In Belgium, love and solidarity for Cuba

 HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 17 (ACN) A few hours after arriving in Brussels, Belgium, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, held a meeting with more than 200 representatives of his compatriots living in Europe, solidarity movements with Cuba, the Cuban embassy, and the Cuban delegation attending the Summit of the People in that city.

The activity, which took place on Sunday, was the first of the Cuban President in Brussels, after his arrival from Portugal to participate in the 3rd Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)-European Union (EU), and in the Summit of the People.

The Cuban Presidency, on its website, described the exchange as warm, family-like and very intimate, and pointed out that it was also marked by admiration and respect for the Caribbean nation.

We are all one family, and we are very grateful and satisfied to have a family like yours, reflected the head of state, and then highlighted the understanding of the situation Cuba is going through right now, and how you continue showing support and faith in the Revolution.

Diaz-Canel explained in detail how much the economic situation in Cuba became more complex from the second half of 2019, when the U.S. government took to the maximum expression its intention to choke the people and seek a social outbreak.

In his words, the president referred to the difficult days of the COVID-19 pandemic, to the dedication of the Health personnel, both in the national territory and in other parts of the world, as well as to the development of own vaccines, a fact that allowed the feat of carrying out an unprecedented vaccination campaign in the country.

On a concept that has been put into practice in Cuba in recent years, that of creative resistance, he said that it is not only to resist the blockade, but to do things that develop the country, to create with talent and own effort.

The Cuban President stressed that those present are also part of that creative resistance: those living abroad, who have not broken with Cuba or their families; diplomats, comrades in solidarity; and those who will represent the Revolution at the Peoples' Summit.

He assured that at the 3rd Celac-EU Summit, Cuba will not allow meddling in its internal affairs, will not allow singularizations of its reality, nor that of any other country, and will defend its convictions.

At the meeting, the vice-president of "Los Amigos de Cuba", Freddy Tack, acknowledged that the island is "an example of international solidarity, a small Caribbean country that sets an example for all the people of the world".

Loraine Gonzalez Arroyo, a Cuban resident in Belgium, spoke of the honor for her to participate in the exchange, and assured that there are thousands of children of the Caribbean island in the European country who remain committed to their homeland.

For his part, Raoul Hedebouw, president of the Workers' Party of Belgium, ratified the support of that political party to Cuba, and pointed out that the Caribbean country represents the flame, the hope, the proof that a different world is possible, that a better world is possible.
Diaz-Canel arrived in Belgium on Sunday after having carried out a busy work agenda in Portugal since July 13.

Cuban delegation is also composed of foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez and vice minister of foreign trade and investment, Ana Teresita Gonzalez, as well as other officials.