Pretoria, 11 December 2025 – The Cuban Embassy in South Africa celebrated the 67th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, together with members of the South African government, representatives of diplomatic missions from several countries, Cuban collaborators who work here, and Cuban residents.
From the South Africa side, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande; the Director General of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition, Simphiwe Hamilton; members of parliament; DIRCO; representatives from the departments of health, public works and basic education; as well from the provincial government of the Free State; and members of the country's trade unions and political forces were in attendance.
Addressing those present, the Cuban Ambassador to South Africa, Fakri Rodríguez Pinelo, highlighted the achievements of the Cuban Revolution over the past 67 years. During this time, he acknowledged we have turned dreams into reality and challenges into victories, despite the criminal blockade imposed by the United States.
He also stressed that resilience has been the key to our revolutionary process: resilience to attain and maintain that set of achievements which for a small county like ours, in the harsh conditions that have been set upon us, is an enormous endeavour and a pride to keep.
The ambassador also highlighted the excellent state of bilateral relations with South Africa in his remarks. He noted that the historical ties and brotherhood uniting our peoples and governments — forged on the battlefield and cemented by our two great leaders, Fidel and Madiba — are also driven by swift political dialogue at the highest level, positive exchanges on multilateral issues, an increasing number of delegations, and joint efforts to promote a robust economic and trade cooperation.
Speaking at the event, Blade Nzimande, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, emphasised the historic friendship between the two countries, which continues to this day with a significant number of professionals, primarily in the healthcare sector, working in South Africa.
He also recognised Cuba's modest contribution to the liberation struggles in southern Africa, which resulted in the independence of Namibia and South Africa. He recognized as well, the potential for both countries to strengthen and diversify cooperation in many fields, including science and technology.
The minister condemned the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba, as well as the island's continued inclusion on the unilateral list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism, thus reaffirming South Africa's solidarity with the Cuban people and government.
(Cuban Embassy in South Africa)