HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 12."Fidel Castro is enjoying good health; he is very active, as usual, and willing to learn about everything; that is something that impresses you," said in Havana Chile's President Michelle Bachelet, after she met with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution for over an hour today.
In statements to the local and foreign press, President Bachelet, who is paying an official visit to Cuba, said that she spoke with Fidel for quite a long time. "He was very interested in Chile-related issues," she said and added that Fidel is looking at lots of information and statistics. "He was very interested in learning about the performance of the sectors in which we
have been successful."
Bachelet said that in her exchange with Fidel, he addressed the wine production and other Chilean economic sectors and he also spoke of ways to expand commercial relations between both countries.
"It was a very important dialog, particularly about the challenges facing the region and about what Latin American nations are currently experiencing amidst the international crisis," said Bachelet and noted that the meeting was very pleasant and significant since she believes that it has been positive for bilateral exchange; " a moment to show the way we are doing
things in Chile and to listen to his reflections and views."
(Fidel está muy bien de salud, afirma Presidenta de Chile)
viernes, 13 de febrero de 2009
A Meeting with Michelle Bachelet, the President of Chile
REFLECTIONS BY COMRADE FIDEL
It doesn’t matter what I say about the friendly meeting, some news agencies and papers will take the information and will print that the old man, convalescing after a serious illness or some other descriptor directed towards reducing the modest value of whatever I expressed to my prestigious interlocutor.
Michelle has the merit of having been elected president of Chile by the majority vote which was bestowed upon the Socialist Party that nominated her. For the first time in recent years in Latin America, a leftist organization had won such a victory, without the backing of money,
weapons and the Yankee publicity apparatus.
And especially since this honour had to do with the Socialist Party of Salvador Allende, who died under the wily direct air attack on La Moneda where he was occupying his position as the constitutional president of Chile. He neither asked for nor granted any truce. He was determined to die at his post, just as he had promised.
There were no precedents for the sinister treason committed by the head of the Chilean army who pretended and duped everyone right up to the end.
Even the house, at Tomas Moro, where his family resided, was also attacked and destroyed.
During very difficult moments in that period, after thousands of people had been tortured, murdered and disappeared, a very young woman named Gladys Marin was leading the Communist Party of Chile, built up throughout decades of effort and sacrifice by the Chilean working class that had taken her to that responsibility.
Gladys Marin and her party made no mistake; they gave all their support to Michelle Bachelet, thus determining the end of the influence of Augusto Pinochet. It was inadmissible that the tyrant who had been designed and led to power by the empire would once again rule the
destiny of Chile.
World opinion loathed his conduct.
In spite of that, it has not been nor is it still, easy to undo the legal intricacies that the vengeful and fascist oligarchy, with Yankee help, bound up the Chilean nation, deserving of a better fate.
More than one hundred years ago, in a war begun in 1879, that same oligarchy robbed Bolivia of the maritime coastline that gave it ample access to the Pacific Ocean.
Bolivia suffered an extraordinary historical humiliation in that struggle. Not only was its maritime coastline and access to the ocean stolen away from them, but extensive territories were taken away from that country, authentically American in origin, especially the Aymara
and Quechua peoples; territories rich in copper that constituted the greatest reserves in the world, which had been exploited for 130 years and today, its production is up to 5,364 million tons per year, bringing approximately 18,452 million dollars per year to the Chilean economy.
One cannot conceive of modern society without the copper metal whose prices have a tendency to rise.
Other extremely valuable minerals and natural products, some of them already exhausted and other new ones commanding very high prices, have appeared. One doesn’t know which of them were Chilean and which were Bolivian.
The president of Bolivia today, Evo Morales, holds no grudge because of that; on the contrary, he offered his territory for a wide, modern highway over which the products of the efficient Chilean industries, at the top of their form in their growth and with their laborious and
productive workers, could be sent to many world markets.
Chile is also particularly efficient in the production of nutritional food and high quality woods, in its agricultural lands, its mountains and its exceptional climate.
There is no other country that surpasses it in the efficiency of its ocean produce and high-demand products like salmon and the other cultivated and natural species that abound in its rich maritime and inland waters.
Today we are very close to February 15th, the day for the referendum on the constitutional amendment in our sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
José Martí was Cuba’s most profound revolutionary thinker and our national hero. Before the granite effigy of that thinker, Michelle Bachelet laid a floral tribute on behalf of her people, and we are very grateful.
He said about Bolivar, 115 years ago: “What he hasn’t accomplished, is still unaccomplished today; because Bolivar still has things to do in America.”
“Bolivar awakens every one hundred years”, proclaimed the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
At the point of celebrating the second century of his rebellion against the Spanish metropolis Bolivar awakens once again in Chavez’ revolutionary action. If the new leader who is leading his combative people will not attain his goal, it is difficult to imagine that any other leader would be able to achieve it. The media resources of the oligarchy and the empire would not be able to be surpassed.
What should we do then so that this planet does not become like Dante’s inferno, where the sign at its entranceway exhorts us to abandon all hope?
Nevertheless, I harbour the certainty that the Revolution will be victorious in Venezuela, and that in Chile the ideal of socialism for which Salvador Allende struggled and gave his life will finally triumph.
I spoke about those matters with Michelle Bachelet who did me the honour of listening to me with interest, chatting warmly and extensively expressing her ideas.
I shall always be satisfied with her friendly visit.
Fidel Castro Ruz
February 12, 2009
5 : 12 p.m.
It doesn’t matter what I say about the friendly meeting, some news agencies and papers will take the information and will print that the old man, convalescing after a serious illness or some other descriptor directed towards reducing the modest value of whatever I expressed to my prestigious interlocutor.
Michelle has the merit of having been elected president of Chile by the majority vote which was bestowed upon the Socialist Party that nominated her. For the first time in recent years in Latin America, a leftist organization had won such a victory, without the backing of money,
weapons and the Yankee publicity apparatus.
And especially since this honour had to do with the Socialist Party of Salvador Allende, who died under the wily direct air attack on La Moneda where he was occupying his position as the constitutional president of Chile. He neither asked for nor granted any truce. He was determined to die at his post, just as he had promised.
There were no precedents for the sinister treason committed by the head of the Chilean army who pretended and duped everyone right up to the end.
Even the house, at Tomas Moro, where his family resided, was also attacked and destroyed.
During very difficult moments in that period, after thousands of people had been tortured, murdered and disappeared, a very young woman named Gladys Marin was leading the Communist Party of Chile, built up throughout decades of effort and sacrifice by the Chilean working class that had taken her to that responsibility.
Gladys Marin and her party made no mistake; they gave all their support to Michelle Bachelet, thus determining the end of the influence of Augusto Pinochet. It was inadmissible that the tyrant who had been designed and led to power by the empire would once again rule the
destiny of Chile.
World opinion loathed his conduct.
In spite of that, it has not been nor is it still, easy to undo the legal intricacies that the vengeful and fascist oligarchy, with Yankee help, bound up the Chilean nation, deserving of a better fate.
More than one hundred years ago, in a war begun in 1879, that same oligarchy robbed Bolivia of the maritime coastline that gave it ample access to the Pacific Ocean.
Bolivia suffered an extraordinary historical humiliation in that struggle. Not only was its maritime coastline and access to the ocean stolen away from them, but extensive territories were taken away from that country, authentically American in origin, especially the Aymara
and Quechua peoples; territories rich in copper that constituted the greatest reserves in the world, which had been exploited for 130 years and today, its production is up to 5,364 million tons per year, bringing approximately 18,452 million dollars per year to the Chilean economy.
One cannot conceive of modern society without the copper metal whose prices have a tendency to rise.
Other extremely valuable minerals and natural products, some of them already exhausted and other new ones commanding very high prices, have appeared. One doesn’t know which of them were Chilean and which were Bolivian.
The president of Bolivia today, Evo Morales, holds no grudge because of that; on the contrary, he offered his territory for a wide, modern highway over which the products of the efficient Chilean industries, at the top of their form in their growth and with their laborious and
productive workers, could be sent to many world markets.
Chile is also particularly efficient in the production of nutritional food and high quality woods, in its agricultural lands, its mountains and its exceptional climate.
There is no other country that surpasses it in the efficiency of its ocean produce and high-demand products like salmon and the other cultivated and natural species that abound in its rich maritime and inland waters.
Today we are very close to February 15th, the day for the referendum on the constitutional amendment in our sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
José Martí was Cuba’s most profound revolutionary thinker and our national hero. Before the granite effigy of that thinker, Michelle Bachelet laid a floral tribute on behalf of her people, and we are very grateful.
He said about Bolivar, 115 years ago: “What he hasn’t accomplished, is still unaccomplished today; because Bolivar still has things to do in America.”
“Bolivar awakens every one hundred years”, proclaimed the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
At the point of celebrating the second century of his rebellion against the Spanish metropolis Bolivar awakens once again in Chavez’ revolutionary action. If the new leader who is leading his combative people will not attain his goal, it is difficult to imagine that any other leader would be able to achieve it. The media resources of the oligarchy and the empire would not be able to be surpassed.
What should we do then so that this planet does not become like Dante’s inferno, where the sign at its entranceway exhorts us to abandon all hope?
Nevertheless, I harbour the certainty that the Revolution will be victorious in Venezuela, and that in Chile the ideal of socialism for which Salvador Allende struggled and gave his life will finally triumph.
I spoke about those matters with Michelle Bachelet who did me the honour of listening to me with interest, chatting warmly and extensively expressing her ideas.
I shall always be satisfied with her friendly visit.
Fidel Castro Ruz
February 12, 2009
5 : 12 p.m.
Namibian President Visits Cuba
HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 13. Hifikeunye Lucas Pohamba, President of Namibia and of the Southwestern African People’s Organization (SWAPO) arrived in Havana at the invitation of Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz.
Lucas Pohamba and his delegation were welcomed by Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Rodrigo Malmierca at the Jose Marti International Airport. The visitors will stay in Cuba until next Sunday.
The Namibian President will hold official talks with Raul Castro and he will also meet with other Communist Party and government leaders. Lucas Pohamba will tour different places of economic, scientific, social and historic interest.
This is the fourth occasion that the African leader comes to Cuba, since he traveled here in 2002 as SWAPO General Secretary. His latest visit took place in 2006, as he headed a delegation to the 14th Non-Aligned Summit.
Cuba and Namibia established diplomatic relations on March 21, 1990. Both nations enjoy increasing bilateral cooperation links in different fields. At present, 154 Cuban workers are offering their services in Namibia, 116 of them are boosting the Comprehensive Health System, which saved the life of some 71, 000 Namibians who were submitted to surgery,
vaccination and other treatments.
Up to date some 1, 281 Namibian youths have graduated from Cuban education centers, most of them as medical technicians and other professions, while another 121 students are still taking different courses.
Namibia has always supported the Cuban Resolution against the US economic blockade of Cuba, at the United Nations.
During the 4th Congress of the SWAPO, held in 2007, the historic leader of Namibia Sam Nujoma and Lucas Pohamba acknowledged the contribution made by Cuban internationalist forces to Namibia´s independence and to the end of the racist Apartheid system.
Namibia was the first country to have expressed its solidarity with the Cuban people after the passage on the island of hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma last year; that country donated one million dollars for the recovery process.
(De visita en Cuba presidente de Namibia)
Lucas Pohamba and his delegation were welcomed by Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Rodrigo Malmierca at the Jose Marti International Airport. The visitors will stay in Cuba until next Sunday.
The Namibian President will hold official talks with Raul Castro and he will also meet with other Communist Party and government leaders. Lucas Pohamba will tour different places of economic, scientific, social and historic interest.
This is the fourth occasion that the African leader comes to Cuba, since he traveled here in 2002 as SWAPO General Secretary. His latest visit took place in 2006, as he headed a delegation to the 14th Non-Aligned Summit.
Cuba and Namibia established diplomatic relations on March 21, 1990. Both nations enjoy increasing bilateral cooperation links in different fields. At present, 154 Cuban workers are offering their services in Namibia, 116 of them are boosting the Comprehensive Health System, which saved the life of some 71, 000 Namibians who were submitted to surgery,
vaccination and other treatments.
Up to date some 1, 281 Namibian youths have graduated from Cuban education centers, most of them as medical technicians and other professions, while another 121 students are still taking different courses.
Namibia has always supported the Cuban Resolution against the US economic blockade of Cuba, at the United Nations.
During the 4th Congress of the SWAPO, held in 2007, the historic leader of Namibia Sam Nujoma and Lucas Pohamba acknowledged the contribution made by Cuban internationalist forces to Namibia´s independence and to the end of the racist Apartheid system.
Namibia was the first country to have expressed its solidarity with the Cuban people after the passage on the island of hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma last year; that country donated one million dollars for the recovery process.
(De visita en Cuba presidente de Namibia)
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