CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Congratulatory Message to the Cuban People on the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution by Gilson Saleshando, President of the Botswana Congress Party

BOSTWANA, February 11th, 2009.

On behalf of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and on my own behalf I would like to congratulate the government and the people of Cuba on the commemoration of 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Let me also take this opportunity to pay tribute to those students, peasants and intellectuals who, under the heroic leadership of Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara played a leading role in forcing the US-backed dictator Batista to flee the country in January 1959.

My recent visit to Cuba was an eye opener; an exciting and learning experience. I saw with my very eyes the resilience of the Cuban people and the revolution. Your country has successfully turned challenges into real opportunities to be self sufficient in the national security, education, political, social and economic spheres. Today Cuba is among few countries that have attained the highest literacy rate among its population. The country prides itself for providing free medical and education services. Access to higher education in Cuba is unmatched. Africa in general and Botswana in particular has benefited from the generous support of the Cuban people in the field of health, culture and sports.

The Cuban people have successfully withstood hostile attempts to crush and reverse the gains of the revolution through the Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis. The people of Cuba have survived the many years of illegal trade embargo by the United States of America. For these and many other reasons the Cuban people have the right to celebrate the revolution.

As we celebrate the 50 Years of the Cuban Revolution the BCP calls upon the new Obama administration to lift the trade embargo against Cuba without any preconditions because it is unjustified and illegal. In the same vain the new administration should revisit the case of The Cuban Five (Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González, and René González) who are currently serving prison terms in the United States. According to the 2005 report of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights adopted by its Working Group on Arbitrary Detention “Their trial did not take place in the climate of objectivity and impartiality that is required in order to conform to the standards of a fair trial as defined in article 14 of the International Convenant on Civil and Political rights to which the United States of America is a party”.

`Viva la Revolucion!'' (''Long live the Revolution!'')

Gilson Saleshando
President, Botswana Congress Party

(Cubaminrex- Embacuba Bostwana)

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