Lat Am Students Back Fidel Castro’s Message

Lat Am Students Back Fidel Castro's MessagePretoria, Dec 16. -Latin American students on Wednesday issued a statement of support for the message sent by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, to participants in the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students.

Youth Festival Unites the World in South Africa

The event, which was first held 63 years ago, has bruoght together in South Africa about 15,000 delegates from over 140 countries, under the slogan "Let's defeat imperialism, For a world of peace, solidarity and social transformation."

"We are here to support the message from Comandante Fidel Castro, condemning the injustice and abuse to which British students have been subjected," Yordanys Charchabal, president of the Latin American Continental Students Organization, stated.

Charchabal told participants gathered at the Tshwane Events Center that UK ruling party parliamentarians approved raising the cost of university tuition to the equivalent of 14,000 USD a year.

Education cuts and the 300 percent increase in tuition ialso justify the rebelliousness of students, who are only trying to defend themselves from these actions, he noted.

"We condemn the attitude of the neoliberal parties in the United Kingdom, who with their restrictions are trying to limit access to education for thousands of young people and turn an elemental right for everyone into a privilege for a minority," Charchabal stated.

The youth leader criticized the European Union's silence on the events, and requested solidarity with the students who have been victims of repression.

The statement also opposed the stance of the administration of the University of Puerto Rico, which refuses to cancel an 800 dollar USD enrollment fee protested by students, and has approved a heavy police presence on university campuses.

"Let's remain firm in our principles in defense of the historic demands of the student movement, and let's continue the struggle for the future of humanity, the preservation of peace and the universal defense of education," the statement says.  (Prensa Latina)