Cuban President Raul Castro met on Monday at Revolution Palace with Carlos Mauricio Funes, President of the Republic of El Salvador, who is on an official visit to Cuba.

After the official ceremony, the two heads of state had a meeting, during which they reviewed the state of relations between the two countries, re-established in June, 2009 after having been interrupted for 48 years.

Also participating in the meeting were Hugo Roger Martinez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador; Esteban Lazo, Vice-president of the Cuban Council of State, and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

Shortly before the welcoming ceremony, the Salvadoran head of state placed a wreath by the monument to Cuba’s National Hero Jose Marti, located at Revolution Square, accompanied by Cuban Deputy Foreign Ministers Rogelio Sierra.

Next to the President of El Salvador were also ministers Maria Isabel Rodriguez (Health), Jose Napoleon Duarte (Tourism), Hector Dada (Economy) and the head of the cabinet, Alexander Segovia, among other members of the delegation.

For this visit, the first one carried out by the Salvadoran President to Cuba, Funes is accompanied by over 40 entrepreneurs from small and medium-size companies, the objective of which is to strengthen their links of cooperation with the island in sectors like health, education and the economy.

Salvadoran President Thanks Cuba for Its Solidarity

Salvadoran President Carlos Mauricio Funes underscored in Havana that the main purpose of his visit is to thank the Cuban people and government’s solidarity with his country.

Funes was welcomed at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport by Cuban Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Rogelio Sierra.

The President said he came to honor the commitment he made when he assumed office that the first step his administration would take in foreign policy would be to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, which had been severed over 50 years ago.

He came with an “open agenda” which will include the discussion with Cuban authorities of any topic that is of bilateral interest.

Funes praised Cuba’s expertise in creating joint ventures with companies from Mexico, Canada and Spain. He is accompanied by over 70 Salvadoran entrepreneurs representing key economic areas like the pharmaceutical sector, glass production, hotels and aeronautics.

He said they came hoping to find business opportunities in Cuba.

“In El Salvador, we have implemented the Comprehensive Health System with good results thanks to the advisory and work of Cuban doctors,” he said. Funes is the first Salvadoran President to visit Cuba in the last 50 years, and he is accompanied by a numerous delegation made up of María Isabel Rodríguez, Napoleón Duarte, Héctor Dada and Hugo Martínez, the Health, Tourism, Economy and Foreign Affairs ministers, respectively.

He is on a two-day official visit and will meet with Cuban President Raul Castro, among other activities.

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