Pretoria, 18 June 2024 - The Deputy President of the Republic of Cuba, Salvador Valdés Mesa, together with the delegation accompanying him, began his official program of activities in South Africa on 18 June at Freedom Park in Pretoria.
Mr Valdés Mesa was received by the Acting Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Maropene Ramokgopa; the deputy minister, Pinky Kekana and the chairperson of Freedom Park, Ambassador Bheki Langa, with whom he paid a heartfelt tribute to the more than two thousand Cuban fighters who died in the struggle for African independence. Their names are inscribed on the "Wall of Names", a monument in memory of the fallen heroes in the struggles for independence on the continent.
There, he held a fraternal meeting with members of the diplomatic mission, Cuban collaborators from the different brigades working in the country, Cuban residents and representatives of the solidarity movement with Cuba. Member of the different trade unions in South Africa also attended.
During the exchange, the Deputy President highlighted the close ties of friendship and cooperation between Cuba and South Africa and updated the audience on the current situation on the island. He also stressed the importance of continue denouncing the effects of the US blockade against our country, the main obstacle to the development of our economy.
(Cuban Embassy in South Africa)