Simon Bolivar School Ship arrives in Santiago de Cuba

Published at: 17/06/2024 05:29 PM

The Training Ship (BE-11) Simon Bolivar of the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela arrived on Saturday, June 15, at the port of Santiago de Cuba, a stop that is part of its XXXIV Foreign Education Cruise 2024.

After the traditional protocol exchange of greetings with artillery bullets between the “Ambassador Without Borders”, as he is also known, and the Republic of Cuba, the bricbarca, with 72 cadets (of these, 23 women) and 173 crew members, docked at the “Rolando Roca Pacheco” pier, where he was welcomed by the Venezuelan ambassador in Havana, Orlando Maneiro Gaspar; the Consul General, Vivian Alvarado; the defense attaché , Major General Víctor Moreno Tovar; the Provincial Governor, Manuel Falcón; the head of the Section of the Revolutionary Navy (MGR) of the Eastern Army, ship captain (CN) Ulisier Rosabal Cañete; local government authorities and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba; as well as diplomatic and institutional representatives of both nations.

After the reception ceremony, the Commander of the School Ship, ship captain (CN) Ronald José Briceño Huerta, invited the Venezuelan and Cuban authorities to come aboard, where they were attended by the crew and cadets, while honors were offered to the senior authorities present.

As part of the activities scheduled during the ship's stay in Santiago de Cuba, in the afternoon, the Ambassador, the Consul General, the Ship Commander, crew officers and diplomatic representatives traveled to the headquarters of the Provincial Government, where they paid a courtesy visit to Governor Manuel Falcón, and the second chief of the Navy Revolutionary member of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, flotilla captain José Souto Galindo.

In an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect, both sides emphasized the value of visitors' stay in the city to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two nations, one of the purposes of the Instructional Cruise as an international promoter of peace diplomacy led by President Nicolás Maduro.

The delegation then moved to the Santa Lfigenia Cemetery, a National Monument because of its historical, cultural and architectural values, where the remains of the Apostle José Martí and the leader of the Revolution, Commander Fidel Castro Ruz, among other founding personalities of the Cuban nation and great sons of the Fatherland rest, where they witnessed the solemn and martial ceremony of the replacement of the guard of honor before the monument to Martí, place where they placed a floral offering, as well as placing flowers in front of the monolith that shelters the ashes of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro.

At the end of the afternoon, the Cuban authorities were welcomed aboard the “Simón Bolívar” School Ship, where they were offered a sample of Venezuelan culture, which in a frank expression of integration was mixed with the songs of the legendary Septet Santiaguero.

During their stay in Santiago de Cuba, visitors will complete an intense program of training and leisure activities, including sporting events and tours of centers of historical, cultural and religious interest in this city, considered the cradle of the Revolution and recognized as a rebel throughout its existence, values that made it worthy of the Hero Order of the Republic of Cuba.

On its fifth visit to the city and the 14th to the Antillean nation, the Simón Bolívar School Ship will be available to the people of Santiago on June 16, 17 and 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

On Wednesday, June 19, the BE-11 will deploy its 23 wooded sails on three poles, to continue its journey of instruction and friendship towards Santa Marta (Colombia) and Willemstad (Curaçao), and will conclude its journey in the Venezuelan port of La Guaira on July 13.

Upon arriving home, cadets and crew members will have completed about three months of sailing and training on this vessel, built in 1978 and launched into the water on November 21, 1979. During this time, 4,500 nautical miles of seas will be crossed, and they will have left, as in Santiago de Cuba, their seal of friendship, as well as in previous stops in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Mexico.

EMBASSY OF VENEZUELA IN CUBA