Havana, October 25 (RHC)-- Today, October 25th, marks the 40th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Grenada.  On this date in 1983, the most powerful country in the world, the United States, invaded the tiny island of Grenada.  

Taking advantage of an unstable situation in Grenada, with problems within the governing political party, the New Jewel Movement, and the murder of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and several cabinet members just 6 days before, U.S. President Ronald Reagan ordered the invasion on the morning of October 25, 1983.

The invasion destroyed the social gains of the Grenadian revolutionary process that had begun four years before in 1979.  Free health care and education, housing and advances in social areas were all eliminated within days after the illegal U.S. invasion.

Washington's invasion was criticized by many countries.  British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher privately disapproved of the mission, in part because she was not consulted in advance and was given very short notice of the military operation, however she supported it publicly. 

The United Nations General Assembly condemned the U.S. invasion of Grenada as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 to 9... with the United States and Israel leading the way to vote against the resolution.  

Today... the 40th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada.