Havana, October 27 (RHC)-- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday congratulated his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the occasion of his 78th birthday.

"Cuba embraces you and wishes you good health. Every year that you complete determined to make the world a better place for your country, Our America and the world, is a victory of the good and the just," the head of state added in his X account.

Bilateral cooperation between Cuba and Brazil covers strategic areas such as agricultural production and the food industry, in addition to tourism, renewable energies and health.

In 2022, trade exchange between the two nations registered a recovery of 60 percent over the previous year, with total values of 293 million dollars.

Lula da Silva was born in Caetés (Pernambuco) on October 27, 1945. He was the 35th president of the South American giant, from 2003 to 2011.

He is also the founding member and honorary president of the Workers' Party. In 2017 he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for alleged corruption offenses, although these charges were dismissed and after spending 580 days in prison his political rights were restored.

The petista leader came to power again in October of the previous year after obtaining, in second round and closed scrutiny, more than 50 percent of the valid votes.(PL)