"The men who have fallen in our three wars of independence today join forces with the men who have fallen in this war. And we can say to all those who have fallen in our struggles for freedom that at last the time has come for their dreams to be fulfilled."
Quotes
“The republic was not free in 1895, and the dream entertained by the ‘mambises’ was frustrated at the last minute; the Revolution did not materialize and was frustrated by its enemies. This time the Revolution has the support of the entire people, of all the revolutionaries, of the honorable militants. Its strength is so big and uncontrollable that this time victory is guaranteed!”
“[…] because when a people are constructing their future, when a people have come out of the past and broken their chains, a breech has been opened in the middle of a wall of interests, and that people will never resign themselves to give up the path they have taken, that people can never be defeated by anything or anyone! […]”
“To correct matters in their country, Cubans had been fighting for a long time. But there was a greater force which prevented us from correcting things in our country. This force was the imperialist penetration of the United States in our homeland. It was this force which frustrated our full independence. It was this force which prevented Calixto García and his brave soldiers in Santiago de Cuba from succeeding. It was this force which prevented the liberation army from undertaking revolution in the early days of the republic. It was this force which determined the destiny of our homeland from the very first. It was this force which permitted the seizure of the natural resources and the best lands of our homeland by foreign interests. It was this force which appropriated the right to intervene in our country's affairs. It was this force which crushed so many revolutionary efforts. It was this force which was always associated with everything negative, everything reactionary, and everything abusive in our country. It was this force which prevented an earlier revolution in our homeland, and it is this force which is trying to prevent us from correcting things in our country now.”
“For this great humanity has said “Enough” and has begun to march. And their giant march will not be halted until they conquer true independence, for which they have died in vain more than once. Today, however, those who die will die like the Cubans at Playa Giron. They will die for their own true and never-to-be surrendered independence!”
“For this great humanity has said “Enough” and has begun to march. And their giant march will not be halted until they conquer true independence, for which they have died in vain more than once. Today, however, those who die will die like the Cubans at Playa Giron. They will die for their own true and never-to-be surrendered independence!”
"The National Ballet of Cuba has been present in the greatest moments of our major cultural endeavors, throughout the long battle for independence and socialism waged by our people".
“But it is a historical truth, an inexorable law of history, that all peoples exploited by imperialism will free themselves from imperialism, and that the peoples of Latin America will also free themselves, just as those in Asia who are yet to free themselves will also be free and those remaining in Africa to be freed as well.”
"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".
"What does October 10th mean for our people? It simply means the beginning of one hundred years of struggle, the beginning of the revolution in Cuba, because in Cuba there has only been one revolution: the one begun by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes on October 10th 1868. And it is the one our people are carrying on at this time."
“Vietnam is a most cherished name too close to the hearts of all Cubans. To all of us Vietnam has been an example to follow and an incentive in our struggle. The Cuban people is very much aware of the extraordinary role played by the people of Vietnam within the world’s revolutionary movement and in people’s liberation struggles. Vietnam has taught an unforgettable lesson to all the exploited and oppressed peoples. No liberation movement, none of the peoples that have struggled for their independence have had to wage a struggle as prolonged and heroic as that waged by the people of Vietnam.”
"Our forefathers didnot know independence, they didnot know freedom. And although we have obligations, must make sacrifices, must fight and work very hard, at least, we have known independence, dignity and freedom.."