Another idea I had consisted in compelling certain individuals to confess the truth about NATO’s war plans. I directly challenged Mr. Aznar and brought pressures to bear on US leaders to have them openly admit their responsibility in the empire’s wars. Some of the documented evidence I presented had not been published before.

Then the Ibero-American Summit was held and hell broke loose there. Zapatero’s cowardly and untimely remarks, his defense of Aznar, the King of Spain's abrupt interjection, and the dignified response of the President of Venezuela who, because of technical problems, was unable to hear precisely what the King had said, were an unambiguous display of the genocidal ways and methods of the empire, its accomplices and the anesthetized victims of the Third World.

Chávez' talents and debate skills came to the fore in this tense atmosphere.

Aznar's twisted soul is best captured by one of his pronouncements. When Chávez asked him what fate was in store, in the neoliberal world, for poor countries such as Haiti, he replied, verbatim: "Those guys are screwed".

I know the Bolivarian leader well: he never forgets the words he hears in direct conversation with others.

I wrote a third reflection on the Ibero-American Summit which I have yet to publish. I am publishing this one, instead, on the eve of President Chávez’ trip to Riad, Saudi Arabia, tomorrow, where he will participate in the OPEC Summit.

Fidel Castro Ruz

November 15, 2007