Cuba commemorates 50th anniversary of 1976 Barbados aircraft bombing

Cuba has designated October 6 as the Day of the Victims of State Terrorism to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Barbados crime. This event involved the mid-air explosion of a Cubana de Aviación aircraft on October 6, 1976, which resulted in the deaths of 73 people, including 24 members of the Cuban national junior fencing team.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel led a pilgrimage to the Colón Cemetery in Havana to honor the victims. During the commemoration, Cuban officials reiterated accusations against the United States, claiming the government provided protection and financing to the perpetrators. The Cuban leadership emphasized the importance of historical memory and denounced the impunity of those responsible for the attack.

Official statements from the Cuban government, including Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, characterized the incident as a terrorist act orchestrated by anti-Cuban groups and supported by U.S. intelligence services. The commemorations included official acts across educational centers throughout the island.