Bolivian President Evo Morales said today that he considered Fidel Castro as an eternal and unforgettable leader, and highlighted the support and solidarity he received from the Cuban leader when he assumed power in the South American country in 2006.
To me, Fidel will be our eternal leader. Fidel is a humanist and a man of solidarity (...) and talking to him is always a great lesson, said Morales at the Government Palace in this capital.
President Morales thanked the support by the Cuban former president and his people during the first years of his administration, as leader of the Bolivian Executive.
He also said the help of the health professionals from the Caribbean nation allowed increasing the population's social welfare, eradicating illiteracy and extending access to health with programs as Operation Miracle (free eye-surgery program for the population).
He also highlighted that the dream of the Historic leader of the Cuban Revolution of integrating the continent in a single bloc came true with the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, an organization that excluded the United States and Canada from its members.
In his opinion, that group is a way of getting rid of the traditional mechanisms of political and economic domination that ruled for centuries in the region.
Evo Morales made these statements during the presentation of the book "Los Ojos del Puma" (The Cougar's Eyes) by writer Mercedes de Alma, which illustrates the importance of the process of changes that the president started in Bolivia in 2006.
The meeting was also attended by Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, cabinet members, members of the Cuban diplomatic mission and other top officials of the country.