Cuban brigade in South Africa. Photo: Dimplomatic representations of Cuba abroad.

Statement from the Cuban medical brigade that will assist South Africa against the COVID-19 pandemic. Pretoria, May 14, 2020.

We, members of the Cuban Medical Brigade that will assist the brother people of South Africa in the battle against the COVID19 pandemic, representatives of our people and faithful followers of the deeply humanistic principles and values ​​of the Cuban Revolution,

We declare:

We are honored to have arrived in South Africa, the glorious land of Nelson Mandela, precisely on April 27, Freedom Day, a date of such significance in the history of this beloved country, which we are joined by special and deep historical relations of brotherhood and cooperation. .

We deeply thank the South African people and government for the warm welcome they have given us since our arrival in this beautiful nation, which is also the land of our ancestors, of our African Motherland.

We have been very excited reading the thousands of messages of welcome, affection and affection that have been sent to us by brothers and sisters from all the South African provinces. Not a few have offered us their own houses as accommodation, in a disinterested way. On behalf of the entire Cuban people, Thank you very much!

We have successfully completed, in both Cuba and South Africa, the strict periods of preventive quarantine and we are all ready to leave for the different provinces of the country and immediately begin the difficult but beautiful task that has been entrusted to us.

It was a moral duty for us to immediately respond to the request for assistance that we were made to face, together with our South African brothers and sisters, this terrible virus. Just as we fought together in the trenches, South Africans and Cubans, against the disgraceful Apartheid regime, together we will fight and overcome the pandemic.

Thanks to our families and loved ones, who also stepped forward, accepted the hard price of separation and distance, and endorsed our decision to be consistent with the principles of solidarity and internationalism in which we have been formed.

The people and government of South Africa can have absolute confidence in us. We will devote ourselves entirely to the task entrusted; we are ready to face any challenge or difficulty , no matter how hard they are; We will be disciplined in complying with all the regulations of the South African health system and we will put all our experience and we will share our knowledge in order to fulfill the common objective of freeing South Africa as quickly and effectively as possible from the COVID 19 pandemic.

We are ready to serve the South African people once again . We are faithful followers of the undying legacy of our leaders, Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro. Nothing will deviate us a millimeter from our mission, the most beautiful that can exist, SAVE LIVES!

A special thanks goes out to the South African National Defense Forces, the Department of Health and all the workers of the Burguers Park Hotel, for all the excellent care and warm hospitality they have given us during the fulfillment of the quarantine period.

Long live the everlasting friendship between South Africa and Cuba

Eternal glory to Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela

Long Live International Solidarity!

Ever onward to victory!