Havana, March 1 (AIN) The new speaker of the Uruguayan Senate, Jose Mujica, said in Montevideo that his country should strengthen relations with Cuba in the fields of culture, technology and trade.

The senator's comments, published by Granma newspaper, come as Tabare Vazquez, 65, takes office Tuesday as the first leftwing president of Uruguay.

"We Uruguayans have grown old in this struggle of respect, friendship and solidarity with Cuba and the events that occurred during the past Uruguayan government made an impact on our people, since they were senseless," said Mujica.

The senator, who is expected to be appointed Minister of Fishing, Ranching and Agriculture, noted that relations with Cuba bear a sentimental and historic component for the Uruguayan people.

"We Latin Americans have been divided in a world which becomes increasingly narrow and where we can not act alone since that makes us even weaker amidst our solitude.

"By going it alone we are playing the game that translational corporations and Washington want us to play," said the former leader of the Tupamaros National Liberation Movement and the senator who garnered the most votes in recent Uruguayan elections.

Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque is in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo for the inauguration ceremony. He joins the presidents of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and over a 160 top level delegations from around the world.

Uruguay's shift away from the two traditional parties that have alternated in power further consolidates a new leftist consensus in South America that favors regional integration. Once known as "The Switzerland of the Americas," Uruguay with its 5 million people has for years been plagued by a severely depressed economy, made worse under outgoing pro-US president, Jorge Batlle.