The billboard’s inscription is comprised of giant letters spelling out “Fidel,” and can be seen from a great distance and from various points of the city. Each letter, fashioned in white-colored plastic, is 15 meters high and 10 meters wide, and has been anchored with wood and iron.

Cristina Barrera, president of a committee of parents whose children are scholarship students in Cuba, told the Associated

Press that this was an initiative by young Ecuadorians studying on the island, who together with their families, wanted to “celebrate his birthday and express the immense gratitude that they feel for having provided the opportunity to study in Cuba.”

Barrera added that “this message also expresses our solidarity with the Cuban people in response to any foreign attempts to attack Cuba’s sovereignty and independence.”

In Santiago de Chile, the solidarity movement and Chilean social and political organizations celebrated the Cuban president’s 80th birthday with a seminar titled “Fidel and the anti-imperialist struggle,” which took place with a full house at the Victor Jara Hall, and speakers included Guillermo Teillier, president of the Communist Party; socialist Senator Alejandro Navarro; Manuel Cabieses, editor of Punto Final magazine; and Cuban Ambassador Giraldo Mazola.

Participants all pointed out the trajectory, leadership and role played by the leader of the Cuban Revolution in emancipation struggles that have taken place and are taking place in Latin America, Africa and other Third World countries.

“Because of his ideas and action, he is one of the most outstanding figures of the 20th century in Latin America and the rest of the world,” affirmed Cabieses, as he opened the discussion, which was moderated by Miraya Baltra, former minister of labor under the Salvador Allende government.

“It is of that country, that leadership, and the reality that it represents in the world that we are talking about when we pay affectionate tribute today, with love, admiration and respect, to Fidel Castro as he celebrates his 80th birthday,” emphasized the Punto Final editor.

In the U.S. city of Miami, celebrations for Fidel’s birthday were also held, and contrary to the acts of ill will held by Cuba’s enemies, organizations in solidarity with the island such as Alianza Martiana, Los Maceitos, the ATC, the José Martí Brigade and the Bolivarians of Miami spoke out and even trailed a large banner behind a small airplane that flew over the city bearing the inscription: “Fidel, Congratulations for your 80 years of life.”

The day before, a march was organized in Buenos Aires by Argentine political and social organizations (PCA, the FJCA, the Territorial Liberation Movement and groups of friendship and solidarity with the island), which went to the Cuban embassy in that city to express support for Cuba and wish good health to President Fidel Castro.

Carrying a large white banner with the slogan “Hang in there, Fidel!” in red and blue letters, along with the Cuban and Argentine flags, demonstrators shouted “Vivas!” for Cuba and the Revolution, as slogans for the liberation of the Latin American peoples.

In response to a call by one of the organizers, Alejandro Forni, general secretary of the Communist Youth Federation of Argentina (FJCA), participants sang “Happy Birthday” to the Cuban leader.

The youth leader expressed Argentine wishes for a speedy recovery of the Cuban leader, and noted that they are on Cuba’s side at this time, when its enemies in the United States are advocating intervention to overthrow the Revolution, and urged the Revolution to stay firm and defend its conquests.

Forni gave Cuban Ambassador Aramís Fuente a mural tapestry as a gift “to reach the hands of compañero Fidel, whom we hope will get well soon.”

“This is a painting by the Jorge Calvo Muralist Brigade, of the Communist Party of Argentina (PCA), with artistic representation of the presidents of Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuela — Fidel Castro, Evo Morales and Hugo Chávez, vanguards of Latin American unity and integration,” he said.

The tapestry, several meters long, was unfurled in Córdoba during the MERCOSUR Summit attended by the three leaders, and during a public event at the university where the Venezuelan and Cuban presidents spoke.

They also presented a wooden carving of Fidel Castro with the slogan “Hang in there, Fidel!” which was used as a model by a youth brigade that painted it in streets all over Buenos Aires.

MANU CHAO’S CONCERT IN LOS ANGELES

“Hang in there, Fidel!” shouted some of the young people who attended the concert by French/Spanish singer Manu Chao two weeks ago in Los Angeles, California.

The artist, a symbol of the anti-globalization movement, is on tour in the United States, and attracted more than 4,000 people to a performance where he criticized Washington’s policies and honored the undocumented immigrants who die while crossing the border.

“Enough of the White House’s bombs!” exclaimed the singer of “Me gustas tú” (I Like You) adding “The terrorism problem is solved by culture and education.”