The Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, received the José Martí order for his “opposition to the US blockade, his solidarity and his defense of the island’s sovereignty.” The highest distinction awarded by the Cuban Government was received by the president with a speech in which he promised to urge his US counterpart not to be excluded from the next Summit of the Americas, which is not expected to be attended by Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba.
“It is a distinction that honors me, to receive this award from the most humane, most sincere independence fighter in our America, José Martí,” said López-Obrador at the end of the ceremony. The Mexican president described the Apostle as a “giant” and described him as a “universal independence leader” and a hero of “all Latin Americans.”
In addition, he thanked his “friend” Miguel Díaz-Canel for the distinction and expressed his “endearing and deep affection for the worthy people of Cuba.”
In addition, he thanked his “friend” Miguel Díaz-Canel for the distinction and expressed his “endearing and deep affection for the worthy people of Cuba.”
“I will insist with Biden that no country in the Americas be excluded from next month’s summit in Los Angeles,” he added, since, in his opinion, it should be the authorities of each country who decide “freely” whether to attend or not. to that appointment, scheduled this time for June 8 and 10.
The Mexican went further and underlined his commitment to insist that the US “lift the blockade”, which would facilitate the resumption of cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
López Obrador described Fidel Castro as a “giant” and stressed that he never bet or would bet on “the failure of the Cuban Revolution” nor would he support “coup plotters” who conspire against it. However, he urged the authorities that “the revolution be capable of renewing itself” and considered that “in Cuba things are being done with that purpose.”
The Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal, highlighted – when justifying the granting of the order – López Obrador’s “valuable contributions” for the benefit of the Latin American peoples, as well as his efforts to strengthen the unity of the region.
The order, Vidal added, expresses the “sincere affection of the Cuban people for their tenacity and decisive contribution in deepening historical ties” to both nations, in addition to their “firm defense of just causes, peace and cooperation.”
The visit of the Mexican president occurs just hours after the explosion at the Saratoga hotel, which so far has recorded the death of 30 people, 19 missing and more than 84 injured
With this act, the public agenda of López-Obrador’s visit to Havana concluded, where two agreements were also signed to strengthen bilateral relations in health matters and, especially, in the confrontation of covid-19.
López Obrador arrived in Havana this Saturday, where he was received by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, but began this Sunday to develop his official agenda.
The Mexican president began the day on Sunday with a floral offering at the Monument to José Martí in the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana. Díaz-Canel then received the Mexican at the Palace of the Revolution with military honors. A bilateral meeting was then held, which was later joined by members of both cabinets.
The visit of the Mexican president takes place just hours after the explosion at the Saratoga hotel, which so far has registered the death of 30 people, 19 missing and more than 84 injured. López Obrador arrives at a time when the citizen pressure inside and outside the Island to declare national mourning.
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