Today we complained about the US Congress and the Capitol in Washington D.C. But there is an entirely different Capitol in Havana, Cuba. Russian masters are soon going to be repairing its dome. And in the next year, it will house the Cuban parliament again.
Let's take a peek inside — a marvelous lobby called "The Hall of the Lost Steps" fit out in 1929. The sculpture representing Cuba is right underneath the dome with Cuba's Kilometer Zero in front of it.
On the floor — a star with a diamond. That's what it's supposed to look like — 25 ct from the collection of Nicholai II of Russia. But that's a replica. The trouble is that after an attempted theft in the 40s, the diamond is stored in the Central Bank of Cuba. And now...
This is our famous factory Smolensk Diamonds. At the initiative of our program and the Bering-Bellingshausen Institute, the factory made a genuine Russian diamond for the Capitol. It doesn't have 25 ct, but it's custom engraved. The name's El Fiel. Sounds a lot like Fidel. In Spanish both words mean faithful.
What are we faithful to? Our shared memories!
For the first time on Russian TV, the formerly classified footage of the Cuban military. The late 60s. The parade is led by Raul Castro and a man in civilian clothes that looked like a Russian. It was the hero of Khasan battle — the WWII veteran, general Shkadov. He was the chief military adviser in Cuba. He practically became the co-architect of the new Cuban armed forces. The unusual parade was timed to his departure after a successful mission.
And now the present day delivery ceremony. El Fiel is presented to the people of Cuba by the descendants of Shkadov. El Fiel — the faithful. The ceremony took place on another Caribbean island, equally legendary Grenada. The names of most countries in CARICOM, which is currently presided by Grenada, sound exotic to the Russian ear. Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica. They were all welcome at the Cuban diamond ceremony, as well as at Russia/Eurasia-Caribbean A New Dawn conference that was conducted in Grenada by the country's government, Bellingshausen Institute, and Rosscongress Fund.
