Cuba is a Key Partner of Russia in Latin America

Political Bureau member and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz held official talks with senior representatives of the Government of that Eurasian nation during his first official visit to Russian Federation as Head of Government

Author: Yuniel Labacena Romero | informacion@granma.cu

June 15, 2023 14:06:28

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin described Cuba as a key partner in Latin America, whose relationship is based on friendship, solidarity and mutual respect. 

Sochi, Russian Federation-The history of cooperation and friendship between Cuba and Russia, based on mutual respect and common interests that distinguish us, started a new chapter when the member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and his counterpart Mikhail Mishustin held official talks.

"Relations have always been at a high level, but in these complex times, when enemies are trying to consolidate their domination of the world, we are united by many more elements to continue fighting together," said the Head of Government, and on behalf of the Caribbean delegation that accompanied him on his first official visit to Russia as Prime Minister, thanked Russia for their hospitality.

He stressed that these are allies with whom they have strategic links, in which new economic, commercial and cooperation ties are inserted, and expressed satisfaction with the results of the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission for economic-commercial and scientific-technical collaboration between Cuba and Russia, held in Havana last May, and in which 24 documents were produced.

For his part, Mishustin described Cuba as a key partner in Latin America, whose relationship is based on friendship, solidarity and mutual respect. "It is very important for us to relaunch our cooperation to increase trade and investment. We are creating conditions for expanding the operation of Russian companies in the Cuban market. We propose to more actively develop cooperation in the sphere of tourism, following the resumption of regular flights with Cuba, starting from July 1st.

"We attach great importance to the implementation of major joint projects, especially those designed for the long term, such as the modernization of the Jose Marti Steel Company (Antillana de Acero), in accordance with the agreements reached," Mishustin said, while expressing rejection of the unprecedented sanctions imposed on Cuba.

Marrero Cruz also met this day with the vice-president of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko, to whom he expressed his interest in continuing to consolidate ties as two brotherly countries, and nothing will stop usRussia in that purpose.

During the dialogue, he said that participating in person in the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, which begins here on Thursday June 8, is "something to which we attach great value, because of its potential. Being an observer state of the Eurasian Economic Union is a privilege, for which we are grateful. We are very proud to be at this event".

Chernyshenko, co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission on the Russian side, referred to his country's initiatives linked to our National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030. In the bilateral and multilateral framework, we do not abandon our friends," he said.

In both meetings, Marrero Cruz referred to the intensified U.S. blockade, the cause of the main economic problems of Cuba, which is similar to the unilateral sanctions imposed on this nation. In line with this, he ratified Cuba's firm opposition to the "Russophobia" that the West is trying to implant in the world, as well as to the maneuvers to exclude Cuba from international organizations.

The Cuban Head of Government was accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz; by the Ministers of Public Health and Tourism, José Angel Portal Miranda and Juan Carlos García Granda; by the Minister-President of the Central Bank of Cuba, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez; by the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gerardo Peñalver Portal, as well as by the Ambassador of the Greater of the Antilles in this nation, Julio Garmendía Peña, among others.

This visit follows that of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in November 2022 and, as ratified by the Russian authorities on June 7, marks a new impulse to advance in the materialization of the agreements signed between the leaders of both countries.

(Translated by ESTI)