Photo: Estudios Revolución

Brussels, July 16 (RHC)--  Shortly after 12 noon on Sunday, local time, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived in Brussels to participate in the III Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, CELAC, and the European Union.

Coming from Portugal, where he paid a state visit -after a trip of just two hours and a journey of 1,25 kilometers- the Cuban leader arrived in the Belgian capital, heading his country's official delegation to the bi-regional meeting.

At the International Airport of this city, he was received at the foot of the stairs of the aircraft by protocol and European Union authorities. He was also warmly welcomed by his compatriot Yaira Jimenez Roig, Cuba's ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.

President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who is traveling accompanied by his wife Lis Cuesta Peraza, heads the high-level delegation composed of Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Ana Teresita González Fraga, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, together with other government and foreign ministry officials.

According to the program foreseen for this Sunday, in order not to lose a single minute of his presence in Brussels, in the context of the CELAC-EU Summit, the Cuban President will hold a meeting with representatives of the movement of solidarity with Cuba, Cubans living in Belgium and members of the state mission of the largest Caribbean island.

It is expected that, during the day on Monday, as it happens in these international events, Díaz-Canel will participate in bilateral meetings with dignitaries and other personalities.

The III Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the European Union (EU) will be held in Brussels on July 17 and 18.

The leaders of both regions will meet again after almost a decade of absence of political dialogue at the highest level between CELAC and the EU, in the midst of a complicated scenario, marked by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global economic crisis and the war conflict in Europe.

In recent days, the Cuban government has reiterated that it is coming to the Brussels Summit in a constructive spirit and will contribute as much as possible to strengthen the dialogue between the nations that make up both mechanisms.

Just a few hours ago, when bidding farewell to Portugal in a moving act of solidarity with Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez had confirmed: "I will be present in Brussels at the CELAC-European Union Summit, as a demonstration of Cuba's will to continue building bridges in the relations between both regions, on the basis of equality, mutual respect and with the aspiration of maintaining greater cooperation that benefits our peoples". (Source: Radio Rebelde)