Attendees at the event, held at the Cuban diplomatic mission in the capital, listened to excerpts from the speech delivered by Fidel Castro on September 28, 1960—the date he called upon every citizen to become an active defender of the political process and a guardian of the achievements of the nascent Revolution.

  Ambassador Carlos de Cespedes Piedra highlighted to those present the importance of upholding the vision of unity advocated by the historic leader when he announced the organization’s creation.

  He noted that the CDRs’ founding principles remain as relevant today as they were 66 years ago, given the threats looming over Cuba; the Cuban people are suffering the effects of a tightened economic, financial, and commercial blockade imposed by the United States, as well as an energy embargo that causes severe hardships, particularly for the most vulnerable population.

  The CDRs were established at the initiative of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, on September 28, 1960, amidst a climate of confrontation with counter-revolutionary groups and external aggression, particularly from the Washington government.

  Since their inception, these organizations have been active in combating crime, illegal activities, and social indiscipline, as well as in a wide range of productive, cultural, health-related, and social tasks. jdt/otf/ifs