A well-deserved tribute to the Chancellor of Dignity.
When Raul Roa Garcia died on July 6th, 1982, Cuba and international diplomacy lost a charismatic figure of lucid and brilliant thinking, a courageous defender of the image of the Revolution and the independence of the Latin American peoples, who was deservedly called the «Chancellor of Dignity».
When Roa spoke out on the podiums of the United Nations (UN) or any other international forum, the representatives of the United States and Western European powers shuddered and were powerless before that atypical and coherent diplomat, who denounced their maneuvers with loyalty and courage to the fullest.
Forty-one years have passed since the physical departure of this shrewd writer, historian and politician, who died in Havana, his hometown, after a long and valuable career as a revolutionary fighter, student and later university professor, militant intellectual and outstanding diplomat linked to the most just and progressive causes.
He came from a humble family that knew how to cultivate his love for his country. Having inherited the pro-independence lineage of his Mambi grandfather, it is no coincidence that from a very young age the distinguished chancellor was linked to the struggle against the Machadist dictatorship and later confronted the Batista tyranny.
After the triumph of the Revolution, he was appointed Cuban ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS) and in June 1959, when he was appointed by Fidel Castro as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he gave a new direction to the foreign policy of the largest of the Antilles.
His combative style, vital energy and proven intellect set standards in international diplomacy. One of his most forceful battles in the United Nations is especially remembered, when he denounced the mercenary invasion of Cuba through the sands of Playa Girón, armed and financed by the United States.
In 1976 Roa García was appointed Vice President of the National Assembly of People’s Power, a position he held until July 6th, 1982, when he passed away, always remembered and respected by the Cuban people as Chancellor of Dignity.
Written by Yovana Baró Álavarez.
