The Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in India commemorated the seventh anniversary of the passing away of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro. The tribute was attended by Cuban Ambassador Alejandro Simancas Marin; Mariam Alexander Baby, member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Secretary General of the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization (AIPSO) and Coordinator of the Cuba Solidarity Committee in India; Arun Kumar, General Secretary of AIPSO; as well as leaders of the Student Federations of India (SFI), Democratic Youth of India (DYFI), All India Youth (AIYF) and All India Students (AISF).
The occasion was opportune for Indian youth to formally hand over a token of the one million signatures collected, demanding the removal of Cuba from the US government's spurious list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
The Secretary General of SFI, Mayukh Biswas, highlighted the importance of the "Let Cuba Lives" campaign in solidarity with the Cuban people and ratified the commitment of young Indians to noble causes such as Cuba. He also recognized the legacy of Fidel's ideas for the new generations and the peoples of the world, as well as the significance of the Cuban Revolution and its advances in health, education and international medical cooperation.
The Cuban diplomat, for his part, deeply appreciated the gesture of solidarity and reiterated his rejection of the inclusion of Cuba in the spurious U.S. list and considered it an injustice against the Cuban people, who have been victims of terrorist actions organized from the U.S. territory itself. He explained that this condemnable nomination is aimed at reinforcing the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the U.S. government on the Caribbean nation for more than 60 years. Likewise, he assured that Washington's economic war is the main obstacle to the development of the country. Finally, he thanked the Indian people and their organizations for their historic support and for once again demonstrating their solidarity and friendship with the Cubans, in the year in which both countries are celebrating the 50th and 40th anniversaries of Fidel Castro's first and second visits to India.