FOR THE next few days, the Cuban Embassy will have its Lot 46 High Street, Kingston, Georgetown offices open to the public from 9:00hrs to 18:00hrs, to facilitate the affixing of signatures in a Condolence Book that would be sent to Cuba.

This facilitation would last until Sunday, December 4th, and Ambassador Mr. Julio Cesar Gonsalez Marchante is encouraging members of the public to visit the embassy and sign the Condolence Book, since Cuba has provided solidarity to Guyana in many ways over the decades.

Guyana’s enjoyable close relations with Cuba started in the 1970s and early 1980s. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1972, and Cuba agreed to provide medical supplies, doctors, and medical training to Guyana. President Burnham flew with late President Fidel Castro Ruz in Castro’s airplane to the NAM conference in Algiers in 1973. Castro made a State Visit to Guyana in August 1973, and Burnham reciprocated in April 1975, when he was decorated with the José Martí National Order, Cuba’s highest honour.

The late Fidel Castro, who served as Cuba’s president for 42 years, died last Friday in Cuba of natural causes at age 90. Castro led the Cuban Revolution against the government of Fulgencio Batista, which triggered a bitter stand-off between the United States and Russia, and resulted in the US imposing a trade embargo on Cuba.

The Cuban Embassy has expressed its profound sadness and regret at Castro’s death.