Cuba and Mexico signed this Sunday two agreements to strengthen their bilateral relations, in the context of the visit of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to Havana.
The signing took place at the Palace of the Revolution, after the meeting held by the leaders of both countries and their respective delegations, after the official reception of Miguel Díaz-Canel to his Mexican counterpart.
One of the agreements was signed by the heads of Health of both countries, the Cuban José Ángel Portal Miranda and the Mexican Jorge Carlos Alcocer Varela. The same “aims to establish the legal framework of reference so that both states develop technical, scientific and academic cooperation activities in the field of health,” he specifies. a report from the official site Cubadebate.
For their part, Díaz-Canel and López Obrador signed a declaration that expresses their will to continue strengthening the historic ties of brotherhood and solidarity, consolidate a new stage in the bilateral relationship and promote the development of social, economic and cultural, educational, and commercial, refers the agency EFE.
The Spanish media adds that the bilateral declaration also expresses “the common interest in strengthening cooperation to face the great challenges imposed by the effects of COVID-19 and collaborate in the care of health emergencies and epidemics.”
In this way, EFE recalls that Mexico has already authorized the emergency use of the Abdala anticovid vaccine, one of the formulas developed on the island against this disease, while Cuban health professionals worked in the neighboring nation in the fight against the pandemic.
As for the talks between the two leaders and also between their official entourages, these took place behind closed doors and not many details of them have emerged. The Cuban Foreign Ministry noted that during the dialogue “the will of both governments to continue deepening the ties of brotherhood that unite us” was expressed.
Undoubtedly, this visit marks a milestone in our relations and deepens them, said @DiazCanelBwho thanked the permanent support of #Mexico to the town of #Cuba in his battle against #blocking and his defense for the Island to participate in the next Summit of the Americas. pic.twitter.com/2EfS5RyDiX
— Cuba Presidency ?? (@PresidenciaCuba) May 8, 2022
López Obrador arrived in Havana this Saturday, as part of a tour of several countries in the region, which had among its axes the issue of migration. His official agenda on the island takes place this Sunday, when he began the day with a floral offering at the José Martí Monument in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución.
He was then received at the Palace of the Revolution by Díaz-Canel with military honors, and a bilateral meeting was subsequently held, which was later joined by members of both cabinets, he details. EFE.
After these meetings and the signing of the bilateral agreements, López Obrador received the “José Martí” National Order, the highest distinction granted by the Cuban State, from the hands of the island’s president.
The Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal, when pointing out the reasons for the decoration, said that Cuba recognized AMLO for “his valuable contributions to regional peace” and his “firm defense of just causes, peace and cooperation.” among which he highlighted his “firm and repeated” statements against the US sanctions on Cuba.
The decoration also shows the “immense gratitude” to the “invaluable gesture” of the current Mexican Government for the “solidarity and generous support” provided to Cuba in the most difficult moments of COVID-19.
For his part, López Obrador said he was honored by the distinction, recalled the historical ties between the two countries and conveyed his gratitude and affection to the “worthy people of Cuba.”
“It is a distinction that honors me, to receive this decoration from the most humane, most sincere independence fighter in our America, José Martí,” he said at the end of the ceremony, while once again rejecting the US embargo and conveying his condolences to the relatives. of the victims of the explosion at the Saratoga hotel, which occurred a day before their arrival in the Cuban capital.
The president of the Republic @DiazCanelBawards the “José Martí” Order to the President of Mexico @lopezobrador_ ?????.
Recognition of his outstanding merits and his contribution to the development and consolidation of the bonds of friendship between our peoples. pic.twitter.com/ACItseSUjC
— Cuban Foreign Ministry (@CubaMINREX) May 8, 2022
About the Summit of the Americas
Also during the day this Sunday, López Obrador affirmed that he will insist to his US counterpart, Joe Biden, not to exclude any country from the next Los Angeles Summit of the Americas.
AMLO made these statements after Washington has ruled out inviting Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela to that meeting, the agency reports. EFE.
“I will insist with Biden that no country in the Americas be excluded at next month’s summit in Los Angeles,” he assured in his acceptance speech for the Order of José Martí. In his opinion, the authorities of each country should be the ones to decide “freely” whether or not to attend that meeting, scheduled between June 8 and 10.
He also said that he will continue to “insist to seek, as a first step, that the US lift the blockade,” which would facilitate the resumption of cooperation and friendship between the two countries.
“It is time for brotherhood and not for confrontation, the clash must be avoided,” he said, quoted by Cubadebate.
Díaz-Canel, for his part, thanked López Obrador for his “firm position rejecting the blockade.”
Message from the presidents of Mexico and Cuba https://t.co/iulloeleA9
– Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) May 8, 2022
The Mexican, who called his host a “friend” on several occasions, described former Cuban President Fidel Castro as a “giant” and stressed that he never bet or would bet on “the failure of the Cuban revolution” and that he would never support “coup plotters.” who conspire
AMLO also asked that “the revolution be capable of renewing itself” and considered that “in Cuba things are being done with that purpose.” He spoke of a “new revolution within the revolution”, which in his opinion would be a “great teaching, a lesson from Cuba to the world”, review EFE.
The Mexican president plans to return to Mexico tonight to end his first international tour, which began on May 5. During it, he also visited Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Belize.
EFE / OnCuba
