Cuba awards Medal of Friendship to Simpson Miller
Published:Friday | September 19, 2025 | 12:09 AMErica Virtue/Senior Gleaner Writer
By Presidential Decree No. 1039 on July 10, 2025, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez awarded Jamaica’s former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller the Medal of Friendship, one of Cuba’s highest honours for foreign leaders who have supported the country.
The medal was presented at a ceremony held Wednesday at the Cuban Embassy in Jamaica by Cuban Ambassador Fermín Quiñones. Simpson Miller, who is retired from public life, was represented by her husband, Errald Miller.
“This distinction reflects the feelings of an entire people in recognition of her history of solidarity with Cuba and her contribution and unconditional commitment to the defence of the Cuban Revolution, peace, and the sovereignty and independence of peoples. When some choose to close their eyes to the pain of a people and fail to recognise their achievements, ... Portia stood by the Cuban people with her friendship and affection. Honour to whom honour is due,” the ambassador read from a citation before the presentation.
During her time as prime minister, Simpson Miller played a key role in strengthening ties between Cuba and Jamaica, particularly in health, education, sports, and agriculture.
FIRM CALL
“Today, we can say she has always been an impeccable friend of Cuba. Sista P stood up for just causes and never gave in to the pressure even in the most difficult moments. Her firm call for the lifting of the criminal economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States of America against Cuba will continue to resonate in the United Nations,” the ambassador said.
Quiñones highlighted Jamaica’s decades-long collaboration with Cuba, including the training of Jamaican doctors in Cuba and the deployment of Cuban health professionals to Jamaican communities. He also recalled Jamaica’s educational partnerships, such as the G. C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport and the José Martí Technical High School, both built with Cuban support.
The ambassador noted that Simpson Miller once said it was the honour of her life to have met former Cuban President Fidel Castro, with whom she shared a deep friendship, along with his brother and successor, Army General Raúl Castro.
Accepting the medal on her behalf, Miller said: “It’s a pleasure to collect this on behalf of Portia. And as I listen to you speak, I see her coming alive. All the words were just clear. I see her in action. I know she loved the Castros and had a very good relationship with both Raúl and Fidel. ...
“And as I said to most people, I went to Cuba only once. I went with her, along with Pam [Redwood] and some other people. And I was so impressed about the kindness and the love [of the Cuban people]. We lived like a family. We had a teacher who was our chef, and we all ate together. We did everything as if we were a family. I was so impressed,” Miller said in response.
He also contrasted his experience in Cuba with the portrayals from some members of the Cuban diaspora in Miami, expressing surprise at the racial harmony and solidarity he witnessed firsthand.
Miller also spoke about Cuba’s humanity to the rest of the world.
“I have never seen a country and a people that have so little and give so much. ... You just look across the world at things that Cuba has been involved with, and you’ll see that my words are clear. ... You give so much of yourself to the people of the world,” he said.
People’s National Party Chairman Dr Angela Brown Burke also expressed gratitude on behalf of the party.
“I know that a number of Comrades, just hearing and seeing today, will be heartened by that because as you have said, they know the place that Cuba and Fidel occupy in her heart ... ,” she said.
The Jamaica-Cuba Friendship Society was represented by Pamela Redwood, former aide to Simpson Miller, and Paul Burke, former PNP general secretary.