In remembrance of the victims of the Barbados Crime and condemnation of that horrendous deed, which took place 48 years ago, a pilgrimage was held in the Necropolis of Colon to the monument to the memory of the martyrs of the abominable deed.
The solemn act was attended by representatives of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), the Union of Young Communists, the Ministry of Transport, the National Institute of Sport and Recreation, among other organisations, relatives of the victims and the people who gathered to pay homage to the fallen in the atrocious sabotage.
At the commemoration, held at the Armed Forces Pantheon, floral wreaths were placed in the name of General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the PCC and President of the Republic, an action carried out by members of the Cuban youth, sports and students representing all the people who were present to honour the victims of the crime.
Yarisleidis Cirilo, Cuban Olympic sportswoman, said in her speech that 48 years after this cruel action, the people are once again coming together to remember the dead of this terrible episode.
She stressed that despite the aggressive policy of US imperialism, nothing will diminish the revolutionary spirit to fight against all actions that want to damage national integrity.
He stressed that despite the defamatory campaigns, the world recognises Cuba’s work in the fight against terrorism and in favour of humanity and solidarity.
He added that history reveals and repudiates all the acts that the US government has sponsored against the island and that have affected the population both humanly and materially.
On October 6, 1976, Cuba witnessed one of the most terrible events in the country’s memory, aircraft 455 belonging to Cubana de Aviación, whose final destination was Havana, plunged into the sea after two explosive devices detonated off the coast of Barbados in mid-flight.
This bloody event claimed the lives of 73 people, 57 Cubans, 11 Guyanese and five North Koreans, who were on board, 24 of whom belonged to the Cuban youth fencing team that was returning to the Oatria with a great performance in the Central American and Caribbean Championships.
The Crime of Barbados is one of the most painful moments of the Cuban Revolution and because of its significance, every 6 October is commemorated as the Day of the Victims of State Terrorism.
