50 years since Fidel Castro’s visit to Bulgaria
Fidel Castro visited Bulgaria for the first time 50 years ago. The Embassy of Cuba in Bulgaria and N.P. Caridad Jaira Cueto Millian together with the Union of Bulgarian Journalists organized a special meeting, which was held on the 50th anniversary of the first visit of the iconic Cuban leader in Bulgaria. It noted the long-standing friendship between Cuba and Bulgaria and the figure of Castro as a person who communicates closely with peoples (not only Cuban). Translators, diplomats and journalists shared their memories of the visit.
N.P. Cuba’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Caridad Yamira Cuerto Milian (Photo: Julia Vladimirova)
Photo: Julia Vladimirova
The whole event was different diplomats and Spaniards, were indirect or directly part of this visit to share their memories.
At the event in Russia, the ambassador of Eleonora Mitrofanova, the ambassador of Syria Muhammad Muhammad, the ambassador of Argentina Alfredo Atanasoff, host of the event the journalist and expert from South America Kadrinka Kadrinova.
At the event in Russia, the Ambassador of Eleonora Mitrofanova, the Ambassador of Syria Muhammad Muhammad, the Ambassador of Argentina Alfredo Atanasoff, host of the event of the journalist and expert from South America Kadrinka Kadrinova (Photo: Julia Vladimirova)
All diplomats, journalists and members of the public present observed a minute of silence in memory of those killed in the tragic incident at the iconic historic Saraga Hotel in Havana.
Special original footage from Castro’s visit to Bulgaria was shown. The Ambassador of Cuba N.P. Caridad Yamira Cueto Milian shared that “All Bulgarian friends with their warm attitude towards Cuba are closer than ever to the page.”
Photo: Embassy of Cuba in Bulgaria
At the event in Russia, the Ambassador of Eleonora Mitrofanova, the Ambassador of Syria Muhammad Muhammad, the Ambassador of Argentina Alfredo Atanasoff, host of the event of the journalist and expert from South America Kadrinka Kadrinova (Photo: Julia Vladimirova)
Fidel Castro came here for the first time between May 17 and 26, 1972. The Cuban embassy also released a film called “Fidel is Fidel.” For him, N.P. Caridad Yamira Cueto Milian said:
“We want to present the man, the Cuban, the universal Fidel. When he passed, this man gathered around him a lot of people in solidarity.”
Some of the photos that were shown were related to moments from Castro’s visit to Bulgaria and random shots from the streets where he meets Bulgarian citizens.
The journalist Kadrinka Kadrinova with N.P. Cuba’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Caridad Yamira Cuerto Milian (Photo: Julia Vladimirova)
Snezhana Todorova, chairwoman of the Union of Bulgarians shared additional:
“Bulgaria and Cuba are linked by long-term and lasting attraction. More than 40,000 Bulgarians have lived and worked in Cuba. Communicating with colleagues who lived in Cuba, they have fond memories and preserve the vitality of Cuban life. You probably know that you are. Spanish studies in Bulgaria was created thanks to teachers from Cuba.
Photo: Julia Vladimirova
Photo: Julia Vladimirova
The chairmen of the Bulgaria-Cuba Friendship Association Tamara Takova, the journalist Dora Chichkova, as well as the prominent Spaniard and diplomat Stilian Burhanlarski also remember their meetings with Fidel Castro.
Photo: Embassy of Cuba in Bulgaria
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Tamara Takava was part of Castro’s translation team and said it was difficult to translate Castro if you were not clear about Cuban life.
Diplomat Stilian Burhanlarski shared detailed memories of the meeting with Fidel Castro:
“We had a group of translators in Spanish, then the special Spanish woman produced a lot of them. We distributed them to the whole Cuban delegation. Of course, Fidel’s translator was our esteemed Spanish teacher Emilia Venkova.”
Fidel Castro visits Bulgaria for the first time 50 years ago (Photo: Cuban Embassy in Bulgaria)
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Stilian Burhanlarski attended the Komsomol congress in 1972, at which Castro gave a special speech. He said they had received “orders” from the upper floors to applaud Castro to be “more chosen”, as the Cuban leader had to speak after Todor Zhivkov. The hall still greeted Castro enthusiastically, although some people were overwhelmed by the loud applause.
The diplomat also shared the curious memory of the cult basketball game that Castro wanted to play. “in no time.”
Fidel Castro plays basketball with the CSKA team in Sofia (Photo: Embassy of Cuba in Bulgaria)
“The CSKA team quickly formed a group of basketball players, I think Tsvyatko Barchovski was also there. He started playing basketball with the participation of Fidel Castro, a basketball fan. rough … In a word, they were guarding Castro. At one point, he took the ball, hit it to the ground, and said, “That’s not the way to play! You’re going to play with me the way you play with the macho. You’re also a macho.” It became clear that he had to play normally and that’s how the real game started – they pushed him, he pushed them – he was very happy. “
The translator of Fidel Castro and Todor Zhivkov during the visits of the Cuban leader to Bulgaria is the Bulgarian graduate Teresita Capote Camacho, who years later became the Ambassador of Cuba to Bulgaria (Photo: Cuban Embassy in Bulgaria)
The event with the end of Cuba Libre in honor of the friendship between Bulgaria and Cuba, and Caridad Yamira Cueto Milian sent a wish for peace. “No one will give it to us. We have to fight for it against all the forces that are trying to confuse us. Fidel talked about dialogue between civilizations in 1969 in a tiny book called Dialogue between Civilizations.” Fortunately, the Cuban people have a memory, “she said.
Fidel Castro visits Bulgaria for the first time 50 years ago (Photo: Cuban Embassy in Bulgaria)
Photographer Ivan Grigorov photographed Fidel Castro’s visit to Ruse. The photos that this part of the team’s specialty is not published for the first time!
They show how the Cuban leader worked in a cabriolet together with Todor Zhivkov and the specialized security, led by Gen. Kashev. Grigorov’s photos also show the crowd of people waiting for the car to pass through the city’s main street and people to greet Castro.
Castro congratulates the citizens of Ruse who are waiting for him (Photo: Ivan Grigorov)
Citizens of Ruse expect cars with Fidel Castro to pass (Photo: Ivan Grigorov)
Citizens of Russia expect Cuban leader to cross city streets (Photo: Ivan Grigorov)
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