CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba
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Successful Evening Commemorates 40th Anniversary of the Death of Che Guevara CANADA, October 15, 2007.- A capacity audience of 100 people gathered Friday evening, October 12th to pay tribute to the memory of Ché Guevara, the great hero of the Cuban Revolution, 40 years after his death, and to talk about the Cuban Five and other current struggles Cuba is facing. The evening was organized by the Manitoba-Cuba Solidarity Committee and took place in Mondragon Coffeehouse and Bookstore, housed in an historic building in the Exchange District of downtown Winnipeg. The first speaker was a Cuban now living in Winnipeg whose entire family was involved in the revolution and who had the great honour, as a young soldier, of meeting Ché. He spoke eloquently of the place Ché holds in the hearts of Cubans and why he is considered the model for all Cuban youth to follow. The next speaker, originally from South Africa, spoke about Ché’s internationalism and the high regard for him throughout the world. Another member of Manitoba-Cuba Solidarity then spoke about the case of the Cuban Five, -- ‘los cinco’ -- who are also heroes to Cuba. They have been in U.S. jails since September 12, 1998, charged, tried and convicted falsely for conspiracy espionage and murder when all they did was monitor and report on the activities of notorious terrorist groups based in Miami who had been responsible for a multitude of attacks against Cuba and more than 3000 deaths. He gave a succinct outline of the case and called on participants to attend an important conference in Toronto Nov. 9-10 called Breaking the Silence: Solidarity Conference for the Cuban Five, organized jointly by the solidarity networks in Canada, Quebec and the U.S. The keynote speaker of the evening was the Cuban Ambassador to Canada, Ernesto Sentí, who paid tribute to Ché by talking about his legacy in the character of the Cuban Revolution and the Cuban people and in Cuba’s achievements since the Revolution. He explained the effects of the U.S. blockade on Cuba, and pointed out that Cuba’s biggest crime in the eyes of successive U.S. governments has been that of upholding its dignity and independence, of refusing to bow down to imperialism. He called on people to support the ideals of peaceful coexistence, of supporting Cuba and all nations in their desires to make their own decisions and set their own course in this world. His words were well received by the audience, who broke into applause many times throughout his speech. A young Aboriginal girl, nine years old, also addressed the audience about her experience of speaking at the United Nations, a forum which Ché Guevara addressed several times in his lifetime as well. Musicians and singers from the Chilean community, Grupo Amistad, and others, sang songs dedicated to Ché, explaining that it is a labour of love to participate in such a commemoration of a great hero. The participants also contributed generously to a fund to assist Aboriginal youth from Manitoba to participate in next summer’s Ché Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade, which will undertake its 16th trip next August. (Cubaminrex-Embacuba Canadá)
In Suriname commemoration of Che Guevara and closing of solidarity campaign for the Cuban Five heroes SURINAME, October 15, 2007.- In Suriname the 40th anniversary of the death of Che Guevara in Bolivia was commemorated in an event organized by the Friendship Committee Suriname-Cuba. Nadia Raveles, President of the Friendship Committee stated that the example set by the heroic guerilla fighter is present in the courage of the Cuban Five heroes, prisoners in North American jails. She also said that the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the death of Che is dedicated to these five fighters against terrorism, and to the international campaign of solidarity for their release. The world wide solidarity campaign for the Cuban Five started on September 12 and in Suriname it concluded with this Che commemoration. At the end of her speech Nadia recited the poem ‘Cuba, que Linda es Cuba’ of the national poet of Suriname, Robin Ewald Raveles (Dobru), written in April, 1975 in Havana. The commemoration ended with the showing of the documentary ‘Che. Love, Politics and Revelry’, of Teresita Gomez based on the book of the Italian journalist Lilliana Bucellini, who narrates the life of Ernesto Che Guevara until his murder in Bolivia. The commemoration was presided by the ambassador of Cuba in Suriname Andrés González Garrido, and the ambassador of Venezuela in Suriname Francisco Simancas and was celebrated in the Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation. Also present were the personnel of the embassies of Cuba and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Suriname, members of the Surinamese parliament, members of the Friendship Committee Suriname-Cuba, and members of the Medical Brigade in Suriname and Operation Miracle, former students of Cuban institutions, Cuban residents in Suriname and many Surinamese citizens. (Cubaminrex-Embacuba Suriname)
From Cuba, Hugo Chavez Pays Tribute to Che Guevara CUBA, October 14, 2007.- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias laid a wreath on the monument of Cuban-Argentinean guerrilla fighter Ernesto “Che” Guevara in the Cuban central province of Villa Clara on Sunday. Before starting his weekly radio and TV show "Alo Presidente", Chavez toured the Che Guevara memorial where the human remains of the legendary leader and his comrades-in-arms in Bolivia rest. The Venezuelan head of state, along with Commander of the Cuba Revolution Ramiro Valdes and Cuban vice President Carlos Lage, held a minute of silence before Che Guevara's tomb. He was also was briefed on the contributions of the late revolutionary leader as a scholar, economist and doctor. Chavez and Valdes recalled several historical moments of the Cuban struggle of liberation related to Che Guevara, who led actions against the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship in the center of the island in 1958. Division General Ramon Pardo Guerra, who fought under the orders of Che Guevara in the derailment of an armored train in Santa Clara, gave detailed information on the capture of that central city a few days before the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. The Venezuelan President also spoke with Aleida March, Che Guevara's widow, and referred to his interview on Saturday with his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro. During the Alo Presidente show, Chavez talked about historical moments of revolutionary struggles in his country during the 1960's. (Cubaminrex-AIN)
By Herman Tiu Laurel Mario Terán was a poor, wretched, old man living on a meager Bolivian soldier's pension; he couldn't even afford cataract operations to restore his sight. Then, Mario Terán's life changed for the better. Ironically, it was thanks to a man he killed on October 8, 1967 on orders of his higher officers. That man was Ernesto Che Guevara, revolutionary and visionary of South American liberation, who Terán shot inside the tiny school of La Higuera in Bolivia. Forty years later, Terán eyesight is restored by Che Guevara's dream of South American emancipation - given flesh by social development programs of his fellow revolutionaries and dreamers Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. In 2004, Cuban President Fidel Castro launched a continental humanitarian campaign called Operation Milagro, supported by Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, which treat for free the poor of South America suffering cataract and other eye diseases. In 30 months about 600,000 people, including US citizens, recovered their sight thanks to the altruism of the Cuban doctors and Venezuela's fraternal sharing of its oil blessings. By 2016 the program intends to operate on six million people. Bolivia has deposed the past US-military dictators who hunted the revolutionaries and now elected indigenous President Evo Morales taking Bolivia down the path of independent, nationalist development. South America is now harvesting the fruits of revolutionary vision, dedication, struggle and sacrifice. Over and above the material boon, a historical revolution of the World's four hundred year old colonial power structure is happening. With the blossoming of the national-democratic revolution in South America it world is one step higher in democratization upon the crumbling edifice of global oligarchic rule. With China, India and Russia, the South American states are building the pillars of a new world, democratic order where not only the incorrigibly-imperialist West decides in a controlled UN Security Council but a council of nations genuinely working in concert for global peace and prosperity. October 8 was proclaimed the Day of Heroic Guerilla by Fidel Castro to honor the death anniversary of Che Guevara. The Philippine-Cuba Cultural & Friendship Association (PhilCuba) led celebrations here with former UP President Dodong Nemenzo, Cuban Ambassador Jorge Rey Jimenez and Venezuelan Ambassador Manolo Iturbe. The theme was "Viva Che! Free the Cuban 5 Heroes!" - Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González and René González, falsely accused by the U.S. government of espionage against the United States, serving four life sentences and 75 years collectively, wrongly convicted in U.S. federal court in Miami, on June 8, 2001. The Five Cubans were involved in monitoring the actions of Miami-based terrorist groups, in order to prevent terrorist attacks on their country of Cuba. The Five's actions were never directed at the U.S. government. More than 3,000 Cubans have died as a result of terrorists' attacks from the Terrorist Miami groups like Comandos F4 and Brothers to the Rescue operating from within the United States to attack Cuba. Terrorism by Miami-based expat Cubans has a long history and a particularly heinous character named Luis Posadas Carriles, who bombed a Cuban civilian airliner that took off from Venezuela, killing seventy-three, including gold medal Cuban athletes. Venezuelan authorities have been demanding the extradition of Carriles who's coddled by U.S. intelligence agencies. Carriles is implicated in a range of criminal cases, from the Bay of Pigs incident to involvement in President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The Miami-based Cuban community, legacy of the crime syndicates that fled Cuba after the revolution, harbors dregs that the CIA uses for all sorts of covert operations. The lesson from the October 8 Che Guevara death commemoration is seeing how a vision and a struggle come into fruition to become beneficent reality. Visionaries are frequently perceived as quixotic dreamers and their advocacies "pies in the sky"; but when vision, effort and the fruit come together as we see in Mario Terán and Che Guevara's engagement, we gain a powerful insight. Che and Terán's paths converged tragically at the first instance; then they meet again forty years later again, one from the grave and the other in lonely penury, paradoxically brought together by beneficent social programs that we once just dreams of a visionary. Dreams do become reality, and all men are truly brothers. Rizal, Bonifacio and Mabini's sowed the dreams of liberation and prosperity for this richly endowed islands and seas; others have followed such as our Bagong Katipuneros and the February 2006 heroes. Our struggle here has only been a little over a hundred years, the Bolivarian dream that Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez are making into reality was at least a hundred years earlier. Venceremos!
40th Anniversary of Che Guevara’s Assassination On October 8th, 2007, it will be 40th year of the assassination of Ernesto Che Guevara, the Charismatic Latin American revolutionary from Argentina. Ever since then Che’s name has become an icon of protest throughout the world by anti-imperialist forces. Even after 40 years of his assassination, Che’s name is very much alive and his portrait is the most significant symbol at any demonstration in any part of the world. Che was the close comrade –at– arms of Fidel and spent together in the Sierra Maestra Mountains planning the overthrow of Batista regime in Cuba. Hence Che’s contribution to the Cuban revolution was enormous which the Cuban leadership and the people have gratefully acknowledged. AAPSO has its recollection of Che Guevara when he visited Cairo during his revolutionary mission in Africa. He is the only Latin American leader whose name is implanted in Africa and Asia and is widely adorned. Che relinquished his responsibilities as a minister in the Cuban government and left for wider revolutionary exploits and was in the jungle in Bolivia fighting side by side with the patriotic forces when he was captured and executed. His body was secretly buried but was discovered later and the remains were taken to Cuba and re-buried with honours. As the Bolivian patriotic movement has won the election under Morales who became the new President, Bolivia, Cuba and several other Latin American countries will commemorate this event on the 40th anniversary of Che’s assassination. AAPSO join them and pay homage to this great revolutionary leader. Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain
Che's Legacy Lives on in Cuban Process CUBA , Octubre 8, 2007.- Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdes said on Monday that Cuba is in a moment of battle in which the example of guerrilla Ernesto Che Guevara should live. We are in a time of battle, which should be Che s hour, said Valdes in an event, presided over by First Vice President Raul Castro, marking the 40th anniversary of Che Guevara s death in combat. The commander said that Cuba has turned into a hotbed of ideas expressed in each work center and school since the invitation made to discuss the main problems afflicting Cuban society. The reflections of President Fidel Castro and the words of Raul Castro in his July 26th speech have encouraged a comprehensive exchange in the heart of the Party, work places, and political, mass, youth, and student organizations, confirmed Valdes. He considered that such discussions can contribute to a major understanding of the problems, and the mass search for solutions. Likewise, Valdes suggested the meetings consider the capacity of the country to generate resources and the blockade on Cuba by the US , which has caused losses valued at more than $89 billion over the last 48 years. (Cubaminrex-PL)CUBA , October 8, 2007.- In the sculptural complex where the remains of Ernesto Che Guevara and his Bolivian comrades-in-arms are buried, Cubans are due to recall Monday the 40th anniversary of his death. As part of the tribute on the island and throughout the world to the Argentinean-Cuban guerrilla fighter, an extensive representation from the central Cuban province of Villa Clara , on behalf of the people, will meet in a solemn act. Among attendees are members from the Rebel Army, as well as relatives of Che and of those combatants who were part of the internationalist detachment commanded by him. Che was arrested by the Bolivian army forces on October 8, 1967, after combat overwhelmingly against him. He was murdered in La Higuera the following day by order of the US Central Intelligence Agency. His courage, modesty, dedication, humanism, integrity and solidarity have been inspiration for several social movements and progressive forces of the world in these 40 years. Exhibitions, lectures, interactive forums, the creation of the Ernesto Che Guevara Department, a simultaneous chess match, issue of stamps and presentation of films have been part of the Cubans' homage to his heroic guerrilla fighter. Spain Pays Tribute to Che Guevara CUBA , July 12, 2007.- A ceremony to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the killing of legend guerrilla fighter Ernesto Che Guevara and the 30th anniversary of Cuba-Spain Friendship Association was held in Madrid . During the ceremony, the Cuban ambassador to Madrid , Alberto Velazco San José, said Che embodied all the characteristics of the "new man" model described by President Fidel Castro. The activity was also attended by Secretary General of the Spanish Communist Party, Francisco Frutos, and President of the Cuba-Spain Friendship Association, Humberto Garcia. Messages from the President of the Cuban Friendship Institute, Sergio Corrieri, and from the Spanish labor union leader, Marcelino Camacho, were read at the ceremony. Velazco stressed the current validity of Che's thoughts which have survived over the years to become the ideal of new generations around the world. (Cubaminrex-AIN) CUBA , June 15, 2007.- The 79th birthday of legendary guerrilla fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevara was commemorated around the planet by solidarity-with-Cuba groups, scholars, and political and social leaders. In a ceremony held in Buenos Aires, Argentinean activists in solidarity with Cuba read documents written by Che Guevara, accompanied by the song "Hasta siempre Comandante" ("Farewell Commandant"). The act also included the screening of the documentary "Asencia presente" ("Present absence") in which one of Che's daughters, Aleida Guevara, evoked memories of her childhood and her deep fondness for her father, reported PL news agency. The anniversary was also remembered in Rosario , Che's birthplace, where celebrations for the 80th birthday of the international combatant will be held in 2008. Mexico also commemorated the anniversary with an exchange in with Antonio del Conde (El Cuate), one of the closest collaborators of the Cuban Revolution. He talked about the preparations of the Granma expedition in 1956, in which Che participated. Cubans, Venezuelan and Bolivians gathered in La Higuera , Bolivia to talk about the life and work of Che Guevara. They also acknowledged the current validity of his ideas. There, Cuban ambassador to Bolivia Rafel Dausa said the Cuban, Venezuelan and the Bolivian revolutions -successful despite US aggression- are reasons to celebrate Che's birthday. Likewise, the documentary "San Ernesto de la Higuera " was screened in the Cuban embassy to Spain in Madrid . In addition, Venezuela 's National Assembly devoted one session to commemorate Che's birthday. On that occasion, the president of the National Youth Institute, Maria Jimenez, called on future generations to see Che's character as a model. (Cubaminrex-AIN) |
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