• Affirms the Argentine president • Raúl bids her farewell CUBA, January 22, 2009. PRESIDENT Raul Castro, yesterday afternoon bade Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner farewell from the bottom of the aircraft steps, at the end of her three-day official visit to the island. Beneath a cloudy sky threatening rain and relatively low temperatures, the international and national journalists waited on the forecourt of José Martí international airport for the departure of the distinguished guest, who, before boarding the airplane taking her to Caracas, Venezuela, addressed the press. To a question by Granma as to the quality of her stay here, she said she was "very pleased" and that "I couldn’t have ended my visit to Cuba in any better way than with a meeting with Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz." Visibly moved, the head of state explained that they were able to chat and converse. "He looked very well," she commented. Fernández added that Fidel told her that he had closely followed President Barack Obama’s inauguration. She noted, "We reviewed everything related to the politics of the region, of course we obviously talked about Argentine-Cuban relations. The truth is that it is the perfect end to my visit to Cuba." After bidding farewell to the Argentine President, Raul spoke with journalists. In response to the insistence of the foreign press concerning the health of the leader of the Revolution, he stated: "He spent a good long time with the president [Cristina Fernández]. He is doing his exercises, thinking a lot, reading a lot, advising and helping me." In response to Granma’s question on the visit of various Latin American presidents to Cuba in the current international context, he responded that this is evidence of support for Cuba. Later, he stated in reply to the last question by another reporter, that the result of Cristina Fernández’ stay was "magnificent in every context." At the Latin American School of Medicine The Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) is a demonstration of that palpitation in the region for a new reality, "another testimony of the collective project that we are promoting," as the Argentine dignitary, accompanied by President Raúl Castro, informed the press on her arrival at the faculty, a few hours before concluding her visit to Cuba. The enthusiasm with which she was greeted by a representation of the 800-plus Argentine students here promised a joyful meeting. And that is what it was. After a conversation with Juan Carrizo, rector of ELAM, the school’s amphitheater was alive with applause and Latin American rhythms. There, on behalf of the scholarship students, Camilo Zenón formally greeted the leaders. Fernández responded to the gesture with words: "In this era of post-modernism, of media vanities, speeches without any ideas of the future, your presence here tells us that things are changing. "I want to thank Cuba, on behalf of these young people, their families, and the people of Argentina for this effort that, more than giving them access to knowledge, is an exercise in Latin American integration," she noted. She called on the students to keep up their work, "and to always think about others, which is the key to being part of this collective process." During the event, likewise attended by José Ramón Balaguer, minister of public health; José Miyar Marrueco, secretary of the Council of State; and Yiliam Jiménez, deputy foreign minister, among other guests, the Argentine leader was given a medical coat and a stethoscope, as symbols, according to the future doctors, of their commitment to contribute to the changes in the health sector underway in their country. At the end of the ceremony, the students prolonged the encounter with embraces for Raúl and Cristina and the emotive meeting ended with anecdotes about Che and smiles. The Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) is a demonstration of that palpitation in the region for a new reality, "another testimony of the collective project that we are promoting," as the Argentine dignitary, accompanied by President Raúl Castro, informed the press on her arrival at the faculty, a few hours before concluding her visit to Cuba. The enthusiasm with which she was greeted by a representation of the 800-plus Argentine students here promised a joyful meeting. And that is what it was. After a conversation with Juan Carrizo, rector of ELAM, the school’s amphitheater was alive with applause and Latin American rhythms. There, on behalf of the scholarship students, Camilo Zenón formally greeted the leaders. Fernández responded to the gesture with words: "In this era of post-modernism, of media vanities, speeches without any ideas of the future, your presence here tells us that things are changing. "I want to thank Cuba, on behalf of these young people, their families, and the people of Argentina for this effort that, more than giving them access to knowledge, is an exercise in Latin American integration," she noted. She called on the students to keep up their work, "and to always think about others, which is the key to being part of this collective process." During the event, likewise attended by José Ramón Balaguer, minister of public health; José Miyar Marrueco, secretary of the Council of State; and Yiliam Jiménez, deputy foreign minister, among other guests, the Argentine leader was given a medical coat and a stethoscope, as symbols, according to the future doctors, of their commitment to contribute to the changes in the health sector underway in their country. At the end of the ceremony, the students prolonged the encounter with embraces for Raúl and Cristina and the emotive meeting ended with anecdotes about Che and smiles. (Cubaminrex- Granma Intenacional) |