Fidel Castro, a tireless fighter for a better world.

By María Josefina Arce

Fidel Castro will always be an indispensable man and leader. A tireless fighter, of vast knowledge and clear political vision, throughout his life he raised his voice in favor of the poor, of peace for all and of the urgency and need to build a better world.

 His words on every international platform made history. His first speech at the UN, in September 1960, was shocking, that young man, who would have been 97 years old this August 13, shocked those present in New York.

 The leader of the Cuban revolution would say, "Yes, we are going to speak clearly", and then denounced the constant attacks by the United States against the nascent revolution, which would lead to profound transformations for the benefit of all the people.

But Fidel Castro went further and called for an end to colonies and the exploitation of countries by monopolies and then, he stressed, humanity will have reached a true stage of progress.

And to that philosophy, which he described as one of dispossession, he would refer on numerous occasions, when, with irrefutable truths, he advocated a fairer international economic order.

 And with that thought and action in favor of the humblest, he impregnated the Cuban revolution, which has in its essence the solidarity aid to other peoples. Under the guidance of Fidel Castro, health and education reached remote places of the world geography.

 He always taught us to share what we had, to bring hope and life to those who in other nations did not have access to essential human rights.

And at the Earth Summit in Brazil in 1992, the historic leader of the Cuban revolution warned that the prevailing inequality in an increasingly consumerist world was leading to the destruction of the environment.

Three decades earlier, he already clearly saw the need and urgency of protecting the environment. He was clear and direct when he stressed that a biological species: mankind, was at risk of disappearing due to the rapid and progressive liquidation of its natural living conditions. He was a visionary. Today the world is facing an environmental crisis.

 As he denounced in Rio de Janeiro, forests are disappearing, rivers and seas are polluted and emissions of gases into the atmosphere continue, leading to a global climate change.

Fidel Castro left an indelible mark on people all over the world and especially on the Cuban people, with whom he fought countless battles, tirelessly and always with intelligence and determination.