HAVANA, Cuba.- At the end of the parade in Havana, Army General Raul Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Party’s Central committee, received the Lenin Prize given by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

When receiving the prize from the hands of Ivan Melnikov, First Vice-President of the state Duma and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Raul said he welcomed it on behalf of the people, the communist militants and as a recognition to the leadership of the Party.

The Army General reiterated Cuba will never forget the gratitude the Cuban revolutionaries owe to the Soviet Union and, in particular, to the heroic Russian people.

Raul recalled Fidel’s words when he said, Without the help of the Soviet Union, of all kinds, which we received, it was difficult, and however heroic it would have been the resistance of our people, to emerge victorious in all those difficult years.