In a message on Wednesday to President Miguel Diaz-Canel, the Angolan head of State highlighted the effort and resilience of the Cuban people in the defense of sovereignty, freedom and justice, despite their economic hardships.

Lourenço’s letter praised the path taken by Angola and Cuba in recent decades, with achievements that honor the men and women who had fought side by side for the preservation of freedom, independence and sovereignty of their respective nations.

The Angola president pointed out that since his country’s independence in 1975, Cuba has been a strategic partner, and recalled the contribution of Cuban forces in the struggle against the South African racist regime.

Cubans have trained many Angolan leaders. Furthermore, the country expects to be more involved in economic cooperation with Angola since both nations have been connected by a link that dates back to February 1976 with collaboration in health care and education.

On July 26, Cuba celebrates seven decades of the attacks on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes garrisons in eastern Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, respectively, which marked the beginning of the revolutionary fight, led by Fidel Castro, against Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship (1952-1959).

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