The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, met the Prime Minister of Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, where several purposes were highlighted, such as the evaluation and deepening of issues of bilateral interest.
"We have reviewed all the issues of the historic cooperation that we have forged during these years, the Bolívar-Martí agreement signed by Commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías," highlighted President Nicolás Maduro.
In this sense, the President emphasized that "the cooperation models between both nations are an example of what can be done between two peoples who consider ourselves brothers."
In addition, the Venezuelan head of state asserted that these strong relations have been crucial to facing together all the situations that have arisen and the aggressions carried out, above all, by the Government of the United States.
"We are heading towards a profound refoundation of the cooperation map between Cuba and Venezuela to expand mutual support," said the dignitary.
The Venezuelan President sent greetings to Army General and Cuban leader Raúl Castro Ruz, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and the Cuban people while announcing that he will soon be visiting the Antillean archipelago.
Finally, the Venezuelan leader sent his condolences and solidarity to the people of Cuba and, especially, the families of the victims of the accident at the Saratoga Hotel in Havana, which caused nearly fifty deaths and more than 80 injured.
For his part, the Cuban Prime Minister conveyed the greetings of the Cuban President to the people and government of Venezuela and thanked them for the warm welcome in Venezuela.
"We are two blockaded countries, two countries that have had to face the harsh consequences of that blockade and the international crisis. We have faced tough issues that have affected the people. In this meeting, we have exchanged on how many things we can do together to improve the economy and the population's life," the Cuban premier stressed.
The meeting between the Cuban premier and the Venezuelan President is part of the first official visit made by Marrero Cruz since taking office as prime minister.
In addition to Marrero, the meeting was attended on the Cuban side by Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca, Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal Ferreiro and other authorities.
The senior Cuban official told the Antillean media that this visit is another sign of support and friendship with the Government and people of Venezuela, who, like the Cuban people, "have been blockaded, pressured, but have resisted and have decided to be free, independent and with their own criteria."
Marrero Cruz's stay in Venezuela included a rendition of honors to the liberator Simón Bolívar at the National Pantheon and a visit to the Cuartel de la Montaña, where the mortal remains of the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution, Commander Hugo Chávez, rest.
Strategic cooperation between Cuba and Venezuela includes almost all areas of society and economy, such as health, sports, education, communication, food, energy and science.