Uruguay Minister Pleased with
Cuba
Havana, Jan 21/2006 (Prensa Latina) Uruguayan Social Development Minister Marina Arismendi, who is visiting Cuba until Sunday, asserted that the diplomatic relations between her country and Cuba are strengthening Latin American integration.
Arismendi highlighted collaboaration between both countries and recalled that the first action by President Tabare Vazquez was to reestablish bilateral links, including relations in health and education.
We came to Havana to fulfill a joint mission given to us by our public health minister in reference to medicine, vaccines, and retroviral buys, as well as the animal health issue, which is the key to the Uruguayan agriculture and cattle-raising, she reported.
She said one of the results of the collaboration is those hundreds of citizens that were on Uruguayan hospitals´ waiting lists and now return surprised with the treatment received in Cuban after gaining the Miracle Operation benefits.
Poor Uruguayans with eye pathologies included in the National Emergency Plan, have been receiving free assistance since two months ago, entailing ophthalmic surgeries within the Cuban solidarity program.
Cuban experts give back sight to thousands of low-income citizens from different parts of the world through the Miracle Operation.
Arismendi praised the Cuban "Yo Si Puedo" method to teach basic literacy upon arrival in Havana , and said there is a need to adjust it to her country´s idiosyncrasy, language, and history, with the objective of incorporating it to an eventual literacy campaign in her nation.
She said President Tabaré Vazquez progressive government is involved in a struggle against social blights left by previous neoliberal administrations.
Arismendi was accompanied by Jorge Mazzarovich, Uruguayan Eastern Republic´s Ambassador to Havana, and Alberto Rodriguez Gori, the embassy's advisor.
She told press her country does not approve the Free Trade Agreement and that it has nothing to be called "free."
Uruguay is firmly in favor of the Latin American peoples´ integration, the Social Development Minister said.