It is often said that great men never die, even when they are no longer physically present, because they live on through their deeds and the example of their lives. Such is the case when speaking of Fidel Castro, a leader who devoted his fervent youth and nearly all his life to advancing his people and extending solidarity to others around the world.<\/p>\n
Fidel endures in the grateful and unwavering memory of Cubans. His presence pulses stronger with each passing day in their hearts, in the rhythm of daily life, and amid the harsh blows of nature.<\/p>\n
Fidel\u2019s name has echoed from voice to voice, particularly in recent days, as Tropical Storm Oscar struck Cuba\u2019s easternmost region with unprecedented ferocity. The storm brought record rainfall in just a few hours, followed by days of unrelenting deluge. As Cubans faced these challenges, many recalled Fidel\u2019s hydraulic strategy\u2014a visionary initiative that led to the creation of a monumental infrastructure of reservoirs, dams, and micro-dams. Once again, this system proved its worth by averting a greater disaster during the storm.<\/p>\n
The passage of Hurricane Rafael over western Cuba also underscored Fidel\u2019s foresight. Early in the revolutionary period, Fidel directed the establishment of a Civil Defense System to manage natural disasters of every kind. This system prioritized the protection of the population and state resources, with human life always regarded as the most precious asset.<\/p>\n
The Civil Defense System, underpinned by an effective communication network, spans national, provincial, and municipal levels\u2014even reaching the smallest communities. This structure ensures that warnings and guidance are promptly delivered, reflecting Fidel\u2019s meticulous planning and unwavering commitment to his people.<\/p>\n
Nothing escaped Fidel\u2019s sharp intellect and profound love for his homeland. He was a man who always stood on the side of duty, embodying the roles of guerrilla fighter, statesman, Commander-in-Chief, and a symbol of a people united in defense of their Revolution.<\/p>\n
Fidel\u2019s presence feels almost ubiquitous, as though he exists everywhere at once. He never lost a battle. Even eight years after his physical departure, the Cuban people sense him nearby\u2014in the smiles of newly graduated students, in the pride of athletes who earn their medals through sheer determination, in the satisfaction of farmers celebrating a successful harvest, and in the courage of linemen risking their lives to restore electricity to homes affected by disasters.<\/p>\n
As General of the Army Ra\u00fal Castro Ruz declared during Fidel\u2019s memorial in Santiago de Cuba eight years ago: \u201cFidel\u2019s enduring lesson is that it can be done, that humankind can overcome the harshest conditions when the will to prevail does not falter.\u201d<\/p>\n
His teachings remain an unfailing compass, guiding the Cuban people along the path he charted. Time and again, they turn to his reflections and insights to maintain their course, for the \u00abit can be done\u00bb spirit he instilled is deeply rooted in their collective identity. As Fidel once said: \u201cWithout this people, this country would not have been capable of achieving the extraordinary feats it continues to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fidel endures in the grateful and unwavering memory of Cubans. His presence pulses stronger with each passing day in their hearts, in the rhythm of daily life, and amid the harsh blows of nature.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[408],"ppma_author":[15],"class_list":["post-3595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-specials","tag-fidel-castro-ruz"],"authors":[{"term_id":15,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"ana-rosa-perdomo-sangermes","display_name":"Ana Rosa Perdomo Sangerm\u00e9s","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3595"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3597,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3595\/revisions\/3597"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3595"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.radioenciclopedia.cu\/cultural-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}