Bogota, September 27 (RHC)-- Cuban President Raul Castro has paid tribute to Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez, following the official ceremony of the signing of the Final Peace Agreement in Cartagena de Indias.

The Cuban president told reporters: "I wanted to pay a modest tribute to Gabo, because of the many trips he made to Cuba, and his conversations with me and Fidel about peace in Colombia."  And Raul Castro recalled Gabriel García Márquez's desire to see the realization of this day.

According to this morning's edition of Granma newspaper, Raul visited the La Merced cloister at the University of Cartagena, where he observered a minute of silence.  He then placed a wreath at the bronze bust of the author of the novel "One Hundred years of Solitude."

The Cuban president said that while he watched the signing of the peace agreement, his thoughts were about Gabriel García Márquez.  He also expressed his congratulations to the Colombian people, "to whom we wish success in the steps that lie ahead."