On his Twitter account, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote: “It is with deep pain that we learned about the death of Alicia Jrapko, a close friend of Cuba and a consecrated defender of just causes.”

The foreign minister recalled that “her support for the fight for the return of the Five and for the end of the blockade was extraordinary. Heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.”

For his part, Rogelio Polanco, head of the Ideological Department at the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), described Jrapko as “an exceptional protagonist of solidarity with the Revolution” who will remain in the memory of Cubans.

Jrapko’s physical disappearance also impacted other nations, and from Argentina, the Club of Journalists Friends of Cuba (CAPAC) defined her as a bulwark in the defense of the Caribbean island from the United States.

Jrapko died this Wednesday in Oakland, California, after fighting for two years against a cruel disease that, however, did not prevent her from continuing expressing her love for Cuba until her last breath.

Writer, journalist and CAPAC President Stella Calloni pointed out that Alicia was a bulwark in the defense of Cuba in the United States, she challenged everything, a great human being with great humility.

Today all Cuba solidarity groups in Latin America pay tribute to her, who fought from the entrails of the monster, which makes her even greater. Until victory always dear Alicia, Calloni pointed out.

Jrapko was born on January 1, 1953 in Merlo, Buenos Aires province; She studied journalism, but the military dictatorship imposed in 1976 unleashed fierce repression and Alicia, due to her activism and militancy, had to go into exile that same year.

For several years she lived in Mexico and then settled in the United States, where she committed to the struggles of workers and to solidarity work with Cuba through IFCO-Pastors for Peace.

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