Ninety-nine years after his birth, his legacy remains more alive than ever and guides an entire nation, which relentlessly strives to defend our country's won sovereignty and independence to the very end.

Fidel was the man who showed us that every setback, no matter how difficult, or every adverse circumstance, can be turned into victory and that there’s nothing that a united people, together with its leaders, can achieve on the basis of our principles, our patriotism, and internationalism.

This was the case with the assault on the Moncada Barracks, the arrival of the Granma yacht on the Cuban coast, the Battle of Alegría de Pío, the epic of the Sierra Maestra, the defeat in 72 hours, and even less, of the mercenary invasion of Playa Girón, the campaign to eradicate illiteracy in one year, the proclamation of the socialist character of the Revolution 90 miles from the empire, the October Crisis, the confrontation with banditry, the internationalist feat in Africa, the social and economic achievements of the island, the confrontation with the harsh years of the Economic Crisis and the endless attempts on his life, among other feats.

"That is the undefeated Fidel who calls us together with his example and with the demonstration that "Yes, we could, yes, we can, and yes, we will be able to!" (1)

“Our dear friend Bouteflika, President of Algeria, rightly expressed that Fidel possessed the extraordinary ability to travel to the future, return, and explain it. On July 26, 1989, in the city of Camagüey, the Commander in Chief predicted, two and a half years in advance, the disappearance of the Soviet Union and the socialist block, and assured the world that if those circumstances were to occur, Cuba would continue to defend the banners of socialism.” (2)

Until the end of his days, defending the people and counting on them for any task was, without a doubt, Fidel's greatest endeavor since the triumph of the Revolution, in every military, political, economic, educational, scientific, health, and social welfare battle he led in person or with his ideas and gifts as an exceptional, shrewd, and clear-thinking man.

On August 13, 1926, in the Birán area of what is now Holguín province, an exceptional man was born, the most illustrious son of Cuba in the 20th century. Fidel Castro Ruz, our undefeated and historic leader of the Revolution, dedicated his life, work, and thought to defending justice, peace, and social development for the good of Cuba and humanity.

We Cubans had, and still have, the good fortune to count on his legacy, which taught us that Homeland, its sovereignty, and dignity are above all else. Hence the commitment and eternal obligation to continue and perpetuate his example of inspiration and trust in the people, despite any adversity.

Precisely on January 8, 1959, upon arriving in Havana at the head of the Freedom Caravan, in a moving ceremony held in front of the then Columbia military camp, he stated:

“When I hear talk of columns, when I hear talk of combat fronts, of troops of varying numbers, I always think: here is our strongest column, our best troops, the only troops capable of winning the war alone, those troops are the people.” (3)

Fidel never stopped thinking for a minute about how to help his people, an essential fact that he will never forget.

“We are pleased by the support of the people, we are pleased by their extraordinary enthusiasm; but, above all, we are interested in having the people meditate, we are interested in having the people think, because the people must have an explanation for the problems they face; the people must know the whys and wherefores of things.” (4)

Countless are the great events that have occurred in the country, the prestige achieved internationally, and Cuba's contribution to the development of other peoples and the world in general, and in all of them, without exception, Fidel's humanist, solidarity-based, and international thinking were present.

With his revolutionary preaching and practice, the Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution bequeathed to present and new generations the conviction that tomorrow is built today, that there’s no time to rest when the destinies of the nation and also of the world are being decided.

That’s why he earned the admiration and respect of people from all latitudes, as well as the criticism and visceral hatred of Yankee imperialism, its lackeys, and detractors. But even many of his enemies did not cease to see him as a great, courageous man who never hesitated to raise his voice to denounce injustice and hypocrisy, ruthless capitalism and its ruling oligarchies, and Those who use war to destroy peoples and plunder their wealth.

“…we proclaim that we fear nothing and no one, that we do not fear the measures plotted against us, nor do we fear the measures we must take to combat those who want to destroy us!” (5)

“Cuba is today the focus of the world’s attention. Cuba is the admiration of the world, and Cuba will not abandon the place it occupies today in the minds of the peoples of the Americas and the world. Cuba will never betray the glory and prestige it has earned in defense of its legitimate rights!” (6)

The prominent Argentine sociologist and political scientist Atilio Borón accurately defined him as "a consummate politician, a man with a phenomenal ability to read the situation, both domestic and international, which allowed him to turn his beloved Cuba—our Cuba, in reality—into a leading player in some of the major international conflicts that shook the second half of the 20th century. No other country in the region achieved anything even close to what Fidel achieved."

"And alongside Cuba and its people, Fidel's name occupies a place in history. As a historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, and as a significant figure for his total dedication to the revolutionary cause and for the struggle he undertook for the preservation and development of humanity: Fidel continues to offer lessons. (7)

Then we have more than enough reasons to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the man who is and always will be a living, eternal example of humanism, ethics, hard work, solidarity, courage, and love for his country.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff