuring of the state entails a vicious struggle to wrench control from the hands of competitors and maintain it in particular hands. At this time extreme control, domination and interference characterise the present stage of capitalist development, whether it is a single state which wants to control everything in its own hands or a system of states in which one or more big powers dominate the entire world.

Anarchy and violence go side by side with the drive for control; the reflection of the control by the monopolies and oligopolies. The monopolies and oligopolies settle accounts between themselves through anarchy and violence and the state takes sides in this conflict. Not only does the state strive to keep the monopoly of power in its own hands, as opposed to ensuring democratic control of the political affairs by the working people, but it also takes sides in relation to the inter-monopoly struggle within a country and internationally.

Restructuring targets the working class and overrides the rights of the peoples, while internationally all the principles are also violated.

The politics of assassination and extreme violence, such as the US and Israeli Zionists are conducting in the Middle East and the US is escalating in Latin America and the Caribbean, specifically threatening Cuba, are a reflection of the anarchy and violence that prevails at the present time all over the world. Who is to be blamed for the killings taking place? Not only are those who carry out the assassinations and extreme violence to be held responsible but also those who accept the present state of affairs and contribute towards making the state extremely anti-people and partisan towards the group which has the power of the state.

The more time passes, the more unscrupulous those who are restructuring the state reveal themselves to be. This is not because they are necessarily bad characters and incapable, although that may also be the case. The main reason is that they have to control a state whose mechanisms and structures permit such things. The rich are quite happy so long as the control of the state does not fall into anyone else's hands and so long as their power is not limited in any way. They do not want to share this control of the state with anyone. It is this that drives and explains their behaviour.

Anarchy and extreme violence are inherent to this stage of capitalism, as was the case at other stages, but the economic and political power which it has in its hands today is colossal and unprecedented. It heeds no one while it pretends to be the most democratic and humanitarian. It is trumpeting its values all over the globe and threatening all those who may not agree with extreme violence.

While it is true that successive governments and leaders fail to deliver on promises they make and this is reprehensible, the main blame has to be put on the system. Anarchy and extreme violence are inherent to this stage of capitalism and the working people can only overcome such evils if they fight against all those who perpetuate them.

(Source: TML Monthly, June 2026)

Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution

Speech delivered by Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, at the commemoration of the 95th birthday of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and the 65th anniversary of the creation of the Ministry of the Interior, at the Karl Marx Theatre, June 5, 2026, "Year of the Centennial of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz"

Dear Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution;

Dear combatants of the Ministry of the Interior;

Comrades:

Rally for Raúl , Havana, Cuba,May 22 2026

Two anniversaries of great importance to the nation bring us together today, precisely on National Defence Day: the recent 95th birthday of our beloved Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and the 65th anniversary of the founding of our glorious and heroic Ministry of the Interior (Applause).

On behalf of the Party, the Government, the mass and social organisations, on behalf of the people of Cuba: Congratulations! (Applause.) What we celebrate is not merely a coincidence of dates on the revolutionary calendar. It is also the close bond between a legacy and a leader. In the historical account that compels us, the founding of the Ministry of the Interior on June 6, 1961, has its roots in organisational structures created during the guerrilla struggle, particularly the Secret Service Corps of the General Staff of the July 26 Revolutionary Army in the territories liberated by the Second Eastern Front Frank País. And the order for the creation of that rebel corps was signed by the then Commander and Chief of the Second Front, Raúl Castro Ruz.

The document, accessible today among the hundreds of valuable documents that comprise his Selected Works, reveals the brilliant vision of the young Commander of that guerrilla front who, at just 27 years old, understood the importance of having a structure that would allow him to identify and confront - and I quote his order verbatim - "everything that could affect, compromise, or endanger the security of our rebel forces".

This early understanding of defensive alert, of never letting down our guard, of studying, anticipating, and planning counterattacks against the enemy's plans, anticipating them with determination and cunning, as well as his profound sense of compartmentalisation, has accompanied him throughout his revolutionary life, all in service of a primary objective and duty: to protect and defend the people from risks and threats, to defend the Revolution!

Under these principles and alongside Fidel, Raúl has been a teacher, guide, and inspiration for the combatants of our Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.

Raúl and Fidel

Therefore, in the face of the vile slander and senseless, illegal actions being launched from the mafia's lair in Florida against our Army General, the phrase "Raúl is Raúl" has taken hold on social media and far beyond (Applause). This phrase, inspired by one he himself uttered long ago when referring to the Commander-in-Chief, highlights the exceptional merits of his brother in blood, ideals, and battles.

Raúl, as we, the people, affectionately call him, like Fidel, is also irreplaceable and holds a very special place in the heart of this nation for his exemplary career, the consistency of his ideas and his battles, and because he, too, is a pillar of this bastion of dignity and justice that Cuba continues to be, facing today the most voracious and ruthless of empires, without lowering our flags, without abdicating our dreams, and without surrendering (Applause). Long live free Cuba! That historic cry, born in the Cuban wilderness, identifies Raúl's political oratory like no other phrase and encapsulates his passionate commitment to defending national identity and the true history of Cuba.

"Long live free Cuba!" the people chant from the public platforms, summoned to repudiate the infamy of the accusations against Raúl and the criminal collective punishment inflicted upon the entire nation - that genocide in the form of an energy blockade that seeks to suffocate the country.

The nation's historical enemies intended to humiliate Cuba by accusing its leader, and all they have achieved is to unleash the legendary rebellion of this people who repudiate and condemn them, while singing "Happy Birthday" to the Army General on one of the most celebrated birthdays in memory.

Then come to mind the unforgettable verses of Cintio Vitier: "They have united us forever, they don't know what they have done."

"Raúl is Raúl," the people say from every platform. The idea underscores the uniqueness of an exceptional figure who, alongside Fidel, already occupies a distinguished place in the dignified and uplifting history of the Cuban nation for the sum of human values that set him apart. He represents heroism, dignity, and is a moral shield.

He represents having defeated several assassination attempts, because his courage and loyalty made him a target of enemy intelligence services and the mercenaries they trained and financed from a very early age.

Raúl is Cuba, and Cuba is untouchable! (Applause.) It is untouchable as long as there is one worthy Cuban man or woman alive to stand as a shield where the enemy intends to aim their bullet.

Raúl is also Our America and the Global South. This is confirmed by his stature as a statesman who set transcendental guidelines in international relations, one of them, without a doubt, being his effective contribution to international peace, being the architect of the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, which today suffers the outrage of the interventionist and warmongering policy of the current US administration, restoring the Monroe Doctrine and the contemptuous view of our lands as the backyard of the empire.

Raúl was the active and effective mediator in the Colombian peace talks, which led to the signing of the agreement between the FARC and the Colombian government. He also facilitated that unprecedented and conciliatory meeting between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church after centuries of estrangement.

His conviction that civilised coexistence amidst differences is possible led him to patiently, wisely, and discreetly guide the beginning of a path toward the normalisation of relations between Cuba and the United States. This path was cut short in 2017 by implausible pretexts fabricated by anti-Cuban groups that have always opposed any understanding between our two nations and that today are pushing for a military confrontation, which would be dramatically costly for both peoples.

To the audacious guerrilla fighter, the revolutionary leader, the intelligent statesman, we must add his undeniable qualities as a sensitive and just human being. Proven in every facet of life as a devoted son, loyal brother, and loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, and leader, while still remaining demanding (Applause). A true Cuban through and through!, as I wrote in my congratulatory message. Raúl turns 95, accompanying and guiding us with his proverbial wisdom, a blessing that all revolutionaries celebrate and appreciate every day.

On his behalf, because he asked me to, I want to convey to our compatriots his infinite gratitude for the countless and moving expressions of solidarity, affection, and respect he has received these past few days as a popular reaction to imperialist infamies and on his birthday. He extends this gratitude to all the friends around the world who have publicly expressed their affection during times of threats and reprisals against any gesture of commitment to Cuba.

No hatred, no lie will ever be able to stand against his moral strength and the high symbolic value of the revolutionary work that he has led with exemplary firmness (Applause).

Dear members of the Ministry of the Interior:

It is also a great pleasure to greet you and address you with these words on your 65th anniversary, amidst the challenging context we are experiencing, under the harassment of enemies without ethics or principles.

Our first recognition goes to Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez (Prolonged applause), founding member and leader, a paradigm of this institution, with a legacy that has endured through time.

It would be endless and impossible to recount the tasks carried out by this important defence body throughout these years. In these more than six decades, you have written, and continue to write, glorious pages, some of them from the most absolute and humble anonymity. The Ministry, as we popularly call it, has had, along with the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the mission of confronting the darkest plans of Yankee imperialism throughout the more than six decades of the Cuban Revolution's existence.

The enemy has employed every possible tactic against Cuba: the infiltration and formation of armed groups in the mountains, sabotage, terrorism, bacteriological warfare, assassination attempts, economic and ideological subversion, psychological and media warfare - all directed and financed by powerful US intelligence agencies.

Despite their relentless schemes of all kinds, the financial and technical resources at their disposal, and their unscrupulous actions in their dirty and undeclared war against Cuba, they have been unable to annihilate the Revolution because, among other reasons, we have had you as tireless sentinels of the homeland (Applause). Faced with each challenge, you have reinvented yourselves and given clear lessons that no adversary, however powerful, is invincible. You are the best expression of what it means to resist and creatively overcome the onslaught of the empire.

From the founding generations to the newest, they have distinguished themselves by loyalty, steadfastness, and courage, never wavering for a moment in the face of the harshest circumstances or the most treacherous plans.

This was demonstrated by the 32 heroes who fell in Venezuela on January 3. They were undeterred by the element of surprise, nor by the disproportionate forces and weapons with which the enemy outnumbered them; they went out to fight, and they did so with ferocity and determination! (Applause.)

They offered a brave and unwavering resistance, a source of admiration even for the invaders, who could not help but acknowledge it.

Our 32 brothers who fell in Venezuela left clear evidence of the mettle of which you are made, admirable combatants of the Ministry of the Interior and your brothers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, but above all, they sent a clear message of how millions of Cubans would act in defence of the homeland, should it ever be attacked (Applause).

If anyone still had any doubts about their stature, a short time later, five more members of the Border Guard Troops reaffirmed their courage when, without any time for surprise, they neutralised the attempt of a terrorist infiltration team that, with a considerable cache of weapons of war, intended to establish themselves on national territory.

Five defeated ten! And, to add to their honour, the Commander of our vessel, gravely wounded, never abandoned his mission: the defence of the homeland! (Applause.)

To all of them, the profound admiration and infinite gratitude of the Cuban people for the noble and selfless work they have carried out during these 65 years, maintaining not only the safeguarding of the homeland, but also accompanying, protecting, and rescuing the people in the most difficult moments: during hurricanes, fires, and accidents. The images of them bravely and compassionately rescuing people amidst the floods caused by Hurricane Melissa, almost always at great risk to their own lives, are still fresh in our collective memory. Thank you so much, fighters! (Applause.)

Fellow Cubans:

Our nation is living through crucial times, threatened as never before by imperialism, which once again believes it can subdue us and destroy the Revolution. To this end, and before the eyes of the world, violating all norms of International Law, the United States government is committing an act of genocide that imposes terrible limitations on the daily lives of our people.

The perverse way in which the United States is carrying out a plan against Cuba aimed at provoking a humanitarian crisis throughout the nation, with the grave effects already being felt by children, the elderly, pregnant women, the disabled, and, in general, all our people without exception, can only be described as a crime against humanity.

The energy blockade they implemented on January 29, through an Executive Order, is an act of extreme cruelty due to its humanitarian implications. The United States threatened coercive measures against anyone who supplies us with this resource.

In the first five months of the year, Cuba received only one fuel shipment, out of the 40 it had requested during that period. A single vessel with 100,000 tons of fuel, which we were able to use during the second half of April, and which, although it didn't fully cover our needs, was enough to demonstrate how much our reality would change without this abhorrent prohibition.

The total fuel blockade wasn't enough for them, and on May 1st, after a resounding demonstration of popular support for the Revolution, they tightened the blockade even further in an act of evident rage and frustration. That day they announced a new Executive Order laden with threats, sanctions, confiscations, and fines for any company, bank, institution, or individual that trades with Cuba, invests in Cuba, or supplies Cuba with even the most basic food, medicine, and hygiene products.

The reaction of several companies leaving Cuba these days is a direct result of the coercive measures imposed by the US government. They have unleashed this global terror based on another great lie: the criminalisation of a Cuban business system like GAE [Grupo de Administración Empresarial S A - created during the Special Period to confront the economic war against Cuba - Ed.]. Without presenting a single piece of proof or evidence, they have fabricated a story of corruption and million-dollar favouritism for a select few, a story that only exists in their twisted minds.

The attack on the GAE is not accidental; it's not just another media campaign. They are targeting a system of companies because they know how effective it is in the face of the United States' ongoing economic blockade against the Cuban people. The contributions of these companies to the country's socio-economic development are remarkable.

This is the same strategy used to target Cuban medical collaboration, based on infamous falsehoods aimed at cutting off a vital source of funding for the free and universal public healthcare system, deepening the blockade to unsustainable levels, the costs of which are measured in human lives.

While this genocide against the Cuban people is underway, its perpetrators brazenly lie to the world, denying their crimes.

They lie with such brazenness that they are not even capable of justifying or convincing their nation's representatives in the federal Congress, where these days the deceitful, immoral, and corrupt nature of the ruling clique, implicated in the plundering of financial resources and assets from other nations and even their own taxpayers, has become glaringly obvious. Having no convincing explanations or answers to offer their legislators, they attempt to distract everyone's attention with accusations against Cuba.

Tons of hatred and lies are heaped upon the Cuban leaders and their families. They slander and threaten, following the old Nazi tactics and the hybrid warfare manuals of the internet age: to confuse, distort reality, discredit, stigmatise, and disorient the people and world public opinion in order to justify their unjustifiable wars of plunder.

They try to make people believe that their war is only against a few individuals; they have done this so many times that they fool no one. From Haiti to Venezuela, and including hundreds of interventionist adventures around the world - and let's not forget Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya - during the last two centuries of the American empire, all we see is a prologue laden with lies and an epilogue of destruction and death. They started a war against Iran with lies, alleging that it was about to manufacture nuclear weapons, without a shred of evidence, despite the fact that the relevant international organisations had ruled out that possibility.

And with more lies, they intend to construct a pretext for military aggression against Cuba, based on the ridiculous and pathetic narrative that this small archipelago, blockaded and impoverished by unilateral coercive measures, is a threat to the national security of the United States. This is how the empire operates: it not only destroys, but also constructs a narrative to make the destruction seem deserved or inevitable. To this end, they disseminate inaccurate images of Chinese or Russian bases that do not exist in Cuba. This confirms the desperate fabrication of plans to attack us.

The greatest cruelty of the blockade is its prolonged duration. And the greatest offence to Cuba, which suffers it, and to the world that rejects it, is the cynical attempt to impose a reverse narrative: that of the failed state as the guilty party.

The purpose of destabilising the country through economic strangulation is as perverse as its accompanying false narrative, which inverts the cause of the problems to obscure the true culprits.

We do not turn a blind eye to our own shortcomings, but a state that is denied or hindered from importing food, medicine, fuel, and spare parts, by having its international finances blocked and being prevented from accessing credit or trading freely, and by being threatened by third parties, can never function normally.

These obstacles and difficulties translate into long and unbearable blackouts, shortages of medicine, food, and other supplies, low production levels, a profound crisis in passenger transportation within and outside the country, a drop in tourism, high migration, and the imperial chorus with its local spokespeople blaming the supposed "failed state" and, by extension, socialism for everything that goes wrong or doesn't work at all. How hypocritical!

What the empire calls a failed state is, in reality, a state under attack and refusing to surrender! (Applause.)

The increasingly undeniable reality is that the United States government is making every effort to lead the country toward a crisis, toward collapse, through economic imbalances, material shortages, and deprivation of the people's most basic needs in their daily lives.

It is a collective punishment intended to subdue and bring to its knees an entire nation that, despite the difficult times it is experiencing, will not renounce its independence nor yield to the attempts to turn Cuba into a state under their tutelage.

That is the uncomfortable truth: Cuba does not surrender! Cuba persists and resists! And that persistence is intolerable to the empire! (Applause.) Cuba wants peace. Cuba does not provoke, attack, or defy. We continue to strive for a climate of understanding with the United States based on mutual respect, despite our differences, as has been shown to be possible.

However, if the homeland is attacked, we will respond in legitimate self-defence! (Applause.) And if they try to enter, let there be no doubt: There will be a decisive and resolute fight! (Applause.)

Dear compatriots:

These days mark the 65th anniversary of a CIA-backed operation that aimed to assassinate Raúl Castro in Santiago de Cuba and, at the same time, stage an attack on the Guantánamo Naval Base, supported by their internal counter-revolutionary groups, to justify a military aggression against Cuba.

The dismantling of that operation, dubbed "Patty" by the CIA, would become one of the first major victories of the newly created Ministry of the Interior, which, just days after its founding, implemented an effective counter-plan known as "Candela". Its success allowed them to preserve Raúl Castro's life and publicly expose the sinister intentions.

Today, as those old methods against the Revolution and its leader are reinvented, our response will be no different, and our confidence in victory will be no less! (Applause.)

We remain guided by the firm conviction of:

Homeland or Death!

We shall overcome!(Exclamations of: "We shall overcome!")

Long live Fidel and Raúl! (Exclamations of: "Long live!")

Long live the Ministry of the Interior on its 65th anniversary! (Exclamations of: "Long live!")

Long live socialism! (Exclamations of: "Long live!")

And long live a free Cuba! (Exclamations of: "Long live!")

(Granma International)

A significant act of regional solidarity is currently making its way across the Caribbean.

On Friday, June 5, Colombia dispatched a vessel from the port of Cartagena de Indias carrying approximately 100 tons of humanitarian supplies bound for Cuba. The shipment - loaded aboard the ARC Caribe, a ship belonging to the Colombian Navy - includes non-perishable food, medications, hospital equipment, electrical materials, household items, and solar panels.

The operation was co-ordinated by Colombia's Presidential Agency for International Co-operation (APC-Colombia), acting under a directive from President Gustavo Petro. The effort brought together multiple government institutions, including the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Food and Drug Surveillance Institute, the Ministry of Mines, the National Customs and Tax Authority, the National Disaster Risk Management Unit, and the Colombian Foreign Ministry.

The inclusion of solar panels carries particular weight given the ongoing energy crisis affecting the island, where daily electricity shortfalls exceed 1,500 megawatts and repeated power grid failures have disrupted essential services for millions of families.

According to APC-Colombia, the shipment responds to needs identified by Cuba's Embassy in Colombia and aims to address the lasting impact of Hurricane Melissa, as well as the broader economic and energy challenges the country continues to face.

This marks the third time Colombia has sent humanitarian assistance to Cuba in recent months - a previous air shipment was delivered in April, and 240 tons of aid were sent last November following the hurricane's initial impact.

(Facebook post)

The Third International Anti-Fascist Forum, organised by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, was held in Moscow from May 24 to 26. The event brought together 187 participants from 100 countries, including representatives of communist parties from around the world. A representative of the New Communist Party of Britain participated. The People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Cuba were represented, as well as Palestine, Iran, Lebanon and Venezuela.

The first International Anti-Fascist Forum was held in Minsk, Belarus, on April 22, 2023, with participation from 50 countries. The second forum took place in Moscow on April 23, 2025, drawing 164 participants from 91 countries.

The forum opened with a plenary session under the theme, "The Struggle Against International Terrorism, Arbitrary Actions and Aggression: For Peace and Security". Discussions then continued in two thematic sessions: "Imperialism and International Terrorism in the 21st Century: Causes, Goals, and Methods" and "Solidarity in the Struggle Against International Terrorism and Its Manifestations: The Role of the Progressive Forces of the Left".

Participants exchanged views on contemporary international developments, focusing on what they described as wars and acts of terrorism carried out through the collaboration of imperialist, fascist, and Zionist forces.

Among the issues raised were calls to end the genocide against the Palestinian people, opposition to what participants characterised as US imperialist efforts to abduct and unlawfully detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, demands to halt military aggression against Iran, and appeals to end energy blockades and sanctions imposed on Cuba. Delegates also expressed support for Russia's ongoing Special Military Operation in Ukraine, describing it as an anti-fascist and anti-terrorist struggle against provocations and terrorist actions carried out by NATO and Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces.

In his opening speech, Gennady Zyuganov, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, said: "We have gathered at the Third International Anti-Fascist Forum to discuss our shared goals in the struggle for peace and security, friendship among peoples and social justice.

"This multifaceted activity of leftist forces cannot be conducted in isolation from the fight against imperialism and state terrorism, military aggression and neocolonialism, reaction and neo-fascism. The global expansion of capital continues. It achieves its goals by relying on two main pillars: physical force and the manipulation of consciousness.

"This forum is another step towards unity in the fight against global reaction. Imperialism has shed the last vestiges of its peace-making veneer. On our stunningly beautiful planet, it sows terrible poverty and state terrorism, war and death. Our shared task is to boldly expose the essence of big capital's policies, [...] put forward our alternative and persistently pursue our goals."

The conference was also addressed by the last leader of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), Egon Krenz, who was awarded the Lenin Prize during the conference.

In a message to the forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the world is facing serious challenges, regional conflicts, and growing global instability. He emphasised the importance of uniting constructive forces in pursuit of a just and democratic multipolar world. Putin also called for joint resistance against destructive ideologies, xenophobia, neo-Nazism, anti-Semitism, and Russophobia, while stressing the need to preserve historical truth regarding World War II and the sacrifices made by European peoples in the struggle for liberation.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in his greeting to the forum, stated that the threat of terrorism is increasingly taking on a global character and that strengthening international solidarity among communists against the ideology of violence is both a necessity and a responsibility to future generations. He reaffirmed Belarus's longstanding opposition to terrorism in all its forms.

Following two days of discussions, participants adopted the forum's final statement at a plenary meeting on May 25. The following day, delegates laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Red Square and visited memorial monuments dedicated to the Hero Cities of the former Soviet Union.

(Sources: World Anti-imperialist Platform, New Worker)