Harare, Zimbabwe.- The Zimbabwean press highlights on Tuesday the work of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the impact of his life on the African continent, on the occasion of the second anniversary of his death.

The Legacy of Fidel Vive, published by The Herald newspaper, contains an extensive interview with the Cuban ambassador in this country, Carmelina Ramirez, who addressed the work of this man who said ‘he dedicated his life to fighting for social justice and for education with a new sense of humanism, sacrifice and solidarity ‘.

Fidel is an icon of the Cuban Revolution that left a permanent mark on his people thanks to his prodigious intelligence, vision, rebellious nature, sense of justice and honor, committed to the struggle for justice and humanism, the diplomat said. Cuba is today a model, she added, because of its social standards of life, free access to education, health systems and social welfare for all its citizens without any discrimination despite the economic blockade of the United States since 1962.

In answering a question about what lesson Cuba, Zimbabwe and Africa have learned from Fidel’s revolutionary life, Ramirez pointed out his sense of freedom, social justice, solidarity and internationalism.

He recalled that the first contribution of Cuba in Africa was not in Angola, but in Algeria, where the first doctors attended and stressed that his country has offered its solidarity to the Third World countries by sending thousands of doctors, as well as offering education to tens of thousands of young people from those nations.

This is Fidel’s legacy, to defend our independence at any cost, said the Ambassador, who reiterated that Fidel is an icon of the century, a man of great will and serious convictions about humanism.

About the criterion of some according to which the African continent has forgotten Cuba despite its military and diplomatic contribution to the liberation struggles in this region of the world, Ramirez pointed out that there are excellent relations between his country and Africa.

Africa has not forgotten Cuba, that is not true, said the diplomat who said that her country receives African solidarity in several forums. In particular, he referred to the fact that all the nations of this continent support Cuba in the battle against the blockade of the United States.

The Ambassador recalled that part of the roots of Cuba are in Africa, from where many came to that Caribbean country as slaves and fought for the independence of the island. Fidel said that Cuba paid a debt to Africa when it referred to acts of solidarity with Cuba. the continent, he added.

Regarding relations between Zimbabwe and Cuba, the diplomat described them as excellent, although she admitted that more can be done to develop these ties and announced that work is being done in this regard through a group of programs.

He stressed that the largest bilateral cooperation is in the health sector, which dates back to 1987, with medical brigades that are relieved every three years, and that between his dreams to achieve during his stay as head of the Cuban diplomatic mission in Zimbabwe is improving collaboration in the sports sector.

There are also great possibilities in tourism, he said.