The Venezuelan President visited Fidel Castro in Cuba to greet him personally, as he had promised on Castro's 88th birthday. Castro congratulated the President for Venezuela's extraordinary solidarity with Gaza, including sending planeloads of aid for the victims of Israel's attacks. Castro praised the Venezuelan government and people's exemplary behavior in helping Palestine during their tragedy, despite Venezuela also facing hardship from imperialist measures.

1. True Friendship
By Fidel Castro
Yesterday I received the visit of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela, who traveled abroad to defend important oil interests of his country.
During his visit to Cuba, he seized the opportunity to contact and greet me
personally as he promised on August 13th this year, when I had the privilege of
turning 88 years old. On that day he sent me some fruits as a gift, including
some tasteful little ones which look like pearls and which I had never seen. He
also gave me a sports uniform, which was a gift from the Venezuelan athletes
who pursue victories for their country.
I was extraordinarily happy that he visited me soon, not just because of the
honor of his presence and rapid action, which requires the difficult task of
carrying on the epic struggle of Hugo Chávez, but also because of the
exceptional activities he is carrying out.
Our world is experiencing an exceptional and unique moment. Every day the
number of people who are aware of it increases. The genocide being carried out
in the Gaza Strip is one of the most dramatic events. There, 1.8 million human
beings live trapped between the desert, the sea and the military power of a
country of the Middle West where the most powerful empire that has ever
existed has created a sophisticated nuclear military and irresponsible power at
a cost of nearly USD 100 billion for over half a century. Many people ask: Who
rules whom? Does the United States rule Israel or Does Israel rule the United
States?
The facts are visible. Rockets aiming at programmed targets, fats and accurate
bombers, armored artillery and modern tanks attack buildings full of people, as
well as hospitals, schools and service facilities and kill defenseless children,
youth, elders and parents.
Atrocious events took place before. Without going back further to past millennia
and referring to battles before World War II: the Ethiopian War, the Spanish
Civil War, the Bombing of Guernica, the Japan War to conquer China, and US
interventions in Latin America. These events caused great commotion but they
were not like the horrifying scenes citizens watch on TV in their homes.
Politicians get upset and chaos become evident in world politics.
So the meeting with the Venezuelan president was very useful. I thought,
however, that keeping silence would not benefit anyone. With the greatest
sincerity I congratulated him for what he was doing for the martyr people of the
Gaza Strip. The countries suffering tragedies deserve a continuous help as far
as the resources of a country allows it, no matter how hard its own situation is.
This is what Cuba did, even in its most difficult times and under the fierce
yankee embargo, which has lasted more than half a century.
What Venezuela is doing embodies an exceptional example. The Punic
measures of imperialism against the country are well known since they tried to

2. overthrow, an eliminate him if possible, Chávez with the help of the fascist
oligarchy of Venezuela. He never hesitated and he was always supportive with
our Homeland in the most difficult times.
I congratulated Maduro for his extraordinary solidarity with the heroic people of
the Gaza Strip. Just after the release of news about the genocide and the high
number of children, mothers and people who have been injured or killed by the
genocide attacks of Israel, he set a US made military cargo plane, which has
barely overcome the embargo on parts by its manufacturers, and loaded it with
equipments, medicines and food to send it to Egypt and then Gaza. He also
sent his tireless Foreign Affairs Minister to Cairo in order to obtain the support
and deliver it to those who desperately need it.
Since then, the brave Venezuelan pilots have taken their humanitarian cargo to
save mothers, children and adults from death. I read today, however, an AP
cable from Venezuela that reports about statements delivered by the
“Association of Clinics and Hospitals of Venezuela,” which groups “the country’s
private health centers” and urges the government to declare a state of
“humanitarian emergency” to face “the shortage of supplies, medicines, medical
equipments and parts” that - they claim - “jeopardizes the life of the population.”
What a coincidence! This demand is made exactly when the yankee-israeli
genocide takes place in the poorest and most overpopulated zone of the Gaza
Strip, a community that has lived there for millennia.
This is what makes the behavior of Maduro and the Venezuelan military and
specialists so praiseworthy. They are undertaking such an exemplary behavior
in the face of the tragedy suffered by the fraternal people of Palestina.
Many things can be said about this noteworthy fact if Homo Sapiens manage to
survive and do not exterminate themselves. It’s in their hands.
During a visit in areas that imply great food perspectives, two female workers
showed up. I asked them if they knew my companion. They looked at him,
smiled and said, “President Maduro.” I asked them what their levels of schooling
were. The youngest said: “I’m a high school graduate.” The other, still young
and strong, said she graduated in Physical Education and Sports and worked
as a teacher for several years. Finally, I asked them if they were willing to work
in Venezuela, and they enthusiastically replied: “Of course we are!”
I will not make this longer if I intend to publish this article today, as I told the
Venezuelan president.