Cuba Marks 20th Anniversary of Decisive Battle in Angola
“We today reaffirm the sacred commitment of defending the essential values of our revolution and those of socialism with the same firmness as that shown at Cuito Cuanavale,” said Division General Samuel Rodiles Planas. The hero of the Republic of Cuba and the last chief of the Cuban military mission in Angola made his statements in a ceremony marking the twentieth anniversary of that historical battle.
The commemoration that took place in the Universal Room of FAR, and was presided over by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, who is also president of the Council of State and of Ministries.
Also present were members of the Political Bureau of the party, Commandant of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque and the generals of army corps; FAR Minister Julio Marries Regueiro; and Abelardo Colomé Ibarra, minister of the Interior. Likewise, the diplomatic corps accredited in Cuba also attended, as did special invitees representing the internationalist soldiers of Cuito Cuanavale, along with war correspondents who participated there, and families of Cuban soldiers who died in the effort.
Division General Samuel Rodiles Planas described the battle of Cuito Cuanavale as the greatest Cuban military operations in the years of internationalist military assistance.
He asserted that South Africa and the United States launched the most threatening blow there against the Angolan troops, which were advancing through the south, though Cuba responded immediately to the urgent call of the government of that fraternal nation.
“We disembarked for the southwest of Angola, while 800 kilometers to the southeast several of our best units advanced toward Cuito Cuanavale. They prepared a mortal trap against the South African forces of colonialism and apartheid. At that time, we deployed some 55,000 Cuban internationalist fighters to assist Angola.
“Our first memory is for those who fell in combat there, to the heroes who survived and for the relatives, who always knew how to support them.”
Also speaking at the ceremony were Ambassador Antonio José Condesse de Carvalho (Angola), Ambassador Claudia Grace Uushona (Namibia) and Ambassador Thenjiwe Mtintso (South Africa).
“When the Cuban troops advanced with all their force, the foreign aggression was halted,” emphasized Condesse de Carvalho. “The Cuban people are in the heart of each Namibian, and you will always have the love, loyalty and gratefulness of our people,” assured Ambassador Grace Uushona; while Ambassador Mtintso expressed: “Although Fidel said that the internationalism of Cuban people was to pay back its own debt to humanity, we give thanks to him and to the Cuban people.”
A taste of Cuban culture was added to the commemoration with a performance by the Ballet of Cuban Television and the Havana Sonantas Guitar Group.
