Speech made by Dr. Fidel Castro on the current world crisis, on the occasion of his inauguration as President of the Republic of Cuba. Havana, Cuba

www.granma.cu March 6, 2003.

Comrade deputies; Distinguished guests; Dear fellow Cubans:

We have just come back from traveling around the world, on a trip without a moment’s rest or respite. It had to be done. On February 24 and 25, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, an important summit meeting would be held, in the midst of the almost certain threat of war in Iraq and the aggravation of the international economic crisis. It was also necessary to make visits to very close friends like Viet Nam and China, scheduled for the days before and after the Summit, and to make an inevitable stopover in Japan, from where I had received invitations from important and valued friends.

...........We explained and offered documented information to many of them about the fascist coup in Venezuela, and the damage caused to the world with the boycott of the production of three million barrels of oil a day, a production that was virtually shut down but is now recovering thanks to the overwhelming victory of the Bolivarian people. We also explained the risks involved, for both the rich and poor nations, in a war in such a critical area as the Middle East. We shared with others our belief that it might still be possible to avert this war, if Iraq were able to demonstrate not only to the Security Council, but also to legislators from all over the world -including those of the United States, where many have doubts, and of Great Britain, Spain and Italy, its most unconditional allies, where many are opposed-- to demonstrate to the parliaments, to the leaders of the non-aligned countries and to the leaders of social organizations that Iraq has complied and is complying with each and every one of the requirements included in the UN Resolution. ............ I want to thank all of you, comrade deputies, and our dear people, on behalf of the Council of State, for the trust you have placed in us once again, and on my own personal behalf, after 50 years of revolutionary struggle, which did not begin precisely on the day of the first battle. We all know that time passes and energy is running out.

Perhaps the endless struggle trained us for such a long battle. I think that the secret may lie in the power of a great dream, of endless enthusiasm, and of a love for our noble cause that has grown with every day of life. But life has its own inexorable laws.

I promise that I will be with you, if you so wish, for as long as I feel that I can be useful, and if it is not decided by nature before; not a minute less, and not a second more.

Now I understand that it was not my destiny to rest at the end of my life.

Long live socialism! Long live independence! Long live peace!