Guantanamo.- The 45th Caribbean Festival, to be held in Santiago de Cuba in July 2026, will be dedicated to Colombian Afro-descendants.
Mario Fidel Rodríguez, Cultural Attaché of the Colombian Embassy in Havana, stated that the presence of his fellow countrymen at the Fiesta del Fuego, as the event is also known, is a recognition of the close links between the peoples of Colombia and Cuba.
On her end, Senator Gloria Flórez, one of the leaders of the Cuba Solidarity Parliamentary Group and the main sponsor of the delegation to the event, highlighted the important role that culture plays in integration processes and referred to Fiesta del Fuego as an opportunity for Colombia to look to the Caribbean Sea and embrace its Caribbean identity.
In reference to Cuba, Carmen Meléndez, founder of the Colombian group Palma Africana, remarked that there are all kinds of blockades, but love and art cannot be blockaded, and said that the Cubans are more resilient because they are quite aware of their diversity.
Also-senator Sonia Bernal expressed her desire to take with her the inspiration of the Cuban people and, especially, the strength of its women, whom she called heroic.
