Cuban Women Portraits in Guatemala

Guatemala, Mar 9 (Prensa Latina) - More than five centuries of notable Cuban women were represented in the Guatemalan Embassy on the occasion of International Womens Day.

Women and the Homeland is the name of the exhibition of several portraits by Antonio Guerrero, one of five anti-terrorists jailed for more than 10 years in the United States.

There are images of the Taino aborigine Casiguaya, the wife of Hatuey the first martyr for the liberation of Cuba who opposed Spanish colonization that continues to women internationalists of today.

Notable among the portraits are Mariana Grajales and Leonor Perez, mothers of the national heroes Antonio Maceo and Jose Marti, respectively, Vilma Espin, heroine of the Revolution and founder of the Cuban Women’s Federation and Mirtha Rodriguez, mother of Guerrero.

They are all great women of their time, forgers of the future, examples of combatants for a better world, declared the political attaché of the embassy, Santiago Feliu.

Nicaraguan Marta Guadalupe Romero and the Guatemalan Silvia Solorzano spoke of the situation of women in Central America.

Among their challenges are access to education and health, equality of gender and a greater participation in posts of political decisions.

The event had the participation of representatives of different solidarity with Cuba organizations, friends of the Revolution and accredited diplomats in the country.

Image: Mariana Grajales, mother of the Cuban warrior Antonio Maceo

Source: Prensa Latina

International Women's Day and Month

Takahi Guaitiao (Greetings relatives):

On the 30th anniversary of International Women’s Day (IWD) and International Women’s Month, the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) pauses to recognize, commend, and celebrate the endeavors and achievements of women around the world.

The UCTP is aware that women’s rights activists, especially indigenous women, continue to face exclusion, harassment, abuse, sexual assault, and gender-based violence often on a daily basis. At times, in their critique of human rights violations, women may also inadvertently challenge local customs, culture and religion, risking not only physical abuse but being ostracized by their own communities.

With that in mind, the UCTP welcomes the theme of the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2007, “Ending Impunity for Violence against Women”, as this focus will assist in highlighting the fact that to fully enjoy human rights for all and to achieve a universal culture of peace, active and equal participation of women must be assured in all aspects of life on the local, national, and international levels.

In the Spirit of Kasike Anakaona,
Roberto Mucaro Borrero
President and Chairman,
UCTP Regional Coordinating Office
http://www.uctp.org/