The Cuban ambassador in Ecuador, Basilio Gutiérrez, recalled the historic relations between the two countries, to which Fidel Castro contributed notably. He reminisced the years when Cuban rebels were fighting in the Sierra Maestra Mountains, a time when students from the Central University of Ecuador supported the Cuban struggle by collecting funds for the combatants.

He also referred to the role of the Ecuadorian journalist Carlos Bastidas, who interviewed Fidel during the leader’s period in the mountains and collaborated in the creation of the Cuban radio station Radio Rebelde.

Gutiérrez also mentioned the close friendship between Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín and Fidel Castro, an described it as a symbol of the cultural ties between both nations.

In particular, he highlighted Fidel’s support for the completion of the Capilla del Hombre, a masterpiece by Guayasamín completed in 2002, an occasion for which the Cuban leader visited Ecuador for the third time.

The ambassador also referred to his other visits to Ecuadorian territory in 1972, 1988 and 2003, moments in which he spoke with the successive Ecuadorian presidents, José Velasco Ibarra, Rodrigo Borja and Lucio Gutiérrez.

This showed his ability to relate to different sectors, regardless of their ideological position, the diplomatic praised.

He highlighted as well the programs promoted by Fidel such as Operation Miracle, an initiative to perform eye surgery on thousands of people from different countries, and the granting of free scholarships that allowed more than 2,400 Ecuadorians to graduate from medicine in Cuba.

“Fidel continues to be a paradigm of freedom and justice for us, an example to follow in the fight to achieve equality,” said the diplomat.

Friends from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, Canada and the United States joined the virtual conference, organized by the Ecuadorian Coordinator of Friendship and Solidarity with Cuba.

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