The enduring presence of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz in the new generations entrusted with upholding his legacy was the central theme of the commemoration dedicated to the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution on the ninth anniversary of his passing.
With songs, messages of reaffirmation and commitment to the past, the iconic steps of the University of Havana hosted, as they do every year, the central tribute to Fidel’s paradigm, present today in every homage paid throughout the island, and with the added motivation of commemorating his centennial.
The commemoration was led by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the National Defense Council, who urged the young people present to follow the path laid out by Fidel.
Meyvis Estévez, First Secretary of the National Committee of the Union of Young Communists, reaffirmed the loyalty of today’s youth to Fidel’s teachings on the importance of the people’s unity around their Revolution as a guarantee of victory.
Faced with the threats of U.S. imperialism and the daily consequences of the intensified blockade, she reminded them that independence is a hard-won right, won daily with courage, valor, and patriotism, in the unwavering commitment to keeping national dignity alive.
He also emphasized that solidarity is the lifeblood of the Revolution, and precisely for that reason, Cuba maintains its demand for an end to the genocide against the Palestinian people and its condemnation of the siege and criminal military deployment in Caribbean waters that seeks to violate the sovereignty of the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
“Fidel will always be here, walking among us, inspiring hope. And alongside him, this youth to whom he entrusted the Homeland; sparking debates, raising the banner of freedom with the courage of those who have learned to proudly proclaim: ‘We are free!'” he concluded.
The Cuban president was accompanied by other members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party, the Secretariat, other leaders of the political organization, representatives of the Government, the Union of Young Communists (UJC), mass, student, and social organizations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior, and other prominent figures from various sectors of the country’s life.
Among the special guests was Rebel Army Commander José Ramón Machado Ventura, in an evening where several artists participated, including soloists Nelson Valdés, Annie Garcés and Zulema Iglesias; improvisational poets, the National Choir of Cuba, the Revolution Dance Companies and the Ban-rará Folkloric Company, as well as the Guillermo Tomás Conservatory of Music Orchestra.
IMAGE CREDIT: José Manuel Lapeira Casas | Photos: Luis Jiménez
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
