Mexico commemorates 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro's birth; AMLO's son celebrates 'fraternal friendship'

Mexico marked the 100th anniversary of Fidel Castro's birth on August 13 with several commemorative events attended by prominent left-wing politicians. The Cuban embassy in Mexico issued a statement recognizing Castro as a "universal leader" who shared a profound connection with Mexico and "Our America," referring to Latin America.

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From Mexico, where he left a deep mark, we celebrate his life, his ideas, and his example.

José Ramón López Beltrán, the son of former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), participated in the commemorations by sharing reflections on his father's relationship with Castro. He emphasized a "fraternal friendship" between the two leaders, noting that they never met in person, exchanged a phone call, or shook hands. Despite this lack of personal contact, López Beltrán stated their bond was "real."

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100 years after Fidel's birth, the embassy considered him 'a universal leader, intimately united with Mexico and Our America'.

López Beltrán recalled AMLO's perspective that Castro was the only global leftist leader who truly understood his political movement during its opposition phase. He quoted his father describing Castro as "a giant, at the height of Mandela, who knew that the dignity of peoples is not negotiated." López Beltrán added that AMLO believed Castro recognized his 2006 election victory, which he claimed was unfairly denied, and acknowledged his "moral and political authority" in Mexico.

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Today marks 100 years since Fidel Castro's birth. They never met in person. Not a call, not a handshake. And yet, few fraternal friendships were so real.

The embassy's planned activities for the centenary include a forum titled "The Cuban Revolution Seen from the Mexican Perspective," among other events. These commemorations highlight Castro's enduring influence and symbolic significance within certain political circles in Mexico and Latin America.

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AMLO always said: 'Fidel was the only leader of the world left who understood what our movement represented when we were in opposition, and he supported it with reflections, with writings and with facts. A giant, at the height of Mandela, who knew that the dignity of peoples is not negotiated.'