Speaking with Nhan Dan Newspaper on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birth (May 19, 1890 – 2025), Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Vu Trung My shared touching and heartfelt stories from Latin American leaders, artists, scholars, and ordinary citizens, all expressing their deep admiration and respect for President Ho Chi Minh.
According to Ambassador Vu Trung My, from past figures like Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Salvador Allende, and Hugo Chávez to current leaders such as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, many leaders and people of Latin America, especially the younger generation, continue to study and revere Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts. His legacy remains a source of inspiration in the struggle for national independence, territorial integrity, self-determination, and the pursuit of fairness, democracy, and social progress.
A revolutionary hero and symbol of sacrifice for freedom and independence
Having spent nearly 30 years working with and researching Latin America, Ambassador Vu Trung My has had many opportunities to directly interact with Latin American friends and witness firsthand their admiration for President Ho Chi Minh — the great leader of the Vietnamese people.
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| Leaders of the Vietnamese Party and State welcomed Comrade Fidel Castro at Gia Lam Airport, September 12, 1973. (File photo: VNA) |
Ambassador Vu Trung My, born in the 1970s, noted that unlike earlier generations of Vietnamese Spanish-language experts, he never had the privilege of meeting influential Latin American leaders who held deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh — such as Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro (1926–2016), former Chilean President Salvador Allende (1908–1973), or revolutionary hero Che Guevara (1928–1967).
However, throughout his career, he has participated in activities across Party, state, and people-to-people diplomacy channel; served as an interpreter; and had numerous chances to directly witness the profound affection and respect for President Ho Chi Minh — the beloved "Uncle Ho" of the Vietnamese nation.
Among the most prominent Latin American leaders who expressed deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh was Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. Although he never met President Ho Chi Minh in person, Fidel Castro held him in the highest regard.
At the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre — a venue dedicated to collecting, preserving, and promoting Fidel’s legacy — many vivid records remain of Fidel’s historic first visit to Viet Nam in September 1973. During a banquet at the Presidential Palace, Fidel expressed deep regret that he never had the honour of meeting President Ho Chi Minh and mourned not arriving in Viet Nam before September 3, 1969.
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| President Fidel Castro waved the victorious flag of the Khe Sanh Division, Liberation Army of Tri-Thien-Hue, in 1973. (File photo: VNA) |
Earlier, at a banquet of Cuban leaders at the beginning of that historic visit to Viet Nam on September 12, 1973, Fidel Castro emphasised: “Comrade Ho Chi Minh masterfully combined the struggle for national independence with the fight for the rights of the masses oppressed by feudal lords and exploitative classes. He found a path that united patriotic ideas with the urgent need to liberate the people from exploitation. The national liberation cause and the social emancipation cause are the two pillars of his doctrine.”
Similarly, Chile’s leftist President from 1970–1973, Salvador Allende — who met President Ho Chi Minh in May 1969 while serving as a senator — wrote about his reflections following his visit to Viet Nam: President Ho Chi Minh is history, both a son and father of the revolution. His exemplary life and simple lifestyle left a deep impression on us. His determination was evident in his short, simple, and clear statements — full of courage and the unyielding spirit of generations of Vietnamese in defending their nation and building socialism. What he told us expressed the resolve of all people, helping us understand why this nation emerged victorious.”
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| Leftist Chilean President Salvador Allende (Photo: chiletoday.cl) |
“All his gestures and words radiated a strong belief in the people... Never before had we seen such a perfect fusion of simplicity and greatness in one person like in President Ho Chi Minh. His thoughts and words conveyed both the sorrow and the heroic spirit of a nation that had written a glorious history. Yet there was a gentleness in his every word and action, something unique to Uncle Ho,” Allende noted.
I never had the fortune of meeting President Ho Chi Minh, but I have read several of his works. He taught us to love and care for the people... I remain loyal to his ideals and vow to follow his teachings…
Late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez (Photo: tulieuvankien.dangcongsan.vn)
Meanwhile, the admiration of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez for President Ho Chi Minh took on a different and vivid form. Ambassador Vu Trung My recalled that in many meetings with senior Vietnamese Party and State leaders as well as during public appearances, President Chávez often began by recounting stories of President Ho Chi Minh’s life and his humble and approachable style. On several occasions, he passionately sang the song “Mai mai Ho Chi Minh” (Forever Ho Chi Minh) by Venezuelan people’s artist Ali Primera (1942–1985).
Embodiment of solidarity
For Daniel Ortega, General Secretary of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and President of Nicaragua, the image of President Ho Chi Minh always resonates with a profound revolutionary philosophy: “Unity, unity, great unity. Success, success, great success.”
Speaking at his inauguration ceremony on January 10, 2007 — marking his return to power after 16 years (since 1990) and attended by more than half a million people in the capital Managua — President Ortega enthusiastically chanted this slogan, concluding with: “Long live the heroic Vietnamese people a thousand times! Long live President Ho Chi Minh a thousand times!”
Holding the hand of Nguyen Van Son, Member of the Party Central Committee (PCC), Head of the PCC's Commission for External Relations, and Special Envoy of General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, President Nguyen Minh Triet, and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attending the inaugural ceremony, President Daniel Ortega repeatedly declared: “Viet Nam–Ho Chi Minh is always in my heart.”
Flowing in the current of deep affection from heads of state, leftist leaders, progressive movements, revolutionary forces, and the people of Latin America for President Ho Chi Minh, Venezuelan President and Chairman of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Nicolás Maduro expressed in numerous speeches and articles published in the media: “The legacy of the great President Ho Chi Minh continues to exist and inspires the struggles of peoples demanding justice and defending sovereignty and territorial integrity”; and “For revolutionaries, President Ho Chi Minh’s example is a model of morality, determination, and dignity.”
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| President Nicolás Maduro met with former Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang during his visit to Viet Nam in 2015 (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela) |
For Ignacio Mendoza Pizarro, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Bolivia, Ho Chi Minh is an immortal leader and a symbol of internationalism. According to Mendoza Pizarro, President Ho Chi Minh was a strategist, a leader, and a teacher of generations. His loyalty to the principles of Marxism-Leninism and his lifelong dedication to the cause of independence and socialism in Viet Nam represent a profound legacy for all communists and revolutionaries around the world.
The embodiment of immortality
Originating from profound respect and admiration for President Ho Chi Minh, generations of the family of Chilean President Salvador Allende — as well as generations of the Chilean people — have always held special affection for the Vietnamese leader. During a meeting with Phan Dinh Trạc, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and Head of the Central Commission for Internal Affairs on October 20, 2022, Chilean Minister of Defence Maya Fernández Allende, granddaughter of the late President Salvador Allende, emphasised: “The affection and admiration for the great President Ho Chi Minh are enduring, passed down from my grandfather and generations of Chileans, and will continue to live in every Chilean today.”
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| María Enriqueta Gallegos, President of the Venezuela–Viet Nam Friendship Association Carolus Wimmer, and Ambassador Vu Trung My offer incense in tribute to President Ho Chi Minh on the occasion of his 135th birthday anniversary. (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela). |
For Ambassador Vu Trung My, a meeting with Professor, Doctor María Enriqueta Gallegos — the daughter of Eduardo Gallegos, a prominent leader of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) — was an unforgettable experience.
During their conversation, Dr. María Enriqueta Gallegos shared that her childhood was filled with stories told by her beloved father about a distant yet profoundly close country — Viet Nam. A country which is not large in size but home to a heroic, indomitable, and invincible people, and above all, the great leader Ho Chi Minh, who devoted his entire life to the cause of national independence, freedom, and the happiness of his people.
Dr. Gallegos recalled that her father, Eduardo Gallegos (1915–1989), a long-serving Senator, Politburo member, and Head of Foreign Affairs for the PCV for more than 30 years, was honoured to lead the PCV delegation to Viet Nam in September 1964 to attend the National Day (September 2) celebrations.
During his week-long stay, Eduardo Gallegos met President Ho Chi Minh multiple times, stood beside him on the historic Ba Dinh Square podium, and enjoyed warm meals with him. He also had the opportunity to visit various locations and meet with top Vietnamese leaders, including Le Duan, First Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Viet Nam; Prime Minister Pham Van Dong; and General Vo Nguyen Giap.
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| Ambassador Vu Trung My receives Venezuela’s Deputy Minister of Culture Alí Alejandro Primera, who shared that he would participate in the art performance “Forever Ho Chi Minh” to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the President’s birth (Photo courtesy of the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela). |
“From that visit until the final years of his life, my father always held Viet Nam and President Ho Chi Minh in the highest regard. He once told me that if I ever had the chance, I must visit Viet Nam and pay respects at President Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. Due to various circumstances, I have yet to fulfil his wish, but fortunately, my two daughters have had the chance to visit Viet Nam, explore Ha Noi, and offer their respects at the Mausoleum,” Dr. Gallegos shared emotionally.
“President Ho Chi Minh, the embodiment of deep patriotism and boundless love for the people, who dedicated his entire life to the cause of national independence and freedom, was a distinguished soldier of the communist movement and the global national liberation struggle of the 20th century. He will forever remain etched in my heart, in the hearts of the Venezuelan people, and in those of peace-loving, justice-seeking individuals around the world,” she affirmed.
Like María Enriqueta Gallegos, Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Culture Alí Alejandro Primera also comes from a revolutionary family with a deep love for Viet Nam and particular admiration for President Ho Chi Minh — the great leader of the Vietnamese people. Primera shared that from a young age, the songs composed and performed by his grandfather, Venezuelan national hero and artist Alí Primera, which praised Viet Nam and President Ho Chi Minh, were deeply imprinted on his soul.
“Although I have never had the opportunity to visit Viet Nam, through my grandfather’s songs such as ‘Forever Ho Chi Minh’ (Inolvidable Ho Chi Minh), ‘The Figure of Ho Chi Minh’ (La figura de Ho Chi Minh), and ‘Vietnamese Woman’ (La Mujer de Viet Nam), I could vividly imagine a resilient nation and people — and above all, Uncle Ho himself — an illuminating example of patriotism, altruism, and compassion. He devoted his entire life to the struggle for national liberation, reunification, and the freedom and happiness of the Vietnamese people,” Deputy Minister Alí Alejandro Primera expressed.
He also announced that he would personally perform these well-known songs honouring President Ho Chi Minh at the art performance “Forever Ho Chi Minh,” held to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the President’s birth, as a tribute from the Venezuelan people to this great leader of the global revolutionary movement.
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| Deputy Minister of Culture Alí Alejandro Primera said he would personally perform the song “Forever Ho Chi Minh” (Inolvidable Ho Chi Minh) composed by his grandfather - the late People's Artist of Venezuela Ali Primera at the art programme “Forever Ho Chi Minh”. |
The embodiment of a strong and prosperous Viet Nam
Thanks to the nature of his work, Ambassador Vu Trung My has had the opportunity to participate in numerous high-level Party and people-to-people diplomacy activities in Latin America, including the São Paulo Forum, the annual Meeting of Political Parties and a New Society, and the World Festival of Youth and Students.
These are key international political events and major platforms that bring together progressive youth and students from around the world to advocate for peace and social progress. They were organised by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). Ambassador Vu Trung My shared that at these events, the words “Viet Nam–Ho Chi Minh” consistently resound whenever Vietnamese delegates appear.
Particularly, during recent meetings with the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union delegation visiting Venezuela, President of the PSUV and President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, along with First Secretary of the United Socialist Youth of Venezuela (JPSUV) and Minister of Youth Grecia Colmenares, expressed their confidence that under the astute leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, headed by General Secretary To Lam, and guided by the ideology of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnamese youth will carry forward the heroic legacy of the nation. They will help realise the aspiration of building a strong, prosperous, and civilised Viet Nam with a worthy position in the international community.
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| President Nicolas Maduro welcomed and took commemorative photos with the high-ranking delegation of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union during their recent visit to Venezuela in late April. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Viet Nam in Venezuela) |
Stemming from deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and the solid foundation of Viet Nam–Venezuela relations, both President Nicolas Maduro and Minister Grecia Colmenares expressed hope that the young generations of Venezuela and Viet Nam will continue to emulate the great example of President Ho Chi Minh. They have called on the youth to strive for national development and progress, and to work for the cause of peace, independence, and prosperity in both countries.
President Ho Chi Minh was not only an outstanding leader of the Vietnamese nation but also an eternal symbol of the global movement for independence and freedom among oppressed peoples. The heartfelt sentiments and profound admiration from Latin American leaders, intellectuals, artists, and people across generations serve as vivid testimony to the enduring value and vitality of his ideology, character, and revolutionary cause. President Ho Chi Minh will forever live in the hearts of international friends as a guiding torch for freedom, justice, and peace for all humanity.
