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Reflections of Fidel
Difficult times for humanity
(Taken from
CubaDebate)
THE
world is increasingly misinformed amidst the chaos
of events unfolding at pace never before imagined.
Those of us who have lived a few more years and are
avidly interested in information can testify to the
extent of ignorance with which we confront events.
While a growing number of people on the planet lack
shelter, bread, water, health, education and
employment, the Earth’s wealth is being misspent and
wasted on weapons and interminable fratricidal wars,
an abominable, ever-expanding global practice –
increasingly highly developed.
Our
glorious, heroic people, despite the inhumane
blockade which has lasted more than half a century,
have never lowered their banners; they have
struggled and will struggle against the sinister
empire. This is to our credit and our modest
contribution.
On
the other side of our planet, where Seoul, the
capital of South Korea, in located, President Barack
Obama is attending a Summit addressing nuclear
security, to impose policies related to the
regulation and use of nuclear weapons.
What
is being done there is clearly unfathomable.
Personally, I did not become aware of these
realities simply by accident. The experiences I
lived through during the 15 years after the triumph
of the Revolution – the battle of Girón, the
criminal yankee blockade to defeat us through
hunger, pirate attacks, the dirty attacks and the
nuclear missile crisis of October, 1962 - putting
the world on the edge of catastrophic disaster –
which led me to the conclusion that Marxists and
genuine Christians, many of whom I had known,
regardless of their political and religious beliefs,
should, and could, struggle for justice and peace
among human beings.
This
is what I have said, and what I maintain, with no
vacillation whatsoever. The reasons I can cite today
are absolutely valid and even more important, since
all of the events which have taken place over the
last 40 years confirm them, today with more
justification than ever, since - among Marxists and
Christians, Catholic or not; Muslims, Shiite or
Sunni; free thinkers, dialectical materialists and
thinking people - no one would be in favor of
witnessing the premature disappearance of our
irreplaceable species, waiting for the complex laws
of evolution to produce another one which would
resemble ours and be capable of thinking.
With
great pleasure I will tomorrow, Wednesday, greet His
Excellency Pope Benedict XVI, as I greeted John Paul
II, a man who invariably engendered feelings of
affection when he came in contact with children and
humble citizens among the people.
I
therefore decided to request a few minutes within
his busy schedule when I heard from our Foreign
Minister Bruno Rodríguez that he would appreciate
this simple, modest contact.
Fidel Castro Ruz
March 27, 2012
8:35
p.m.
Translated by Granma International
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