Vice President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the support of South Africa to the struggle for lifting the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed to Cuba by the United States for more than 50 years.
We want the blockade to be eliminated, Ramaphosa told exclusively Prensa Latina at the end of a meeting with the Cuban Council of State’ Vice President Salvador Valdes who is on an official visit until today in South Africa, where he is attending the 25th African Union (AU) Summit.
The South African vice president said that talking with Valdes in the context of the AU Summit was a pleasure, ”which was used to link Cuba much more with Africa.”
He also stated that they are working for a successful visit to South Africa of the five Cuban counter-terrorist fighters, invited to the African National Congress (ANC) from June 21 to July 3.
”We support the five Cuban heroes,” stressed Ramaphosa summaring his country’s contribution to the international campaign for the release of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez.
During the fraternal exchange both leaders held yesterday, they reinforced the historic ties that join Cuba and South Africa.
Valdes thanked the attention and hospitality given here and conveyed greetings from the the country’s top authorities.
He also explained the bilateral project and stressed that the exchanges with different South African authorities allowed him monitoring cooperation programs.
The Council of State vice president passed on Ramaphosa the gratitude to South Africa for its unconditional support in the struggle against the blockade and for the release of the Cuban coutner-terrorist fighters.
Valdes arrived in South Africa on June 12 on an official visit to attend the top-level segment of the AU Summit.
Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Teresita Gonzalez, the official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Meylin Suarez, and Cuban Ambassadors to Ethiopia and South Africa, Juan Manuel Rodriguez and Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, respectively, came along with Valdes.
More than 40 heads of State and Government of Africa attended the 25th Summit at the Conference Center in Sandton, in Johannesburg.
(Prensa Latina)