Cuba Support Group is pleased to announce a major tour of Ireland by a high-level delegation from Cuba to celebrate the victory of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces over the CIA back mercenary invasion of Cuba on 16 April 1961.  This event is being organised by The Irish Friends of Cuba Coalition – a new network of political parties, trade unions and civil society groups, including Cuba Support Group Ireland, who declare their support for the Cuban Revolution.  This will be an event that anyone with an interest in Cuba, world history or journalism will want to participate.

The Cuban Delegation

Col. Victor Dreke Cruz
On 17 April 1961, the first day of the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Victor Dreke assumed command of two companies of the 117th Battalion, taking part in a clash with paratroops of US lead “Brigade 2506” under the command of Comandante Che Guevara. On 19 April, he was wounded in combat and briefly captured after driving towards Girón in a jeep ahead of his tanks. Highly decorated in Cuba and Africa, he was to serve in Congo in 1965 under Che, and later in 1966-8 in Guinea-Bissau, he retired in 1990.

Reinaldo Taladrid

Award winning Cuban journalist TV presenter and broadcaster, Reinaldo Taladrid  has worked for most of the major news channels in the USA and currently hosts a nightly “Round Table” political discussion on Cuban TV which is broadcast to the whole of Latin America on the TeleSUR satellite. He is one of the most recognised people in Cuba and has interviewed all of the Cuban leaders and two US presidents.  He is uniquely placed to provide an overview of Cuba’s place in Latin America, its current economic adjustments and the prospects of US-Cuban relations.

Maria Aleida del Riego

Coordinator for Ireland and Britain of the Cuban Institute of Friendship of the Peoples (ICAP), Maria Aleida del Riego have visited Ireland before and is familiar with all the groups in these Irelands who are active in support of the Cuban Revolution.  Maria coordinates the brigades on which Irish people travel to Cuba and is an invaluable source of information and assistance to visitors who want to understand the nature of Cuban society.

National Bay of Pigs Tour Programme

TOWN	DAY	EVENT	MORE INFO FROM
Limerick	Thursday, 14 April 18:00 hrs	Reinaldo Taladrid – Public meeting at the University of Limerick – Room C1061 in Main Building	Cuba Support Group Contact: Nina Blodau   [email protected]
Waterford	Thursday, 14 April 19:00 hrs.	Maria Aleida del Riego – Public meeting	Waterford Trades Council Contact: Tommy Hogan Ph: 086 1656818
Dublin	Saturday, 16 April 09.00 – 18.00	Liberty Hall Bay of Pigs Celebration Day-Long Conference (see detailed programme below)	SIPTU / Cuba Support Group Contact: Simon McGuinness [email protected]
Belfast	Monday, 18 April	Victor Dreke & Reinaldo Taladrid – Meetings and media interviews	Workers Party Contact; Ciaran McGeough [email protected]
Belfast	Monday, 18 April 19.00	Victor Dreke & Reinaldo Taladrid – Public meeting in Europa Hotel With film, music and presentations	Sinn Fein Contact Sean Murray [email protected]
Derry	Monday, 18 April 20.00	Maria Aleida del Riego – Public meeting in Sandino’s	Sinn Fein Contact Daisy Mules
Galway	Tuesday, 19 April 20.00	Victor Dreke & Reinaldo Taladrid – Public meeting in SIPTU Hall	Galway Trades Union Council Contact: Pat Hardiman [email protected]
Letterkenny	Tuesday, 19 April 19.00	Maria Aleida del Riego – Public meeting in Station House (Ramada) Hotel; with Cuban film “66 Hours”	Cuba Support Group Contact: Bill O’Brien [email protected]
Sligo	Wednesday, 20 April	Maria Aleida del Riego Public meeting in Glasshouse Hotel, Hyde Bridge	Organized by Declan Bree [email protected]
Dundalk	Wednesday, 20 April 19.00	Reinaldo Taladrid – Public meeting venue TBA	Sinn Féin Contact: Emma McArdle [email protected]
Cork	Thursday, 21 April 19.30	Victor Dreke, Reinaldo Taladrid & Maria Aleida del Riego Public meeting in Connolly Hall.	Cuba Support Group contact: John Bowen  [email protected]