Kingston, May 26 (RHC)-- Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, received Ileana Nunez Mordoche, the Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, who is on a three-day visit to the sister Caribbean nation.

During the cordial meeting, held at the venue of the Jamaican Foreign Ministry, the two sides stated the excellent state of  bilateral relations and ratified both governments' willingness to further broaden and strengthen economic and trade ties.

The top Jamaican diplomat urged to work jointly towards taking  bilateral cooperation to the same level of political ties, which she described as excellent.

Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade Ileana Nunez Mordoche took the opportunity to thank the government and people of Jamaica for their maintained rejection of the U.S. blockade of Cuba, evidence of which is the adoption by the Jamaican parliament of seven consecutive resolutions on the issue.

Jamaica is the first leg of a Caribbean tour, as part of Cuba's efforts to further strengthen friendship and cooperation relations with regional countries.

Also on Wednesday, the visiting Cuban deputy minister of foreign trade and investment paid homage to the National Hero of Jamaica, Norman Manley, at the National Heroes Park. She also paid tribute to Cuban Independence Hero Antonio Maceo Grajales --the only non-Jamaican hero that has a place in the National Heroes Park.

This historic site, located in Kingston, is a botanic garden with 20 hectares that has monuments dedicated to key personalities and historic events and is also the burial site of national heroes, prime ministers and leaders from Jamaica culture.