Secretary General of FRELIMO visits Cuba

Chakil Aboobacar's inaugural visit to Cuba as the Secretary General of the Mozambique Liberation Front coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Mozambique, the 63rd anniversary of FRELIMO's founding, and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Mozambique.

Photos: Vladimir Molina

By Katherin Hormigó Rubio, translated from the Spanish

With a warm and brotherly embrace, Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee (CCPCC), greeted Chakil Aboobacar, Secretary General of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), and the accompanying delegation on Saturday. The meeting was held at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.

During the meeting, Morales Ojeda emphasized that the ties between the PCC and FRELIMO have been longstanding, rooted in strong friendships developed during the fight against colonialism and the comradeship between Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz and Mozambican leader Samora Machel.

This is Chakil Aboobacar's first visit to Cuba as Secretary General of the Mozambique Liberation Front, and is marked by the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Mozambique, the 63rd anniversary of the founding of FRELIMO and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Mozambique.

The Secretary of Organization of the CCPCC conveyed his pleasure in welcoming the FRELIMO leader and in further strengthening ties of friendship and solidarity.

He also expressed gratitude to FRELIMO and the government of Mozambique for their support and opposition to the economic, commercial, and financial blockade that has been imposed on Cuba for over sixty years by the most powerful superpower in history, as well as for opposing Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Secretary General of FRELIMO stated that, despite challenges and the blockade, the Cuban people, the Party, and the Revolution remain resolute. This is the reason they have come to reaffirm their solidarity. "We came to strengthen relations with friendly parties," he mentioned.

It is important to highlight that Fidel Castro's visit to Mozambique in March 1977, as the leader of the Cuban Revolution, initiated Cuba's cooperation with the country.

The impact was clear in 1977, when the first group of Mozambican children and young people came to Cuba. This was due to President Samora Machel's request to Fidel Castro to have the new generations educated in Cuba.

Another instance of solidarity occurred in September 2018 with the inauguration of the "Fidel Castro Village" in the Xai-Xai district of Gaza province. This event symbolized the affection and respect that FRELIMO and the Mozambican people held for the Commander-in-Chief.

In August 2023, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the PCC Central Committee and President of the Republic of Cuba, made a working visit to Mozambique.

The meeting was attended by members of the CCPCC Secretariat, department heads, and officials from the Department of International Relations.

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC