By Alina Perera Robbio

“The analyzes of this VIII Plenary Session have been critical, as they should be whenever a Communist militant reflects and expresses oneself about the challenges and possible solutions for the country,” the president of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, said this Saturday afternoon in his concluding words of the important meeting. 

After two days of intense work that took place at the Palacio de la Revolucion, Díaz-Canel told the delegates to the Plenary Session of the Central Committee: “The times are neither one of complacency nor of inertia that we do not know how to break.  Our people demand results, and we owe that to the people.

“The words of those who have intervened here, with the experiences of daily work there at the base, show the lights, the potential and the strength of a Revolution that was not born for pessimism and much less for defeat."

“I call you to rectification as a permanent practice, to confront with will, effort and imagination, the negative tendencies that emerge like weeds in difficult moments."

“The call now is to go out into combat, as we know how to do it, as we have done so many times in history, and turn into palpable facts and results what we have analyzed together here.”

The Cuban head of state said: "This is the best tribute to the heroes and martyrs of July 26th, and it is the best response to our immense everyday hero: our people.”

In his closing words, and referring to “dear Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, who is following this Plenary in detail,” as well as to the fellow members of the Central Committee, and guests, Miguel Diaz-Canel shared his certainty that “this Plenary has been characterized by a broad debate, participatory, contributing, and where the level of identity that exists between the topics that have been submitted for debate as part of the agenda of this Plenary, and the main problems that the country has.”

And then he emphasized that such an achievement “is not enough,” because “we must act and consolidate solutions that give us results in overcoming the complex problems we face today.”

That idea gave rise to the president bringing up a thought from Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, according to which "it is in difficult times when it happens that there are those who become confused, those who become discouraged, those who cower; there are those who soften; there are those who betray; There are those who desert."

"That happens" – Fidel had said and this is how the Cuban president recalled this Saturday – in all times and in all revolutions.  But also in difficult times, it is when men and women are truly tested, the Commander in Chief defined, as Díaz-Canel evoked, that "difficult times are the best measure of each person."

The Cuban president stated that “looking at the current situation from the profound truth contained in those words of Fidel, the daily difficulties, so enormous that they sometimes seem insurmountable, are not a misfortune: they are proof of our ability to face and overcome them.

“I see it this way: every day in which we manage to overcome those great difficulties with tenacity, with effort, with creativity, with talent, with unity of purpose.  In short, every day of the Revolution in power, against the genocidal plan of its historic enemy, is a triumph, and it is a victory."

“I say more: something as seemingly simple as 24 hours in the life of this surrounded, threatened, attacked nation is another victory of little David against the giant Goliath; another confirmation that it is possible, as the Army General said and demonstrated in times that are just as or more difficult.”

The president highlighted that “this is the experience of the Cuban Revolution and the best expression of its continuity,” and emphasized: “The ideas and undeniable works of Fidel, Raúl, Che and all the women and men who with Their dedication and sacrifice brought the Revolution undefeated to this day, they inspire us and push us.

“This is how a line of action is formed that we are called upon to constantly subject to analysis, to enrich, to correct, and also to discard what fails."

Of course,” he stressed, “this line of action does not provide magical solutions, it does not impact immediately, but it gradually takes bits away from each problem, when each of us and each of our institutions do what they have to do, from an authentic commitment.”  [A commitment] to the people and with the enormous responsibility of preserving the Revolution, which is simply to preserve its conquests and continue advancing on the path of perfecting society, working tirelessly.”

The head of state stressed that all this “must be accompanied by deep self-criticism and constant criticism of what we do wrong or what does not give the expected results, breaking inertia and routines, banishing the complaining lament that paralyzes."

“The Party and its cadres have the mission of stimulating, inspiring, mobilizing, and engaging its members and the people, aware that only the ideal that involves us all triumphs.  It is up to political leaders to go to the forefront with example as their standard and the deep conviction that it is only possible to advance by working hard, with intelligence, with creativity, aware that in each of us there is the potential to grow and improve ourselves.”

And then he stressed: “The path is clear: work, produce, create wealth, distribute with social justice, and feed back on the daily heroism of the people, opening spaces for young people to contribute with their active, enthusiastic and always revolutionary participation, in the search to change everything that must be changed.”

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party recalled that “the country is full of workers who in the worst circumstances are finding solutions.”  That is why he called on everyone to take “those valuable experiences, which are still the exception,” to turn them into rules.

“I assure you,” he said, “that the country is full of inspiring people, of anonymous geniuses of creative resistance, of essential women and men, whose exemplary response to shortcomings we must recognize, stimulate and multiply.  "I don't see a more inspiring task for those of us who feel deeply what it means to represent the Communist Party of Cuba."

At one point during his speech, the Cuban leader shared this question: “What should we make clear in times like these?”  And that was the starting point for him to say: "First of all, we ratify the will to advance socialist construction."

“That means defending, above all, the interests and needs of the people, the utmost consideration for them, constant concern for the people, and preserving the achievements of the Revolution for those people; fight for a healthy and efficient economy, which guarantees social justice, and the highest possible degree of well-being for the population."

“First of all, it is necessary to guarantee better and greater access to food.  Food production and self-sufficiency are tasks of the first order, in which the entire population must participate."

"In the current circumstances, we must promote science, innovation and agroecology in food production, under a political premise: the will to fight and win, as a way out of difficulties, counting on the intelligence of a people totally innovative.”

In the same line of thought, the Cuban president said that “special work is required with youth and in the training of our young people.  This is based on a premise: we have to achieve comprehensive training for our teachers and our professors.

“We must create and develop consciousness, revolutionary morality, see work in its formative expression, as fulfillment of duty and as the attitude of contributing to society.  Strengthen the defense of the concept of a new man and woman, which Che defended, with Fidel's constant call to defend and enrich these conceptions."

Díaz-Canel referred to the importance of “the conviction that we are going to get out of these difficulties, as we have always done, fighting, with the same determination of Baraguá, Moncada, Granma, Girón, and with the firm convictions that the Commander in Chief instilled in us.” To that end, he said, “Raúl summoned us, and that is what we have to do.”

In his concluding words, the president recalled and explained the four priorities outlined by the Communist Party at the beginning of this year. Regarding them, he emphasized that they have been given "systematic follow-up in the monthly tours of the provinces and municipalities of the country, and at different times in the system of the structures of the Central Committee of the Party."

At another point in his speech, Diaz-Canel addressed “the complex situation of the country,” which “is manifested today in the instability to ensure the timely supply of basic basket products; in the instability in the National Electroenergy System; in the existence of very high, speculative and abusive prices, which limit the purchasing power of a considerable part of the population; in the manifestations of indiscipline and social violence and vandalism, which threaten out citizen's tranquility,” among other problems.

This situation, he said, “requires immediate implementation of concrete, well-secured actions, with due control, which must be supported with an adequate political and institutional communications strategy.”

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party stated that “we must have a work system” and spoke about the need for “each action or measure that we propose to implement” to be treated “as if it were a program or a project, with an adequate presentation strategy to the population, to achieve their understanding and support, and thus participation.”

He spoke of ensuring “that what was approved is fulfilled, defining the objectives well, preparing well the executors of each measure, promoting the political, material and financial assurance of its implementation, proposing the actions with an implementation schedule so that we do not miss in the air and in speech, and above all exercise control for corrections, adjustments and necessary feedback.

“If we work in all these areas simultaneously, in a determined, organized, coherent manner, in a short time we will be organizing fundamental issues such as the budget deficit, excess cash in circulation, tax evasion, abusive prices; we will be ordering the appropriate relations between the state sector and the non-state sector; we will be confronting crime and corruption more decisively; we will be providing more offers to the population; and all this will indirectly also influence changes in the exchange rate, gradually, and inflation; and we would be contributing to the solution of important problems that our society has to face.”

Towards the end of his words, the president highlighted: “We are here to save the country, the Revolution and socialism.  In six decades, the blockade has not been able to defeat the dignity of the Cuban people nor the immense collective and social work of the Revolution.  The intensified blockade in these times will not achieve this either.”

“The Cuban people will continue to deal setbacks to the empire, and as the Army General expressed, history has shown that it was possible, it is possible, and it always will be possible."

(Taken from the Presidency of Cuba)