No Statues Or Monuments Will Raised In Fidel Castro’s Memory

No Statues Or Monuments Will Raised In Fidel Castro's Memory / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 3 December 2016 – A somewhat hoarse and visibly tired
Raul Castro gave the main speech at the final massive act of homage to
Fidel Castro in the Antonio Maceo Plaza in Santiago de Cuba. The general
president focused his speech on the voluntarism espoused by his brother
and highlighted the phrase "Sí se puede" – Yes we can – as a summary of
the actions of the fallen leader.

Those who expected a speech with definitions of the future direction the
country will take after the death of the historic leader, had to be
satisfied with a speech that the president devoted to reviewing the
national history of the last six decades.

Raul Castro recalled the main events in the life of the country while
his brother was in command. The Cuban president stressed the difficult
years of the Special Period, when the Soviet Union disappeared and the
island lost the millions in subsidies that had supported its economy.

Raul Castro said that Fidel Castro's name and figure will not be used to
name public places, streets or plazas, nor to raise monuments, busts or
statues in his memory. A desire expressed by the deceased, who,
according to the president, "rejected every kind of manifestation of a
cult of personality."

In the next session of the National Assembly there will be proposals to
ensure that Fidel Castro's desire in this regard is honored, announced
his brother

At the event, which attracted thousands of people, representatives of
pro-government organizations took the floor, including the Workers'
Central Union of Cuba (CTC), the Union of Young Communists (UJC) and the
University Student Federation (FEU).

"Today we must say that children, teenagers and young people aspire to
be like Fidel," emphasized the first secretary of the Young Communist
Union, Suselys Morfa, popularly known as the "millionaire psychologist"
for her combative attitude during the Americas Summit in Panama.

Miguel Barnet, president of the Writers and Artists Union of Cuba
(UNEAC) said that "Fidel broke the traditional political scheme" and
added that "Cuba without Fidel will not be the Cuba it is today."

From the audience congregated in the plaza were heard slogans in the
style of "Raul is Fidel" as a form of adherence to the system imposed
since 1959, "Raul, amigo, the people are with you," and the repetition
of "Sí se puede," as an echo of the words of the principal speaker.

In the main grandstand were sitting presidents Evo Morales, Daniel
Ortega and Nicolas Maduro, as well as ex-presidents Dilma Rousseff and
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; and the Argentine soccer player Diego Armando
Maradona.

Raul Castro summed up the work of his brother as someone who, "yes, he
could" and called to continue building socialism in Cuba "or, and it's
the same thing, to guarantee the independence and sovereignty of the
homeland."

Tonight will be the last vigil over Fidel Castro's ashes, after four
days of crossing Cuban territory from Havana. On Sunday he will be
buried in the cemetery of Santa Ifigenia in a ceremony that Raul Castro
labeled as "simple."

Opposition groups in the eastern part of the country, especially the
Patriotic Union of Cuba, has denounced the strong surveillance operation
around the homes of their activists.

Source: No Statues Or Monuments Will Raised In Fidel Castro's Memory /
14ymedio – Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/no-statues-or-monuments-will-raised-in-fidel-castros-memory-14ymedio/