HAVANA, Cuba.- The only reason for our lives is the total dedication, working and acting for this people, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his first public interview, to TeleSur multinational TV.

In an extensive dialogue with journalist Patricia Villegas, the President said his first four months of government have been of much experience and reflection from Raul Castro´s speech in the most recent session of the National Assembly, which left four pillars for government work.

Regarding this Diaz-Canel indicated that cadres should not only be an example and be able, but also have the disposition to be accountable, besides that we must have linkage and dialogue with the population.

He also said that leaders have to have social communication as a fundamental weapon and know that the solution of problems requires multiple variants.

Blockade´s Effects

Miguel Diaz-Canel remarked that the blockade is the main obstacle to the country´s development, it strikes heavily the daily life of Cubans and also the economic and social life, because this is a people condemned by the United States to starve.

Those of us who were born in the early years of the Revolution are a blocked generation, he said in the interview with TeleSur and added: we cannot subordinate our worries of social justice and prosperity to what the United States does towards Cuba.

The Cuban President highlighted the collective wisdom emerging during the discussion of the constitutional project, and later he pointed out that the best bet of the enemies of the Revolution is to fragment unit through subversion.

Diaz-Canel said young Cubans are not annexationist, they identify with the Revolution and the Party, and their main aspiration is to accelerate progress in the transformations.

Constitutional Debate

We do not give up the construction of Communism, but today our reality is the construction of Socialism, President Diaz-Canel said to TeleSur TV channel in referring to the constitutional reform that he described as a responsible, objective and realistic look.

He explained that the Communist Party remains as a unique political force because it has historical roots in the unity Jose Marti forged. He added that the counter-revolution, paid by the United States, does not have the slightest influence.

The Revolution´s history teaches that every time we have brought complex issues to popular debate we have emerged strengthened and united, Diaz-Canel emphasized before pointing out that the new concept of marriage leaves no room for discrimination.

The Cuban President said that people, especially older ones, are concerned about the future and how young people are given space in the Constitution, which shows continuity.

International Affairs

The Cuban President said that with Donald Trump´s accession to power the relations with the United States are in decline, although some channels of dialogue are maintained.

Our position is to not deny the possibilities of dialogue at any time, but it has to be between equals, where we are respected and our sovereignty is not conditioned, he said to journalist Patricia Villegas, from TeleSur multinational network.

Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected emphatically versions by the American media pointing to Russia’s alleged involvement in the incidents with American diplomats in Havana and asserted that we have a lot of ethics to ask someone to attack another one, and Cuba does not attack, Cuba defends.

The Cuban President praised the resistance of the Bolivarian Revolution, denounced the neo-colonial restoration platform the United States drives and highlighted the electoral victory of Lopez Obrador in Mexico.

With Raul

I think that there is no one more privileged than me as President to have by my side the Army General, Diaz-Canel said to reveal that he talks almost every day with Raul Castro, who advises him in a very sincere way, without glimpses of vanity or imposition.

Almost always I am feeling he is like a father who is teaching us and at the same time is letting us walk, without neglecting his responsibilities as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, he highlighted in the interview with TeleSur multinational network.

The interview ended with a question centered on the links with his family, and he answered he has a special relationship with both his children and grandchildren, as well as his wife, an academic who supports him and with whom he shares the same ideals.

Diaz-Canel said he tries to preserve Sundays for a family lunch, a moment he considers to be more intimate.