"I am very aware, and I have been aware throughout my life, that Bolívar was the man whom José Martí admired the most. Bolívar, Venezuela and their people were always what Cubans admired the most. Bolívar, Venezuela, their people and their feats always inspired my dreams as a Latin American and Cuban revolutionary.’’
Quotes
“I find amusing the writings of many theoreticians of neo-liberalism and neo-liberal globalization. ”
"No people become revolutionary by force. Those who sow ideas have no need to suppress the people ever. Weapons in the hands of that same people are used to fight those abroad who try to take away their achievements".
“Without those years we had to educate, sow ideas, build awareness, instill feelings of solidarity and a generous internationalist spirit, our people would not have had the strength to resist.”
"I am deeply convinced that the problem cannot be solved by force, that the military technology will crash against the will of any people determined to fight. I firmly believe that when the people are willing to fight --and this is how I feel about our own people, too-- no power, regardless of its might, can throw them down on their knees".
"We have trained our sportsmen and women to serve their people, to bring joy to their people, glory to their people, honor to their people. We can say of our athletes, in the first place, that they have brought much glory and honor, great satisfaction and joy to our people".
I believe in the unity of all the countries in the world, in the unity of all the peoples in the world and in a free unity, a truly free unity. I am not thinking of a fusion but of a free unity of all cultures in a truly just world, in a truly democratic world.
"I believe that, rather than weapons the peoples need ideas. They need a change from an inhumane, unsustainable global world that threatens life on the planet, to a just and humanitarian social order that offers humanity an opportunity to survive. The peoples need a world with a bit of drinking water and air to breathe where the necessary food is available and advanced technology can be used to produce housing, schools to educate the children, medicines to preserve human health and medical care indispensable to all, children, adolescents and the elderly".
“As a matter of principle, we have never blamed the American people. The most that we can say, recalling Lincoln’s famous quote is that you can fool all the people some of the time, or some people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
“That is why Cuba, with a high moral spirit and an extraordinary confidence in its people, in their capacity for hospitality, their organizational skills, their scientific and human resources, their customary spirit of hospitality and their wonderful tradition of respect for visiting athletes would be able to organize an Olympic Games with the highest quality and efficiency.”.
"One day, we, Indians in frock coats, will demonstrate what we are and what we can do."
"We have proved that Ibero-Americans are not inferior to anyone, neither in their talents nor their courage".