Santiago de Cuba - Santiago de Cuba welcomed the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, on Tuesday with its warmth and colors multiplied, on the way to July 26, in a visit that began with a tribute to the founders of the nation, Martí, Céspedes, Mariana and Fidel, and concluded at the Antonio Maceo (Renté) thermoelectric plant.
After witnessing the change of the guard of honor at the sacred altar of the homeland in the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, the Head of State lay flower wreaths on the monuments of the heroes, a tribute that he made together with his partner Lis Cuesta Peraza, director of festivals and events of the Ministry of Culture, and which ended before the monolith of the Commander in Chief.
The President reiterated that in these difficult days, Fidel's example and ideas should be kept in mind more than ever; faithful to that sentiment, he said -less than three weeks ago in Renté- that victories generate victories, and, with the systematic approach that characterizes his follow up of the country's priorities, he went to verify the current energy situation at the plant.
The general director, engineer Raymundo González Guillén, recalled that on June 17, units 3, 4 and 5 were operating, with a combined delivery of 187 Megawatts (MW) to the National Electric Grid (SEN in Spanish), while the completion of unit 6, which would contribute another 60 mw, was advancing at accelerated speed. The four blocks are now operating with a total power of 230 mw.
González Guillén explained that, due to the obsolescence of the technology, the machines are strategically kept in the sustainability range to avoid breakdowns, to ensure that they all work stably during these complex months of July and August, and to be able to gather the resources that will allow unit 3 to undergo a longer maintenance period in September.
He also stated that at this time the greatest difficulty to maintain the simultaneous exploitation of the four blocks is the availability of demineralized water used in the generation process, due to the lack of completion of a resource that is estimated to enter the country in September, and which will allow the production of the necessary volumes of water.
The Head of State also listened to an update on the situation of the SEN by Minister of Energy and Mines Liván Arronte Cruz, who emphasized that the Lidio Ramón Pérez power plant in Felton, with its unit 1 in the process of starting up, and unit 2 initiating adjustment tests, could be operating by the end of the week with both blocks, each one with more than 200 mw.
As in his previous visit, Diaz-Canel was interested in the attention to the personnel, both the one working at that moment and the one on call, as well as in the supply of fuel to the plants. He then toured the electricity generation areas and the control room, where he followed the operating level of each unit by means of instruments.
Always accompanied by the highest authorities of the Party and the Government in the province, José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz and Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, he talked with technicians, administrative and kitchen personnel and other services at the exit of the industrial building to recognize the significant effort that everyone does to assure the people the electric energy.
BIOCUBAFARMA AND THE CARIBBEAN
At the end of his morning greeting to the founding fathers in the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, the Head of State held a meeting in the protocol hall with a representation of the BioCubaFarma Business Group, headed by its general director, Doctor of Science Eduardo Martínez Díaz, who is visiting Santiago de Cuba these days.
The scientists, researchers and support personnel who have made such a special contribution to the fight against covid-19, were admired phrases by the historical and cultural heritage they have appreciated in the also called Cradle of the Revolution, as well as their satisfaction for the homage they will pay to Martí, Céspedes, Mariana and Fidel.
Dr. Martínez Díaz informed about the inauguration of a modern plant of salts and powders in the Eastern Pharmaceutical Laboratory Company, the only one of its kind in Cuba, which at full capacity will be able to supply the country with oral rehydration salts, which is currently lacking, and to add, due to its quality, certain volumes for export.
For his part, Díaz-Canel reiterated his recognition for their contribution to making Cuba the country with the highest number of COVID-19 booster doses applied to its population, described them as true heroes, and urged them to continue researching on the after-effects of the pandemic on patients and how to combat them.
At mid-morning, the President was received at the Casa del Caribe, a cultural institution in Santiago that organizes the Festival del Caribe (Fiesta del Fuego) every year with massive popular participation and a large attendance of friends from Cuba, the region and other latitudes, which this time was attended by over 200 participants from some 15 nations.
Guided by the director of the House, Orlando Vergés Martínez, he was interested in knowing the architectural characteristics of the building, the program of the Festival, the options for the population and the different publications it releases, actions that in part contribute to the economic support of the event, which is in its 41st edition.
The ritual offered by cultural groups such as the Centro Espírita Buscando Luz y Verdad, from the Monte Obscuro community, in Bayamo, Granma, was singular. Brother Ritchar dedicated to him a fine yarey hat and the president of the Yoruba Association of Santiago de Cuba, Juan Martés Portuondo, presented him with a white necklace that represents the orisha (Yoruban god) Obatalá.
Díaz-Canel appreciated expressions of Anglophone, Haitian and African cultures in the presentations of groups such as Conga Paso Franco, from Santiago de Cuba; La Cinta, from Ciego de Avila; and Barranca and Los Ripiaos, from Palma Soriano, among others, whom he congratulated for keeping alive the culture and identity of our peoples.
The Caribbean culture, this culture of ours, is an incredible culture, it is legitimate, authentic, and in this festival in Santiago, the most Caribbean city in Cuba, is where we can find all the colors of the Caribbean, said the president.
The revolution of culture, that is what we have to put ahead, added the Cuban President, who indicated to the authorities of the Party and the Government of the province and to the president of the festival to provide the Fiesta del Fuego with its own sustainable management model.
When saying goodbye to the popular culture, Díaz-Canel emphasized the importance of the Caribbean Festival: "The only way to counteract the cultural colonization to which they try to subject us, is by taking care of our own traditions," he reflected.
As part of the festivities, the President also attended the workshop Diversity, organization, management and creative value of carnivals and festivals in the Caribbean and Europe.
The workshop was held at the Casa Granda Hotel, which houses the Oriente Gallery, where the Head of State also went to visit the exhibition Mágica Ciudad, by photographer Grettel Arrate Hechevarría, with guest artist Yuri Seoane.
THE SANTIAGUEROS ARE LOVED
Santiago de Cuba is always offered all the love; "the people of Santiago are very much loved," said Díaz-Canel to a group of locals, mostly women, whom he went to greet to reciprocate the affection they expressed to him from the Céspedes Park, where he had greeted them from the Oriente Art Gallery.
As reported by the Presidency website, the First Secretary expressed his enthusiasm for the gradual revival seen in the city.
"Ah, and this year we are really going to have carnivals," he exclaimed happily, causing a hubbub among the passers-by who were joining one after another the informal conversation of the President of the Republic with the people in the middle of the Céspedes Park.
We have already controlled the COVID-19, and now we need discipline, social cooperation and solidarity, but we have to reactivate life, and more so here, because this is Santiago, Diaz-Canel told them
