Dear brothers and sisters of the solidarity movement with Cuba,
Allow me first of all to sincerely thank you, on behalf of the Permanent Mission of Cuba and the Cuban people, for your presence on this occasion to honor the memory of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.
I am sure that I interpret the feelings of everyone present if I say that it will always be difficult to put in words what we feel today when we speak of someone who, with the passing of history, became an indisputable revolutionary leader of international stature.
We must speak of Fidel in the present tense, because he is here with us. His conceptions and ideas are the foundation of the nation we are today. His robust political thinking and steadfast principles serve as a guide for our actions.
The world recognizes his standing as a leading politician and statesman. He has been, is and will be the voice of rebelliousness, of resistance, of the humble, of the marginalized, of the hope of the peoples of the world for a better future.
Fidel turned solidarity with other peoples into an essential quality of the Cuban Revolution. He taught us that the struggle for social justice has no borders. Fidel contributed to awaken the conscience of peoples.
Fidel will continue to teach us that all of us who fight for a truly just cause must be persevering; that we must never accept defeat; that we must always keep an unwavering faith in victory.
Fidel has multiplied in his people and is already a universal symbol that remains a source of inspiration for people like you, who are willing to continue fighting for the noblest ideals of humanity.
Fidel remains present in every work undertaken in our country to consolidate our socialism and make it more prosperous and sustainable.
His imprint continues to mark the steps we take to expand and diversify links with other nations of the world and to maintain our spirit of solidarity and humanist and internationalist vocation in cooperation with other peoples.
Fidel continues to stand with us in the struggle to achieve a better world which, like him, we have the deepest conviction that is possible.
Fidel accompanied us, leading this troop of diplomats representing the people, in the battles that we fought at the United Nations last October and in the resounding defeat that our people inflicted on the imperialist enemy in the voting on the resolution against the blockade.
And today, when the current U.S. administration chooses to tighten the policy of hostility and blockade against Cuba, our undefeated Commander in Chief is guiding us in this battle, in which we will never make concessions, we will not negotiate our principles, we will not accept conditions of any sort, nor will we renounce our sovereignty and independence.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Fidel is and will continue to be alive in each one of us, in you, the members of all generations of the Movement of Solidarity with Cuba in the United States: from the forerunners who contributed to shaping the 26th of July Movement in the early 1950s, to the younger ones, the “new pines”, that stand with us in the fight against the criminal blockade. The spirit of Fidel is present in all of you.
Let us resolve to face the new challenges before us, reaffirming our commitment to be faithful to his legacy, guided by his example and his continuing optimism.
Let us say today, you and us, to his giant memory, what our President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in his speech to the UN General Assembly: “Fidel, here is the Cuban Revolution, alive, thriving and faithful to its principles!
Viva nuestro invicto y siempre presente Comandante en Jefe Fidel! (Long live our undefeated and ever-present Commander in Chief Fidel!)
Viva la Revolución Cubana! (Long live the Cuban Revolution)
Hasta la Victoria, Siempre! (Until victory forever!)
Patria o Muerte, ¡Venceremos! (Homeland or death – we shall prevail!)