CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Raul Castro Welcomes Hugo Chavez at Havana’s Intl Airport

HAVANA, June 8, 2011.- Cuban President, Raul Castro Ruz, welcomed the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias, at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport on Monday morning.

“I am happy for being in Cuba. The island of giants, Fidel, Raul, the Cuban people,” expressed Chavez after greeting his Cuban counterpart.

Chavez' accompanying delegation is made up of Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro; Communication and Information Minister Andres Izarra; Commerce Minister, Edmee Betancourt, and other top government officials.

The main objective of Chavez' visit is to assess progress of bilateral agreements and joint projects between Cuba and Venezuela, Granma newspaper informed on Wednesday.

They are also expected to debate economic and energy related issues, such as the progress of Cienfuegos oil refinery, as well as the current international situation and its impact on Latin America.

Chavez' Cuba visit is the conclusion of a tour that previously took him to Brazil and Ecuador, where he - along with his Latin American counterparts - signed several cooperation accords and discussed key regional issues. (Cubaminrex-RHC)