Fidel: ‘My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas’
On Monday, February 18, Fidel Castro informed Cuba’s National Assembly that he will “neither aspire to nor accept” the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief when elections are held this coming weekend.
Socialist Voice has always been a devoted partisan of the Cuban revolution. We join our voices to the millions worldwide who are saluting this great revolutionary leader. For the views of two Socialist Voice’s editors on the challenges facing Cuba in this time of transition, see Cuba Stands Firm! (PDF: 257 KB)
Below, we reprint three articles:
- Fidel’s Message to the People of Cuban (February 18)
- “Fidel’s Political Stature Praised Worldwide,” from the Cuban newspaper Granma (February 21)
- Revolutionary Appreciation and Respect to Fidel Castro, a letter from the Democratic Socialist Perspective of Australia (February 19)
A Message to the People of Cuba
Dear compatriots:
The moment has come to nominate and elect the State Council, its President, its Vice-Presidents and Secretary.
For many years I have occupied the honourable position of President. On February 15, 1976 the Socialist Constitution was approved with the free, direct and secret vote of over 95% of the people with the right to cast a vote. The first National Assembly was established on December 2nd that same year; this elected the State Council and its presidency. Before that, I had been a Prime Minister for almost 18 years. I always had the necessary prerogatives to carry forward the revolutionary work with the support of the overwhelming majority of the people.
There were those overseas who, aware of my critical health condition, thought that my provisional resignation, on July 31, 2006, to the position of President of the State Council, which I left to First Vice-President Raul Castro Ruz, was final. But Raul, who is also minister of the Armed Forces on account of his own personal merits, and the other comrades of the Party and State leadership were unwilling to consider me out of public life despite my unstable health condition.
It was an uncomfortable situation for me vis-à-vis an adversary which had done everything possible to get rid of me, and I felt reluctant to comply.
Later, in my necessary retreat, I was able to recover the full command of my mind as well as the possibility for much reading and meditation. I had enough physical strength to write for many hours, which I shared with the corresponding rehabilitation and recovery programs. Basic common sense indicated that such activity was within my reach. On the other hand, when referring to my health I was extremely careful to avoid raising expectations since I felt that an adverse ending would bring traumatic news to our people in the midst of the battle. Thus, my first duty was to prepare our people both politically and psychologically for my absence after so many years of struggle. I kept saying that my recovery “was not without risks.”
My wishes have always been to discharge my duties to my last breath. That’s all I can offer.
To my dearest compatriots, who have recently honoured me so much by electing me a member of the Parliament where so many agreements should be adopted of utmost importance to the destiny of our Revolution, I am saying that I will neither aspire to nor accept, I repeat, I will neither aspire to nor accept the positions of President of the State Council and Commander in Chief.
In short letters addressed to Randy Alonso, Director of the Round Table National TV Program — letters which at my request were made public — I discreetly introduced elements of this message I am writing today, when not even the addressee of such letters was aware of my intention. I trusted Randy, whom I knew very well from his days as a student of journalism. In those days I met almost on a weekly basis with the main representatives of the university students from the provinces at the library of the large house in Kohly where they lived. Today, the entire country is an immense university.
Following are some paragraphs chosen from the letter addressed to Randy on December 17, 2007:
“I strongly believe that the answers to the current problems facing Cuban society, which has, as an average, a twelfth grade of education, almost a million university graduates, and a real possibility for all its citizens to become educated without their being in any way discriminated against, require more variables for each concrete problem than those contained in a chess game. We cannot ignore one single detail; this is not an easy path to take, if the intelligence of a human being in a revolutionary society is to prevail over instinct.
“My elemental duty is not to cling to positions, much less to stand in the way of younger persons, but rather to contribute my own experience and ideas whose modest value comes from the exceptional era that I had the privilege of living in.
“Like Niemeyer, I believe that one has to be consistent right up to the end.”
Letter from January 8, 2008:
“…I am a firm supporter of the united vote (a principle that preserves the unknown merits), which allowed us to avoid the tendency to copy what came to us from countries of the former socialist bloc, including the portrait of the one candidate, as singular as his solidarity towards Cuba. I deeply respect that first attempt at building socialism, thanks to which we were able to continue along the path we had chosen.”
And I reiterated in that letter that “…I never forget that ‘all of the world’s glory fits in a kernel of corn.”
Therefore, it would be a betrayal to my conscience to accept a responsibility requiring more mobility and dedication than I am physically able to offer. This I say devoid of all drama.
Fortunately, our revolution can still count on cadres from the old guard and others who were very young in the early stages of the process. Some were very young, almost children, when they joined the fight on the mountains and later they have given glory to the country with their heroic performance and their internationalist missions. They have the authority and the experience to guarantee the replacement. There is also the intermediate generation which learned together with us the basics of the complex and almost unattainable art of organizing and leading a revolution.
The path will always be difficult and require from everyone’s intelligent effort. I distrust the seemingly easy path of apologetics or its antithesis the self-flagellation. We should always be prepared for the worst variable. The principle of being as prudent in success as steady in adversity cannot be forgotten. The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong; however, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century.
This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas. I shall continue to write under the heading of “Reflections by comrade Fidel.” It will be just another weapon you can count on. Perhaps my voice will be heard. I shall be careful.
Thank you.
Fidel Castro Ruz
February 18, 2008, 5:30 p.m.
Fidel’s Political Stature Praised Worldwide
(from Granma, newspaper of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, February 21, 2008)
Dignitaries and public figures from around the world heaped praise Wednesday on Fidel Castro for his political stature after the Cuban leader announced he would not seek or accept reelection as president and commander and chief, when the new Cuban parliament convenes on Sunday.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told VTV viewers in a telephone interview that Fidel will always be on the front line.
“Fidel didn’t resign,” noted Chavez adding, “People like Fidel never retire.”
In Brazil, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said that for the tranquility of Latin America it is important that this process take place calmly under the initiative of the revolutionary leader. “The great legend carries on. Fidel Castro is one of the great legends in the history of humanity,” said Lula.
Likewise, Bolivian President Evo Morales called Fidel a historic, revolutionary and anti-imperialist leader from whom he learned a lot, above all from his commitment to his people and the peoples of the world.
“Nobody can ignore that independent of the post he holds, Fidel Castro will continue being an undisputed leader, the moral authority of the people of Cuba, of the Cuban revolution and beyond,” said Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega at a press conference in San Salvador.
China expressed its hope that Fidel Castro promptly recovers his health and repeated its intention to further strengthen the ties of friendship with Cuba.
In Spain, visiting Honduran President Manual Zelaya said that his country’s relations with Cuba “will not change.” Cuban teachers and doctors are currently working in Honduras.
Mexican Senator Rosario Ibarra said Fidel is a “giant of freedom” and an example for many generations. “Personally I was very moved by the beautiful message from a person whom to me will always be the Comandante.”
In a session of the Jamaican parliament, Primer Minister Bruce Holding praised the firmness and courage of Fidel and highlighted his unwavering commitment to the cause of his people.
Former Jamaican Primer Minister Portia Simpson-Miller said, “he is a legend, a giant, a champion.”
The Angolan National Liberation Movement (MPLA) said that the legacy of President Fidel Castro must be taken into account.
The Foreign ministry of Trinidad and Tobago issued a communiqué in which it recognizes and salutes the leadership of Fidel.
From Argentina, Chief of Cabinet Alberto Fernandez defended the “good ties” with Cuba and praised Fidel Castro, “a man to whom history will dedicate many pages.”
Revolutionary appreciation and respect to Fidel Castro
To Comrade Fidel Castro Ruz,
Commander in Chief,
President of the Republic of Cuba
Dearest Comrade:
Your comrades in the Democratic Socialist Perspective in Australia join millions of others around the world in offering our deepest appreciation and respect for your long and exemplary revolutionary service as President of the Republic of Cuba. In a world being condemned by capitalism to war, poverty, injustice, and now, an unprecedented global environmental crisis, the great example of revolutionary Cuba, and your personal leadership, have been beacons of hope.
Here on the other side of the world to Cuba, we are campaigning for the government of our wealthy country to simply match the medical and education aid that Cuba has provided to our neighbour, the newly independent, but poor and small nation of Timor Leste. This says something very profound about revolutionary Cuba. Cuba’s aid, based on international solidarity not the advancement of corporate profit, speaks to the hearts and minds of the ordinary people in our region. It champions the cause of socialism through deeds more eloquent and persuasive than many words.
It will be hard for others to match your historic leadership, but we are confident that the Cuban revolution, which has survived the unremitting and ruthless hostility of its powerful imperialist neighbour, will find the resources to live up to your fine example in revolutionary leadership.
For our part, we repledge our complete solidarity for the Cuban revolution, the other socialist revolutions in the making and those which are still to come. Every revolution that takes place in this 21st century will in no small part owe a large debt to the Cuban revolutionary example and Cuban solidarity.
While your role as head of a great revolutionary state has come to an end, your role as revolutionary teacher and inspirer of millions in struggle for a better world, continues. We are privileged to continue as some of your proudest students.
Revolutionary salute!
Peter Boyle,
National Secretary
on behalf of all the members of the Democratic Socialist Perspective in Australia
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