Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel ageed to expand bilateral relations, during a meeting held in Cuba on the weekend.
According to a report from Prensa Latina, the Cuban head of State expressed his wish to deepen high-level political, economic and trade relations, as well as facilitate the historic ties of friendship between both countries and intensify and expand relations between Cuba and Caricom.
President Díaz-Canel thanked the Vincentian Government for its support for Cuba´s fight against the blockade imposed by the U.S. and acknowledged the dignified and brave position taken by Prime Minister Gonsalves in not attending the IX Summit of the Americas in the midst of a maneuver to convene a hemispheric meeting with exclusions.
Prime Minister Gonsalves highlighted the generosity of the Cuban Revolution towards Caribbean people and specifically towards the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He pointed out that his love for the Cuban Revolution has family roots and dates back to his years as a high school student and that he has always sought inspiration in the ideas, ideals and words of Jose Martí, Fidel Castro and other revolutionaries.
Prime Minister Gonsalves arrived in Havana last Wednesday on an official visit with a work agenda that included high-level meetings with government representatives, visits to institutions of scientific and economic interest and his participation in the XXI Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP).
While in Cuba, the Prime Minister was awarded the José Martí National Order.
The award, which was presented to the Prime Minister by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, is Cuba’s highest national award, named after the Cuban National Hero.
