London, 10 November. - British academic Antoni Kapcia, founder of the Centre for Research on Cuba at the University of Nottingham, today gave an online conference on the figure of Raúl Castro Ruz, under the title Understanding Raúl Castro is to understand the whole Cuba Revolution. The event is part of a series of seminars organized by the International Institute for the Study of Cuba, attached to the University of Buckingham.
In his presentation, Kapcia approached the figure of the Cuban revolutionary leader and dismantled the misconceptions and false opinions that have been formed about him. He referred to the leadership role that Raúl has played during his revolutionary career, as well as the fact that his importance within the Revolution was never second-rate. Likewise, he documented how he came to occupy high positions and responsibilities on his own merits, and not because he was the brother of the Chief of the Revolution.
During the debate, it was demonstrated that Cuba is not and has never been a failed state and attention was drawn to the fact that demonstrations are organized from abroad on the same date that Cuba opens its borders, begins to receive international tourists and transitions towards a new normal and the beginning of economic recovery. It was highlighted that, in the midst of great difficulties, Cuba developed its own home-grown vaccines and has been able to rein in the advance of the pandemic and immunize its population.
On behalf of the Cuban Embassy, the event was attended by First Secretary Michel Rodríguez.