Guinea Bissau decorates President Fidel Castro

The Amilcar Cabral Medal, the highest distinction of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, has been awarded to Fidel Castro, president of the Councils of State and Ministers, by the government of that nation and, in particular, by its president, General Joao Bernardo Vieira, in recognition of Cuban solidarity with and contributions to that African country.

The decoration was received last night by Esteban Lazo, vice president of the Council of State and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party, from the hands of the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Aristides Gomes, who is on an official visit to our country.

The prime minister affirmed that Fidel's influence and action are perennial in the contemporary political firmament and, on wishing him a prompt recovery, expressed his certainty that the Cuban leader's illness is a battle that he will win.

Antonio Isaac Monteiro, minister of foreign business, international cooperation and communities of Guinea Bissau, who read out the presidential decree awarding the decoration, also highlighted his country's admiration for the life and work of the Cuban leader.

In response, Lazo said that the distinction would delight all Cubans because, by recognizing Fidel's significant role from the beginning of the struggle for Guinea-Bissau's independence, it also pays tribute to the Cuban combatants who fought in that land, where nine of them lost their lives fulfilling their sacred internationalist duty.

He noted that the award also reflects the hundreds of Cuban volunteers in health, education and other sectors, who are sharing what they have with their brothers and sisters in that African nation.

Granma Daily