This is the foreword written by Alan Woods for Ariel Dacal and Francisco Brown Infante's book recently published in Cuba by Editorial Ciencias Sociales. Already launched in Havana, their book "Russia: from real socialism to real capitalism" is an interesting analysis of the reasons for and consequences of the fall of the USSR.

Today marks the 53rd anniversary of that day when a handful of courageous young Cuban revolutionaries attempted to overthrow the tyrannical regime by attacking the Moncada barracks. Although they failed, they prepared the ground for victory a few years later. More than ever the Cuban revolution requires the support of the international labour movement.

Now that the Havana Book Fair is over we can give a general overview of the event. Over half a million people attended, and for the second year running we, the Spanish Frederick Engels Foundation, were there with our publications. Again there was keen interest in Trotsky’s works. The Cuban edition of Reason in Revolt is selling very well, and there are plans for a Cuban edition of Alan Woods’ book on Venezuela.

The last leg of Alan Woods’ speaking tour of Cuba was in Santiago de Cuba. He spoke at two meetings at the Universidad de Oriente. There was keen interest and people noted the difference between genuine Marxism and the stale old Soviet manuals. A large part of the discussion was dedicated to the situation in Venezuela. Alan insisted that the revolution in Venezuela “will not be completed until a radical expropriation of the capitalist class takes place”.

More than 65 people gathered on Monday, February 13th at the Casa Don Fernando Ortiz of the Havana University for the second launch of Reason in Revolt in Havana. The launch had been jointly organised by the Spanish Marxist publishing house F. Engels Foundation and the Cuban Ciencias Sociales, which have jointly printed the first Cuban edition of the book.

On February 9th, Alan Woods was invited to speak at the Centre of European Studies (CEE) in Havana. The meeting was attended by researchers from the CEE, journalists and members of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos, ICAP). The main theme of the discussion was the state of the class struggle in Europe.