The deacon of Latin American communists, Panamanian Ruben Sousa, reflected on his friendly and ideologic relation with deceased Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in a tribute ceremony held at the University of Panama (UP).
The ceremony gathered social, trade unión and political figures, summoned by student and popular organizations, among whih Polo Ciudadano, besides diplomats of Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and the Saharui Republic to pay tribute to whom they consider commander of Latin America, on his 91st birthday.
Sousa was the main speaker of the act, highlighting the human quality of the Cuban leader. ‘I was also attracted to him for his unconditional support to the Panamanian cause for freeing the Canal Zone, seizing it from the Pentagon and handing it to the Panamanian people’ he asserted.
Another youth speaking was Diana Batista, of the Coordinadora Nacional de Solidaridad con Cuba, who was present at the paranymph of the UP when Fidel visited them, in open defiance to the failed attempt on his life the Miami ultraright prepared at that place.
For his part, Cecilio Simons, of the digital newspaper Bayano, remembered his time of student leader, said ‘I studied at the University of Havana and there in Cuba we were all brothers. Then I must speak about that Fidel that convokes, ennobles the revolutionary struggle, without bias on our ideological or political preferences’, hwe reflected.
Professor Miguel Ángel Candanedo, in his words critically assessed the situation in Panama, where there was yesterday an excess by the Police with two university students and what he described as repression against teachers on strike in the western province of Chiriqui.
‘Where is Fidel?, he asked and answered: ‘Fidel is telling us it is time all the peoples of our America to stand up and not allow in any way that historical setback’.
In the name of Cuba spoke the charge d’affaires of the embassy of this country in Panama, Fidel Valdes, who thanked this tribute to the legendary guerrilla commander, who he described as creator of unity among the revolutionary forces, allowing the successive victories achieved by Cuba.
