Fidel informs about letters exchanged with Maradona.

Yesterday I was explaining my meeting with the five fellow countrymen who received the honorable title of Heroes of the Republic of Cuba and the prestigious Playa Giron Award. Seventy-three days had elapsed since they arrive in the country after being released. For me, the most important thing was for them to meet with their families and the medical care and check-up that these great comrades should undergo after being held in the horrible imperial prison dungeons where they served an unfair and criminal sentence for preventing terrorist acts that could have cost the life of any boy or girl, man or woman, young, adult or elderly person.

My main concern was the time required to exchange ideas and revolutionary experiences, which is the essence of our lives.

Other issues delayed to a certain extent our meeting. The three comrades who were still in prison arrived to our Homeland on December 17.

On January 11, Maradona spoke about the letter I had sent him and showed the document that had aroused curiosity but he didn’t mention the details. Last week-end he again mentioned the letter in Telesur. To set things clear, I include the full texts of my exchange with Maradona.

Fidel Castro Ruz

March 2, 2015

9:53 p.m.

Dear Maradona:

I was very happy to learn that you would be in Cuba during the first weeks of January 2015 with the brilliant comrade that has shared with you the adventure of a fascinating sport.

I have at hand a list of oil producing and exporting countries according to their production capacity and their export policy, at a time when the latter seriously threatens the future of Mankind. Others do it for different reasons.

Saudi Arabia 11,730,000 barrels per day

United States 11,110.000

Russia 10,440,000

China 4,155,000

Canada 3,856,000

Iran 3,594,000

United Arab Emirates 3,213,000

The rest –up to number 20 in the list, the UK—extract over one million barrels per day in their respective territories.

These are the leading countries in terms of production and not in terms of their proven reserves.

I was very happy to learn about your visit to Cuba. Thanks to my conversations with you during the most brilliant years of our unforgettable friend Hugo Chavez, I gathered that the meeting in Mar del Plata could not be forgotten. Hugo reminded the United States that there was another America.

As to me, I was just watching for the second time the interview with Gerardo, Antonio, and Ramon. You know, I haven’t yet had the chance of greeting them, though I did send flowers to little Gema. What a beautiful name!

I heard you would be in the plane at 5:30 p.m. Is that certain?

At the recent Central American and Caribbean Championship, a judge imposed us an arbitrary penalty in such an important sport as football. It wasn’t fair. Money for the rich, penalties for the poor.

As you can see, I want to be impartial, but I can assure you I find it quite difficult.

Best wishes Maestro!

Fidel Castro Ruz

January 11, 2015

7:25 p.m.

Dubai, January 16, 2015

Dear Fidel,

Last January 11, I left Havana with the happiness of knowing that you were well and the pride of being, once again, the bearer of your message, your eternal friendship and your concern for the problems of the world.

It was the happiness I needed to begin the second season of De Zurda, broadcasted by the Telesur, which had its special first program in Havana setting off for the America Cup to be held in Chile.

As I am an exceptional witness to your efforts for Venezuela to carry on the victorious path outlined by that other giant and mutual friend, the unforgettable Commander Hugo Chavez, I inform you that next February 28 and March 1, the “De Zurda Viajero” will be broadcasted from Caracas, Venezuela. Most certainly, these will be two very touching programs in which football will not be the only topic.

Fidel, if I learned something throughout all these years of sincere and beautiful friendship with you, it was that there is no price for loyalty, that a friend is more valuable than all the world’s gold and that ideas are not negotiable. That is why De Zurda pays homage to our friendship.

Used to your “historical” goals, I want to thank you for your letter that made me the bearer of your happy existence. Over a month has elapsed and many persons wish to know the content of that letter. With your usual kindness you assured me that it would only be made public if I decided so. I not only want to make its content known, but also want to share with everybody my reply.

With my best wishes my Commander friend,

Diego Armando Maradona