To the people of Spain

Fidel Castro Ruz

Message from the President of the Councils of State and Ministers 
of the Republic of Cuba to Mr Josi Luis Rodrmguez Zapatero on the 
occasion of his election as President of the Spanish 
Government

Distinguished Mr Josi Luis Rodrmguez Zapatero:

The Spanish people, decidedly opposed to the cruel and unjust war 
of conquest in Iraq, likewise opposed by yourself, and outraged 
by the crude electoral manipulation of the unjustifiable 
terrorist aggression suffered on March 11, has decided to entrust 
you with the leadership of the Spanish Government. On the 
occasion of this important event, which will have repercussions 
in the international sphere, we express to you our recognition.

I would also like to extend, and in a special way, our most 
profound admiration and a tribute of respect to the people of 
Spain for their nobility and heroism, demonstrated so many times 
throughout history.

I congratulate you on your decision to withdraw the Spanish 
troops from Iraq by June 30.

Bearing in mind this decision, I beg you not to forget that, by 
virtue of actions and pressures on the part of Mr Aznar as 
President of the government of Spain, more than 1000 young men 
from small and impoverished Latin American nations were sent as 
cannon fodder to Iraq under the command of the Spanish Legion. 
Thus, the possible death of any of those young people is the 
responsibility of the Spanish state.

The peoples of Latin America thus have the right to expect the 
immediate return of those young people. They do not have a duty 
to wait until June 30. The death of any one of those young 
Salvadorans, Hondurans, Dominicans and Nicaraguans would be 
doubly sad if, being immediately preventable, it is not 
prevented, given that the political responsibility of the 
principal author of that measure has been swept away by the 
Spanish people.

The world, and particularly the peoples of our hemisphere, would 
greatly appreciate anything that you are able to do before 
assuming the presidency in order to avoid any more Latin American 
lives being added to those lost in the unjustifiable holocaust 
that took place in Madrid on March 11.

I hope that you understand the spirit of this message and 
transmit to you my most sincere sentiments of respect and 
consideration.