Sao Paulo Forum Celebrates Fidel Castro''s 90th Birthday

The 22nd Meeting of the Sao Paulo Forum being held in El Salvador celebrated the 90th birthday of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, whose fruitful and remarkable life was highlighted. The member of the Secretariat of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) Central Committee and head of its International Relations Department, Jose Ramon Balaguer, highlighted Fidel´s work since his youth when he became involved in social struggles.

"He is outstanding reader and political leader, endowed with a singular intelligence, ability to envision a reality and predict its consequences," he said.

As a prominent social activist, his ideas have profoundly impacted throughout the world and are a symbol of deep humanism and have demonstrated the qualities of a true revolutionary with his attitude and action, he said.

"He has reminded us today as always that we will continue fighting as long as imperialism exists (...) So we are convinced like him that there is no other alternative than victory for Cubans," he said.

Balaguer recalled Fidel´s revolutionary work since he presented his self-defense speech at his trial on October 16, 1953, after the attacks on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes garrisons, in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, respectively.

In that document, Fidel outlined Cuba´s problems of land, industrialization, housing, unemployment, education and health.

Balaguer stressed that the revolutionary triumph in 1959, a process led by Fidel, carried changes in Cuba and implemented his ideas to fight the problems described in his speech, including agrarian reform.

Fidel founded, along with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and other Latin American revolutionary, the Forum of Sao Paulo and he has monitored all its activities, the Cuban senior official said in his speech, which was acclaimed by more than 5,000 participants in the official opening ceremony of the 22nd Meeting.

Balaguer, an outstanding Cuban revolutionary, stated that the ideas of Simon Bolivar and Jose Marti were materialized in Fidel.

"Congratulations Fidel for your 90th birthday and thank you for having instilled the infinitely solidary human being," he said.

Thousands of people attending the meeting chanted "Fidel, Fidel, what is it with Fidel that the Americans cannot put him down, and Long Live Cuba," during an emotional endearment.