Montevideo, June 19 (RHC) -– The Uruguayan Senate has approved a bill to cancel the entire debt of the National Bank of Cuba. The bill is now slated to be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies. Then, the legislative process must have the signature of Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez for its implementation.

The initiative dates back to February when José Mujica, then president of the country and now a senator, proposed to forgive Cuba's debt of $31.5 million.

Mujica's proposal was based on the fact that Cuba has promoted several levels of partnership with the South American nation, such as the creation of the José Martí Ophthalmology Center in Montevideo, which has offered care free of charge to about 50,000 Uruguayans.