Nine days after the bombing of Cubana airlines Flight 455, a million Cubans converged on Revolution Square in Havana. Below are excerpts from the speech Fidel Castro gave on Oct. 15, 1976. In parts of the speech not included here, Castro describes the months of terror attacks carried out against Cuba preceding the destruction of Cubana Flight 455. The entire speech can be read online at: http://www.fidelcastro.cu/en/discursos/speech-memorial-service-victims-cubana-airlines-plane-destroyed-flight-october-6
We might ask ourselves what is the purpose of these crimes? To destroy the Revolution? (Crowd exclamations of “No!”) That is impossible. The revolution emerges more vigorous with every blow and aggression. It deepens, it becomes more aware, it becomes stronger. (Applause) To intimidate the people? (Exclamations of “No!”) That is impossible. Faced with the cowardice and monstrosity of such crimes, the people are inflamed, and every man and woman becomes a fervent and heroic soldier prepared to die. (Applause)
The Revolution has taught us all the idea of human fraternity and solidarity. It has made us all the most profound brothers among whom the blood of one belongs to all and the blood of all belongs to each of the others. (Applause) …
Imperialism, capitalism, fascism, neocolonialism, racism, man’s brutal exploitation of man in all its forms and manifestations, is approaching its end in humanity’s history, and their maddened lackeys know it; that is why their reactions are ever more desperate, more hysterical, more cynical, more impotent. Only that can explain such repugnant and absurd crimes as the one in Barbados. …
All our selfless compatriots sacrificed under cowardly circumstances that day, will live eternally in the memory, the affection and the admiration of the people! (Applause) A homeland ever more revolutionary, more worthy, more socialist and more internationalist (Applause) will be the grandiose monument our people will erect to their memory and that of all those who have died or will die for the Revolution! (Applause)