Havana, February 8 (RHC)—Havana’s 28th International Book Fair kicked off in the Cuban capital’s La Cabaña Fortress with the attendance of Cuban President, Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Dedicated to Cuban author Eduardo Heras León and to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria as the guest country of honor, the book fiesta opened with the words by Cuban Book Institute President Juan Ródriguez and Algerian Culture Minister Azzedine Mihoubi.

At the opening Book Institute President Rodríguez highlighted that Cuba’s greatest cultural events takes place at a time when the United States is tightening its cruel and unjust economic blockade imposed against the island almost 60 years ago. Meanwhile ambassador Mihoubi thanked Cuba for the invitation and the warm welcome, stressing the indestructible bonds of friendship between the two nations and recalled the Cuban Revolution’s historical leader Fidel Castro’s various visits to the African country and the extraordinary admiration for him among Algerians and the world.

Also attending the ceremony were Cuban Parliament President Esteban Lazo; Communist Party Central Committee members José Ramón Balaguer and Víctor Gaute; Cuban Culture Minister Alpidio Alonso and Algeria’s ambassador to Cuba Mhamed Achache.

A video on the life and work of National Literature Prize winner Eduardo Heras León, to whom the fair is dedicated, was screened at the opening.