“This is highly symbolic because it shows us how crime cannot kill ideas, how crime cannot stop the victorious march of a people; how crime, no matter how monstrous, cannot kill life, and how the life of each one of us does not belong to ourselves, but it belongs to everyone. We are all part of something that is greater than we are, and that is Homeland, the people; our lives are part of the infinite and immortal life of the Cuban nation and of our revolutionary people.”
“He left us his revolutionary thinking, he left us his revolutionary virtues, he left us his character, his will, his tenacity, his spirit of work. In a word, he left us his example! Che’s example must be a model for our people, Che’s example must be the ideal model for our people!”
"It is not an easy thing to do in the midst of today’s problems complexities in the world today. It is difficult to maintain that inflexible opinion, maintain this inflexible independence, but we will maintain it. This Revolution was not imported from anywhere. It is a genuine product of this country. Nobody told us how we must do it, and we have carried it out. (APPLAUSE) And nobody will have to tell us how we must continue to carry it out, and we will continue to carry it out. We have learned to write history and we will continue to write it. Let no one doubt it".
“The strength of this Revolution, the strength of this revolutionary army was built upon the sacrifice of many comrades, was built upon the lives of those who died defending this cause.
“And our Revolution stemmed from the struggle against injustice and against tyranny, looking at the way in which our comrades were chased, assassinated and tortured everyday; and our people were educated in the most profound hatred against crime, injustice, torture and all forms of abuse against human beings […]. Our people were educated in those principles, and those principles became our people’s asset and culture. If there is something which has characterized our Revolution it has been our loyalty to principles.”
“Vietnam is a most cherished name too close to the hearts of all Cubans.
“…work, organize and put into action the spirit of creation, the enthusiasm of Cuban women, so that Cuban women, in this stage of the revolutions, will see to the disappearance of the last shred of discrimination; and so that Cuban women, because of their virtues and merits, will take the place corresponding them in the country’s history.”
“Julio Antonio Mella, one day you said that even after we are dead we are useful, because we serve as a standard. And so it has been! You were always the standard for our workers and youth in their revolutionary struggles, and today you are the inspirational standard, exemplary, victorious and invincible, of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba!”
“Humanity needs these kinds of answers. Humanity is growing, humanity is multiplying. What isn’t growing, however, is the earth’s surface. Humanity shall have to do everything in its power to increase its productivity per unit of surface, make as much of the earth or its surface productive, avail itself of all natural resources, all of science’s resources, for only those who are not revolutionaries, those who haven’t the slightest notion of the potential of humanity’s intelligence and willpower, can conceive of a world in which humanity starves”.
“The prestige of the imperial policy will so crumble that not even its dust will remain. We will systematically denounce and demolish one by one, its hypocrisy and lies. They obviously have absolutely no idea what kinds of people have been forged in these 40 years of Revolution.
Our message will reach all corners of the Earth, and our struggle will serve as an example. The world, ever more ungovernable, will fight until hegemony and the subjugation of peoples become totally unsustainable.”