Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and other Heads of CARICOM were part of a ceremony last Sunday in Cuba, which paid tribute to two Cuban revolutionaries, Jose Marti and Antonio Maceo.{{more}}

Dr Gonsalves took part in a ceremony at the San Ifigenia cemetery, which has the remains of Marti, and placed a rose at Revolutionary Plaza, which bears the name of Maceo.

The Heads of CARICOM were in Cuba for the Third Cuba-CARICOM Summit, which took place on Monday in the city of Santiago de Cuba.

The visit to Revolution Plaza on Sunday was exactly 112 years since the Cuban revolutionary Maceo fell in combat.

Cuba’s President, Raul Castro, paid tribute to Maceo as he recalled the outstanding deeds he accomplished while attempting to stave off foreign invasions and dominance.

The President used Maceo´s battles and his death to show the causes of division and vowed that his people would not allow the seeds of division to stay Cuba’s revolution.

Raul Castro also noted the coincidence of Maceo´s death on December 7, 1896, and the birth of Frank Pais, the Santiago de Cuba underground leader, 38 years later, who on November 30, 1956, led the support with the people for the arrival of the yacht Granma, during the start of the Cuban revolution, which was led by Fidel Castro.

Raul said the Revolution has resisted the pressures to abandon its principles for 50 years and is ready to do so for 50 more years, despite the blockade imposed by the US government and the ravages of hurricanes.