Our soldiers did not go to Africa to conquer, but to liberate.” — Fidel Castro¹

Read Part I and Part II.

In late 1975, as Angola prepared to cast off Portuguese rule, its fragile independence was threatened by apartheid South Africa’s armies and CIA‑backed mercenaries. Into this storm stepped Cuba. Within weeks, Havana launched Operación Carlota, named after an enslaved woman who led a rebellion in Cuba in 1843. Though Carlota was killed, her spirit lived on — carried across the Atlantic as a symbol of resistance.²

Cuba’s intervention was not driven by material gain. Thousands of Cuban lives were lost, yet Havana demanded no oil, diamonds, or gold. Fidel Castro made clear the mission’s purpose: “We are fulfilling our duty to humanity. We are not seeking oil, diamonds, or gold. We are seeking justice.”³

Historians have emphasized the significance of this choice. Piero Gleijses, a leading scholar of the conflict, concluded that “Cuba’s role in Angola changed the course of African history.”⁴ His research shows how Cuban solidarity altered the balance of power in southern Africa.

Nelson Mandela himself recognized this sacrifice. Speaking in Havana in 1991, he declared: “The defeat of the apartheid army at Cuito Cuanavale was a turning point for the liberation of our continent — and of my people — from the scourge of apartheid.”⁵

Over sixteen years, more than 337,000 Cuban soldiers and advisors served in Africa. They fought alongside liberation movements in Guinea‑Bissau, Mozambique, and Namibia, living among the people and sharing their hardships.⁶⁷ Their presence offered protection against colonial aggression and apartheid expansion.

The decisive moment came at Cuito Cuanavale in 1987–1988. Cuban, Angolan, and Namibian forces halted South Africa’s advance in what became the largest battle on African soil since World War II.⁸ The confrontation forced Pretoria to the negotiating table, opening the road to Namibian independence and accelerating the demise of apartheid. Vijay Prashad later summarized: “Cuba’s role in Angola changed the course of African history.”⁹

By the early 1990s, apartheid was crumbling, Namibia stood free, and Angola had preserved its sovereignty. Cuba’s soldiers had acted as midwives of freedom, their sacrifice woven into the liberation of nations.¹⁰

The legacy of this internationalist mission is not carved in monuments but written in the independence of peoples. From Carlota’s rebellion in Cuba to the victory at Cuito Cuanavale, the thread of solidarity remained unbroken. Cuba’s “young flowers” — its soldiers of conscience — shed their blood far from Havana, leaving behind a river of justice that nourished Africa’s liberation.

ENDNOTES:

The post Soldiers of Solidarity — Part III first appeared on Dissident Voice.

1    Fidel Castro. “Speech in Havana on Angola.” December 1975. Transcript in Granma archives; reprinted in Pathfinder Press collections.

2    “Operation Carlota.” Radio Grito de Baire archives, 1975.

3    Fidel Castro. Speech on Cuba’s Duty to Humanity. Havana, 1980. Transcript in Pathfinder Press collections.

4    Piero Gleijses. Visions of Freedom: Havana, Washington, Pretoria, and the Struggle for Southern Africa, 1976–1991. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2013.

5    Nelson Mandela. Speech Recognizing Cuba’s Role at Cuito Cuanavale. Havana, July 26, 1991. In How Far We Slaves Have Come, by Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro. New York: Pathfinder Press, 1992.

6    See note 3

7    Edward George. The Cuban Intervention in Angola, 1965–1991: From Che Guevara to Cuito Cuanavale. London: Routledge, 2004.

8    “Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.” South African History Online.

9    Vijay Prashad. “Cuba’s Role in Angola Changed the Course of African History.” Jacobin, March 19, 2021.

10    Cuban Intervention in Angola.” Wikipedia. Last updated 2025.

This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Sammy Attoh.

This post was originally published on Radio Free.