The University of Havana awarded the research fellow with the title of Doctor Honoris Causa in History Sciences in a ceremony at the Aula Magna, presided over by the rector of the university, philosopher Ruben Zardoya. The director of the Cuban Academy of the Language, writer Lisandro Otero, also gave him the degree of Academic Correspondent.

"He is exactly the brand of wise man we need here and now", said poet and ethnologist Miguel Barnet, when he was asked to praise the stamp of Leon Portilla in literature, linguistics and anthropology.

Many generations of high school and higher education students learned from The Vision of the Vanquished (La visión de los vencidos) the other side of the misnamed conquest and colonization of the New World, the one with the Nahuatl visions of the Spanish conquest. Professor Emilio Pacheco described this text as a "great epic poem about the origins of our nationality... a classic book and an essential piece of work for all Mexicans". We must correct that last phrase: Vision of the Vanquished is essential for all Latin Americans and Caribbeans.

At the University of Havana, Leon Portilla said: "Ive devoted most of my life to the task of rescuing and studying indigenous texts, which are an expression of great beauty and profound wisdom. At the same time, Ive fought to achieve the acknowledgement of those peoples rights, particularly those concerning their autonomy."

Clearly emotional, the master talked of his admiration for Marti. In his family, they treasure the poem Jose Marti wrote to celebrate the birth of Cecilia, daughter of the great Mexican poet Manuel Gutierrez Najera, one of the founders of literary modernism.

"Gutierrez Najera was the first cousin of my maternal grandmother", said Leon Portilla. "That is the reason why, Marti stayed, for personal reasons, in the heart of our family."

Once more, here in Havana, the prominent anthropologist and linguistic condemned the hostility of the American administrations against Cuba. "More than once, when the US has toughened up its blockades, a lot of us have publicly shown open rejection to any attempt at intervention."

Just as his visit to Cuba was finishing, El Pais, a Madrid newspaper published one of his articles where he talked about the racist phobia the US has unleashed against Mexican immigrants at the common border. "The simple rejection, the building of walls and fences; the sending of helicopters and patrols to intercept immigrants, are not the right solution."

Leon Portilla has left on us his stamp of intellectual loyalty to his roots, of a man committed to justice and truth.

Source: Granma