Monrovia– The Embassy of Cuba in Liberia marked the centennial anniversary of former President, Fidel Castro’s birth with a commemoration that highlighted decades of solidarity between the two nations, while recalling the life of one of the world’s longest‑serving and most recognizable leaders.
By Jaheim T. Tumu- [email protected]
The event, organized by the Cuban Embassy, was attended by senior Liberian officials, diplomats, and civil society leaders. It was not simply a memorial but a political statement, a reaffirmation of Liberia’s solidarity with Cuba and its demand for an end to the decades‑long U.S. embargo.
Castro’s Staying Power
Castro, former President of Cuba, was born in 1926 and rose to power after leading a revolutionary movement against the government at the age of 33. Love him or loathe him, Castro was truly remarkable.
His seizure of power in a popular revolution was a startlingly precocious act, and his maintenance of authority through five decades, 10 American presidencies, and what he claimed were 638 assassination attempts underscored his staying power and determination.
Despite criticism from his opponents, Cuba under Castro built one of the most impressive public health systems in the developing world and achieved educational results that rivaled those of Western Europe.
Statistics showed that with a fraction of the per capita income, Cuba’s infant mortality and longevity rates matched those of wealthier nations.
Thousands of medical practitioners graduated in Cuba every year, with many sent to more than 60 countries to provide aid and assistance.
Liberia and Cuba A Shared Path
Under Castro, Cuba established formal bilateral relations with Liberia in 1972 through the Non‑Aligned Movement, allowing both Third World nations to collaborate on global platforms despite vastly different economic systems.
Before the outbreak of Liberia’s civil war, Castro’s administration signed agreements to send Cuban teachers and doctors, alongside programs designed to help protect Liberia’s wetlands and natural resources.
Though conflict halted these plans, the framework allowed cooperation to resume quickly once peace was restored. That cooperation was most visible during Liberia’s hour of greatest distress in 2014, when the Cuban government deployed a specialized 53‑member medical brigade to Monrovia at the height of the Ebola outbreak.
Consisting of epidemiologists, intensive care specialists, surgeons, and pediatricians from Cuba’s Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade, the team operated the largest Ebola Treatment Unit at the former Ministry of Defense compound.
They worked around the clock with Liberian and international partners to help eradicate the virus from the country.
Cuba also extended its solidarity through education. The Cuba‑Liberia Scholarship Plan provided fully funded opportunities for low‑income Liberian youth. Dozens of students traveled to Havana to graduate as doctors, health technicians, sports specialists, and engineers, returning home to strengthen Liberia’s healthcare and institutional capacity.
Castro’s influence extended beyond Cuba’s borders. In southern Africa, Cuba’s intervention in Angola in 1975 repelled a South African invasion and ensured that the MPLA, rather than its rival UNITA, took control of Luanda. More than a decade later, Castro personally directed strategy during the confrontation at Cuito Cuanavale in 1988.
That battle became part of a chain of events leading to talks on Cuba’s withdrawal from Angola, Namibia’s independence, and the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Mandela himself later attributed his release from prison and the defeat of apartheid to the events at Cuito Cuanavale.
Argüelles-Dignity and Humanism
Cuba’s Ambassador to Liberia, Dr. Indira López Argüelles, offered a sweeping reflection on Castro’s legacy, weaving together history, humanism, and Cuba’s enduring ties with Liberia.
She quoted Cuban national hero José Martí: “When there are many men without dignity, there are always others, who embody the dignity of many men.” Argüelles described Castro as a leader who rose above privilege to fight injustice.
“He knew how to rise above his wealthy and noble upbringing to lift up the people of Cuba and millions more across the entire planet against ignorance, injustice, oppression, exploitation, and squalor,” she said.
She emphasized that Cuba’s solidarity was not abstract but practical. “Our revolution was conceived with the humble, for the humble, and by the humble,” she said. “For more than 10 years, we have welcomed Liberian students, trained professionals, and our doctors have stood ready to support this small sister nation.”
Argüelles also warned of modern challenges echoing Castro’s earlier warnings. “They are already stealing our resources; now they also want to steal our water and pollute our skies. The insatiable thirst for wealth has only led us to the brink of extinction,” she said, recalling Castro’s speech at the Rio Summit.
She tied Cuba’s solidarity to a universal aspiration. “We pay tribute to Fidel today because he embodies the dreams of freedom, sovereignty, dignity, development, and prosperity that all Liberian men and women and people around the world aspire to and dream of for their lands, their peoples, and their families.”
Liberia’s Tribute
Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Dr. Ibrahim Nyei, Deputy declared that Fidel Castro “embodies the dreams of freedom, sovereignty, dignity, development, and prosperity that all Liberian men and women and people around the world aspire to,” as Liberia marked the centennial of the Cuban leader’s birth.
Nyei reaffirmed his Liberia’s position on Cuba’s economic challenges, stressing that Liberia continues to support Havana’s right to self‑determination.
“On the political and economic situation in Cuba, relating to the sanctions currently against this country, Liberia has continued to stand by the people of Cuba in asserting their right to self‑determination and calling for the lifting of all sanctions that continue to undermine their economy and social services,” Nyei said.
He added that Liberia’s stance aligns with broader international calls, including those from the African Union and the United Nations General Assembly.
“Liberia will continue to support this UN General Assembly Resolution, and in line with our bilateral ties and our principles of solidarity and freedom for all peoples, Liberia will continue to cooperate with other member states of the United Nations to support and end all embargoes and sanctions against the people of Cuba,” Nyei said.
He said Cuba’s sacrifices in Africa remain etched in history. “The affirmed belief in human freedom, justice, racial equality, and self-determination, as taught by the great Fidel Castro, led Cuba to support independent struggles across Africa, a cause for which they spent enormous resources, and a cause for which many of their soldiers and citizens died,” he said.
“This contribution will never be forgotten by us, the people of Africa.”Nyei urged that Castro’s legacy must be carried forward through solidarity.
“Therefore, the greatest legacy we can all pay to figure out is to stand in frank solidarity with people still under the bondage of colonial and imperial rule, and to continue to support their legitimate cause for freedom, sovereignty, and human dignity,” he said.
Nyei highlighted Cuba’s role in Liberia’s health sector, noting that Cuban training programs have produced doctors now serving in Liberian hospitals.
“This support has focused mainly on training doctors for our country, and as we speak today, we have seen medical students in training in Cuba, and a good number of our doctors currently in our hospitals were trained in Cuba,” Nyei said.
Liberian Reflections
Former Liberian Foreign Affairs Minister Olubanke King‑Akerele added that Cuba’s medical solidarity has been vital for Liberia.
“Many Liberians have also received education and professional training in Cuba and have returned home to serve their nation with distinction. Their contribution continues to enrich our institutions and strengthen our national development,” she said.
King‑Akerele said Cuba’s example shows that nations are remembered not only for what they build within their borders but for what they contribute to humanity.
“Great nations are remembered not only for what they build within their own borders, but also for what they contribute beyond them,” she said.
She said anniversaries are not just about remembrance but about asking deeper questions of contribution and solidarity.
“His life continues to inspire discussion because it was rooted in enduring questions of national sovereignty, social justice, education, health care, and the belief that nations, regardless of their size or wealth, share responsibility to stand in solidarity with one another,” she said.
She said Castro’s legacy to Liberia’s own journey from conflict to resilience. “Ours is a nation that has walked this difficult path from conflict to peace, from vigilance to resilience. We know that lasting progress is built through friendship, mutual respect, and partnership that places Cuba at the center of the development,” she said.
