Russia Builds Up Its Presence in Socialist Cuba Despite Abandoning Common Values
And here is the symbol of Cuba, a country that still retains a socialist economy. I am referring to the El Capitolio of Havana. After restoration, this building will host the Cuban parliament, which is about to elect a new President of the Council of State to replace Raúl Castro. How can we use our bitter experience to help Cuba hold the country together in times of change?
On Diplomat's Day in Russia, our special report will cover both El Capitolio in Havana and the Ambassador of Russia in Cuba Mikhail Kamynin. He is well-known as an ex-Spokesman of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His knowledge of Cuba is inherited: his father was a legendary correspondent of Izvestia and worked in Havana during the revolution.
Yulia Ponomareva, our international reporter, had a chance to witness the good manners of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
The Cubans don't like the National Capitol in Cuba being compared to with the United States Capitol. Firstly, the El Capitolio is higher, secondly, it's like comparing the El Capitolio with St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. 20 million pre-revolution pesos: that's how much the construction of this national symbol cost back then. Marble for construction was delivered from Italy. You can see the marble being cut on the site. The fragments lost over the years have been replaced by the same Italian factory.
The floor in the Hall of Lost Steps is made of expensive marble. The arches help create acoustic properties that make it impossible to hear the sound of footsteps even if you are wearing stilettos. However, it's impossible to prove it now, with the construction noise interfering. The last stage of restoration is almost over. The Statue of The Republic has already been cleaned. The protective cover will soon be removed from the bronze entrance doors. All bas-reliefs tell the history of the country, starting from the discovery of Cuba by Columbus.
Mariela Mulet Hernández, restoration engineer: "Here you can see all the Presidents of the Republic, but this portrait was removed, for it showed the dictator Gerardo Machado, who was overthrown in 1933".
Fidel Castro's revolution discarded the bourgeois parliamentary system once and for all. Capitol was turned into a museum and a Congress center.
Here is the Russian Ambassador.
Mikhail Kamynin, Ambassador of Russian Federation on Cuba: "The cars manufactured by "AvtoVAZ" are the ones the Cubans love the most, and that's for a good reason."
This taxi is a new Lada car, made in January. We start our tour at the Russian Embassy built back in Soviet times.
- What a surprise!
- But of course! Tomorrow is the Diplomat's Day, after all.
There are still many Zhiguli and Moskvich cars on the streets of Havana. But they look derelict, just like the city itself. Those are the consequences of social experiments and the US embargo, as well as of having been deprived of Russia's support overnight in the 90s. However, as Kamynin says, today Russia is increasing its presence here again.
Mikhail Kamynin, Ambassador of Russian Federation on Cuba: "The relations between Cuba and Russia are self-sufficient and don't depend on the political climate. This is clear when you look at the large-scale projects we are doing together".
Back to the El Capitolio. It used to host the bourgeois Parliament and the Constitutional Assembly, but now it opens its doors to the National Assembly of People's Power, which elects the Council of State. Raúl Castro will remain the President of the Council of State, essentially, the President of the country, until spring. During the year before last, he welcomed Barack Obama in Havana, restoring the diplomatic relations with the U.S. But now, with Donald Trump in the White House, all Obama's efforts came to naught.
Mikhail Kamynin, Russian Ambassador in Cuba: "So far, there is no hope of mending the relations between Cuba and the United States".
This means we have to seize the opportunity again. Russian engineers will be the ones in charge of restoring the Capitol's dome.
Mikhail Kamynin, Russian Ambassador in Cuba: "To mark the 500th anniversary of the foundation of this beautiful city, the Capitol will become yet another highlight of Havana".
There has always been a part of Russia inside the Capitol. As soon as the scaffolding is removed, a Zero Kilometer diamond will be returned to the Hall of Lost steps.
Perla Rosales, historian: "The diamond was purchased in Paris, the seller assured that it comes from the crown of Nicholas II. It was purchased with the money gathered by the workers who were building the Capitol. The diamond was placed at the Zero Kilometer mark in 1931".
In 1946, the diamond was stolen, though it was returned later. The diamond was then put to a safe-deposit box, and a replica was installed in the floor. But now, a real diamond from Russia will be used in the El Capitolio again. The stone is called "El Fiel", which sounds a lot like "Fidel", which means "faithful". It weighs more than 1 carat and has an emerald cut. It was crafted in Smolensk on special request from Havana.
This was all about history and culture, whereas Ambassador Kamynin is looking for collaboration in such domains as new Lada taxis, energy, railroad and cargo traffic. Joint project agreements have already been signed.
Yulia Ponomareva, Oleg Polishchuk, international review special for Vesti, Saturday edition, Havana, Cuba.