VALPARAÍSO – Right-wing politicians in Chile have strongly condemned the celebration of the Cuban Revolution in the Hall of Honor of the Municipality of Valparaíso. Amongst them, government spokesperson Cecilia Pérez, who said the celebration was about “commemorating a dictatorship”. The celebration didn’t go through its entire programme, as city hall was evacuated after a bomb threat.
After Jorge Sharp, Frente Amplio mayor of Valparaíso, agreed to facilitate the celebration, organized by various Cuban and left-wing organizations in Viña del Mar and Valparaíso, politicians in Chile have condemned the fact that the event took place in the Hall of Honor of city hall.
Cecilia Pérez, government spokesperson, called the celebration in a municipality space “serious”, as the event, according to her, was about “commemorating a dictatorship that has caused so many generations to suffer in Cuba. To this day their citizens don’t know what it means to live in a democracy, as the one we have in Chile”.
Pérez highlighted the fact that in Cuba “freedom of expression does not exist, freedom of opposition does not exist, there are political prisoners and serious violations of human rights”.
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Bomb threat at celebration
The celebration, that took place on Monday evening, was attended by Cuban ambassador Jorge Lamadrid, who spoke about the importance of the Cuban Revolution, independence from the United States and the bonds between Chile and Cuba.
Before the evening had come to an end, all guests had to evacuate the building after an anonymous phone call warning about an explosive in the building. Carabineros escorted the guests and have announced further investigations.
Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.