President of Casa de Las Americas Bestowed Jose Marti Order by Raul Castro

HAVANA, April 29 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro bestowed the Jose Marti Order, the top distinction of the Republic of Cuba, on Roberto Fernandez Retamar, president of the Casa de Las Americas cutlural institution.

The awarding took place Tuesday during a ceremony for the 50th anniversary of the Havana-based institution, one of the most emblematic cultural entities in the continent, and whose founder and first president was outstanding revolutionary Haydee Santamaria.

The high honor was given to Fernandez Retamar for his valuable contribution to Cuban and Latin American culture, for his merits as researcher, poet, essayist and professor of several generations and for his firm defense of the Cuban Revolution.

Retamar dedicated the distinction to Haydee Santamaria, since-he stressed-without her example and influence, her life and work, he would not have been the person is today.

The ceremony also included the creation a postage stamp for the 50th anniversary of the cultural institution.

Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon also paid homage to Haydee Santamaria, a heroine of the 1963 Moncada Attack and the liberation war on the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range, and he recalled the various tasks and works undertaken by Casa de Las Americas.

Casa de Las Americas has encouraged us to resist and has contributed to defeat the isolation policy on Cuba, said Ricardo Alarcon in his statements during the ceremony, which concluded with the presentation of renowned singer Omara Portuondo.

(Impone Raúl Orden José Martí a Roberto Fernández Retamar)