Havana, Cuba.- The president of the National Assembly of People’s Power, Esteban Lazo Hernández, sent a message of congratulations to the African peoples, on behalf of the Cuban deputies, on the occasion of Africa Day, celebrated this May 25.

The message emphasizes that the event is “as significant for that continent as it is for Cuba, because of the deep ties that unite us” and recognizes that “African heritage is a fundamental part of our culture, our beliefs and our customs.”

Esteban Lazo highlighted transcendental facts of history that have cemented the friendship between both peoples. Among them, he says: “Cuba feels proud and at the same time honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to the struggles against colonialism and racism in Africa. More than 300,000 Cuban internationalist fighters fought against injustice and domination in the continent, of which more than 2,000 lost their lives. On African soil, Cuban and African blood mixed, a bond that unites us forever.”

The president of the National Assembly of People’s Power recalled the internationalist example of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, when he announced the sending of the first medical mission to the continent to help the brotherly people of Algeria, a collaboration that was strengthened over the years in the region. “Today there are around 6,000 Cuban collaborators working in 32 countries in the region, the vast majority of whom are health professionals, a sector that is now being strengthened in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”