“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” ― Marcus Tullius Cicero
|
Patricio Aylwin Azócar with Vaclav Havel in 2004 in Prague, Czech Republic |
Patricio Aylwin Azócar
passed away on April 19, 2016 in his beloved Santiago, Chile. Don Patricio presided over the unification of the democratic opposition in Chile,
the No Campaign, and the democratic transition following 17 years of military rule under Augusto Pinochet.
We would have to be grateful to him for that example alone, but free Cubans owe him for much more. President Patricio Aylwin
met with pro-democracy Cubans over the years in Santiago, Chile at his private home and freely gave his advice, but he did more.
|
Rosa Maria Paya meets with Patricio Aylwin Azócar at his home (2013) |
In 2004 Don Patricio was a founding member of the
International Committee for Democracy in Cuba. The former Chilean president traveled to the Czech Republic at age 85 to
spend three days with other Latin American and European leaders in an
act of solidarity with a free Cuba that will
long be remembered. At the time of his passing Orlando Gutierrez of the Cuban Democratic Directorate
remembered President Aylwin's role. We also know that the best way to honor his memory of solidarity is
through following his example.
|
Patricio Aylwin, Luis Alberto Lacalle, Petr Pithart, Philip Dimitrov,
Luis Alberto Monge, José María Aznar, Václav Havel, Mart Laar close the
meeting of former presidents and prime ministers at the ICDC Summit. |
Free Cubans are grateful, and today in Santiago, Chile when members of the Christian Democrat Organization of America
gathered to pay homage and pray for Patricio Aylwin Azócar at the Frei family mausoleum, where he is being temporarily laid to rest, the above episode was remembered and given thanks for by the representative of the Cuban Democratic Directorate.
|
On May 27, 2016 ODCA laid flowers to Ex-presidents Eduardo Frei & Patricio Aylwin. |
The Christian Democrat Organization of America held its
21st Congress in Santiago, Chile from May 25 -27, 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment