12/08/2026
We appreciate the beautiful letter sent to us by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir, in tribute to the centenary of his friend Castro Ruz.
I will remember Fidel as a friend, says former Prime Minister
Kuala Lumpur, August 12 (Prensa Latina) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad stated today that he will always remember the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, as a friend, a man of conviction who shaped the history and future of .
In a letter sent to the Cuban ambassador here, Yadira Ledesma, the renowned 101-year-old politician expressed his profound emotion at having the opportunity to write a few words commemorating the centenary of the birth of Commander Fidel Castro Ruz (1926-2016).
He will always be remembered as a revolutionary and an extraordinary leader, Mohamad added, noting that no one can doubt his commitment to Cuba and the Cuban people.
In his letter, he said he considered himself fortunate to have known Fidel Castro as a friend whom he came to respect for many years.
We shared, he said, a common rejection of the hypocrisy, hegemonic, and imperialist nature of the West.
Our friendship was forged through a shared understanding not only of the challenges faced by nations seeking to determine their own destiny, but also of not being partisan toward any bloc seeking to govern our respective countries; hence the roles we played in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), he pointed out.
When he came to Putrajaya to attend the NAM Summit in 2003, I discovered, he specified, that Fidel was an attentive listener.
He was also frank in expressing his views, the regional leader recalled, adding that he valued that frankness and felt they were able to forge a genuine friendship, beyond the normal diplomatic courtesies exchanged between leaders of different countries.
He could be serious and intensely political, but he could also be engaging and remarkably affable. Behind the imposing figure known throughout the world was a man, whom I saw, who valued friendship and human connection, he said.
“I believe that was one of the reasons we understood each other despite coming from very different backgrounds,” the regional leader noted.
Although Malaysia and Cuba followed different paths, we both shared the idea that preserving national independence was paramount and that all countries should be treated with fairness and respect, he added.
Fidel left an indelible mark on his country and on the history of our time, he emphasized.