VANESSA DAVIES— We greet the people of Venezuela, the people of Cuba and Latin America who will be following us during this interview.

Comandante Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban Revolution and continental leader has made some reflections and some warnings about the possibility of a nuclear holocaust. Today we have the opportunity to share his approaches and his proposals.

This will be a multi-way conversation, because also present and participating will be: Andres Izarra, Telesur president, Walter Martínez, producer, moderator, host of the Dossier broadcast by Venezolana de Television and Telesur, and Mario Silva, also a producer, moderator, host of The Hojilla, broadcast by Venezolana de Television.

Comandante, thank you for the invitation and for this opportunity.

Comandante, you explained yesterday at the special session of the Cuban Parliament that you wanted to persuade the U.S. president, Barack Obama, to not give the order that would start, would give rise to a nuclear war. Why do you think Barack Obama would listen to the voice of a Latin American leader to avoid a global conflict?

FIDEL CASTRO: “I did not speak as a Latin American leader, I spoke as a representative of our country who has been stressing this issue (…) As I explained in the message to the Assembly, this came a month and a day or two ago, the great concern, but initially I was a little more pessimistic. Nevertheless, I thought that an effort should be made if there was any chance of survival, and I would have thought; especially since in Latin America and the Caribbean we do not threaten anyone, do not possess nuclear weapons or missiles that are supposed to be pointed at Russia or China.

I do not think there’s another part of the world with the same conditions of low hazard as a potential aggressor than this region of the world.

VANESSA DAVIES. “You explained that you were less optimistic a week ago and you are now more optimistic about the possibility that Obama will not give the order, why?

FIDEL CASTRO: Yes, I was more pessimistic. Then I kept thinking, and came to a conclusion that, in my opinion, is very good, is quite the contrary; I saw the possibility of salvaging the peace, that nuclear war would be avoided as well, which is most important, you can help to save the peace today, but within a month the danger of war returns. (…)

I said, what are the mechanisms by which this nuclear war breaks out? That’s when I realized that they depend on the decision of one man, whose power is very concerning for many reasons.(…)

Look, I am optimistic about the mechanism I explained, trying to explain that eventually one man has to make the decision (…) a black man becomes president of the United States, something never seen before or expected (…) I say: a number of features have come together in this man; he is black and with Muslim parents, and has come to the U.S. presidency following a massive economic crisis, a stupid war, in which they are merely carrying corpses from Iraq, many. (…) Under all these factors, including the tremendous economic crisis, Obama becomes president
(…) No one can pull the trigger on his own, and he is the one who has his finger on the trigger, for once; then he is forced to think very seriously about what he does, he is no murderer. And there are obvious signs that are beginning to be perceived by his advisers. (…)

The current circumstances require a man like Obama to become a Nero, who sets fire to Rome, sets it to burn; he would have to put the world on fire, would have to decide, firstly, on the deaths of hundreds of millions of people; there are more!, but I said hundreds not to appear exaggerated. And, as well, the first consequence of his order is the death of all the crews of the aircraft carriers and the sinking of the U.S. ships in the area, the submarine will sink but they will not have anyone to come and rescue them or lift them or pick them up when they get to the surface. (…)

VANESSA DAVIES.-You suggest that powers such as Russia and China, you said yesterday, are doing everything possible to prevent nuclear war, and you said you knew they were making specific efforts. We would like you to tell us what efforts, what is being done by Russia and by China to avoid the nuclear conflict.

FIDEL CASTRO: If I knew a lot, I have no right to relate it. I know what I think and I know what specific symptoms are worrying them, what they are thinking. These are people who want peace more than anyone, and they are acting.

ANDRÉS IZARRA.-Looking a little at the region, and in this geopolitical game, the situation between Cuba and the United States. You have announced the upcoming release of the Five. We would like to know a little, what is going on in that direction …

FIDEL CASTRO .- On what day they will be released?

VANESSA DAVIES .- Why did you say that?

ANDRES IZARRA .-… if you can go into that announcement and what it might signify …

FIDEL CASTRO: We can put the comrades on edge, I’m not going to say … go on then, perhaps with an error of 72 hours, as a margin, but you do not like to say, because they worry if you declare something that is going to happen, because it seems that one is playing the role of a prophet or something, and there is no riddle in this, and so I told the deputy that a week seemed too little time, and December seemed too much. We could say a lot of time, we could say: Well, nearly three times or around the time that is needed. Now you deduce what you want from my words.

ANDRES IZARRA .- What would that mean for Cuba-US relations? Could we be entering a new stage? Could this be a first step in breaking the blockade …?( …)

FIDEL CASTRO .- Us? Why? I don’t worry about that, I’ve forgotten about it. Why? Only, well if they are selling something, something worthwhile … But that’s not my job. What I do is say things and events for everyone to decide (…).

ANDRÉS IZARRA. Comandante, do you think there is any possibility of Colombia attacking Venezuela?

FIDEL CASTRO: “There is not the remotest possibility of Colombia attacking Venezuela.

VANESSA DAVIES .- Why?

FIDEL CASTRO: First, it is not interested in it, and second, because it cannot, thirdly, because it doesn’t want to; fourthly, because it knows that the consequences would be disastrous. I think there are four reasons.

VANESSA DAVIES. “Comandante, you explained that…… neither the empire nor the revolution will achieve power by force of arms, by arms as we know them, the armed revolution …. What are the weapons now to make revolution and what are the weapons of the empire?

FIDEL CASTRO: Disclose the reality of what will happen and I’ll tell you why.

VANESSA DAVIES .- Communication is the weapon?

FIDEL CASTRO: Well, I think you have a nuclear weapon in your hands, ideologically, and if they win that battle they will have overthrown the regime and revolutions will not be needed. What do you think?

VANESSA DAVIES –I think that is incredible.

FIDEL CASTRO: Well, yes it is.

VANESSA DAVIES.-The only battle we’re going to get, taking the words of Walter, is in the field of communications.

FIDEL CASTRO: Yes, there you have it. (…) .- The power of communication was in the hands of the empire, which used and abused that power, and after all, what is happening today in the world is the product of that; using all the media they have made their power and sought to preserve it, but they could not, so they have to resign themselves now.

VANESSA DAVIES .- Who, the empire or us?

FIDEL CASTRO .- Who?

VANESSA DAVIES .- Who should resign?

FIDEL CASTRO: You know that it is the empire (Laughter).

VANESSA DAVIES. “The empire is the one to resign.

VANESSA DAVIES .- And what are the ideas of this time, then?

FIDEL CASTRO: Well, the first is to avoid war, and others are being developed. But yes, the other, how society will be, how they will manage the goods and services, how they are going to get sources of renewable energy.

VANESSA DAVIES .- What is socialism for you now, in the twenty-first century?

FIDEL CASTRO .- For me?, Communism, that which Marx himself defined as communism: from each according to his means, to each according to his needs. Of course they will have to define what are the needs, not an airplane or a boat to travel the world fishing and spending all the fuel.

VANESSA DAVIES. Comandante, thank you, really, for this opportunity.

We join as Venezuelans, your call for peace, and in the persuasion of U.S. President, Barack Obama.

Thank you, Comandante, thank you very much (Applause).

We end this conversation with the Comandante, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and he continues to prove every day that he is the leader not only of Latin America but worldwide.

Comandante, thank you.

We, Mario Silva, Andres Izarra, Walter Martinez and Vanessa Davies say goodbye. Thanks to Telesur, thanks to the Cuban Television, thanks also to Venezuelan Television.

Until the next opportunity.

Taken from Granma Daily