Remarks delivered by Cuban Ambassador, Bernardo Guanche Hernández, during function to pay tribute to Hugo Chavez, at PCJ Auditorium. April 12th, 2017.
Dear Mrs. Luisa Gutiérrez Picón, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. from the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic (M) of Venezuela and Venezuelan colleagues.
The Most Honorable Portia Simpson Miller, former Prime Ministry.
Ambassador Shorna Kay Richard, Director of Bilateral Relations Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Colleagues from Diplomatic Corp.
Dear comrades and friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Good evening:
It is a great honor for me and my Cuban comrades in this auditorium to pay tribute to the Supreme Commander Hugo Chavez Frias and his legacy.
In an act of tribute like this one dedicated to Commander Chavez, I sincerely appreciate the kind invitation of the Venezuelan comrades to say a few words of remembrance to whom was defined by the Commander in Chief as “the best friend the Cuban people have ever had”. I do it on behalf of our Embassy as well as Cuban collaborators who pay their services in Jamaica.
Chavez was able to embody Simón Bolívar and José Martí´s ideas of independence and sovereignty and to put them into practice in a new historical context. Without any doubt for us, Chavez played a very important role in the Latin American and Caribbean geo-politic platform during the first decade of this century. Thanks to his efforts and the Bolivarian movement, the rights of the Venezuelan people were restored as well as their dignity and political conscience.
As part of his revolutionary spirit, Chavez advocated for a new diplomacy based on the right to self-determination and unity among our peoples. For sure, he materialized such unity, and it took place in Caracas in December 2011, during the Foundation Summit of Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC). Such a mechanism has contributed to regional integration without exclusions in favor of our peoples.
There are many merits that can be recognized to him. One of the most outstanding is his vision of integration among Latin America and Caribbean Peoples. I think Petrocaribe deserves to be specially mentioned. What it was thought as a Solidarity Energy Cooperation Agreement to resolve asymmetries in access to energy resources, through a new framework of favorable, equitable and fair exchange among the countries of the Caribbean, most of them without state control on the supply of resources, was materialized in a secure source of energy supply, and thus, energetic independence for most of the countries of our region.
Petrocaribe favored the creation of more than 100 cooperation programs as well as social and productive projects which have benefited millions of peoples in Central America and the Caribbean. I would like to refer to the Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs’ remarks, two days ago, during XV Political Council of ALBA TCP meeting and I quote “Thanks to Venezuela, ALBA and PETROCARIBE, many countries did not go out in the darkest hour and millions of our fellow citizens have learned to read and write, while others have recovered the light in their eyes and have begun to have access to dignity and non-profit health, to the massive practice of sport, to enjoy culture, to grow and learn from our native cultures, and to demonstrate that there is no better way than the one built by ourselves”.
The nation and people who gave the world a man of the height of Commander Chavez deserve to live in peace and harmony, as well as the utmost respect to their sovereignty and independence. To the sons and daughters of Chavez and their Bolivarian Revolution, go our sympathy, loyalty, solidarity and faith in the victory of their noble cause. Cuba will always be with you.
Thank you very much and Good Night.