Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Maxine McClean, lays a wreath to pay respect to the 73 people that were killed following the bombing of Cubana Airlines 40 years ago with an emotional Camilo Rojo whose father died on board the aircraft.
The Foreign Affairs Minister also used the opportunity to identify with the innocent lives lost daily around the world. “We witness the destruction caused by the many acts of terrorism against people everywhere. As citizens of the world and as peace loving people, we must continue to demonstrate our abhorrence of these events and strive for good and peace.”
Cuban Ambassador to Barbados Francisco Fernández Peña denounced the fact that the perpetrators of the terrorist act was allowed to stay in the US in spite of the crimes against Cuba and particularly the bombing of Cubana Airlines 40 years ago. “The solidarity movement in Cuba, in the world, is expressing their rejection to these hostile policies,” he said.
He also called for the lifting of the blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States. “The UN General Assembly will vote on October 26 on a resolution under the title Necessity of Ending the Economic Commercial and Financial Embargo imposed by the USA against Cuba. To urge the US to lift the embargo, and we urge everyone to join this call,” he said.
Actor, humanitarian and activist Danny Glover also attended the ceremony and lauded the countries involved for their ability to come together and triumph in this moment of adversity.
“That is what we have to take with us as we remake the world in the shape that we know it must be remade in. We have to take the memory of every person who has died of a terrorist attack or as a result of war. Whether that which has seemed to ended now in Colombia, or whether the wars that continue to go on all over this planet.
“We not only have to be steadfast in our demand that we fight terrorism, but we have to be steadfast in our demand that we end war and conflict. An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. We have the capacity with weapons to annihilate humanity. Seven billion people,” it was pointed out.
“There is no just conflict, there is no just reasons for war, for the proliferation of guns. So we have to remember that we are the ones, at this moment who have the capacity to create that beloved community that Dr. [Martin Luther] King spoke about. That included all of us, inclusive, not just those few, but all of us,” he said. (JH)