“[…] whenever a man must face a challenge it is a test to him: a test of his character, a test of his will, a test of his courage as a revolutionary and as a man. And the concept of man implies the willingness to face tests and challenges.”
Quotes
“Our country could be swept off the Earth, but it could never be conquered and submitted.”
“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.”
“I think we are all worthy of a better future, we have a right to a better future; nobility of spirit, the talent of our peoples, their patriotism, their courage, their feelings – all of these make them worthy of a better future.”
“A people are nothing without honour, without decorum, without independence and without dignity, never mind the life of a people!”
“[…] It has been our tradition since our war of liberation; we made the war being generous, respecting our adversary, respecting our enemy. That is a basic fact of our history; if it were not so, we would not have the support of our people…”
“Revolution is the sense of the historical moment; it is changing everything that must be changed; it is full equality and freedom; it is being treated and treating others like human beings; it is emancipating ourselves, by ourselves and with our very own efforts; it is challenging the dominant powerful forces within and outside of the social and national arena; it is defending the values one believes in at the cost of any sacrifice; it is modesty, selflessness, altruism, solidarity and heroism; it is fighting with audacity, intelligence and realism; it is never telling a lie or violating ethical principles; it is the profound conviction that there is no force on earth that can crush truth and ideas. Revolution is unity, it is independence, it is fighting for our dreams of justice for Cuba and the world that is the basis of our patriotism, our socialism and our internationalism."
"Humanity should be aware of what we have been so far and what we cannot continue to be. Presently, our species has enough accumulated knowledge, ethical values and scientific resources to move towards a new historical era of true justice and humanism."
“The enormous political and moral authority stemming from what the Bolivarian Revolution can do for the people would politically crush the reactionary forces. The revolutionary and patriotic culture and values it would bring to the Venezuelan people would definitely prevent a return to the past.”
“I have always lived, and I will continue to live quietly, because I know how to defend the rights of my people with dignity, as well as the honor of the small, poor and weak nations, and I have always been moved by a profound sense of justice. I am a revolutionary and I will die being one.”
"(...) cannot renounce my convictions, as I feel that the more candid we are in telling the truth the more possibilities there will be to be heeded and respected".
“Today, of course, the main concern of our people and the planet as a whole is the preservation of peace, because without peace, the world would be headed towards a fatal abyss. And we will struggle for peace with the same courage, honor and dignity as we always have”.