Havana, January 17 (RHC-PL) –- The President of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo, and head of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, Aldo Cornero, expressed Friday the commitment of both legislative groups to tighten their links, according to the sympathy existing between both governments and peoples. The visit complying an invitation of Cuba is a genuine expression of sympathy and a simple of our interest in contributing to improve relations and adjust collaboration mechanisms between parliaments of both nations, affirmed Cornero.

The Christian Democratic deputy heads a high-level delegation formed also, among others, by Communist Lautaro Carmona, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies and member of Inter-parliamentary Group Chile-Cuba.

As he thanked Cuba for the invitation, Cornero pointed out the particular circumstance in which this visit takes place, after the decision of the Cuban and U.S. governments to start a process for the normalization of relations after more than half a century of U.S. hostility.  Chileans will support everything that leads to improving the life of Cubans and we pray that effort has a positive ending, he said.

For his part, Lazo thanked the gestures of solidarity of Chileans with Cuba and remembered that the U.S. blockade remains standing, so the island is going to need friends all over the world. He also stressed the meaning of this first visit in decades from representatives of the Chilean parliament, a country that -he said- contributed notably to the struggles for independence of the island in the 19th century.

Chile was the second nation to recognize the Cuban struggle against Spanish colonialism and many of its children joined this cause, he recalled. He added this parliamentary visit will convey a tightening of bilateral relations and the strengthening the necessary unity of Latin America.

Cornero and his delegation will remain in Havana until Sunday, January 18th to meet with other authorities and tour historical and scientific places of the Cuban capital.