Souls

Several meetings have been held between the President of Russia and Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution. Photo: Albi

 When feelings mediate, when in spite of very different landscapes and customs, the souls of two nations seek and understand each other in an admirable way, it can be said that we are facing a twinning, a closeness that cannot be diminished by any mishap. This is the case of the embrace, so heartfelt and firm, that Cuba and Russia are giving each other, two homelands that in decades of relations have lived a very rich common history.

It is worth remembering now November 22, 2022. It was three o'clock in the afternoon and the temperature was almost ten degrees below zero in the Sokol neighborhood in Moscow, when the monument dedicated to Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz was inaugurated, and where dignitaries Vladimir Putin and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez met.
Outdoors, the cold turned off cell phones, but in Sokol the warmth of feelings forced to be awake and attentive: "The ties between Russia and Cuba are indestructible. Fidel founded their bases, Raúl developed them, and we will give them continuity", expressed President Diaz-Canel; and he also assured that the Eurasian nation "knows that it will be able to continue counting on Cuba."
Everything became shocking when, in a land so distant from Cuba, and yet so dear, the 26th of July March was heard. History emerged with its dazzling transcendence. Fidel was the reason for that encounter. He was no longer alive and yet the results of his robust seeds of friendship provoked admiration.
Fidel, his metallic figure -looking forward and dressed in his combatant suit- worked the magic of the confluence of two statesmen. The host was the first to speak: "We are gathered here, in the square that bears the name of Fidel Castro, to inaugurate a monument to this outstanding public and political personality, the founder of the modern Cuban State".
The President said that "Fidel Castro dedicated his entire life to the struggle for the triumph of ideas of good, peace, justice, for the freedom of oppressed peoples, for a dignified life for ordinary people, for social equality"; that "he is rightly considered one of the most brilliant and charismatic leaders of the 20th century". He defined him as a legendary personality, as the symbol of an entire epoch.
Putin even recalled "a famous Soviet song: Cuba, my love", to emphasize the affection that the island inspires in the Eurasian country. And he went on with magnificent definitions, such as the one according to which Fidel possessed powerful energy and will that "attracted and continue to attract like a magnet".
The Russian-Cuban friendship bequeathed by Fidel Castro is the common wealth of our peoples, he affirmed; and enunciated with emphasis: "Together we will continue to strengthen our alliance, defending the values of freedom, equality, and justice".
On that occasion, President Díaz-Canel recalled that the figure of Fidel Castro "is intimately linked to the friendship that for more than 60 years has been forged between our two peoples and governments". He referred to the admiration that the Commander-in-Chief felt for that nation that knew how to take human beings to the cosmos, and that showed an immense capacity for sacrifice when confronting fascist forces.
He recalled the beautiful words written on behalf of the Russian people by President Vladimir Putin upon Fidel's death: Fidel Castro was a sincere friend on whom Russia could rely, and he made an enormous contribution to the formation and development of Russian-Cuban relations, to the close strategic cooperation in all fields.
There are many beautiful examples that demonstrate the powerful magnet that unites the two countries. In that visit of the Cuban leader to Russia, in November 2022, another transcendental meeting took place: the dignitary was received by His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, at the Danilovsk Monastery, seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. And there, an unforgettable gesture took place: Díaz-Canel reiterated to his important host "our eternal gratitude for the proposal you made for the historic meeting with Pope Francis in Cuba in February 2016".
Thanks to that proposal by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the largest of the Antilles became a scenario of reconciliation, in a space where, thanks to the meeting of the highest figures of the two churches, a millenary disagreement was overcome.
His Holiness Kirill said in that November: "We Christians know that strength is in the truth, and that Cuba continues its independent and sovereign existence, despite all the external pressure, confirms it".
Such a "beautiful history of relations...". In such terms President Diaz-Canel Bermúdez has referred to the friendship between Cuba and Russia. He has even spoken about the way in which those ties have been strengthened, which have reached the most diverse spheres and "have gone through political and economic-commercial relations, but have also reached family relations, friendship, brotherhood, solidarity and cooperation". And when we dwell on this history, it is so beautiful - said the President - that it can captivate young people; and what better luck than to captivate young people - he proposed - so that they feel responsible for making these relations grow and give continuity to them.
The 65th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the then Soviet Union will be celebrated this May 8. The nascent Revolution and the first socialist state on the planet resumed ties, interrupted in 1952 by the dictator Fulgencio Batista, and began together the path marked by admiration, respect and affection.
Today, bilateral relations are excellent, with solid historical foundations, as well as an undoubted priority given by both governments. It is a friendship that understands a lot about resistance, and also about love for what is worthy.
The fraternal ties overcame the disintegration of the Soviet Union and received a new impulse after the arrival of Vladimir Putin to the highest office of the Eurasian giant. The last few years have witnessed the growth and diversification of bilateral relations. The visits to Russia by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, in his capacity as President of the Councils of State and Ministers, and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, since he became head of the Cuban State, the constant exchange of delegations at the highest level and cooperation in areas such as energy, metallurgy, transportation, tourism, climate change, biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry, confirm this.
A moment of particular significance in the ties was the entry of Cuba -on December 11, 2020, and as an observer state- to the Eurasian Economic Union, an important space that brings together several of the nations that were part of the former USSR.
Bilateral ties between the largest of the Antilles and Russia are significant for Cuba's Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030, in key sectors which, in turn, provide opportunities for Russian companies.
This, Miguel Díaz-Canel's fifth visit to the Eurasian nation as a dignitary, is part of the joint efforts to continue consolidating the high level of political-diplomatic dialogue, the bonds of friendship between both peoples, to pay tribute to the fallen in the Great Patriotic War -on the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory-, as well as the purpose of raising economic, trade, financial and cooperation relations to the excellent level of political and diplomatic ties.
On that cold November afternoon in 2022, when the monument to the Commander-in-Chief was inaugurated, the President of the Russian Federation told citizens of his nation and Cubans present at the ceremony that he had the good fortune to meet Fidel repeatedly, to have long talks with him -the last one in July 2014-. From such closeness, he said, he was "impressed by his encyclopedic knowledge, his deep worldview of events, his sharp mind and accurate assessments", and his deep friendship with the Eurasian nation, which he visited for the first time in 1963, and to which he went "at any time: in summer, in winter, with or without snow".
It seems that those long talks have not come to an end, and that they are having new architects, both on a snowy night and on a morning of burning sun. That will continues to unite souls, and in that union, both the heroic Caribbean Island and the immense Russia find their best voice and disposition.

Photo: Albi

Photo: Albi

Photo: Albi