Castro Strikes Back at 'The Empire'

The Empire [the United States] is 'surrounded by contempt and repugnance because of its many crimes' while Cuba 'is surrounded by growing sympathy and admiration, because of its firmness and ability.' That is why, according to this article from Cuba's Communist Party-run Granma, the Cuban dictator is taking action against the U.S. Interest Section in Cuba, which he calls a smuggling enterprise giving aid and comfort to Cuba's 'counter-revolutionaries.'.

By Enrique Montesinos and Alberto Nunez

January 26, 2005

Original Article (Spanish)    

"THIS country cannot be conquered or dominated, because as long as there is one patriot alive, he or she will be fighting. We are invulnerable militarily and politically, and we are marching toward economic invulnerability as well."

Those were the comments of President Fidel Castro during a question-and-answer session with reporters near the Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Tribunal, where construction work is underway to expand that venue, an outgrowth of the current battle of ideas.

In response to a question on how he sees Cuba's relations with the rest of the world, the revolutionary leader said that he could see how The Empire was surrounded by contempt and repugnance because of its many crimes and the torture committed in various countries, and in contrast, how our country is surrounded by growing sympathy and admiration, because of its firmness and ability.

He asserted that these merits are historic and cannot be concealed. "We sow ideas and consciousness. We have means for helping the world; our human capital is growing and is not running out, because it is not gold, or oil or nickel."

Fidel asked for patience from journalists, who, with their typical curiosity, wanted to know what exactly what was being built in front of the offices of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. He confined himself to saying that in the face of the new and insolent provocation by the general staff of the counterrevolution in Cuba, "we were obliged to respond."

[Editor's Note: The U.S. Diplomatic Mission on Havana erected an LED sign to send messages to Cubans who look at the building. Fidel has responded in kind, erecting a similar device opposite the U.S. Diplomatic building, beaming its own messages to the Americans. SEE PHOTOS].

"The world is in real danger, because they [the United States] have a monopoly on nuclear weapons, and it bothers them when a country like Iran wants to produce nuclear energy," the Cuban president said.

"They have no right to prohibit that nation from peacefully using nuclear energy," he affirmed. "Under the pretext that doing so is a threat, they are even talking about attacking that country."

He added that they [Washington] have never complained about the nuclear arms in Israeli possession, and noted that in Angola, South Africa considered using those horrific weapons against us.

[More About Cuba's Involvment in the Angolan Civil War]

ONLY THE TRUTH CAN SAVE THIS SPECIES

"The world will disappear if it is not courageous enough to reject the warmongering policies of Bush, who used the atrocious attacks of September 11 as an excuse. Emboldened, he spoke of attacking a list of 60 countries, including European nations like The Netherlands; they even spoke of invading The Netherlands."

"Not even Hitler said that; Hitler looked for pretexts, but Bush is attacking more brazenly and has many more weapons; he is crazy, and the world is in real danger. Only the truth can save this species," Fidel said.

He noted that Cuba had its own experience with nuclear weapons 44 years ago, when a "shadow" was hanging over our country, and we didn't blink; nobody trembled. He is an unbridled crazy man; some people over there might fear him, but we're not at all afraid."

With respect to the imperialist attempt to free murderer Luis Posada Carriles, the Cuban president noted that for 40 years, that individual has maintained contact with the U.S. intelligence services, which are responsible for planning hundreds of assassination attempts against Fidel's person, most recently in Panama, when almost 50 kilograms of explosives were seized from Posada. The blast would have killed hundreds of students. "They tried and convicted him there, but later it was Bush that got him out of jail, and now they won't even dare say how he entered U.S. territory."

Declassified Record of Former CIA Operative, Luis Posada Carriles ]

"By invoking the Convention against Torture, they refuse to return him to Venezuela, even though are no death squads and there is no death penalty in Venezuela. A coup d'état happened there, and its masterminds are still on the loose. If this were about torture, then the first one convicted would have to be Bush, because he has committed torture all over the world."

In addition, Fidel qualified the U.S. Interests Section in Havana as a smuggling enterprise. Last year, that office brought in more than 100 tons of products - cameras, videos, radios, to better receive the broadcasts of the ill-named Radio and TV Martí - using the diplomatic pouch. [Radio Marti is A U.S.-Run Radio and TV Station that Beams News and Information Into Cuba. ]

After revealing that it is also a place through which enormous sums of money are channeled to promote the counterrevolution and create destabilization in the country, he also emphasized that its employees have increasingly less oxygen.

When he began talking to reporters, Fidel commented that "it was not very intelligent of them to put out their little signboard again," referring to the U.S. Interests Section electronic billboard.

He explained that the Bush government is trying to please the mafia that handed him the presidency, and who are now pressing him to place restrictions on migration and thus promote illegal departures.

[Editor's Note: When discussing "illegal departures" Castro refers to Cubans who attempt to escape to the United States by boat. Under the Cuban Adjustment Act, Cubans who reach the U.S. mainland by boat are offered generous asylum opportunities].

"It's a big mistake to encourage illegal departures, which is something that violates their own laws. One of their own newspapers recently called this 'craziness;' and said that they should get rid of the so-called Cuban Adjustment Act."

It completely contradicts their battle against illegal immigration by Latin Americans who are trying to escape the poverty of their underdeveloped countries, and who harbor illusions about the consumer society." And he pointed out that meanwhile, they are building a giant wall where 500 Mexicans die every year, more than all of those that died trying to pass the Berlin Wall.

He added: "They are making a very big mistake, because they are incapable of understanding the changes that our country is going through at the moment; they thought that Cuba had only a few days left, and although our people have had to make many sacrifices, they have been capable of resisting," he affirmed, adding that the world has changed, and that Latin America had also changed.

"They think that we're still in 1995," he said, "but 10 years have gone by, and today our consciousness is more solid."

"They have tried to prevent U.S. farmers from exporting to Cuba, but what has happened is that Cuba has become one of their main importers. They are trying to create a situation to prevent that trade, but we are prepared for all contingencies," he reiterated.

"Cuba has become a moral fortress. We have the means of helping the world," he declared.

WE WILL BE AT THE BASEBALL CLASSIC

"We'll all be at the Baseball Classic , fighting fair and square, even though they have robbed us of some good players, the ones they've offered millions of dollars to, to bribe and corrupt them," Fidel said.

He described as stupidity the attempt to prevent Cuba from attending that tournament, and said it was very positive that many people protested when they found out that Cuba was being denied the possibility of participating.

"We have shown our quality during international competitions, in matches against Major League players, who have even come here," he noted.

"The imperialists feel powerless before us, because they cannot destroy the Revolution."

Further on, the Cuban president affirmed that our currency is strong, while the dollar is at Cuba's mercy and is worth whatever we want it to be worth here.

He reiterated that the revolutionary government will always be ready to assist workers and retirees.

REVOLUTIONARY THAT NEVER SURRENDERED

Fidel affirmed that he believes in humanity and in the talent of the human species, which is capable of overcoming the most difficult moments.

Remarking on the stature of those who, fervently and with anti-imperialist positions lead their people today, such as Evo Morales and Hugo Chávez, Fidel referred to another recently deceased great revolutionary, Salvadoran patriot Schafik Handal, an impeccable man who never gave in or surrendered. About Schafik Handal.

"All of those values give us life," he concluded.