Ramona Wadi

Ramona Wadi is an independent researcher, freelance journalist, book reviewer and blogger. She writes about the struggle for memory in Palestine and Chile, historical legitimacy, the ramifications of settler-colonialism, the correlation between humanitarian aid and human rights abuses, the United Nations as an imperialist organisation, indigenous resistance, la nueva cancion Chilena and Latin American revolutionary philosophy with a particular focus on Fidel Castro, Jose Marti and Jose Carlos Mariategui. Her articles, book reviews, interviews and blogs have been published in Middle East Monitor, Upside Down World, Truthout, Irish Left Review, Gramsci Oggi, Cubarte, Rabble.ca, Toward Freedom, History Today, Chileno and other outlets, including academic publications and translations into several languages.

Perspectives Diverge On Protective Edge’s Implications For Palestine

What does Operation Protective Edge mean for Palestine? That depends on who one asks. At the U.N. General Assembly, the conversation turned toward Israel’s “right to defend itself,” but the Russell Tribunal on Palestine’s discussion took a very different course.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
Mahmoud Abbas

The aftermath of Israel’s colonial massacre of the Gaza Strip, dubbed “Operation Protective Edge,” featured strongly at the end of last month. It was a topic of conversation at both the U.N. General Assembly and the Russell Tribunal on Palestine -- two arenas with very different conclusions about the operation’s implications for

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Analysis: Does The UN Prevent Violence Or Promote It? Ask Cuba

Fidel Castro asked the U.N. General Assembly in 1979, “Of what use is the U.N.?” Cuba has since used the platform to advocate its non-imperialist stance and promote internationalism, while other countries simply offer various messages of appeasement.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
palestine

At a time when the United Nations is rapidly expanding its imperialist agenda, opposition to the organization’s duplicitous role is rarely reported in mainstream media. In his address to the U.N. Security Council on Aug. 21, Cuban Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the U.N. Rodolfo Reyes reserved harsh criticism for the organization’s role

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Pablo Neruda: A Poet Possibly Poisoned By A CIA Agent Working For Pinochet

“I am a Chilean who for decades has known the misfortunes and difficulties of our national existence and who has taken part in each sorrow and joy of the people. I am not a stranger to them, I come from them, I am part of the people.” — Pablo Neruda, 1969

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
Chile Neruda Death

Tuesday marks the anniversary of a suspicious death during Chile’s dictatorship era – that of Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda on Sept. 23, 1973. Renowned for his passionate and politically-charged poetry, Neruda was one of the intellectuals greatly feared by Augusto Pinochet and his U.S.-backed dictatorship. Culture – one of the pillars

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“There Is No Revolution Without Songs”

Exploring the death of a revolutionary Chilean folk singer, as well as the notorious School of the Americas and the United States’ role in the horrors that befell those who opposed Chile’s dictatorship.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
Chile

Sept. 11 marks the anniversary of a tragedy in Chile, and the immediate aftermath of this incident resulted in a multitude of horrific events that echo through history -- even if they’re only starting to be acknowledged. Following the suspicious circumstances of former President Salvador Allende’s death at the presidential palace La Moneda on

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In Chile, A Dictatorship’s Horrors Go On Trial

Former DINA agent Cristián Labbé has been indicted on charges related to his role in Chile’s dictatorship-era torture. With the possibility of his incarceration looming, justice may finally come to those who have suffered through decades of oblivion.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
Chile

Memory loss in Chile, or oblivion, has ensured that a multitude of crimes committed during the dictatorship era remain unchallenged. Consequently, Chilean society remains shackled within a paradox of alleged democracy and impunity. Torture survivors find themselves living alongside torturers and murderers -- many of whom hold influential positions

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Internationalism: The Link Betweeen Latin America And Palestine

“Politicians are rattled and chaos is evident in world politics,” Fidel Castro writes in a reflective piece on internationalism’s role in combating colonial and imperialist violence.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi
Cuba Israel Palestinians

On Aug. 21, the Cuban state newspaper Granma published an article by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro detailing the recent meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The article, titled “True Friendship,” is another profound reflection on internationalism’s role in combating the repercussions of colonial and imperialist violence. Of

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Reflections On The Illegal And Unconstitutional In Chilean History

As long as imperialism garners willing allies and represses the process of liberation through socialism, freedom is destined to remain a contentious concept, available only to those who ally themselves with those wielding uncontested power.

Ramona Wadi
By Ramona Wadi

As Chile nears its 41st anniversary since the U.S.-backed military dictatorship toppled Salvador Allende’s government, the country remains incarcerated within a complex historical memory framework. Grappling with dictatorial restrictions enforced through the constitution, the ramifications of Augusto Pinochet’s macabre era, from 1973 to 1990, are

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