By Alejandra Garcia on May 10, 2022
AMLO meets with Raul Castro
This weekend, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) made a historic visit to Cuba, which allowed both countries to strengthen their long-standing friendship. Although it was brief, it helped in showing Cubans and the world that this Caribbean island, blockaded and besieged by the United States, is not alone.
After his arrival in the capital Havana last Sunday, the Mexican leader was able to meet with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who seized the opportunity to award AMLO with the José Martí order, the highest Cuban distinction granted to foreign personalities.
During that meeting, the Mexican politician confirmed that Díaz-Canel is “an extraordinary president, honest, hard-working, and a very good person,” as he acknowledged this Tuesday during his traditional morning conference from the National Palace in Mexico City.
AMLO was brave to say so. He knows that the western ultra-right-wing will attack him for expressing appreciation towards the Cuban leader. Even so, he dared to say that, “We have always fought for equality, justice, and the people’s independence; and it would be very hypocritical not to recognize Cuba’s leadership in that path.”
As has done on many other occasions, the Mexican president unequivocally raised his voice in favor of the Cuban people. He rejected the U.S. interventionist attitude towards Cuba and condemned the unilateral measures promoted from Washington to asphyxiate the island and provoke a regime change.
The Mexican leader also held an intimate meeting with Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, who highlighted the relations of brotherhood between Mexico and Cuba as they recalled passages of both nations’ history.
A few hours after returning to his homeland, AMLO declared that he will not attend the Summit of the Americas to be held in June in Los Angeles, U.S., if all countries are not invited. This came a few days after the U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he would exclude nations such as Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela from the regional event.
“How will there be a ‘summit of the Americas’ without all the countries of the Americas?” the Mexican president wondered. “Is it possible to call it a ‘Summit of the Americas’ if nations from our continent are excluded? Are the uninvited countries from another continent, another galaxy, an unknown planet?” he said with perfect sarcasm.
“If the U.S. excludes those countries due to political reasons, a representation of the Mexican government will go to the event, but not me,” López Obrador said.
The Latin American president is in tune with the needs and sentiment of our continent who have had enough of the imperial arrogance. Mexico and Cuba are tired of the exclusionary policy that the White House has maintained in America during the last decades.
The Mexican president’s visit also served to strengthen health ties with the Caribbean Island, which is a regional healthcare paradigm. During AMLO’s visit, he asked Díaz-Canel for more health and scientific exchange between the two countries.
Thanks to this agreement, over 500 Cuban doctors will travel to Mexico to guarantee medical attention, medicines, studies and free clinical studies for those Mexicans who do not have social security coverage.
“Relations between Cuba and Mexico will continue to grow over the years. I keep the best memories of my trip to Havana and remain hopeful that a new revolution will occur within their Revolution. Cuba will be able to renew itself following the example of the martyrs who fought for the island’s freedom and justice,” AMLO said Tuesday from the National Palace, in Mexico City.
“I have conviction and faith that the Cuba government’s decisions are following that purpose. This is Cuba’s second great lesson for the world: Cuban people will once again prove that reason is more powerful than force,” he concluded.
Mexico is not a small country that can just be bullied Monroe Doctrine style and they have influence on the growing regional movement for mutual respect and unity. Tonight following AMLO’s lead Bolivian President Bolivia’s president Luis Arce announced that he too will not participate in the Summit of the Americas if the US excludes Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – English