G.O.B. Honors Cuban Revolutionary, Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro

Two years ago, in November 2016, Commandante Fidel Castro, Cuba’s former president, died at the age of ninety from natural causes. In the 1950’s, Castro emerged as the Leader of the Cuban Revolution after defeating dictator Fulgencio Batista. He became President of Cuba in 1959. The “fiery apostle of revolution’ as the New York Times dubbed him, utilized Cuban troops to aid revolutions in Africa and Latin America. Cuba was one of the first nation-states to recognize and respect Belize’s independence in 1981. Since then, the diplomatic relations between both countries have prospered and strengthened through bilateral agreements in medicine and education. Before the regular business of the House of Representatives commenced today the Government of Belize and the Opposition paid homage to Castro in the presence of Cuban Ambassador, Lissette Perez Perez and diplomats from seven other countries.

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“No one will ever forget the universalist stance of Cuba under Fidel, the unrelenting campaign against apartheid, the readiness always to offer relief and aid in times of natural disaster and to send it to the opposite ends of the earth, the preparedness to sacrifice Cuban life and limbs in the cause of national liberation especially in Africa and the medical brigades dispatched to the remotest of places to combat disease and plague such as Ebola.”

Cordel Hyde

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Leader of the Opposition

“In our case, he is arguably the godfather of our independence movement, the first of the Americas to recognize our right to self determination and a central player in our march to independence. We Belizeans will forever be indebted to the celestial giant that was Fidel Castro. We are because of him, because of him small people all over the world could have dreamt of freedom, justice and equality. Because of him we prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery.”

Miguel Diaz-Canel is the current President of Cuba.