- On 16 December last, the well-known cook and lover of Basque culture, Pelix Sarasola, 72, died in Usurbil (Gipuzkoa). In addition to the latest greetings in her native land, Havana has witnessed an emotional act of remembrance between the Basques there present and the Cubans who have bonded with Pelix and Euskal Herria.
Pelix Sarasola Altzaga has been a great friend of ARGIA for years, among other things because the ARGIA Awards have always been held in her restaurants, from the Card Txoko to the Atxega of recent years. Other entrepreneurs from the Basque culture world also knew Pelix’s generosity.
Pelix had a close relationship with Cuba for a long time, intercaling his professional work in restaurants with his longer and longer stays on the island. After the withdrawal, he lived mainly in Havana, not forgetting to return from time to time to his European friends. On the last trip he had to do a serious heart operation and the subsequent complications have led to it.
On 23 December he fired Sarasola, according to the daily Summary Latinoamericano.En the Habanero hostel La casa de la bombilla verde, a group of Cubans and Basques met to offer a greeting and a tribute, including Joseba Sarrionandia:
Among the Cubans, General Jorge Romero sent an emotional speech to Pelix and the director of the Latin American Summary Carlos Aznárez read as a tribute a brief account of the Uruguayan writer Daniel Chavarria, Tortilla stagonada. Singers Ray Fernandez, Pancho Amat and Duo Jade also approached the act to present their testimonies and songs. As the last elder, they sang Txoria Txori by Mikel Laboa and Joxanton Artze to Pelix Sarasola.
More photos and videos in this Latin American Summary news: Cuba - Basque Country: Vasc@s and cuban@s honored the late cook Félix Sarasola in Havana.