It is only through popular consultation and exchange with the people about social and economic policies that we were going to define the strategic direction of Cuba in the next years. To reach prosperous and sustainable socialism, which is our aspiration, we discussed that with the entire population.

The United States turned to repression when its prominence started to slip in Latin America through establishing military dictatorships.

We have a complete respect for history, we respect the experiences of other countries and we have our own, but the truth is that if the Cuban revolution had not been a democracy it would not have survived.

I have a lot of faith and confidence in Cuban democracy.

Cubans are a people who suffered from capitalism in the cruelest way, in the social order, the economic order and the political order.

When we talked about going to help Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry how many doctors in Cuba raised their hands to go? 15 thousand. In their homes they said, "We are willing to go risk our lives to help other countries". That is true medicine; it is the true observance of the Hippocratic Oath that doctors swear to.

In Cuba, despite having lived through the most difficult times, there has never been a neo liberal adjustment.