Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, grandson of the dictator Fidel Castro, stated that "all Cubans" want to be like his grandfather, in an interview given to teleSUR from Birán, Holguín, on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the Cuban leader.
The statement arose when Castro Smirnov spoke about the influence that both his father, the late nuclear scientist Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart, and his grandfather had on him.
"When people love a father or a grandfather too much, they want to become like him. I have always wanted to be like my dad. Of course, all Cubans want to be like Fidel," he stated.
Castro Smirnov, doctor in sciences and professionally linked to nuclear physics, has recently increased his public presence at events and spaces dedicated to upholding the political and scientific legacy of his grandfather.
In the same interview, Castro Smirnov also provided a unique interpretation of his grandfather's exercise of power by stating that Fidel "was a scientist" whose "subject of study was a nation".
He also described Birán as his "first observation laboratory" and spoke of the ruler's decisions as "experiments" that could have "often irreversible" consequences, a description that ultimately portrays Cuba as a kind of social laboratory under Castro's leadership.
His statement on teleSUR, however, conveys to all Cubans a sentiment that he initially described as a strictly personal and familial experience.
The generalization is particularly striking in a country marked for decades by deep political divisions and an exodus of millions of people, including many Cubans who are openly opposed to the system established by Fidel Castro.
During the interview, Castro Smirnov repeatedly expressed his admiration for his grandfather, who he described as “the great Fidel,” “the man who defied the empire,” and “the genius”.
"I am an eternal lover of the history of the Cuban Revolution and, in particular, of the history and figure of Fidel," he declared.
He also explained that he first met his grandfather in a family setting and later became captivated by his political dimension.
"I first got to know my grandfather and then I fell in love with the historical figure of the commander-in-chief, Fidel, and the Cuban Revolution," he said.
Castro Smirnov recalled his first encounters with him in the olive green uniform and assured that for a child it was "very easy" to be captivated by someone he described as "such an extraordinary person" and "so loving".
The interview is part of the activities and content aimed at reivindicating the figure of dictator Castro in the year of his centennial.
At another point in the conversation, his grandson stated that he does not know "what it is like to live without Fidel" and assured that he has decided to carry him "in my mind, in my dreams, in my blood, in my work, in my conscience".
But among all those expressions of admiration, one stood out for attributing its personal sentiment to a diverse and scattered society both within and outside the Island: «All Cubans want to be like Fidel».
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