Lavrov (R) exchanged with the leader of the Revolution, Raul Castro Ruz, President Miguel Díaz-Canel, and with his counterpart Bruno Rodríguez. Photo taken from ACN

By María Josefina Arce (RHC)

Personalities from various nations have traveled to Cuba these days, a sign of interest in deepening and expanding existing ties and supporting the efforts of the Cuban people to continue advancing in the midst of a complex economic situation, aggravated by the tightening of the U.S. blockade.

In addition to the visits of the Foreign Minister of Singapore, Vivian Balakrishnan, and the Speaker of the Parliament of Vietnam, Vuong Dinh Hue, the Russian Foreign Minister, Serguei Lavrov, has also visited Cuba.

The head of Russian diplomacy arrived in our country as part of a tour of Latin America, which also included Brazil, Venezuela and Nicaragua, friendly nations with which Russia maintains relations in the political, commercial, economic, educational, humanitarian and cultural fields.

During his brief visit, Lavrov exchanged with the leader of the Revolution, Raul Castro Ruz, President Miguel Diaz-Canel, and his counterpart Bruno Rodriguez, meetings which he described as extremely fruitful and during which joint cooperation was discussed.

Photo taken from RHC

The Russian foreign minister also reiterated his country's condemnation of the genocidal blockade imposed by the United States for more than sixty years against the Cuban people, which limits its socioeconomic development.

The ties between Havana and Moscow are of long standing and cover various branches, to the benefit of both peoples. Lavrov's visit ratifies the importance that the Eurasian nation attaches to the close bilateral nexus.

In recent years, the two states have worked to further boost dialogue, exchange and cooperation, which in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic and the tightening of the U.S. blockade was invaluable for the Caribbean country.

The visit to Cuban territory last February of a large business delegation headed by Titov Boris, president of the Cuba-Russia Business Council, who affirmed that although relations have always been efficient, effective and very close, a new stage has been reached.

In its relations with Havana, Moscow gives priority attention to transportation, energy, agriculture, tourism and metallurgy. Precisely in the latter, the credit granted for the broad investment process made in the Antillean Steel industry in the Cuban capital has been very important.