Intervention by Yudí M. Rodríguez, Member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, at the 2nd Congress of the Prosperity Party.
Stenographic Version by EmbaCuba-Ethiopia
Dear leaders and members of the Prosperity Party:
Distinguished representatives of parties, organizations and movements present at this Congress:
Distinguished guests:
Dear brothers and sisters:
On behalf of the highest leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba, we thank the Prosperity Party of Ethiopia for the invitation to this important Congress, which we are sure will be successful.
"Cuba, which has African blood in its veins, emerged in the fight for independence and the abolition of slavery and, subsequently, has had the privilege of fighting and building alongside African nations."
These words, spoken by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, in 2013, reaffirm the historical ties of brotherhood and solidarity that unite our peoples.
In 1977, Cuban combatants motivated by the sacred internationalist duty, arrived in this beautiful land to contribute to their battle against foreign aggression. Precisely, in the fight, the unbreakable friendship between both countries was consolidated. These words also serve as a tribute to the 163 Cubans who, together with their Ethiopian brothers, offered their lives in defense of this just cause.
We are overjoyed that many Ethiopians consider Cuba their second homeland, due to the historic relations in the sphere of education, which allowed more than 5 thousand students to be trained in institutions in our country.
For these reasons, we are honored to be present at this Congress that is so relevant for the Prosperity Party and for the Ethiopian people.
Dear brothers:
I take this opportunity to thank the Prosperity Party for its permanent support in the battle that the Cuban people have waged for more than 60 years against the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government.
The Communist Party of Cuba, brings together the people and with the support of solidarity organizations, political forces, social movements and friends like you, we are willing to continue demanding the end of the genocidal blockade and the exit of our country from that arbitrary and unilateral list.
Dear brothers:
We are very pleased to be a partner country of the BRICS. The strengthening of this mechanism is essential to achieve an international system where cooperation and mutually advantageous exchange proliferate; without plundering agreements that only contribute to reproducing the structural deformation of the economies of the South and fueling the polarization of wealth, inequality and underdevelopment. Unity and articulation in the context of the BRICS Political Parties Lighthouse is also very important to advance concrete actions for the benefit of our people.
Dear brothers:
The year 2025 will be very important for the Communist Party of Cuba, advancing in the preparation of the IX Congress and in the four defined priorities related to: the strengthening of unity, the improvement of ideological work, the political assurance of government projections.
Together with the government and our brave people we will continue in the process of building socialism and updating the model of economic and social development, to achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth and achieve the greatest possible social justice.
Allow me to conclude with a phrase pronounced by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, in 1998 and that masterfully summarizes the meaning of Africa for our country: "Without Africa, without its sons and daughters, without its culture and its customs, without its languages and its gods, Cuba would not be what it is today. The Cuban people therefore have a debt with Africa that increases with the heroic history we have shared."
Thank you so much.
(EmbaCuba-Etiopía)