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<font size=3><b><i>Reflections by the Commander in Chief<br>
<br>
</i>A PEOPLE UNDER FIRE<br>
<br>
</b> Venezuela, whose people
are heirs to Bolivar’s ideas which transcend his era, is today facing a
world tyranny a thousand times more powerful than that of Spain’s
colonial strength added to that of the recently born United States which,
through Monroe, proclaimed their right to the natural wealth of the
continent and to the sweat of its people.<br>
<br>
Martí denounced the brutal system and called it
a monster, in whose entrails he had lived. His internationalist
spirit shone as never before when, in a letter left unfinished due to his
death in combat, he publicly revealed the objective of his restless
struggle: “…I am now every day risking my life for my country, and for my
duty –since I understand it and have the courage to do it– to timely
prevent, with the independence of Cuba, that the United States expand
over the Antilles and that they fall, with this additional force, over
our lands in America…”<br>
<br>
It was not in vain that he stated in plain
verse: “With the poor of this earth, my fate I wish to cast”.
Later, he proclaimed categorically: “Humanity is homeland”. The
Apostle of our independence wrote one day: “Let Venezuela call on me to
serve her: I am her son”.<br>
<br>
The most sophisticated media developed by
technology, employed to kill human beings and to subjugate or exterminate
peoples; the massive sowing of conditioned reflexes of the mind;
consumerism and all available resources; these are being used today
against the Venezuelans, with the intent of ripping the ideas of Bolivar
and Martí to shreds.<br>
<br>
The empire has created conditions conducive to
violence and internecine conflicts. On Chavez’s recent visit last
November 21, I seriously discussed with him the risks of assassination as
he is constantly out in the open in convertible vehicles. I said this
because of my experience as a combatant trained in the use of an
automatic weapon and a telescopic sight. Likewise, after the triumph, I
became the target of assassination plots directly or indirectly ordered
by almost every United States administration since 1959.<br>
<br>
The irresponsible government of the empire does
not stop for a minute to think that the assassination of Venezuela’s
leader or a civil war in that country would blow up the globalized world
economy, due to its huge reserves of hydrocarbons. Such
circumstances are without precedent in the history of mankind.<br>
<br>
Cuba developed close ties with the Bolivarian
government of Venezuela during the hardest days resulting from the demise
of the USSR and the tightening of the United States economic
blockade. The exchange of goods and services grew from practically
zero level to more than 7 billion dollars annually, with great economic
and social benefits for both our peoples. Today that is where we receive
the fundamental supplies of fuel needed for our country's consumption,
something that would be very difficult to obtain from other sources due
to the shortage of light crude oil, the insufficient refining capacity,
the United States’ power and the wars its has unleashed to seize the
world oil and gas reserves.<br>
<br>
Add to the high energy prices, the prices of
foods destined by imperial policy to be transformed into fuel for the
gas-guzzling cars of the United States and other industrial nations.<br>
<br>
A victory of the Yes vote on December 2 would
not be enough. The weeks and months following that date may very
well prove to be extremely tough for many countries, Cuba for one;
although before that the empire’s adventures could lead the planet into
an atomic war, as their own leaders have confessed.<br>
<br>
Our compatriots can rest assured that I have had
time to think and to meditate at length on these problems.<br>
<br>
<br>
Fidel Castro Ruz<br>
November 29, 2007<br>
8:12 p.m.<br><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=2>Permanent Mission of Republic
of Cuba<br>
to the United Nations<br>
315 Lexington Ave. New York, N.Y 10016<br>
Tel.: (212) 689-7215<br>
Fax: (212) 689-9073<br>
e-mail:
<a href="mailto:publicrel@cubanmission.com">publicrel@cubanmission.com</a>
<br>
web:
<a href="http://www.embacuba.cubaminrex.cu/onu">
www.embacuba.cubaminrex.cu/onu<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
</a></font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
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