“We will turn these military barracks into a school! So we will turn these military barracks into a school that will be attended by hundreds of children, because our true military barracks are in the people; our Revolution is defended by the people! And if we have to fight against a foreign enemy, the whole people will be ready to defend it!”
“There is no other force capable of mobilizing peoples like ideas. By the time when the revolutionary ideas have materialized and it is no longer necessary to keep on fighting, when the aspirations of the Cuban people are satisfied, then these demonstrations will no longer be necessary […]”
“Cuba is waging a battle today against the giant with seven-league boots, first discovered by Marti, and whose steps not only reach the lands of our America, but all those of the rest of the planet.”
“The importance of the Bay of Pigs does not lie in the size of the battle, or the number of combatants, or the heroic events which took place there; the enormous historical importance of the Bay of Pigs is not what happened but what didn’t happen thanks to the Bay of Pigs!”
“One has to resolutely oppose the divisive policies of imperialism in the heart of the Non-Aligned Countries. And it is necessary to seek formula, so that the benefits of this struggle may reach all under-developed countries.”
“Trust in Cuba! Cuba is not just defending its own sovereignty over there in that trench: we understand that from that trench we are also defending the interests of other Latin American peoples.”
“You know very well that this system, this government, this Revolution has not ever been maintained by resorting to the force of the weapons. This Revolution has been maintained and is still maintained by the fore of its ideas and the fairness of its cause.”
"Imperialism will never succeed in crushing Cuba".
"I have no doubt whatsoever that our people and our Revolution will fight to the very end to defend these ideas and measures, as well as any others that are necessary to safeguard this historic process. Imperialism will never succeed in crushing Cuba. The Battle of Ideas will go forth".
“The path will always be difficult and require from everyone’s intelligent effort. I distrust the seemingly easy path of apologetics or its antithesis the self-flagellation. We should always be prepared for the worst variable. The principle of being as prudent in success as steady in adversity cannot be forgotten. The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong; however, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century.”