The new Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, her excellency Teresita Trujillo, will be in Galway this week in an effort to explore and create links between Cuba and Ireland.
Ms Trujillo will be in the Town Hall Theatre this evening at 6pm to attend the screening of the 30 minute documentary on Cuba, The Day Diplomacy Died, made by the Cuban based Irish journalist Bernie Dwyer.
The Day Diplomacy Died examines an event in 2003 which has become known as ‘Castro’s Crackdown’, when 75 journalists, trade unionists, and librarians were imprisoned.
Four Cuban state agents speak out for the first time on ‘Castro’s Crackdown’, explain the inner workings of the dissident groups they infiltrated, and of the various plans being hatched to destabilise their country. It also features interview with two former heads of the US diplomatic staff in Havana; Ricardo Alarcon, president of the Cuban parliament; and human rights lawyer Jose Pertierra.
The event is being hosted by the Galway Left Forum and Ógra Shinn Féin. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Ms Trujillo is also attending the Labour Party Conference in NUI, Galway which takes place this weekend. She will also meet various Galway groups in an attempt to develop and explore the relations between Galway and Cuba .The meetings have been organised by Labour councillor Billy Cameron.
Cllr Cameron knows Ms Trujillo since the 1990s when he was co-ordinator of Cuba Support Galway. She informed him she was interested in exploring the possibilities of developing relationships with Galway in terms of promoting cultural exchanges (music, dance, film, and painting, etc, ), and trade and investment.
Ms Trujillo will meet with representatives from the Galway Arts Festival and the Irish Film Board. She will also make a presentation to the Galway Chamber of Commerce on Cuba’s priorities in trade and investment and have separate meetings with Galway Trades Council and SIPTU with regard to trade union affairs.
