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<a href="http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2007/junio/mier20/many-messages-of-condolence.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2007/junio/mier20/many-messages-of-condolence.html<br>
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</a></font><font face="Verdana" size=1><b>Havana. June 20,
2007<br><br>
</font><font face="Georgia" size=5>Many messages of condolence <br><br>
</b></font><font face="Georgia" size=3>WOMEN’S organizations from all
over the world have sent countless messages of condolence to the National
Secretariat of the Federation of Cuban women at the death of their
president, Vilma Espín Guillois, who “played a very important role in the
emancipation of women,” affirmed 1992 Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta
Menchú, who expressed her profound sympathies for the demise of the
heroine of the Cuban Revolution. <br><br>
Messages received also include one from the historic Puerto Rican
independence leader Rafael Cancel Miranda, who said that the patriotic
Puerto Rican people join, in their hearts, with the Cuban people in
confronting the departure of a woman who fought heroically for her
beloved homeland. <br><br>
From El Salvador, Violeta Menjívar, the mayor of San Salvador, described
Vilma as “an extraordinary woman whose example we should follow
throughout Latin America.” She said that “I want to tell our sister
people of Cuba, their government and particularly the women, that we
profoundly regret the decease of a great leader.” <br><br>
From Chile, the Communist Party expressed its sympathies over the death
of the outstanding revolutionary leader in a message signed by party
chairman Guillermo Teillier. In his turn, the editor of the Chilean
magazine <b>Punto Final</b>, Manuel Cabieses, said that Vilma is one of
the immortal figures of the Cuban and Latin American Revolution.<br><br>
The Uruguayan media reflected the significance of this great loss, and
Colombian news agencies gave wide coverage to the news of the Cuban
heroine’s death, providing information on her life and especially the
fact that she was one of the top figures of the guerrilla struggle,
together with Fidel and Raúl. <br><br>
“Cuban revolutionary Vilma Espín is an important example, both in word
and deed,” affirmed the Peruvian Communist Party (PCP), expressing its
sympathies. <br><br>
For his part, Peruvian poet Winston Orrillo expressed his deep sorrow at
the death of the Cuban leader, paying tribute to her as a “heroine and
persistent combatant.” <br><br>
Likewise, Javier Diez Canseco, former parliamentary deputy and leader of
the Peruvian Socialist Party, described Vilma as an extremely outstanding
person, a tireless organizer of the women of her country and profoundly
committed to the island’s historic process. <br><br>
Víctor Mayorga, president of the Peru-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship
League, affirmed that Vilma gave her life, to the end, in defense of the
dignity of her homeland and her people. In their turn, the staff of the
Peruvian newspaper <b>Nuestra Bandera</b> stated in their message that
“she symbolized the effort and heroism of the island’s women.” <br><br>
From Argentina, workers at the Ernesto Che Guevara South American
History Museum and the Chaubloqueo Solidarity with Cuba School in Buenos
Aires said that Vilma, like so many other heroines of peace, forged in a
boundless struggle, was a living example of Cuba’s women. <br><br>
And the Committee to Free the Five and Cuba Solidarity Movement in
Argentina (MASCUBA) communicated their deepest sympathies to the Cuban
government and people for, as they said, “the loss of a woman who will
continue to mark the path to follow for all revolutionaries in the
world.” <br><br>
Argentine writer and journalist Stella Calloni said that Vilma Espín’s
death is a great loss to Cuba, Latin America and humanity. “She was an
extraordinary person who helped others to grow, and that, in all times,
is revolutionary,” the well-known researcher affirmed. <br><br>
In Venezuela, the state-run nightly news, the Agencia Bolivariana de
Noticias and the international broadcasting network Telesur were the
first to transmit the news. <br><br>
On Tuesday the 19th, the All-China Women’s Federation also sent a message
to the offices of the Cuban diplomatic mission in Beijing, expressing its
deepest sympathies for the death of Vilma Espín Guillois, “a Cuban
heroine of great vision and a friend of the Chinese people, who made
important contributions to the promotion of cooperation between the women
of both countries.” <br><br>
In Buenos Aires, Hebe de Bonafini, president of the Association of
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, said in a statement that Vilma is not dead,
“because the great ones like her will never die, because with her
example, she demonstrated to other women how to commit themselves to the
revolutionary struggle. Beloved Vilma, you will be present every Thursday
in our Plaza de Mayo, together with our children and with Che.” <br><br>
Dozens of messages of sympathy from all over came via email to <b>Granma
International</b>.<br><br>
One was from Dan and Teresa Dolt, who expressed their condolences to
Cuban Vice President Raúl Castro Ruz, and praised Vilma Espín’s work at
the head of the Federation of Cuban Women. <br><br>
The leadership of the Nazim Hikmet Center in Istanbul, Turkey, emphasized
that they would always remember this brave revolutionary, who fought for
equality and for her country’s freedom. <br><br>
From Toronto, Canada, Angela and Pastor Valle-Garay wrote:<br><br>
“Never in the history of humanity did such a standard-bearer for human
rights, for the rights of all the world’s women and for the rights of
Cuba, shine out as did Vilma Espín Guillois. Now she is leaving. As it
must be. Close to the heart of the free nation that she loved so much. A
well-merited rest. Her exemplary life will serve as a guide for
illuminating and inspiring the course of many and new generations in Cuba
and throughout the world.” <br><br>
<br><br>
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