By John Leschak, Columnist
Last Wednesday, 40 University students had the opportunity to hear the stories of two medical students from Cuba, Yenaívís Fuentes Ascencio and Aníbal Ramos Soccarrás. Yenaívís is currently in her sixth and final year of medical studies in Havana. Aníbal has finished his undergraduate medical studies, and has served one year in Haiti with a volunteer medical brigade.
Yenaívís explained that before the 1959 Cuban revolution, the working class majority received little or no medical care because they could not afford it. However, today health care is a right for all citizens. The state gives particular support to ensuring the health of mothers and children. Aníbal contrasted health care in Haiti with that in Cuba. Most Haitians lack access to medical care, a problem greatly exacerbated by the recent earthquake. Fortunately, volunteer medical units from Cuba have been able to give free care to poor Haitians. “To transform health care, it is necessary to revolutionize class relations,” Aníbal said.
The two Cuban students are on a month-long speaking tour sponsored by the Socialist Workers Party and a broad range of academic and student groups. The Hofstra event was sponsored by the Office of Multicultural and International Student Programs.
I was excited to hear the students’ stories. After all, it’s not everyday that you get a chance to talk to Cubans face-to-face. But, why should we give any special attention to what Cubans have to say? Because of what Cuba represents today – an alternative to capitalism, where wealth concentrates in the hands of a few at the expense of many.
Cuba is a poor country and has limited resources. Yet, it is also a country that provides health care to each and every person, which is something that we are still fighting for in the US, something that has faced huge political resistance. Cuba’s health program has been in place for over 40 years!
Cuba is also a country that has housing as a right, rather than for profit. In New York, thousands of people have lost their homes in the last six months, not because of a hurricane or earthquake, but because they couldn’t pay enough interest to the same banks the government bailed out with over $700 billion in taxpayer money. You won’t see that in Cuba. Cuba has a different social and economic system.
However, most Americans don’t know much about Cuba – which is odd because Cuba is only 90 miles away from the US and was a frequent American destination until 1961. Travel to Cuba was severely restricted by the US in 1961, and these restrictions have remained in place for nearly 50 years. The restrictions are part of the US’s program of economic warfare aimed at overthrowing Cuba’s communist government. But, these restrictions are also in place to prevent Americans from experiencing Cuba first-hand, and from exchanging ideas with Cuban people.
I find these restrictions very troubling. As US Supreme Court Justice William Douglas wrote in the 1964 case of Aptheker v. Secretary of State, “Freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society.” It is our right to know, to converse with others that gives substance and meaning to freedom of expression. Restricting travel restricts our ability to converse with others and in turn reduces our freedom.
The Obama administration has eased some restrictions on travel. The visas Yenaívís and Aníbal received are a signal that there could be more academic and cultural exchange, but the blockade imposed 50 years ago remains. Obama has the power to greatly liberalize travel to Cuba, and he should use his power to do so.
