Speeches
Therefore, I am sure that when you speak, whatever you can say in a few minutes will reflect the sentiments voiced here this afternoon. We will gladly grant you a vote of confidence –at least I will, and I am sure that the others here will do as well– so that, as chairman of this round table, you will elegantly but truthfully convey our concerns as they have been stated.
It is a miracle that I have lived this many years (APPLAUSE AND SHOUTS), and not because we spent a number of years fighting against the tyranny in our country, or for having participated in some war actions but rather because of everything that came after the triumph of the Revolution. They say that a word to the wise is enough (APPLAUSE), and you are not only wise but noble and intelligent, too.
When the Revolutionary triumphed there was little organization and our small army was practically swallowed up by the number of new fighters who took up arms and occupied the military barracks. In just a few weeks our force grew to 40 000 men, 10 times its original size; the masses took to the streets, it was a chaotic situation. But, the worst was that we still had everything to do.
Presently, I share in the grief and sorrow of Pierre Trudeau’s family and of all Canadians’ . I cannot help but remember that only two years ago this family suffered another terrible tragedy with the passing of Michael Trudeau whom I had met at a very early stage of his life when as a four-month-old baby his father took him on a visit to Cuba and I held in my arms more than once. I have brought with me some photos of those dearly cherished days to leave to the family as mementos.
I am not here for protocol reasons or because tradition would have it that official guests visit Parliament. I do not belong to that stock of men who run after honors, ask for privileges or live the slaves of conceit. When visiting a country, particularly if it is a beloved sister country such as Venezuela, I respect the wishes of those whom I feel represent it with great dignity and courage.
However, it is my duty to inform you that, just like in previous occasions when I have traveled to these summits, terrorist groups organized, funded and directed from the United States of America by the Cuban American National Foundation, an instrument of imperialism and the extreme right wing in that country, have been dispatched to Panama intent on my physical elimination. They are already in this city where they have introduced weapons and explosives.
The 45% of the total population in Latin America and the Caribbean region are poor, that is, 224 million people, and 90 million of them live in absolute poverty. Actually, over half of the poor and absolute poor are children and adolescents.As indicated by the UN Children Fund: "Children are more severely affected by poverty. No other age group is as vulnerable since the physical and psychological damages they sustain affect them for life".
Incidentally, I might add that in our country we have developed a system to teach reading and writing over the radio. This system is being tested in the Republic of Haiti where it began with 300 people and the results have been spectacular. It is now being extended to 3000 people and they are working now on its extension to the whole country. We developed it in Creole, that is the language of the Haitians. The results are truly hopeful. This being the case, there would be great possibilities of reducing the number of illiterates with a minimum of resources, really a minimum. A central station…
When that battle was waged here from November 20 to 30, forty-years ago, we could not realize the full meaning of the bravery displayed by our comrades. Actually, only 13 kilometers of paved road separated us from Bayamo, the headquarters for the enemy’s army operations. Still, one hundred and eighty inexperienced fighters, most of them young men just out of our draftees’ school, were challenging five thousand elite enemy troops.
Humanity has entered one of the most complicated periods in its history.
We have begun the new millennium amid the din of an intense and prolonged battle.
The coming years will be decisive not only for Cuba, but for all of the peoples who live on this planet.
I have a problem, because we are here today to celebrate two things: the 40th anniversary of INDER [the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation] , and the dedication of the International School of Physical Education and Sports . What should I do? What should I talk about? And this has come about purely by chance; the school was not dedicated two or three months ago because there was no time to do it. Now it has come to coincide with this anniversary, and in my view, the two things are very important.
There is no longer anywhere big enough in our capital city to summon its inhabitants. This sea of people, in the largest space that could be found for an Public Forum in Playa, just one of the 15 municipalities in our capital city, is a demonstration of the unity and strength that have been achieved.