Miguel Mejía, general secretary of the United Left Movement (MIU) party of the Dominican Republic, shared these reflections in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the occasion of Vietnam's 50th anniversary of Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975-2025).

In April 1975, when Vietnam’s victory resonated worldwide, Mejía was a student leader of the Dominican People’s Movement (MPD).

At that time, his country was still grappling with foreign intervention after the fall of the Trujillo dictatorship. The Vietnamese people's fight for independence greatly inspired his generation, he recalled.

Vietnam’s triumph ignited revolutionary fervour among Dominican youth.

"We once believed the US empire was invincible, a notion reinforced by the media, but Vietnam proved otherwise," Mejía said.

According to him, Vietnam’s victory became a guiding beacon for movements fighting for independence and freedom, and its lessons in resilience and peace remain profoundly relevant today. The April 30 victory ushered Vietnam into a new era of political, diplomatic, and social advancement towards socialism, setting an example for the world and reinforcing international solidarity.

Vietnam’s transformation over the past 50 years highlights the power of unity, rooted in a thousand-year history of resistance. Key pillars of Vietnam’s strength include its ideological resilience, revolutionary spirit, political vision, human intelligence, anti-corruption efforts, institutional reforms, and peaceful diplomacy grounded in mutual respect, all guided by the political thought of President Ho Chi Minh and the strategic leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Mejía stressed that national unity was the decisive factor behind the April 30 victory, quoting President Ho Chi Minh’s 1956 letters to the people nationwide as saying that "The unification of our country is the path to survival for our people. Great national unity is an invincible force.”

The Dominican Republic’s solidarity with Vietnam dates back to the 1960s, when Professor Juan Bosch, the first democratically elected president, visited Vietnam, China, and the DPRK, a journey later recounted in his book Journey to the Polar Region. His visit marked a sincere show of support for Vietnam’s struggle.

Mejía recalled his own visit to Ho Chi Minh City in 2008 as a Dominican Minister, paying tribute to war heroes. In 2013, MIU helped inaugurate Ho Chi Minh Square in Santo Domingo Este, followed by the opening of Juan Bosch Square in Hanoi’s Peace Park in 2018.

Time passes, but the spirit of April 30 endures. Vietnam’s lessons in independence, economic self-reliance, and international solidarity are increasingly relevant in today’s world.

He said that as General Secretary of MIU, he is confident that the Dominican Republic–Vietnam relationship will continue to flourish, upholding the ideals of peace, justice, and social progress shared by both peoples.

Activities planned to mark 50th anniversary of national reunification

Vietnamese localities are gearing up for the April 30 – May 1 holiday with a wide range of cultural and sporting activities, attracting large numbers of residents and visitors.