• QUITO.— Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa sent a warm embrace to Fidel and Raúl Castro during his regular Saturday radio and television program, "Enlace Ciudadano" and fiercely criticized "the criminal U.S. blockade of the Cuban people."

"I am extremely grateful. From here, a warm embrace to Fidel, Raúl, to all the Cuban people and Viva Cuba! compañeros, Cuba Libre! even though that might hurt those of always," said Correa, reporting back on his recent trip to the island to receive treatment for a knee problem, after several prior operations.

Referring to his meeting with the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro, he said, "he looks very good, filled with warmth, love, wisdom, experience and we talked about many things. I want to tell you that he has tremendous hope for and interest in the Ecuadorian process."

Likewise, he referred to the invitation to meet with President Raúl Castro with whom he "talked for several hours."

"Assessing the Cuban model abstracted from the 40-plus years of the U.S. economic and commercial blockade is as hypocritical and cynical as investigating the death by drowning of somebody found at the bottom of a swimming pool with their feet encased in a bucket of cement and reaching the amazing conclusion that they drowned because they didn’t know how to swim," he commented ironically.

"Cuba has withstood 50 years of being blockaded by the United States. I assure you that no country in Latin America could withstand five months," he stated.

"And with the ability and human resources that they have, as well as their social cohesion, I can assure you that when this absurd blockade is lifted, there will be tremendous prosperity in Cuba. They have huge problems, no one doubts that, in terms of housing, which we saw, but they also have tremendous achievements," Correa affirmed.