Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.- Our people must be alert and ready to respond to every challenge with unity, steadiness, optimism and unwavering faith in victory, assured here today the First Secretary of the Communist Party, Army General Raul Castro.

On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the assault on the Moncada Barracks that lit the fire of the Cuban revolution, the party leader presided over the main event early Thursday morning on the premises of the former military fortress, today a school.

At 05:15 local time on July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro, then a young lawyer, led a group of young revolutionaries to storm the Moncada garrison in Santiago de Cuba. A second group attacked at the same time the Carlos Manuel de Cespedes barracks in Bayamo city, also in eastern Cuba.

It was a military failure for the young revolutionaries, but the twin actions encouraged many Cubans to rebel.

On the event this Thursday in Santiago de Cuba Raul Castro said that the nation is aware just like Venezuela and Nicaragua that the siege is narrowing as part of the complex circumstances in Latin America, where the right and the United States intend to dismantle progressive governments.

We are a peaceful and friendly nation; we threaten no one, he added, recalling the Constitution highlights the duty and honor of defending the Homeland and sustains the maximum premise that avoiding war equals winning it, which becomes valid in today’s adverse scenario.

He referred to the strategic conception of the War of the Whole People as a basic doctrine of preparation to face those renewed challenges, taking into account the current aggressiveness of the Revolution’s enemies.

‘It will not be the first time, nor the last time, when the Cuban Revolution has had to face challenges and threats; we have run all risks and have resisted undefeated for 60 years,’ he said.

In his speech he traced a retrospective of the destabilizing attempts of successive US governments, using the Organization of American States as spearhead, to destroy the example of Cuba.

Raul indicated that since July 26, 1953, the Cuban revolutionaries were forged in a constant battle and came here overcoming setbacks and defeating aggressions of all kinds.

He quoted Fidel Castro’s words, leader of such exploit, when he said that Moncada taught them to turn setbacks into victory and it was not the only bitter proof of adversity but the victorious struggle of the Cuban people could no longer be contained.