"(...) when men and women fight in a country, that country becomes invincible."
Quotes
“I have the satisfaction of having profoundly believed in the Cuban people; I have instilled them faith in my comrades; a faith that is rather a full confidence in our men. And that faith we have in you is the same faith we want you to always have in us”.
“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!”
“It is important that, as from today, that the people know and understand that the Revolution could not be a task of one, two, or three days, that the evils that affect us could not be eradicated overnight, and that it would be necessary to work very hard. Just as the war was not won in a single day, […], the Revolution would also have to be made step by step, little by little, and without any other maxim but that of the final victory.”
“Cuba’s fate must be bright, because our people has set off, our people is standing on its feet and is determined to do anything. And when peoples rise as the Cuban people have done, when peoples set off as the Cuban people have done, with its Rebel Army at the forefront, then there is no other alternative.”
“Now the people have the sort of peace they wanted: peace without dictatorship, peace without censorship, peace without persecution”.
“I believe this to be a turning point in our history: the tyranny has been overthrown. The rejoicing is immense. But there is still much to be done. We mustn't fool ourselves into believing that the future will be easy; everything may be more difficult in the future. Telling the truth is the first duty of all revolutionaries. Deceiving the people, raising false hopes, always brings the worst consequences, and I feel it's necessary to warn everyone against over-optimism.”
"I see a tremendous spirit of cooperation all over the country. I see the press, the journalists, all sectors of the nation, eager to help; and that's what's needed".
"(...) it is truly laudable, the degree of integrity which has evolved in this country, the civic-mindedness of this people, the discipline of this people, the spirit of this people; really, I'm proud of the entire people, I have tremendous faith in the people of Cuba. It's worthwhile, making sacrifices for this people".
"(...) and if one day it becomes necessary to fight a foreign enemy or a movement that attacks the Revolution, it won't be some limited engagement, it'll be the entire people that fight"
"And it was the people who won this war, because we had no tanks, we had no planes, we had no heavy artillery, we had no military academies, we had no recruitment and training camps, we had no divisions, or regiments, or companies, or platoons, or even squads".
"When I hear mention of columns, when I hear mention of battle fronts, when I hear mention of more-or-less heavy troop concentrations, I always think: I have our strongest column right here, our best troops - the only troops able to win the war alone - right here. Those troops are the people!"