“One must have faith in history. One must have faith in the peoples. That encourages us in this fight, and teaches us”.
“Our country does not practice chauvinism or commercialize sports, which are as sacred as the people’s education and health. What it practices, rather, is solidarity. Years ago, it created a Physical Education and Sports Trainers School, with capacity for more than 1,500 students from the Third World”.
“An attempt is made at imposing an economic order in which our small and poor countries would have no choice but to become an immense free zone where the capital and industries of the powerful would find cheap labor force, destroy our environment, deplete our resources and multiply their profits without even paying taxes, when these countries no longer receive the modest custom benefits they used to obtain.”
“For 50 years, we have been deceived with the promise of reducing the extensive gap between the poor and the rich countries that has continued to widen every minute of this half century since the war. The so-called reciprocity would be an outrageously arbitrary historical injustice.”
“There is the intention to accord equal treatment to countries which differ greatly in their capabilities and development stages; that is terribly unfair. Our particularly backward and vulnerable economies - a logical consequence of centuries of colonialism, slavery and pillage - would never be able to successfully take part in the world economy in the absence of preferential schemes and of a great contribution in non-repayable foreign resources.”
“Globalization is inevitable. It would be useless to oppose a law of history, but this one presently unfolding can, from an equally historical perspective, be transformed; and it should definitely be transformed, otherwise our species would not be able to survive. Perhaps, it is already late but it would be better not to wait until it is too late.”
“Over the past seven years our battle for solidarity and for the training of doctors from Cuba and from other sister nations has been intense and ever-increasing. The means and the methodology have been incredibly revolutionized, and theoretical and practical training has considerably surpassed that which had traditionally prevailed throughout history. It would be more accurate to say that the traditional form of training has been improved several times over. ”
“(…) I am optimistic on rational and solid grounds. The future worries me, but I believe evermore that the solution is within our grasp, if we are successful in having the truth reach a sufficient number of people among the billions inhabiting the planet”.
“Our country is one of those which is most prepared to face up to obstacles, and not only has it shown evidence of great self-denial but also of solidarity with other peoples, as in the efforts made in Haiti before the earthquake, and the much greater efforts after it”.
“(…) the best thing will always be to have a just cause to defend and the hope to continue moving forward”.