“NATO’s brutal military alliance has become the most perfidious instrument of repression known in the history of humankind.”
- August 13, 1926 – November 25, 2016
- Cuban
- Revolutionary, Prime Minister and President of Cuba, Communist Leader
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Quote
“NATO’s brutal military alliance has become the most perfidious instrument of repression known in the history of humankind.”
Explanation
This quote delivers a severe denunciation of NATO, portraying it not as a defensive coalition, but as a ruthless and deceitful force for global repression. By using the words “brutal” and “perfidious”—which implies betrayal and treachery—Fidel Castro characterizes NATO as a tool of imperialism and violence, rather than a guardian of peace. Calling it the “most perfidious instrument of repression known in the history of humankind” is a sweeping indictment, suggesting that its actions surpass even historic empires and past military alliances in terms of global harm and duplicity.
Historically, this reflects Castro’s long-standing opposition to Western military interventions, particularly those led by or involving NATO in regions such as Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Libya, and beyond. From his perspective, NATO operated as an enforcer of U.S. geopolitical interests, cloaking invasions and bombings in the rhetoric of humanitarianism and democracy. For Castro, such actions were not about protecting people, but about controlling resources, toppling governments, and preserving Western dominance—a betrayal of the very values NATO claimed to uphold.
In today’s context, the quote continues to provoke debate over the legitimacy and consequences of military alliances, especially as NATO expands or becomes involved in new global crises. It challenges the widely accepted narrative of NATO as a peacekeeping body and urges critical reflection on who benefits from its actions and who bears the cost. Castro’s words serve as a reminder that power, even when institutionalized and multinational, must be scrutinized—especially when it acts in the name of peace through war.
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