CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

President of Suriname Arrives in Cuba

CUBA, 25 May 2011.- The president of Suriname, Desire Delano Bouterse, arrived this Tuesday afternoon in Cuba in response to an official invitation. According to Prensa Latina news agency, during his stay in the island the Surinamese president will meet with his Cuban counterpart, Raul Castro Ruz.

Cuba and Suriname established diplomatic relations on May 31, 1979, and have taken forward important bilateral exchanges, mainly in the fields of health, sports, and training of professionals.

Cuba's medical cooperation in that country began in 1998 and there are currently 17 Cuban health professionals there. According to official data, 54 Surinamese youths have graduated in Cuba since the beginning of bilateral cooperation in the training of professionals in 1990.

Bouterse was the Chairman of the National Military Council and Commander of the National Army between 1980 and 1988. In 1994, he left aside his military duties and devoted himself to politics as the leader of the National Democratic Party.

He was elected Member of Parliament on May 25, 2010, and elected president of Surinam on July 19 of the same year.  (Cubaminrex-ACN)