Ideas not Glory, Says Fidel Castro

Holguin, Cuba, Jul 27 (Prensa Latina) In what became his second speech for the Anniversary of the National Rebellion Day, President Fidel Castro said in this city that Cuban revolutionaries have fought for ideas and not for glory.

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"Because all the glory of the world fits in a grain of corn," said the Cuban Revolution leader when paraphrasing the most universal intellectual of this Caribbean country, Jose Marti (1853-1895), during a mass act on Wednesday.

Fidel said that with Revolution humankind can overcome the calamities and disasters that are pounding the world in the 21st century.

Addressing the about 35,000 people who attended his speech at this north-eastern Cuban city, the statesman made reference to the nearly 800 million illiterate people in the world who lack basic services.

During the opening ceremony of Cuba's largest synchronized generator battery in Holguin province, Fidel claimed neoliberalism was responsible for the conditions of living of millions of people in the world.

In that sense, the Cuban leader mentioned the lack of access to a good quality education or free health care, while resources are squandered in consumer societies.

Fidel commented that in the US itself more than 40 million people do not have health insurance and must pay high costs in private medicine.

The Cuban president contrasted that while the US attacks other nations, a different society is being built in Cuba, based on the principles that a better world to save humankind is possible.

Fidel also slammed the arrogance and militarism of the US, whose government uses its power to bomb, invade and threaten Middle East sovereign states.

"Why did they invade Iraq, why Palestine, why did they humiliate Syria, why Lebanon?" questioned over and over again the Cuban leader.

Fidel gave examples of how Cuba is carrying out research to diagnose diseases in early stages to prevent premature death, while he said that nearly 30,000 Cuban doctors are giving their humanitarian aid in other countries of the world.

He noted that many Third World doctors are still to be trained and Cuba is committed to graduating about 100,000 doctors in 10 years, while Venezuela plans to train about 100,000 others.

Fidel Castro praised the role played by the presidents of Venezuela and Bolivia, Hugo Chávez and Evo Morales, respectively, in the changing process in Latin America.