LAIF is pleased to provide an audio-ized version of Julia Sweig’s recent paper entitled; Fidel’s Final Victory. Julia Sweig is the Director of Latin American Studies at the Council of Foreign Relations and has traveled to Cuba almost 30 times since 1984 interviewing Fidel and dissidents alike.In this paper she traces the Cuban model from the Sierra Maestra to 9/11 and presents an impartial picture of Washington’s myopic understanding of Cuba’s reality and recommends a constructive US policy for the future, even after President Castro’s death. This paper should be required reading for all those concerned for Cuba’s future whether hard-line exiles or progressives alike.

Again, our profound thanks to Amy Goodman and Democracy Now for providing this audio clip.