Pretoria, December 13, 2023 - The Cuban embassy staff in South Africa, together with members of the South African government, representatives of diplomatic missions of various nations in the country, collaborators of the island who serve here and Cuban residents, celebrated today the 65th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.
The activity was attended on the South African side by the Minister of the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma; the Deputy Secretary General of the African National Congress, Nomvula Mokonyane and the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, Victor Tharange.
Addressing those present, the Cuban ambassador to South Africa, Enrique Orta González, stressed how in celebrating the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, the first thought is for those who fell on the long road of struggle. They are, he said, a paradigm and symbol of the effort and sacrifice of millions of Cubans.
The people of Cuba, he continued, fulfilled most of their objectives and helped those in need, despite the cruel effects of the illegal unilateral sanctions applied against the country by the greatest imperialist power, especially the economic, commercial and financial blockade that we have endured for more than 60 years. In addition, "the inclusion of our country on the spurious list of state sponsors of terrorism", drawn up by the United States. These unilateral measures, he explained, have caused devastating effects on our economy with the consequent impact on the people.
Despite this, Orta González stressed, Cubans are proud to have a country where there are no people who are defenceless or deprived of their dignity. Among the achievements of the Revolution, he listed, Cuba provides high quality medical care for its entire population completely free of charge. It also has the highest number of doctors per capita in the world and an infant mortality rate of only 4.2 per thousand births.
Solidarity, he highlighted, has been one of the bastions of the Cuban Revolution and, as such, he said, we ratify our unwavering friendship with the brotherly government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Also, continued González, Cuba maintains its traditional support and solidarity with the people of Palestine.
In his remarks, the ambassador highlighted the excellent state of diplomatic relations with South Africa, now close to its 30th anniversary. During that period, he said, bilateral cooperation has been systematically maintained and expanded in the sectors of health, education, science and technology, agriculture, housing, water and sanitation, human settlements, public works, information and communication technologies, among many others. Thousands of young South Africans have also been professionally trained in the Caribbean nation, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Tharange highlighted the historic relation of friendship between the two nations in many areas, which continues today with the presence in South Africa of many professionals, mainly in the field of health. He also condemned the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba.
(Cuban Embassy in South Africa-Prensa Latina)