The first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, and President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez sent a message of congratulations to Kim Jong Un, on the 60th anniversary of relations between the two countries.

“Celebrating six decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, we extend to you the most cordial congratulations in the name of the people, the Communist Party and government of Cuba,” the message read, according to the Korean Central News Agency, reported Prensa Latina.

“We take advantage of the occasion to reaffirm the high priority Cuba gives the ties of friendship and cooperation between our two countries, built on the foundation of the special relationship shared by our historic leaders, Fidel Castro Ruz and Kim Il Sung,” the missive adds.

On the occasion of the commemoration, Korean leader Kim Jong Un also sent a greeting to Raúl and Díaz-Canel, reiterating his personal support to the just cause of the Cuban people, defending their revolutionary conquests.

Over the past 60 years, both peoples have invariably defended, consolidated, and developed the noble traditions of friendship, solidarity and cooperation, Kim Jong Un noted.

He emphasized that the friendship between the two nations was created by two great leaders, Kim Il Sung and Fidel Castro, within the context of difficult international conditions and provocative challenges from hostile forces.

Since August 29, 1960, Havana and Pyongyang have maintained diplomatic relations. Cuba has always been able to count on the support of the DPRK in the struggle to end the unjust economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on our island by the United States.

The two countries share a high level of agreement on the principal issues of international interest and cooperate regularly in multi-lateral bodies.

(Source: Granma)

Honorable Karen Cumming, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana;

Honorable Peter David, President of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) of CARICOM;

Ambassador Irwing LaRocque, Secretary-General of CARICOM;

Distinguished Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegations;

It is with great satisfaction that we are attending this meeting between brothers and sisters.

I appreciate the hospitality offered by the authorities of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the CARICOM Secretariat, which have made every effort to guarantee the success of this meeting. I would like to convey fraternal greetings to the distinguished Ministers and Heads of Delegations as well as our appreciation for their attendance, which shows the willingness to advance CARICOM relations with Cuba even further

This Sixth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Caribbean Community and Cuba is a propitious occasion to exchange on the development of our bilateral relations.

The consistency of these meetings evidences, beyond any question, the strength of our relations.

The Caribbean and Cuba share a common history and face similar challenges.

Cuba reiterates its permanent commitment to cooperate and share its modest achievement with the Caribbean. We feel we have a permanent debt of gratitude with CARICOM for its historical and fraternal support to Cuba. The courageous attitude of the first four independent Caribbean nations, which was soon followed by all the others once they managed to achieve their independence, will never be forgotten.

Cuba and the Caribbean have developed strong historical relations. The CARICOM-Cuba mechanism has decidedly and effectively contributed to strengthen our relations.

Hardly a few weeks ago, we inaugurated a monument in remembrance of the Caribbean National Heroes at a park in downtown Havana, as a symbol of the friendship that unites us and an expression of the Cuban peoples admiration for and recognition of the men and women who turned this group of countries into a community with dignity, an independent foreign policy and a voice of its own. That monument reflects the feelings of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz for what he considered to be his closest friends, for he asserted, and I quote: “No circumstances will ever change the interest and willingness of Cuba to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation with the sister nations of the Caribbean. We will spare no effort to achieve regional integration and the unity of our peoples”.

Cuba reiterates its willingness to continue strengthening its relations with all CARICOM member countries.

We are pleased about the results achieved so far by the Regional Center to Encourage the Development of Children, Teenagers and Youths with Special Educational Needs Associated to Physical Disabilities. Cuban and Guyanese professionals have offered physical and occupational therapy to 103 persons; speech therapy to 158 persons; and have taught 98 pedagogy and 16 psycho-pedagogy training courses. A total of 56 pedagogical guidance sessions were offered to teachers and directors. We believe that all CARICOM countries can make a better use of this joint effort for the benefit of those in need.

We likewise express our disposition to find joint solutions so that the Regional School of Caribbean Arts based in Jamaica can start working. In the first two stages of the implementation of this project, Cuba contributed with the design of the study programs and curricula. We have received the excellent news that the Government of Jamaica will purchase a plot of land and will contribute funds for the construction of the school. We reiterate our commitment to continue supporting the creation of the school in Jamaica together with CARICOM and its member countries.

Our country will continue to support CARICOM’s fair claim for compensation for the horrors of slavery and the genocide perpetrated against indigenous populations.

We reject the decision not to take into account the real situation and needs of the Caribbean and that cooperation is arbitrarily adapted based on the statistics whereby its member States are classified as middle income countries.

The persecution, threats and sanctions against the financial systems of some of our countries, which are being accused of maintaining non-cooperative jurisdictions, is both immoral and harmful.

The vulnerability of our nations to the effects of climate change is disturbing.

It is precisely in this area where we have been taking important steps during the last few years. Several cooperative agreements have been signed, namely, one between the Civil Defense authorities of our country and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in December of 2017 in the context of the Sixth CARICOM-Cuba Summit and, more recently, in Saint Lucia, a Declaration of Commitment to strengthen he hydro-meteorological early-warning systems in the Caribbean. We have also hosted in Cuba, with a high level of acceptance and usefulness, several international events to discuss the most recent international experiences in natural disaster risk mitigation, which have been attended by specialists from the most important national agencies of our countries.

We should also move forward together in our economic and commercial relations, for which we confirm our entire disposition.

Esteemed Ministers and Heads of Delegations:

This meeting is taking place at a moment when peace in our region is being jeopardized. We have the duty to reaffirm our commitment with Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, as was stated in the Proclamation approved by the Heads of State and Government at the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States held in Havana.

Only in a climate of mutual respect and confidence shall we prosper as a region.

Only integration shall lead us down to that path.

Peace admits no ambiguities. It can not be said that all options are on the table, when one of them, the one that is most needed, has been rejected; and that is dialogue.

We welcome CARICOM’s decision, in view of the threat of use of force and foreign interference, to ratify its stand and defend the validity of the principles and purposes of the UN Charter and International Law.

We are gathered at a moment when attempts are made to re-establish the implementation of the Monroe Doctrine, which is opposite to the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

I would like to reiterate to you our gratitude for your firmness in denouncing the US Government’s authorization to activate Title III of the Helms-Burton Act so that lawsuits can be filed at the courts of that country against Cuban or foreign entities that legally engage in commercial business or investments in properties that were once nationalized in Cuba in full adherence to national and international laws, as was recognized by the US Supreme Court ruling on the Sabbatino case.

The Helms-Burton Act is arbitrary and is also an outrage and an insult against the sovereignty of Cuba and of third States.

There is an attempt to suffocate the Cuban economy and place our people on their knees through scarcities and hardships, but I can assure you that such an attempt will fail.

We recognize your resolute and irrevocable decision to join us in rejecting the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against our country and the fair claim to put an end to it.

Esteemed Ministers and Heads of Delegations:

Let us all engage in a deep discussion about our views, convinced that our brotherhood and friendship are indestructible.

Thank you, very much.

(Cubaminrex)

The welcoming ceremony included both officers paying tribute to Antonio Maceo and Francisco Gómez Toro at the Cacahual Mausoleum, a site that recalls Cuba’s independence struggle, and highlights the examples of its heroes as valuable weapons in the deconstruction of the ideological lies that imperialist forces launch against the peoples of the world.

López Miera stressed that many Chinese fought alongside Maceo, who left their mark due to their combative self-sacrifice and revolutionary convictions. According to an old adage from the Cuban independence wars, “There was never a Chinese man who was a traitor or a coward.”

Miao Hua expressed his gratitude for the welcome received, as well as the explanations about the history of Cuba’s independence struggles, and noted that the example of its heroes has for decades fueled the morale of the Chinese Red Army. “We are eager to work together in the political sphere and learn from your experiences regarding historical work,” he said.

The People’s Republic of China and Cuba maintain broad political and economic relations, rooted in the traditions of struggle of both nations, and in the victories achieved by their peoples, offering a lasting legacy for the new generations.

(Granma)

Confirmed during the meeting were the excellent relations shared by the two countries’ governments, parliaments, and peoples. Cabrisas, who heads the Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission, recalled his recent visit to Moscow and talks held with authorities and business people in different sectors of the economy.

During the conversation, highlighted was the support Russia has provided to restoration of the Capitolio’s dome, as well as the role played by the Russian Federation Council and its President Valentina Matvienko, and Kalashnikov himself, in the project.

Senator Kalashnikov was accompanied by several delegation members, in addition to Sergei Reshchikov and Andrey V. Mitrafanov, Minister Councilor and First Councilor, at the Russian embassy in Havana, respectively.

Also participating on the Cuban side were Yolanda Ferrer Gómez, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power International Relations standing committee; Emilio Lozada García, director general for bilateral relations at the Foreign Ministry; and Inalvis Bonachea González, director of Commercial Policy with Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment.

(Granma)

COMPAÑERO Nguyen Phu Trong, Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam;

Distinguished members of the Vietnamese delegation;

Compañeras and compañeros:

The close friendship between Cuba and Vietnam has stood the test of time.

We have built a solid relationship, forged in the difficult years of the struggle for the liberation of Vietnam.

Our peoples, parties, and governments have remained united and share today mutual experiences in the construction of a socialist society that guarantees justice and well-being in both nations. And so it will continue in the future, preserved by the new generations of Cubans and Vietnamese.

As early as 1889, our National Hero José Martí characterized the Vietnamese as men and women with huge hearts, whose industriousness, courage, and selflessness transcend the centuries.

As chance would have it, May 19 became a shared anniversary. That day in 1895, José Martí fell in combat, and five years earlier, the legendary, exceptional revolutionary Ho Chi Minh was born in a humble village.

I remember the emotional encounter I had with him during my visit to his beloved country, in October of 1966; Ho Chi Minh’s heartfelt words of gratitude for the help of Cuba and Fidel; and on the solid foundations on which we forged the bonds that unite us: “… our countries are geographically antipodean, but there is complete identification in the moral sense,” he said.

By that time, we had already mobilized to support his struggle for national liberation and the reunification of the country.

Compañero Fidel often highlighted the colossal feat of the Vietnamese resistance, which should serve as an example; and summarized the internationalist commitment of Cuba in one sentence: For Vietnam we are ready to shed even our own blood!

In September of this year, we will commemorate the 45th anniversary of Fidel’s first trip to the liberated zone of Quang Tri. He was the only head of state to do so. His image, hoisting the flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, expressed his absolute faith in victory. He, like Ho Chi Minh, was convinced that once the enemy was defeated, they would build a homeland “ten times more beautiful.”

You were an example to those who in all parts of the world fought for their independence and against foreign intervention; you bequeathed the defense doctrine of “war of the entire people,” which guarantees victory over a numerically and technically superior enemy; you also represent constancy and effort in socialist construction.

On behalf of our heroic people, and the enduring friendship that unites us; with the memory of Fidel and Ho Chi Minh more alive than ever, I accept the honorable Gold Star Order.

To the people, the Communist Party and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, our eternal gratitude.

Thank you very much.

During an extensive interview La Republica newspaper published today, the current Frente Amplio senator talked about his recent trip to Havana, Cuba, where he met with the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution.

“I was surprised he reads without glasses, he is lively, he makes intelligent questions permanently as always. I saw him better than I had seen him two years ago. He is OK.,” he described.

Mujica stressed that “the Cuban people can criticize even God, but Fidel is a mythical thing.”

He said it is a pleasure to talk to Fidel and his brother Raul, “because one learn about significant episodes in the history of the 20th century they lived and that had global implications.”

And one tends to see “history in underwear and not as the history books tell, because they lived it,” he added.

Questioned on how Fidel lives, the Frente Amplio senator said, he lives in a farm, “it is a typical middle-class, fairly simple home and he has a piece of field that is like a farmhouse, where he has plenty of plots with experimental works.”

He explained that the Cuban Commander-in-Chief monitors a series of elements that have to do with the use of new fodder and legume species that can be used to improve Cuban cattle raising.

Mujica said Fidel is “very concerned about the (Aedes Aegypti) mosquito” and read him a document he had about how it came from Polynesia, through Easter Island, and “some skiers took him to the mainland inadvertently.”

(Prensa Latina)

They were the key aspects to discuss “Cuban’s Incidence in the Continental Scenario,” and were analyzed by Nicaraguan Ambassador to Peru Marcela Perez Silva, Former Peruvian Ambassador to Cuba Victor Mayorga and the first secretary of the Embassy of Venezuela, Nicolas Picado, who was representing the Venezuelan Embassy.

Basilio Gutierrez, an official from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba; Gustavo Espinoza, president of Solicuba group, the organizer of the symposium that opened on Thursday, February 4; and economist Rigoberto Hernandez Ferreyra, also attended the event.

Ambassador Perez Silva expressed Nicaragua’s gratitude and solidarity to the heroic, brave and honorable people of Cuba and its Revolution, which has managed to withstand more than 50 years of attacks, blockades, dirty wars and lies.

She also stressed the crucial role of Cuba and Venezuela in the change of course of Latin America and the establishment of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA) for solidarity and integration against the alleged neoliberal single model.

Venezuelan diplomat Picado referred to the ideas of President Hugo Chavez, his origin and his close relationship with the Cuban Revolution, as a factor in changing the continental geopolitics for the benefit of the peoples.

Mayorga and Gutierrez explained the characteristics of democracy in Cuba, and dismantled myths on the issue used to attack the Caribbean island.

Congressman Manuel Dammert, the promoter of the event; Venezuelan Ambassador to Cuba Diego Alfredo Molero, Uno newspaper Director Cesar Levano, and the charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Cuba, Ruben Garcia Abelenda, also participated in previous sessions of the symposium.

Venezuelan diplomat Alberto Vaivads, academic and social activist Hector Bejar, historian Mario Meza, sociologist Eduardo Arroyo, and poet Jose Luis Ayala also attended the meeting.

(Prensa Latina)

Also secretary general of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the President was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra at Havana’s José Martí International Airport.

During his stay, the leader will hold official talks with Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, in addition to other activities.

Cuba and Laos established diplomatic relations on November 1, 1974, and current ties are fraternal.

The Lao People’s Republic has historically supported Cuba’s UN resolution calling for an end to the U.S. blockade.

Cooperation between the two countries began in 1972 and has been focused primarily on education and healthcare. Some 23 Cuban medical professionals have worked in Laos, while 116 Laotian students have attended Cuban universities.

Also secretary general of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the President was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra at Havana’s José Martí International Airport.

During his stay, the leader will hold official talks with Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, in addition to other activities.

Cuba and Laos established diplomatic relations on November 1, 1974, and current ties are fraternal.

The Lao People’s Republic has historically supported Cuba’s UN resolution calling for an end to the U.S. blockade.

Cooperation between the two countries began in 1972 and has been focused primarily on education and healthcare. Some 23 Cuban medical professionals have worked in Laos, while 116 Laotian students have attended Cuban universities.

(Granma)