In the context of the 1st International Colloquium "Fidel: Legacy and Future," the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, held several dialogues with friends from various parts of the world.
Moments before the Colloquium opened its session at the Convention Palace, Díaz-Canel received Comrade Liu Haixing, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and head of its International Department.
Accompanied by Roberto Morales Ojeda, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, and Emilio Lozada García, member of the Central Committee and head of its Department of International Relations, the Head of State considered the high-ranking official's visit an expression of support from the Communist Party of China for the island in these difficult circumstances.
Díaz-Canel denounced the multidimensional war waged by the United States government against Cuba, which, he said, has intensified the blockade to levels of maximum pressure. He emphasized that it is "a genocidal and criminal program, meticulously calculated by the United States government, and accompanied by a narrative constructed by the State Department, fabricating pretexts to justify the aggression."
The presence of the friendly delegation at this moment – the president reflected – "is an expression of the historic bonds of brotherhood and friendship that also unite our party organizations, and of the relations we have at the level of government, state, and people between Cuba and China."
The Cuban president conveyed fraternal greetings to the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. He also expressed his gratitude for the message his Asian counterpart delivered on the occasion of the centenary of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.
President Díaz-Canel conveyed to Comrade Liu Haixing his wish to express to him, and also to Comrade Xi Jinping, "the fraternal greetings of Army General Raúl Castro." He thanked the Government and the Communist Party of China "for the support they have given us in our country’s energy transition program toward renewable energy sources." He also reaffirmed his commitment to continue strengthening inter-party relations.
Díaz-Canel Bermúdez told his friend, "Once again, we want to thank Comrade Xi Jinping for his sensitivity regarding the situation in Cuba and for his personal attention."
For his part, Comrade Liu Haixing thanked the Head of State "for granting us this meeting amidst his busy schedule," and emphasized, "First and foremost, I would like to convey to you and also to Army General Raúl Castro the sincere greetings and best wishes of General Secretary and President Xi Jinping."
Liu Haixing assured the president that he will convey the words of this Monday's meeting "to the Central Committee of our Party and General Secretary Xi Jinping."
NEXT TO CUBA
Also this Monday, the Cuban president received Doctor Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare, prime minister of the Republic of Namibia.
The president considered the visit to the island of "the delegation of our beloved Namibia" as "very significant"; and sent a fraternal greeting to the President of Namibia, Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Regarding friendship, he made explicit the idea that the president has a permanent invitation to visit, when possible, the largest of the Antilles.
In a conversation that was also attended by the member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, as well as the member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and head of the Department of International Relations, Emilio Lozada García, President Díaz-Canel thanked Doctor Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare for the constant statements that the representatives of the African nation make in international forums in favor of Cuba and against the imperial blockade suffered by the Island.
For his part, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia conveyed to the dignitary fraternal greetings from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who has on her agenda, said the friend, to visit the Caribbean country.
"We feel your pain," said Doctor Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare in reference to the current challenges that the largest of the Antilles is facing: "The Namibians – he stressed – feel that pain. We cannot forget when Cuba was on our side and then it was not fashionable to be so." The Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia brought up that Cuba lost more than two thousand of its children in the battles for the independence of the brother peoples of the mother continent.
"In any circumstance – Doctor Tjitunga Elijah Ngurare declared to President Díaz-Canel – we will be at Cuba's side."
OTHER IMPORTANT MEETINGS
At the Convention Palace, the Cuban President also received the general secretary of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE), José Luis Centella. To him, the Head of State commented his appreciation that the maturity that is marking the political debates on the global situation has increased significantly.
José Luis Centella spoke about the importance of breaking media barriers that affect countries like Cuba, always stigmatized. And as for fascism that has returned to its power at a global level, he warned that this force does not believe in restraints: either it is stopped in its attack against the Greater Antilles - the communist leader reasoned - or it will continue to strike at a planetary level, without being able to put brakes on it.
It was a frank exchange of thoughts that also included Roberto Morales Ojeda, member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, as well as Emilio Lozada García, member of the Central Committee and head of the Department of International Relations.
Another friend later joined the meeting with President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez: Paulo Raimundo, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Portugal. The president spoke about the historical relations that have always existed between the communist organizations of both countries, and the European friend emphasized that solidarity with Cuba is a duty, a revolutionary commitment.
"We had to be here, at this difficult time," said the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Portugal, in an exchange that also included Roberto Morales Ojeda.
STRENGTHENING SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA
This Monday, Díaz-Canel also welcomed Walter Baier, president of the Party of the European Left, thanking him for his comprehensive contribution to the Colloquium, for his shared ideas on the world's challenges, and for the role that, in the leader's view, leftist forces must play today.
In a dialogue that also included Political Bureau member Roberto Morales Ojeda, the president of the Party of the European Left thanked the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba for the warm welcome and his words.
The visitor emphasized the importance of expanding solidarity with the island and stressed the call to strengthen anti-imperialism and to remain vigilant against the resurgence of the Monroe Doctrine and the voraciousness that is attacking the peoples of the world.
Also accompanied by Roberto Morales Ojeda, the Cuban dignitary welcomed João Pedro Stedile of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) of Brazil. The Head of State spoke to him about the close ties he feels with this movement of struggle in the South American giant, and with Cuba, also sharing his assessment of how consensus is growing among the left regarding the global imperialist offensive.
PRIDE AND ADMIRATION FOR CUBA'S COURAGE
The afternoon of meetings concluded with an exchange between President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and Mikhail Shvydkoy, envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the 1st International Colloquium "Fidel: Legacy and Future," as well as to the 34th Havana International Book Fair. "It is a great honor for me to meet with you," Mikhail expressed, in a moment that also included the presence of the Minister of Culture, Alpidio Alonso Grau, and the President of the Cuban Book Institute (ICL), Juan Rodríguez Cabrera.
The Head of State emphasized that the presence of his Russian friend "is very significant," given that it comes at a time of enormous complexity for Cuba; and he valued this gesture as a show of support and solidarity with the Caribbean nation.
During the exchange, Díaz-Canel sent greetings to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, and "to our friends in the leadership" of the Eurasian nation.
"It is symbolic that they are here," the president stated, adding that Russian culture is greatly admired in Cuba, and that very strong cultural ties exist between the two countries.
Mikhail Shvydkoy said toward the end of the meeting: "We admire and are proud of the courage and valor that the Cuban people are demonstrating."
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