2023-04-25 19:47:21
With the death today at the age of 96 of the renowned American actor and musician Harry Belafonte, Cuba loses a great friend, always willing to save the ties of friendship between the peoples of both nations.
Despite the hostility that has characterized the policies of the different administrations of the United States in the last six decades, the award-winning artist was one of the forerunners of the bridges of solidarity with the Caribbean island and the strengthening of ties between its intellectuals.
On July 23, 2020, he was awarded the Friendship Medal, awarded by the Cuban State, which served to recognize the many moments of his long and prolific life in which he shared luck, convictions, and destiny with the Cuban people.
A dear friend of #Fidel and of #Cuba has died: #HarryBelafonte, great American artist and activist who stood up for justice like a true revolutionary. Let’s sing “We are The World”, an anthem against hunger that was his idea, to celebrate his precious life. pic.twitter.com/6tgci3UX2X
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) April 25, 2023
On that occasion, the then Cuban ambassador to the United States, José Ramón Cabañas, said: “This distinction constitutes recognition of his trajectory of solidarity with Cuba and his respect and admiration for the Cuban revolutionary process.”
Born on March 1, 1927, in New York City, the social activist is also considered a source of inspiration for many artists and fighters for justice in his country.
Belafonte traveled to Cuba both as an artist in his youth, before the revolutionary triumph of January 1, 1959, and later, starting in 1979, the latter visits in which he met more than once with Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, with whom he had a very close relationship for several years.
A sign of his support for Cuba were his words at the beginning of the rally at the Church of Reconciliation, New York, on September 27, 2003, when he called for the release of five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters under long sentences in the United States.
That day he stated: “What is happening with our policy against Cuba is not the American style, it is not the true voice of the American people, it is not the true voice of those of us who deeply, deeply believe in the rights of all peoples, and the freedom of all people and in democracy”, he expressed.
And later he said: “(…) There is a lot about the Cuban government, the Cuban people and what they have achieved, that many of us here are still trying to achieve.”
Regarding his support for Cuba, Martin Luther King Jr.’s comrade in struggle expressed: “I do not see it as a supreme effort, it is a way of life: if you believe in freedom, if you believe in justice, if you believe in democracy , if you believe in the rights of people, if you believe in the harmony of all humanity”.
(Taken from Latin Press)
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