(Council of State transcript – GI translation)
Esteemed President Enrique Peña Nieto;
Distinguished Secretary of State, and authorities from the city of Mérida and the state of Yucatán;
Representatives of the communications media;
Mexican brothers and sisters:
I feel very honored on this visit, which authorities in this sister country have prepared with such dedication.
As we all know, a special relationship exists between Mexico and Cuba, based not only on our geographic proximity, but also on the shared traditions of struggle, on the close cultural and family ties, as well as the mutual sentiments of friendship and unwavering solidarity. These ties are particularly strong on this beautiful peninsula of Yucatán, where it is difficult to tell if we are in Mexico or Cuba.
Our national hero, José Martí, who lived and worked in Mexico during preparations for what he called “the necessary war” against Spanish colonialism, wrote, “Mexico is a land we Cubans must love as our own.”
Like Martí, many Cuban patriots found refuge and support in Mexico, since the very dawn of the struggle for our independence. The poet José María Heredia in the first half of the 19th century lived in Toluca and died in Mexico City. The student activist and Communist leader Julio Antonio Mella lived in exile here, where he was assassinated by mercenaries sent by the Cuban dictatorship of the moment.
In 1955, Fidel Castro and other youth received protection and shelter from many Mexicans, and, aboard the yacht Granma, we embarked from Tuxpan in Veracruz, November 25, 1956, to continue the struggle for the definitive independence and liberty of our homeland.
Within a few months after the triumph of the Revolution, one of the first and most distinguished visitors to Cuban soil was the general Lázaro Cárdenas, who, as is known, expressed his desire to be at our people’s side after the mercenary invasion at Playa Girón in 1961.
Nor will we ever forget that Mexico was the only Latin American country which did not break diplomatic relations with Cuba when other governments did so, under pressure from the United States at an especially critical moment for our Revolution and our country.
Cuba’s participation in the Summit of the Americas, the establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States, and the recent, practically unanimous call in the UN General Assembly for an end to the unjust, illegal and immoral blockade imposed on our country, are also victories of international solidarity, and especially Latin American and Caribbean solidarity, in which Mexico has played an outstanding role.
With the re-launching [of relations] undertaken by the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto, ties between our two countries are being renovated and strengthened not only in the political arena, but also in the cultural and economic-commercial, and scientific-technical cooperation.
Exemplifying this was President Peña Nieto’s state visit to Cuba, in January of 2014, as well as the exchange visits of our foreign ministers, and other Cuban and Mexican secretaries of state, and the signing of eight important accords November 1, 2013 plus five more today, as explained by President Peña Nieto, which reinforce the legal framework of our bilateral relation and reflect the strong political will of both parties to continue advancing and deepening our cooperation in diverse areas of mutual interest, to the benefit of our peoples.
We are additionally pleased with the interest of Mexican companies in doing business and investing in Cuba, especially in the Mariel Special Development Zone, and in sectors like agriculture and tourism. Mexico’s experience in these fields is recognized and constitutes an important support to the process of updating our economic model which we are undertaking.
We cooperate not only to benefit our respective peoples, but also in favor of Latin American and Caribbean integration, with justice and solidarity, without which it will not be possible to consolidate our independence, achieve sustainable socio-economic development, or successfully confront the great challenges presented by the unjust, exploitative and environmentally-damaging world order in which we live.
In the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Association of Caribbean States, Cuba and Mexico, we will continue working jointly to strengthen unity and promote the process of regional integration.
This visit has served as well to reiterate this commitment, including our duty to maintain Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, just as we heads of state and government declared with our signatures, at the 2nd CELAC Summit, held in Havana in January of 2014.
In the name of our people and government, I thank you for the warm welcome Mexican authorities have offered me, especially President Peña Nieto, as well as the authorities and sister people of Mérida and the state of Yucatán.
As always, long live the indestructible brotherhood of the Cuban and Mexican peoples!
Thank you very much. (Applause).
