The event, titled “Cuban Poets in Peruvian Voices,” was attended by members of the Peruvian chapter of the Network of Intellectuals in Defense of Humanity (REDH).
The tribute to the island’s poetry and music was led by distinguished poets Hildebrando Perez Grande—recipient of the 1978 Casa de las Americas Prize and coordinator of the aforementioned network in Peru—and Marco Martos, a member of REDH and a corresponding member of the Cuban Academy of Language.
The event was part of the Cuban Embassy’s program commemorating the Day of Cuban Culture, which is dedicated to the centenary of the birth of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.
Perez Grande and Martos read selected poems by authors including Roberto Fernandez Retamar, Fayad Jamis, Eliseo Diego, Waldo Leyva Portal, Dulce Maria Loynaz, and Gerardo Soler, the cultural counselor at the Cuban Embassy.
Speaking on behalf of the Peruvian intellectuals, Perez Grande welcomed Cuba’s recent victory at the United Nations supporting the demand of lifting of the US economic, commercial, financial, and energy blockade illegally imposed on Cuba—though he regretted Peru’s abstention.
The musical portion of the program featured Antonio Zevallos, Kiri Escobar, and Luis Enrique Alvizuri, who performed Cuban songs by Miguel Matamoros, Carlos Puebla, and Eduardo Saborit.
In addition, videos were screened featuring musical adaptations of the poems *Canto a Fidel* by Carilda Oliver and *La Muralla* by Nicolas Guillen, during an event that reaffirmed the spirit of solidarity the Peruvian people hold for Cuba.
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