Barinas,Venezuela.- Activities to celebrate the 90th birthday of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro in Venezuela began Monday in Barinas, the home state of Bolivarian leader, the late Hugo Chávez.

A panel discussion entitled: “Fidel Castro, Five Stripes and a Star” was held at the Casa del Alba Cultural Center in Venezuela, the first of a series of actions through August 13th –Fidel’s birthday- to honor the Cuban leader.

In his opening remarks, Adán Chávez, Barinas governor and brother of the late Bolivarian Comandante said: “Fidel is the father of many generations of Latin American revolutionaries, just as he is of the Cuban Revolution, of his people and of his friend, Hugo Chávez.”

The Venezuelan official said it was very difficult to talk about Fidel or Chavez without mentioning the other, noting that the Cuban leader was like a father for the Bolivarian Chavez and Chavez was also like a son for the Cuban revolutionary leader. He added: “As happens in all great father-son relationships, Fidel and Chavez then became best friends.”

Participants in Monday’s panel discussion included Cuba friends, political and community leaders, musicians, poets, and Cuban professionals offering their services in Venezuela on cooperation programs.

A photo exhibition entitled ‘Comandante Amigo’, was also inaugurated Monday, featuring photos of the Cuban leader by renowned photographers Liborio Noval, Osvaldo Salas, René Rodríguez, Cándido Moyo and Félix Gerardy.

The exhibition includes pieces of great artistic value and others taken at important moments of the Cuban Revolution, such as Fidel’s meeting in a Mexican prison with Ernesto Guevara ‘Che’ before the Granma yacht’s departure. Also included are photos taken during the interview Fidel granted to U.S. journalist Herbert Matthews in the Sierra Maestra and photos of Fidel and Chávez during the founding of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).