On 1st January, 2023, the government and people of the Republic of Cuba marked the 64th anniversary of the Revolution that gave birth their nation.
Antigua and Barbuda joined the Cuban people in the celebration of the observance of this historic event.
In a letter to President of the Council of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, Prime Minister Gaston Browne noted that the Cuban Revolution became a unique and potent symbol of hope and liberation.
“President [Fidel] Castro’s revolutionary ideals had a significant and empowering psychological impact on oppressed peoples everywhere, including in the rest of the Caribbean, where people identified with the Cuban struggle for freedom.
“Passionate and heroic in his resolve to stand up for Cuban freedom and sovereignty, former President Fidel Castro faced the might of the United States, and defied all odds. His remarkable and revolutionary leadership altered the course of events, and will forever have an impact on world history.” the prime minister said.
Browne also expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of Antigua and Barbuda for Cuba’s continued willingness to share its achievements in healthcare, education, and culture over the years.
“Many nationals of Antigua and Barbuda have benefitted from the successes of the Cuban Revolution,” he noted.
Meanwhile, in correspondence to his counterpart in the Cuban government, Foreign Minister E. P. Chet Greene took the position that the historical significance of the Cuban revolution lies in its poignant symbolism as a beacon of freedom from oppression and its traditions and lasting legacies.
According to Greene, despite the decades-long economic and financial embargo imposed against the Cuban people by the United States, Cuba has been able to record huge strides in education, medicine, sports and other areas of human development.
Greene underscored the work of the Cuban Medical Brigade which has made a lasting impact on Antigua and Barbuda’s health care system, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
