And similarly, when visiting Cuba everyone looks forward to meeting and expressing words of love and respect for the heroic leader of the Cuban people. I was very fortunate to attend the meeting between Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Cuban leader Fidel Castro in April 2013, which was the most unforgettable moment in my life.
Since Fidel Castro resigned his post as head of the Party and State of Cuba, whether he could meet with foreign guests was always an open question that depended on his health condition and his concerns. We were fortunate enough to be granted an appointment with Fidel. My first impression of his house was that of a fence and a gate surrounded by greenery, a small vegetable garden, just similar to other normal houses in the neighbourhood. Fidel Castro welcomed General Secretary Trong in an open and friendly manner at the furnished room which was simply decorated with nothing rare or expensive, just a few sprays of orchids in front of the door and several ceramic plates displayed on the shelf. Before the meeting, I thought Fidel’s health was in poor shape, but looking to his eyes and observing his gestures, I could see his extraordinary wisdom. He was very active and took the lead in our conversation. During the meeting, the Cuban hero recalled his memories and distinctive impressions of the country and people of Vietnam.
I was extremely impressed and admired Fidel’s memory and ability to keep up with the news. First, he pointed to the papers on the table. He had carefully marked with coloured pen the speech General Secretary Trong had delivered at Ñico López Square the other day. He then talked about Vietnam’s potential to develop agricultural sectors such as rice, coffee, cashews and pepper and the daily volatility of commodity prices on the international market. He also spent much time talking about a kind of vegetable of which I had never heard, moringa oleifera, which was very rich in nutrients and very well suited to Vietnam’s climate. After that, he turned the story to the international political situation, the situation in Venezuela, the health of Comrade Hugo Chávez with special affection and concern.
His stories reminded me of some precious gifts presented to Vietnam by Cuban friends, as well as some special moments that I went through in my life. That was when I made a decision to suspend the Suoi Hai golf course project—a project that was expected to acquire the land of the Ba Vi Cow-Breeding Farm (also known as the Moncada Cow-Breeding Farm in Vietnam). After making that difficult decision, I was relieved when I got a phone call from a senior leader who expressed his agreement and support, because this cattle farm was a very special gift to Vietnam by the Party, State and people of Cuba. When this gift was presented to Vietnam, Comrade Fidel Castro said that if Cuba had the misfortune of being attacked by the US imperialists and the precious cow-breeding farms in Cuba were destroyed, there Vietnam would still be able to produce top-quality cows for the two peoples. Through this story, I learned more about the sentiments of Comrade Fidel for Vietnam, especially with his immortal saying, “For Vietnam, we are ready to give even our own blood.”
The meeting between Comrade Fidel Castro and General Secretary Trong lasted nearly two hours. Fidel recalled his memories of Vietnam, his attendance at the funeral of Uncle Ho, his meetings with Comrades Pham Van Dong and Vo Nguyen Giap and the people in the liberated zone in South Vietnam. I listened to those stories with concentration, but also took some brief moments to look at the house. The sofa was very simple and looked exactly like rattan chairs in Vietnam. The tea set was also made from Bat Trang ceramics. He was wearing a black sport jacket, not a suit. I understood that it was a manifestation of his intimacy and closeness with his Vietnamese guests. Looking at him, I saw a great man who made great contributions to the Twentieth Century. I suddenly realised that was the most profound thing I felt that day: Fidel Castro, a man whose name is associated with great events in history, displayed his greatness through his simplicity.
Comrade Fidel Castro—the heroic symbol of the Cuban people—has gone forever. Nevertheless, his life and his dedication to the Cuban Revolution, for peace, human dignity, social progress and proletarian internationalism, will forever be precious assets for future generations.
Compared to his life and the time he devoted to the country and people of Cuba, my meeting with him was but a very brief moment, but even a brief moment with a great man like Fidel, whose image, emotion, intelligence, personality and influence always shone through, became unforgettable memories for everyone who had the opportunity to meet him.
Together with the Cuban people and people around the world, I received the news of his death with respect, love and infinite grief.
