Cuba: Castro trusts Ahmadinejad to stand against the U.S.

Every now and then, Cubans play around with the alleged news of Fidel Castro’s death. It’s a cruel joke indeed – to exiles, to supporters, to anyone intrigued or caught off-guard by it – but as Twitter is an open place to express oneself and perhaps rabble-rouse, the complete silence from the government fosters speculations … until reality strikes back.

Recently released photographs show a very vital Fidel Castro leading lively conversations with Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his Wednesday visit to La Havana. Castro looks thinner than before, his aging more intense, but he was quick enough to share his thoughts about their anti-U.S. rendez vous.

“(Ahmadinejad) is absolutely relaxed and calm, completely indifferent to yankee threats,” Castro wrote. “He trusts his people’s capability to stand up against any attack and trusts the efficacy of weapons they produce by themselves for the most part.”

According to Iran’s presidential website, Castro and Ahmadinejad “reviewed major international and regional developments,” during their meeting.

“Since capitalism has reached the end of the road, the two great nations of Iran and Cuba now shoulder a heavy responsibility to establish a new world order based on humanity and justice,” Ahmadinejad reportedly said.

As previously reported by Univision News, soon after arriving in La Havana, Ahmadinejad said something similar: “Thankfully we are already witnessing that the capitalist system is in decay. On various stages it has come to a dead end — politically, economically, and culturally.”

Official Cuban newspaper Granma declared the commitment between the two controversial governments “to the defense of peace, international law, and the principles of the United Nations Charter, and the right of all states to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful ends.” Of course, they were also quick to oppose the implementation of “unilateral economic sanctions.”

At a time when Iran’s ties with Latin American powers are under close scrutiny after Univision’s The Iranian Threat documentary revealed Iran’s attempts to infiltrate and attack several U.S. targets with official help from Venezuela and Cuba, Castro saluted Iran’s “‘outstanding position’ in resisting the arrogant powers, and described the Islamic Republic as ‘the beacon of hope’ for the world nations,” the Iranian press release states.

Ahmadinejad pictured next to Ecuador’s Rafael Correa. “We do not believe in making atomic bombs.” Correa insisted. (Iran’s Presidential Press Service)

On Friday the 13^th, Ahmadinejad was already in Ecuador, sitting next to president Rafael Correa in Quito.

“Latin American people possess culture, civilization, dignity, and a good future,” the Iranian leader said. His visit to the country has been severely criticized by observers both in the outside and on the inside.  

“Ahmadinejad’s stop in Ecuador illustrates a growing strategic partnership between Rafael Correa and the regime in Tehran,” U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said about the issue. “Over the last five years, Iran’s economic investments in Ecuador have been effectively used to secure a loyal ally within our Hemisphere that could help Iran circumvent U.S. and UN sanctions. Iran’s deepened alliance with Correa also facilitates Tehran’s ability to access Ecuador’s uranium deposits.”

Ahmadinejad contested these concerns: “Iran’s nuclear program is not a problem for the hegemonic powers; they’re not pleased with Tehran’s progress and independence,” he said. “The nuclear question is a political excuse. They know that Iran is not looking to make atomic bombs. We do not believe in making atomic bombs.”