The Caribbean cannot be forgotten
• Remarks by President of the Councils of State and Ministers Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, during CELAC leadership quartet meeting with China, in Brasilia, July 17, 2014, "Year 56 of the Revolution"

(Transcript – Council of State)

Compañeros Presidents Xi Jinping, Correa and Browne,

I think my comments must be the shortest of all those expressed here. As you can see, I have few vocal resources left and I have to receive the dear President Xi Jinping in our country shortly.

I would like express, in summary, that my delegation agrees fully with the words spoken by Presidents Solís, Correa and Browne.

I would like to thank Browne for having very specifically mentioned the Caribbean, to which can be added the comments I made a few minutes ago in the meeting. We cannot forget the Caribbean, given its characteristics and the factors I was explaining. It has been a very loyal region, specifically to us.

I remember when we were totally isolated; we only had relations at that time with Mexico and a few other countries of the continent, when Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados achieved their independence. They had agreed among the four of them, and as soon as they obtained their independence, the first step they took was to recognize Cuba, to establish profound, sincere relations with us.

Toward the end of the year we will have a Summit - this time it’s Cuba-CARICOM - every three years we have an exchange, we analyze our relations, the mutual collaboration we have, in addition to the affection we feel, that we are all Caribbeans… There are white Caribbeans and a large percentage of Black Caribbeans, of African origin, the two trunks form our nationality: the European trunk, that is to say Spanish, fundamentally, and the African trunk. This is Cuba.

Now, in the last census recently conducted in my country, it was noted that, still in a limited way, the number of whites declined, Blacks declined, and mixed race increased, among those a beautiful, small, six-year-old great-grand daughter of mine. (Laughter)

That is to say that I agree with the words expressed by the presidents and prime ministers present, to which I add my own. And I thank you, the Chinese people and government, for this historic gesture, as different heads of state have described it, which is unparalleled and incomparable to our past experiences.