I need, therefore I imagine.

Cuba needs a dose of perestroika.

You start by writing to live. You end by writing so as not to die.

Contrary to the macho culture of Mexico, both my grandmothers were very brave young widows. I was always very close to these hard-working, intelligent women.

Reading, writing, teaching, learning, are all activities aimed at introducing civilizations to each other.

The United States condoned dictatorships in Latin America for much of the 20th century.

I am a Mexican. The United States lived seventy-five years with the one party system in Mexico - the PRI - without batting an eyelid, never demanding democracy of Mexico. Democracy came because Mexicans fought for democracy and made a democracy out of our history, our possibilities, our perspectives. Democracy is not something that can be exported like Coca-Cola. It has to be bred from the inside, according to the culture, the conditions of each country.