Inauguration of the bus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cuban President's visit to the liberated zone of South Vietnam

On the morning of September 30, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Consulate General of the Republic of Cuba in Ho Chi Minh City held the inauguration ceremony of a bus commemorating the 50th anniversary of Cuban President Fidel Castro's visit to the Southern Liberation Zone of Vietnam in Quang Tri province (September 1973 - September 2023).

Ông Phan Nguyễn Như Khuê (phải), Trưởng Ban Tuyên giáo Thành ủy Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh tặng hoa chúc mừng ông Rene Antonio Mesa Villafana (trái), Bộ trưởng Bộ Xây dựng Cuba. Ảnh: Xuân Khu-TTXVN

Mr. Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue (right), Head of the Propaganda Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, presented flowers to congratulate Mr. Rene Antonio Mesa Villafana (left), Minister of Construction of Cuba, at the inauguration ceremony of the bus commemorating the 50th anniversary of Cuban President Fidel Castro's visit to the Southern Liberation Zone of Vietnam in Quang Tri province. (Source: VNA)

At the ceremony, recalling the visit of late leader Fidel Castro to the Southern Vietnam Liberation Zone in Quang Tri 50 years ago, Ms. Ariadne Feo Labrda, Consul General of Cuba in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that late leader Fidel Castro was the first and only head of state in the world to visit the Southern Vietnam Liberation Zone and his presence became a symbol for the liberation forces when the war had not yet ended.

The visit of leader Fidel Castro showed the world that Vietnam is not alone and affirmed the unconditional support of the Cuban people. Fidel Castro's vision of the importance of unification and the work done by the international solidarity movement for the Vietnamese cause were a great support for the Vietnamese people in their just struggle for independence.

The Cuban Consul General said that Cuba was the first country to have an Ambassador to the Provisional Government of South Vietnam, in the middle of the jungle of Tay Ninh province. On August 3, 1982, Cuba opened its Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and since then, relations between Cuba and the City have been developed in many fields, enriching the political relationship, solidarity and cooperation in many areas of mutual interest between the two countries.

Mr. Rene Antonio Mesa Villafana, Minister of Construction of Cuba, expressed his honor to be present at the program commemorating the visit of leader Fidel Castro to the liberated zone of Southern Vietnam. He shared: Fidel Castro taught us to love Vietnam through solidarity, loyalty and mutual assistance in all circumstances. The struggle of the Vietnamese people is not only for independence for the Vietnamese people but also for the world revolutionary movement and the liberation of peoples. Vietnam has been and is an example and a source of encouragement in Cuba's struggle.

The Cuban Minister of Construction said that not only are relations between parties, economic-commercial relations or other social fields characteristic of the relationship between the two countries, but the two nations are also united by the spirit of independence and anti-imperialism forged by our heroes. Cuba-Vietnam relations are increasingly expanding in many areas of cooperation despite distance, economic difficulties and even during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Vietnam is Cuba's second trading partner and the largest foreign investor in the Asia-Pacific region. Bilateral high-level visits have helped maintain regular exchanges between representatives of various political and public organizations, allowing for continued dialogue between the two countries.

After the opening ceremony, Mr. Rene Antonio Mesa Villafana, Minister of Construction of Cuba, together with Mr. Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; the Consul General, representatives of consular delegations of countries in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives of a number of agencies, units, and socio-political organizations of Ho Chi Minh City participated in the city tour on two double-decker buses decorated with a picture of the late leader Fidel Castro raising the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam on Hill 241, Quang Tri province in September 1973.

The double-decker buses, with their historical images, are considered one of the immortal symbols of the exemplary relationship between Cuba and Vietnam, appearing on the main roads and historical attractions of Ho Chi Minh City to promote and visually propagate to the people and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City the special, close, and exemplary solidarity and friendship between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cuba.

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