Namibia: Namibia and Cuba on Saturday commemorated the 73rd anniversary of the July 26 Moncada Barracks attack at the Fidel Castro Ruz Primary School in the capital.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Moncada attack of 1953, led by Fidel Castro, marked the beginning of Cuba's revolutionary struggle and paved the way for major political, economic, and social transformation in the country.

Speaking at the event, Cuban Ambassador to Namibia, Sergio Vigoa de la Uz, stated, 'To speak of July 26 is to speak of Fidel Castro as the historical leader of the Cuban revolutionary process,' adding that the day symbolizes the Cuban people's pursuit of justice, sovereignty, and dignity. The ambassador expressed gratitude for Namibia's continued support of Cuba, particularly its opposition to the United States economic embargo.

'From the Fidel Castro Ruz School in the land of the brave, we express our most sincere gratitude to the people and Government of Namibia for their firm support of the homeland of Mart­ and Fidel,' he said. Vigoa de la Uz also thanked participants in a solidarity car caravan that drove from the embassy to the Fidel Castro primary school and noted that donations of medical supplies and solar power systems collected through a solidarity campaign would help alleviate hardships faced by Cubans.

Former Namibian ambassador to the United States of America, Tuliameni Kalomoh, highlighted that the relationship between the two countries was forged through sacrifice and a shared struggle during Namibia's fight for independence. 'If it were not for the people of Cuba and their commitment to defend Angola, our independence would have been delayed or we would have been forced to accept a bogus independence,' said Kalomoh.

He further emphasized that Cuban forces fought alongside Namibian liberation fighters and assisted survivors of the Cassinga massacre, noting that 'Our solidarity with Cuba is explained in blood, in common combat and in common solidarity.' Kalomoh called on Namibians to support fundraising efforts aimed at providing medicine and solar energy equipment to Cuba. 'We have to return the favour. We have to support the people of Cuba,' he stated.