Articles of Fidel Castro Ruz

Today when I saw the inauguration of Mauricio Funes on television and he spoke about reestablishing relations with Cuba, deafening applause and shouts of joy erupted in the room unlike anything else that had been heard during his speech.

If I said that chaos prevails in the United States it would be considered an overstatement; it would be said that that country is a democracy where there is justice, respect for human rights and a division of powers based on the principles of Montesquieu and the Philadelphia Declaration.

Chávez flooded Venezuela with books. First he encouraged all citizens to learn to read and write. He opened schools for all children; secondary and technical schools for all the teenagers and youth, the possibility of higher education for them all.

The case of Hugo Chávez is an exceptional one in the history of politics. Others have achieved fame and celebrity through the written press, on the radio or on television, but never had a revolutionary idea made such efficient use of a communications media.

Regardless of the pain caused by the actions against the people of the United States on September 11, 2001 –actions that everyone strongly condemned– torture is a cowardly and shameful act that can never be justified.

Today, there are more than 24 000 youths from the Third World studying Medicine in our homeland. By helping others we have also developed ourselves in that field and we have become an important force. That, and not the brain drain, is what we practice! Could the rich and super-developed G-7 countries say the same? Others will follow our example! No one should ever doubt that!

Cuba does not steal other peoples’ talents or doctors to the detriment of healthcare in those countries and the loss of countless lives. This is done by the United States, the United Kingdom and other wealthy and developed nations.

What does one of these epidemics mean to Cuba? Our country is prevented from purchasing any medication, raw material, equipment or components of diagnostic equipment manufactured by the U.S. transnationals on the basis of the extraterritorial laws that the U.S. administration has imposed to the world. Why were we accused of being enemies of the Mexican people when we adopted measures devised in advance to protect our people?

I have been trained by 10 U.S. presidents. One of them I deeply respect: Carter. One of the others gave sometimes the best and others the worst of him. Some of them only gave their worst for it was all they had to offer. The number 11, I am watching carefully. I am thankful to them all for having taught me well how to deal with the powerful.

What was the Mexican president complaining about regarding the measures Cuba adopted, according to the established norms and without the least intention of affecting our sister nation of Mexico? We were far from imagining that the epidemic would break out there and in the United States.