“More than 820 million people in the world suffer from hunger; and 790 million of them live in the Third World.”
- August 13, 1926 – November 25, 2016
- Cuban
- Revolutionary, Prime Minister and President of Cuba, Communist Leader
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Quote
“More than 820 million people in the world suffer from hunger; and 790 million of them live in the Third World.”
Explanation
This quote reflects Fidel Castro’s critique of global inequality, using the stark statistic of 820 million people suffering from hunger, with the vast majority—790 million—residing in the so-called Third World. By presenting these figures, Castro draws attention to the disproportionate burden of poverty and deprivation borne by developing nations, despite living in a world of technological advancement and immense wealth.
Historically, this quote aligns with Castro’s longstanding advocacy for the Global South, especially during his leadership in the Non-Aligned Movement. He viewed global hunger as not a result of scarcity, but of systemic injustice—a product of colonial legacies, unequal trade, debt dependence, and capitalist exploitation. The mention of the “Third World” is a call to recognize that hunger is not merely a humanitarian issue, but a political and economic one, rooted in the structures of global power.
In today’s context, the quote remains highly relevant. Hunger still afflicts hundreds of millions worldwide, and the vast majority of undernourished populations remain in the Global South. Castro’s message challenges both international institutions and wealthy nations to confront the deeper causes of hunger, not just its symptoms. His words are a call for global justice, fair distribution of resources, and solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable, grounded in the belief that no person should go hungry in a world of abundance.
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