Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
CUBA has reaffirmed its historic solidarity with African liberation struggles while condemning continued United States “aggression” and the long-running economic blockade against the Caribbean nation.
The remarks were made ahead of the Africa Day commemorations, at the screening of the Cuban film “Kangamba” at the Alliance Française yesterday, at an event which brought together Government officials, diplomats, Members of Parliament and representatives from about 20 countries.
The commemorations were jointly organised by the Cuban and Angolan embassies.
Cuba’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Susellys Pérez Mesa said Africa Day remained a powerful reminder of shared struggle, sacrifice and enduring solidarity between Cuba and African nations forged during liberation wars.
“When Cubans speak of Africa, we are not speaking of a distant continent, but of a fundamental part of our own identity,” she said.
Ambassador Pérez Mesa said Cuba’s internationalist role in Africa, particularly in Angola, reflected a longstanding commitment to anti-colonial struggles, adding that thousands of Cubans had participated in liberation efforts across the continent.
She also criticised the United States and described its decades-long economic blockade against Cuba as unjust and destructive, while warning of continued threats of military aggression against the island.
She cited remarks by Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, where he said Cuba was facing one of the most difficult periods in its modern history due to external pressure and intensified hostility.
“In the centennial year of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, we reaffirm that if we did this for our African brothers and sisters, what wouldn’t we be capable of doing for our beloved homeland?” she said, referring to Cuba’s role in the Battle of Kangamba in Angola.
Zimbabwe’s Director for Africa, Asia and the Pacific in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Spencer Dube described Kangamba as a significant historical account of Africa’s liberation struggles.
He said the film played an important role in preserving liberation history and ensuring that younger generations understood the sacrifices made for independence across the continent.
Angola’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Baltazar Diego Cristovao, paid tribute to Cuba’s contribution to Angola’s liberation struggle, saying it helped cement enduring bonds of friendship and solidarity between the two countries.
The director of the Museum of African Liberation, Ambassador Kwame Muzawazi said Cuba played a pivotal role in Africa’s anti-colonial struggles and remained an important part of the continent’s liberation narrative.
