The historic relations between Mexico and Cuba; uninterrupted for the last 120 years, received a new boost with the official visit of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez to that nation.
"Welcome, President Miguel Díaz-Canel. We are very pleased and honored to have you here in Campeche, in our country, which is yours in your capacity as leader of the dignified people of Cuba," said Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, upon receiving him at the international airport of that city.
Reviewing the historic relations between the peoples of Mexico and Cuba, López Obrador recalled José Martí and other Latin American heroes who made unity their common cause, and also spoke of the Granma yacht, which sailed from the port of Tuxpan with a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel.
"For this, and many other reasons, President Miguel Díaz-Canel, you are a distinguished, admired and fraternal guest for the Government I represent, for the Government of Mexico. Thank you for coming," López Obrador said.
According to reports from the website of the Presidency of the Republic of Cuba, President Díaz-Canel said he was very happy and honored to be in Mexico again, to meet friends and to share, even if it was only for a few hours, with this beloved part of the Latin American family. "We come to personally return the embrace we received, along with material assistance and technical advice in vital areas and activities, in difficult and uncertain hours," added Díaz-Canel, referring to the solidarity received from Mexico during the fire at the oil storage facility in Matanzas.
“Therefore, Mexico is also the present, supportive, honest and just country that constantly expresses itself in the gestures and words of its government. For that reason, and because our people asked it, I bring a message of deep respect and affection to the brotherly Mexican people and its president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. They are very much loved in Cuba," he added.
AN ORDER TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE
During the words of appreciation for the presentation of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, in the class of Collar, which he received from the hands of President López Obrador, Díaz-Canel said that he received this order with "humbleness and infinite gratitude, because I am aware that the noble and heroic Cuban people are the ones who truly deserve such significant honor."
He spoke to those present about his conviction that this distinction "reaffirms the commitment to solidarity that characterizes our deep relations, yesterday, today and always. The new Cuban generations will never forget Mexico's unconditional, disinterested and immediate help in times of profound sadness and pain for Cuba," the president said.
Díaz-Canel also spoke of the progress achieved in bilateral ties and the decision to find new opportunities and projects that benefit both peoples, and reiterated to López Obrador the certainty that the sister Mexican nation will always find in Cuba "a friendly, brotherly and neighborly people, ready to face together the most difficult and complex challenges. Just as you have done, we will always be ready to serve Mexico."
CUBA DESERVES THE DIGNITY AWARD
During his speech, the Mexican president said that the people of Cuba deserve the Dignity Award for their struggle in defense of sovereignty. This island should be considered as the new Numantia "for its example of resistance," which is why "it should be declared a World Heritage Site," he said.
Referring to the U.S. policy towards Latin America, he pointed out that it is time for a "new coexistence among all the countries of America because that model imposed more than two centuries ago is completely exhausted, it is outdated, has no future or way out and benefits no one.
"And as a sign of good will, that we are ready to unite all the countries of America, I consider, and I express it with respect, that the United States Government should lift, as soon as possible, the unjust blockade against the people of Cuba," said López Obrador, who reminded Washington that nations should not take advantage of the misfortune of other peoples.
CUBAN STONE IN MAYAN LAND
After the reception, and a drive to the Edzná archaeological site, where the decoration ceremony took place, President López Obrador guided Díaz-Canel to one of the Mayan Train construction sites, on the outskirts of the city of Campeche.
There, the Cuban Head of State learned that it is the most important railway work undertaken in the world today, and it will be 1,554 kilometers long, of which almost 250 will be supported on Cuban stones brought from the Ariete mine in Cienfuegos.
"This is a very important work, and they are going to succeed," said Díaz-Canel to Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Cuba will supply 876,789 cubic meters of the total cubic meters of ballast required for the monumental infrastructure, that is, 15.5% of the total volume, which means that almost 250 kilometers of the more than 1,500 kilometers of the road will be covered with Cuban rajon stone.
HOMELAND IS HUMANITY
President Díaz-Canel, accompanied by the Mexican president, also held a meeting with a representation of Cuban health collaborators working in this country, and with personnel from the Mexican Social Security Institute.
"Your presence here, at the request of the Mexican government, adds to the efforts of this country to guarantee comprehensive and quality medical care to populations that had never received such services, or barely had access to them," said the Cuban head of state.
“You make Marti's ideal that ‘Homeland is Humanity,’ a reality every day, one of the most quoted concepts and converted into revolutionary practice by Fidel, the best and most integral follower of Marti’s ideas,” said Díaz-Canel.
The last activity of the intense day was the official talks between the delegations headed by President Díaz-Canel and President López Obrador, respectively, in the Protocol Room of El Palacio Cultural Center, in the historic center of Campeche.
In the introduction to the exchanges, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reiterated Mexico's firm demand that Cuba be excluded from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
This is an unfair measure, he said, with very negative consequences for the Cuban population. The minister called the inclusion unfounded, especially when Cuba is a country of peace.
AMLO, as the Mexican people familiarly call their President, and Díaz-Canel were accompanied during the visit by official delegations from both countries, which included, on the Mexican side, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard; Secretary of the Interior, Adán Augusto López; Secretary of National Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval; Secretary of the Navy, José Rafael Ojeda; the coordinator of the President's advisors, Lázaro Cárdenas Batel, and the Governor of Campeche, Layda Sansores.
The Cuban delegation was composed by Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, member of the Party's Political Bureau and Foreign Minister; Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment; José Angel Portal Miranda, Minister of Public Health; Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Deputy Foreign Minister; Eugenio Martínez Enrique, Director of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Marcos Rodríguez Costa, Cuban Ambassador to Mexico; Eduardo Martínez Díaz, President of the BioCubaFarma business group; and other personalities.
Translated by ESTI
