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Havana, February 3(RHC)-- Cuban President Fidel Castro has expressed deep admiration of the Cuban people for the warm reception given to Pope John Paul II during his recent five- day visit. In a special television appearance late Monday evening, the Cuban leader praised the Cuban peoples' conduct during the visit, which he called "an historic event and another achievement for the island, demonstrating the Cuban peoples's lofty revolutionary qualities."
President Castro said it was this absolute confidence that allowed him to say to the Pope, upon the Pontiff's arrival in Havana, that His Holiness would find an educated, cultured and talented people with whom he could speak with total freedom and with the certainty that he would be listened to with respect.
The leader of the Cuban Revolution recalled the many predictions and forecasts concerning the problems and difficulties the Pope's visit would cause for the government. He pointed to a statement by a member of the U.S. Congress who made the ridiculous claim that the Cuban government would fire those who took part in the Pope's religious activities.
President Castro stated that the more than 3000 foreign journalists covering the Pontiff's visit -- among them 1659 journalists from the United States -- were able to freely speak with millions of Cubans. "Those same millions -- believers and non-believers -- would, without a doubt, take up their positions to defend the island from an enemy aggression."
In reference to the slander campaigns against the island, the Cuban leader spoke of the U.S. government's self-appointed role as judge of the world -- certifying which country is good or bad, terrorist, drug-trafficker or human rights violator. Nevertheless, he said, it would take an immense volume of history to include all of the armed interventions, violations, abuse and horrors committed by successive U.S. governments.
President Fidel Castro also reiterated his support of the Pope's call for "a globalization of solidarity," which, he said, coincides with the social banner unfurled by the Cuban Revolution. He said a world of globalized solidarity "would be one in which the rich are not increasingly richer, while the poor become increasingly poorer."
In another part of his television appearance, the Cuban leader said that his references to Spanish colonialism -- during his welcome speech for Pope John Paul II -- were not intended to offend the people of Spain. President Castro said he feels a great deal of admiration for Spain and for the courage of the Spanish people demonstrated throughout their history. He lamented what he called the distorted interpretations of his words, insisting, nevertheless, that he could not refrain from condemning Spanish colonialism for the 70 million indigenous and 12 million Africans who were enslaved by those bringing the gospel on the point of a sword. And, said the Cuban leader, Spain isn't the only western nation responsible for that crime.
In that respect, President Castro spoke of the monument the Cuban government was going to erect in memory of the 300,000 Cubans who died last century in the concentration camps created by Spanish General Valeriano Weyler. He said this crime preceded the holocaust and the U.S. strategic hamlets in Vietnam. And the monument, said the Cuban leader, will also be in homage to the Cuban people of today, "who for 40 years have stood up to a merciless blockade aimed at exterminating the nation through hunger and sickness."
Finally, the Cuban president spoke of what he called the repugnant and immoral manoeuver by ultra right-wing U.S. Senator Jesse Helms and the Cuban-American National Foundation, aimed at attempting to stem the growing clamor to end the blockade by proposing a humanitarian aid project for Cuba with humiliating conditions. President Fidel Castro said Cuba is not asking for humanitarian aid, but rather, is demanding the lifting of the blockade and the right to develop and trade in peace.
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