The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, decreed Official Duel during this Friday on the occasion of the death of Isabel II, monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The official duel will be in force from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on September 9, states the official note released by state media.
It is with deep regret that we have learned of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the Cuban people and government, she expresses her deepest condolences to her Royal Highness, Prince Charles, to the rest of the Royal Family and to the British people and government. pic.twitter.com/JoD0060xDv
– Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 8, 2022
“Her Majesty Elizabeth II maintained a respectful relationship with Cuba and contributed to the expansion of ties between our countries and peoples,” adds the brief statement. It also indicates that during the validity of the official duel, the Cuban flag will remain hoisted at “half-staff in public buildings and military institutions.”
The Cuban president had already expressed his condolences to the people and the British royal family on Thursday for the death of Queen Elizabeth II. “It is with deep regret that we have learned of the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the Cuban people and government, I express my deepest condolences to her Royal Highness, Prince Charles, to the rest of the Royal Family and to the British people and government,” he wrote on his Twitter profile.
The island’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez, also sent a message on social networks in which he expressed his “deepest condolences” for the death of the 96-year-old monarch, made official this Thursday by Buckingham Palace.
Elizabeth II never visited Cuba during her 70-year reign. However, in 2019, King Carlos III – then Prince of Wales – arrived on the island together with the now queen consort Camila for a three-day stay, in which he met with Díaz-Canel.
That was the first official stay in the Caribbean country for members of the British royal family.
Efe/OnCuba.
