Rome, July 10 – The Hero of the Republic of Cuba, Gerardo Hernández, was farewelled in the northern city of Milan with several solidarity activities, after which he returned to his country following a fruitful visit to Italy, a spokesperson said today.
Marco Papacci, president of the National Association of Italy-Cuba Friendship (ANAIC, for its acronym in Spanish), told Prensa Latina this Thursday that the national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) was received at the city hall of that city, capital of the Lombardy region.
The deputy and member of the Cuban Council of State, along with Papacci and the former president of ANAIC, Irma Dioli, held an exchange with Councilor Paolo Festa, who reaffirmed support for the island and the interest in increasing cooperation.
This meeting was followed by an event at the local headquarters of the General Confederation of Italian Workers (CGIL), attended by members of various political and social forces, as well as officials from the Cuban Consulate General in Milan and representatives of the Cuban community.
This meeting was followed by an event at the local headquarters of the General Confederation of Workers of Italy (CGIL, for its acronym in Spanish), in which members of various political and social forces took part; as well as officials of the Consulate General of Cuba in Milan and representatives of the community of nationals of that country.
At both events, Gerardo Hernández, one of the five anti-terrorist fighters who served long sentences in US prisons for defending their country, talked about the current situation on the island, whose people maintain a staunch defense of their revolutionary process in the face of increasing pressure from the United States.
The serious consequences of the US economic, commercial, and financial blockade were discussed, as well as Cuba's inclusion on the spurious list of alleged sponsors of terrorism, together with a recent memorandum reinforcing these measures, signed on June 30 by President Donald Trump.
Among the numerous interventions were those by the leaders of the CGIL of Milan, Francesco Aufieri and Gloria Sanguinetti, who condemned the blockade and Cuba's continued presence on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Furthermore, Aufieri reaffirmed the association's commitment to strengthening relations with Cuba through various concrete projects aimed at supporting problem-solving, including at the neighborhood level.
Shortly before boarding the plane that took him back to his country the day before, the national coordinator of the CDRs paid tribute to student Giovanni Ardizzone, standing in front of a plaque that recalls the young man murdered on October 27, 1962.
Ardizzone lost his life during a rally in defense of peace and the Cuban people during the so-called October Crisis.
At the end of his visit to Italy, the Cuban hero held an exchange with members of the Milan circle of the ANAIC, which included territorial institutional representatives, who emphasized the commitment to increase actions in support of the Cuban people and their Revolution. (Text and photo: PL)