President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela met with Fidel Castro of Cuba on Saturday. The meeting of the two leaders in Havana coincided with the 60th anniversary of the event that started the Cuban revolution, the assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Garrison. The Venezuelan president arrived on Thursday to attend the formal ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the assault on the barracks. The event was led by Raul Castro, the incumbent Cuban president.
The Latin American dream
Fidel Castro, the former strongman of Cuba is turning 87 in August. He is seen in public very rarely since he was diagnosed in 2006 with an intestinal condition. Nevertheless, the state media of Cuba showed photos of Fidel Castro with President Maduro. President Maduro and the older Castro discussed the struggle that revolutionaries went through. The two also talked about the work that Hugo Chavez has done just to unite Latin America in accordance with the dream of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator.
Fidel Castro and President Maduro also discussed pertinent global issues such as peace, climate change, and food security. Castro was particularly concerned about rising ocean levels and its serious consequences on humanity.
An exchange of tokens
“Cubadebate,” the official site of the government of Cuba revealed that President Maduro presented Fidel Castro with a painting made by the deceased leader of Venezuela Hugo Chavez while the latter was confined in a Havana hospital. President Maduro also presented the Cuban leader with a book, which contains an interview with Castro conducted years back by the French author and intellectual, Ignacio Ramonet. The book is entitled “Mi Primera Vida” or “My First Life.”
In turn, the aged Castro presented Maduro with a letter meant for the heads of state who attended the celebration.
“I Lived to Fight”
The contents of the letter that Fidel Castro presented to President Maduro were published by the Cuban newspaper, “Juventud Rebelde.” The letter was entitled, “I Lived to Fight” and presented an argument on Cuba’s behalf with regard to a recent Panama Canal scandal.
A historic meeting
In a more recent interview, the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro referred to the meeting with Fidel Castro as truly historic. Maduro expressed admiration for Castro and declared that the Cuban leader’s ideas remain undefeated even in his advanced age.
Photo Credit: Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google+
LinkedIn
Email