Fidel at 80: Confidential Memories by Leonardo Boff, Theologian, 8/11/06

AfroCubaWeb

http://www.afrocubaweb.com/fidelcastro.htm#Fidel%20at%2080

Fidel at 80: Confidential Memories by Leonardo Boff, Theologian, 8/11/06

What I am going to reveal here will irritate or scandalize those who do not like Cuba or Fidel Castro. That does not worry me. If you do not see the light of the star in the darkest night, it is not the star’s fault; but yours. Because of my book, Church: Charisma and Power, in 1985, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger subjected me to <obsequious silence>. I accepted the sentence, and quit teaching, writing and speaking in public. Months later, I was surprised to receive an invitation from Commandant Fidel Castro, asking me to spend two weeks with him on the Island, during his vacation. I accepted immediately, because I saw an opportunity to resume the critiquing dialogues that we had enjoyed several times previously, together with Frei Betto. I headed to Cuba, and reported to the Commandant. In my presence, he immediately called the Apostolic Nuncio with whom he had cordial relations, and said to him: <Eminence, here is Brother Boff, who will be my guest for two weeks. As I am disciplined, I will not allow him to talk with anyone, nor give interviews, this way he will observe what the Vatican wants of him: obsequious silence. I will see to it that that is respected.> And so it was. During those two weeks, whether by car, airplane or ship, he showed me the whole Island. Simultaneously, with total freedom, we conversed about a thousand topics: politics, religion, Marxism, revolution and also critiques of the deficiencies of democracy. The nights were devoted to long meals, followed by serious discussions that often lasted into the early morning. Some times until 6 a.m. Then, he would stand up, stretch, and say:<now I am going to swim for some 40 minutes; and after that, I will go to work.> I would write down what we had talked about and then, go to sleep. Some topics of our fellowship seem relevant to me. First of all, Fidel’s persona. He is larger than the Island. His Marxism is more ethical than political: how to do justice to the poor? Then, there is his knowledge of the theology of liberation. He has read a mountain of books, all of them with notes, lists of terms and of doubts that he would clarify with me. I once told him: <If Cardinal Ratzinger understood half of what you understand of the Theology of Liberation, my personal destiny and the future of this theology would be very different.> And in that context, he confessed: <I am ever more convinced that no Latin American revolution will be true, popular and triumphant, if it does not incorporate the religious element.> Perhaps due to this conviction, he had practically forced Frei Betto and myself to give successive lessons on religion and Christianity to the whole second echelon of Government; some times, with all the ministers present. Those courses were decisive for the Government in dialoguing and coming to a sort of <reconciliation> with the Catholic Church and all the other religions in Cuba. Finally, there was his confession: <I was an intern with the Jesuits for several years; they gave me discipline but did not teach me how to think. In jail, reading Marx, I learned to think. Due to the Northamerican pressure I had to make a rapprochement to the Soviet Union, but if I had had at that time a theology of liberation, I would most certainly had embraced it and applied it in Cuba.> And he finished: <If one day I return to the faith of my childhood, it will be by the hands of Brother Betto and Brother Boff> We reached moments of such solidarity that we could have easily prayed the Our Father together. I had written 4 thick notebooks about our dialogues, but in Rio de Janeiro my car was attacked, and they took everything. The book I had imagined can never be written, but I treasure the memory of the unforgettable experience of a Head of State, worried about the dignity and the future of the poor. Leonardo Boff 08-11-2006 Free translation from the Spanish sent  by volar_2004@yahoo.com.ar, served by  contacto@servicioskoinonia.org; done at REFUGIO DEL RIO GRANDE, Texas

Dawid Jakubowski – The Exam of Revolutionary Life. Juan Almeida Bosque ( 1927 -2009)

The Exam of  Revolutionary Life.

Juan Almeida Bosque ( 1927 -2009)

It’s incredible, but…real scene:

http://www.visiontunera.icrt.cu/nacionales/almeida%20ejemplo%20de%20humildad.htm

The text was firstly publicated in Polish here :

http://www.wiadomosci24.pl/artykul/egzamin_z_zycia_rewolucjonisty_juan_almeida_bosque_1927_2009_109387.html

Date of 11 September is as well,   the day of the anniversary of the coup d’etat, which has laid the Pinochet dictatorship after episode of  democracy personalized with Allende,  or WTC attack, which still involves more confusion than absolutely unambiguous facts.

This day, from another hand, will be already 133th anniversary of birth of the Polish revolutionary Felix Dzerzhinsky, who was a friend of Vladimir Lenin,  contributor of October 1917, the and the builder of the economy of post-revolutionary Russia, as a Head of the Highest Soviet of National Economy ( WSNCh ).

But for Cuban Nation, and for internationalists, including Polish leftists, it will be date of the death of Great Human and Revolutionary.

On Saturday, 11 September 2009 at 23:30 Juan Almeida Bosque died. The Cuban Government announced Sunday day of mourning National. He left almost at the same time, his great friend Fidel Castro Ruz regain strength and health after lasting several years of recovery.

Almeida was 82 years. Probably,   for a long time he already was suffering from the heart, but  he didn’t used to complain publicly of the pain. He participated to the same end in meetings of the Parliament and other public activities. How he could leave these matters of his life on grounds interferes with the health?

His life, including his last years, didn’t save him for stresses.

Probably without concerns of constantly fuel propaganda, made by collaborating with government of the United States organizations campaign, forcing the enemy sights of the country and a friend, or the betrayal made by   his own son only before few months, he still would be alive. However, you can finally say,   that he passed   successfully exam of his own   life, as a man, Communist and faithful friend.

Anyone who didn’t meet Juan Almeida, should view the interview made  in 1978 by Santiago Alvarez, also unfortunately dead, proud Cuban  led director of thousands documentary films including Now! [ against racist segregation ], anti-imprerialist satire LBJ (1968) and 79 Springs (1969), a poetic tribute to Ho Chi Minh or documentaries about common dificulties of  Vietnam’s people life, intensified by war, led by US government.

Juan Almeida Bosque was born in a poor family, which forced him to abandon the school at the age of 11  and and he was employed as  a   bricklayer. In 1952 by desire of knowledge he became however, the student of Law at   the University of Hawana . There just began his ongoing almost 50 years friendship with Fidel Castro, which has resulted in the joining already in March the same year to the led by Castro   traffic destined to fight against Battista dictatorship.  Almeida participated with Castro, arm to arm,  of the road from a failed attack on the Moncada barracks, by being captured in one of the  heaviest prisons on  Isla del Pinos, as a direct consequence of Moncada and building revolutionary anti – dictatorship movement on emigration in Mexico.

Being after years across for camera of Alvarez,  Almeida disclosed, that it was   in Mexico, that he first time in his life felt like real Human . In his own country Afro – Cubans, like him were treated by deeply racist   society, as a  citizen of the worst category, which procedure was  supported and forced by the government (although Battista also was a mulate). During his first stay in Mexico, Almeida was shocked, that the first time he no longer suffered  in cause of the segregation and reluctant look at each step, that the decision not to place by prohibiting free participation in society.

Almeida was with  Fidel and Che on Board „Granma”, the ship which brought Cuba later liberators. He became one of the most important person form of anti imperialist   revolution, by having active participation in the fight in the Sierra Maestra, and after victory, he was nominated as a  Commander- General of the armed forces with the title of Commander of the revolution. Its merit and  rightly put in him  faith provide dignity which he held. He was permanently chosen as a member of the Political Bureau, the Central Committee of the Communist Party and elected as the Vice President of Cuba.

But  Almeida didn’t close himself only in country or world policy. As he mentioned to Alvarez  in  the aforementioned document, just before the revolution he was excited with poetry and music, but not able to meet their artistic dreams. The revolutionary change in his country, gave him the opportunity to develop talent – he wrote poetry and music in particular, as he emphasized, especially  expressing feelings – he was inspired  to write a first song by the deep feeling for woman, which became after then his wife. He wrote many songs, which would be crowned by  recording his own albums. Some of composed by him songs, like La Lupe and Dame un traguito were popular in Cuba  for many years. In addition to composing music and singing poetry also he was also writing numerous books, among which are such titles as Military prison [military prison], Exile and Disembarkation. He participated with benevolence in more recordings with documentaries on its country and comrades, by sharing his incredible knowledge.

Dawid Jakubowski

dawidfidel@gmail.com

Memory of Juan Almeida -The great man

In cause of death on Friday 11 September Juan Almeida Bosque- Deputy President of Cuba and Member of the political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba, 3 person delegation the Warsaw circle of the Communist Party of Poland ( KPP ) and KMP  visited Cuban Embassy and wrote to the condolence book:

We, the Polish Communists, were able  to join to  the Government and the entire nation of Cuban in pain after a huge loss, which they suffer. Juan Almeida desired the world without artificial divisions, in which the highest value would be right to happiness for  each Human of the world and he devoted for this purpose all his life.
He left as  a good and valuable man, and we will miss him. He will always remain in the hearts of the fighters for better world. Glory of His memory!

Warsaw, 16 September 2009

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