“Comrade Kim Il Sung is my mentor and an outstanding leader” (1)
Fidel Castro Ruz, former head of state and party of Cuba, was a statesman who led the Cuban revolution to victory and built the first socialist state in the Western hemisphere and who was widely known as a tireless and eloquent orator.
The founder of the first socialist state in the Americas presented many gifts to President Kim Il Sung in reflection of his reverence for him as an elder statesman of the world revolution.
At the meeting with a delegation of the Workers` Party of Korea visiting Cuba in Juche 61(1972), Fidel asked them to hand a reading lamp made of marble over to the President, saying:
“Comrade Kim Il Sung, our closest brother and friend, has shown deep concern for us. He is a model of genuine internationalist.
“He was the first to provide Cuba with unstinting political and material support when it was in the most difficult situation. We will never forget the care he shows for the Cuban people.”
The precious gift was presented to Kim Il Sung on his 65th birthday.
“Comrade Kim Il Sung is my mentor and an outstanding leader” (2)
Fidel Castro visited the DPRK leading a Cuban party and government delegation in March Juche 75(1986). At a meeting with President Kim Il Sung he said:
“Those who met you Comrade Kim Il Sung expressed their feelings of respect and admiration for you, saying that you are so modest, sentimental, passionate and kind. Every time I heard them, I could not repress my urge to visit your country to see you. You were already fighting against the Japanese imperialists when I was born. So I took it as my due obligation to visit you.”
He continued to say that he finished reading Kim Il Sung’s report to the Sixth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea without sleep on his way to the DPRK by plane and they would be able to free Latin American countries from starvation and poverty when they learned from the DPRK’s experience, and asked the President to teach him a lot during his visit as his mentor and elder revolutionary, calling himself a disciple.
The three days’ itinerary was to be wound up so soon. So Fidel saw to it that his stay was extended, saying the period of stay had been fixed so short though he had still many things to learn from the President.
The Cuban leader was so eager to learn from the DPRK leader even one more thing, the President told him a good deal of his experience that would serve him as a precious lifetime asset.
Fidel was deeply impressed and told him:
“You talk about every matter in a plain way by backing it up with very rich contents.
“You are indeed a great man with profound knowledge and splendid memory. You are my mentor and an outstanding leader.”
