CUBA, January 14, 2008.- Guatemala's President-elect Alvaro Colom sent a special greeting to President Fidel Castro and First Vice President Raul Castro after receiving Cuban Health Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer, who is visiting Guatemala. Colom thanked Cuba for its cooperation with his country and said that his government looks forwards to strengthening bilateral relations with the island, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education. He praised the work undertaken by Cuban doctors in remote areas of Guatemala. The President-elect recalled that during the emergency caused by the passing of Hurricane Stan in October, 2005, he visited the affected areas where he found Cuban medical personnel hard at work to counter the damage inflicted by the natural phenomena. The Cuban Health minister conveyed greetings from the Cuban people for the upcoming inauguration of Colom as president of Guatemala. Balaguer is heading a Cuban delegation to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Guatemalan President. Accompanying the Cuban health Minister are Deputy Foreign Minister Yiliam Jimenez and other Foreign Ministry and Communist Party officials.
|