“Eternal gratitude to the doctors, the Cuban people, and Fidel Castro”. This was the response of the former President of Liberia, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and first female African president, Ms. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, at a symposium held in this city to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Governance Commission in Liberia.
This nonpartisan institution paved the way for the peace process and national reconciliation 20 years ago.
The event was attended by representatives of various political forces, Commission staff, and members of the diplomatic corps based in the African nation, who discussed the issue of governance in their respective countries.
Taking the floor, Cuban Ambassador Dr. Indira López Argüelles, after explaining the “People’s Power”—a fifty-year-old system of popular participation—denounced the severe impact of the energy blockade, the reinforced blockade against the Cuban people, and the damage to the country’s normal functioning, all of which amount to severe collective punishment. In the face of this slow and illegal attempt at genocide, the international community will vote again on October 28.
“In the face of this harsh reality, resilience is essential in finding solutions, and heroism is a hallmark of the Cuban people’s daily lives” Stated, the Cuban Ambassador
In closing, the honoree, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, stated:
“We are familiar with that heroism, when Cuban doctors came and fought Ebola. We in Liberia will always be grateful to the doctors, the people, and Fidel Castro.”