Cuban in U.S. jail says, ‘Millions love Fidel’

Granma International of Havana on Aug. 4 published the following transcript of a conversation with Antonio Guerrero, one of the imprisoned Cuban Five, on the health of President Fidel Castro.

I am calling to reiterate what our brother Gerardo has already said in the name of the Five.

I wrote a letter to the Comandante for his 80th birthday which included a drawing that I did for him using the technique I am currently working on. Then, the Proclamation [on his surgery—WW] was announced, Gerardo sent a message for us all, because what each of us does comes from all the Five, as is also the one that Ramón sent.

But here you hear outrageous things and feel the need to communicate with Cuba, to say over and over again to our people what our brothers have said. Therefore I want to reiterate that we have been very concerned, as are all our people, over the health of our Comandante, but at the same time we have the most absolute conviction that he will recover and rise up once again as he knows how, and that we know he is there and will always be there.

At a time like this, we redouble our strength. I know that all Cubans are like this, demonstrating that our people, our Revolution and our socialism will be eternal and that we will always be guided by Fidel’s ideas and principles.

As to the festivities in Miami, we all know their origins, those who are behind that circus; we also know that that is mafia business, because behind it there is no kind of sentiment; there is money and there is hatred. And behind those little groups of youth who are shouting in chorus, there is manipulation and a great emptiness, a great mediocrity, a spiritual poverty that is shocking.

In the face of that, what is important is that there are many, many more of us who love Fidel, that there are millions who love Fidel both inside and outside of Cuba, around the world, this world where every day we see so many terrible things that are profoundly saddening.

I am fine, in this battle of mine to create something new every day and maintain communication with friends and brothers and sisters from all over the world. And of course, like all of Cuba, I will celebrate Aug. 13 in the solitude of my cell, but in the company of the millions who share my sentiments, wishing our invincible Comandante en Jefe good health and a speedy recovery on his 80th birthday.