Remarks by Meyvis Estevez Echevarría, First Secretary of the National Committee of the Union of Young Communists, at an act of solidarity organized by the SWAPO Youth League and the World Federation of Democratic Youth, as part of its 21st General Assembly taking place in Windhoek.
Dear people of Namibia,
It's always a dream and an honor to be on African soil. Our Commander-in-Chief and leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, taught us to love Africa, especially Namibia.
Not even the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean can prevent the indissoluble unity between our nations. Many of our fathers shared the trenches with Namibians and Angolans, were in the jungles of South Africa, and faced the repressive Apartheid regime in shared battle with African brothers.
Our brotherhood has been forged by the blood shed by our glorious men and women who confronted and defeated colonialism, as one people, and achieved independence, justice and self-determination for this continent.
As they did, the commitment of young Cubans is to continue forging a homeland together with you, the people of Namibia, in defense of just causes and as permanent observers of our sovereignty won through blood and fire.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Namibia can always count on the support and solidarity of the younger generations of Cubans.
We, the young Cubans, also express our gratitude for the continued support and solidarity of the Namibian people, demanding an end to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government against our country for more than 60 years. We appreciate the continued denunciation of Cuba's inclusion on the spurious and unilateral list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism.
The African people know that Cuba neither sponsors nor cooperates with terrorism. Quite the contrary. Cuba promotes solidarity and internationalism, rooted in the deepest humanist conviction. From the liberation struggles in Africa, our combatants returned to Cuba with honor, glory, and with their fallen brothers.
To you, children of the Cassinga massacre, we thank you for your special affection for our people, and we reaffirm that the Youth of Cuba will continue to defend Africa with the same vehemence as we defend our homeland. We will preserve the historical memory that unites our nations. We will be faithful continuators of the fraternal friendship between our Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz and the Founding Father of this nation, Dr. Sam Nujoma.
African blood also runs through our veins.
Here we do not feel like foreigners, we are united by the noblest sense of duty and justice.
To Victory, Always!
Homeland or Death!
We Will Triumph!
