Hanoi - The Vietnamese people expressed Cuba their support with very emotional messages following the death of the historic leader Fidel Castro, recognized as a symbol of bilateral relations, Ambassador Herminio López declared here today.

Speaking to Prensa Latina, the diplomat said that the top leaders of this country have already sent a message of condolences, but also other representatives of the Government, State and the Party directly expressed their solidarity and regret, together with signs of affection towards the Cuban population.

The ties between Vietnam and Cuba in these more than 55 years of brotherhood and mutual support between the two peoples are special, exceptional, thanks, fundamentally, to the will, leadership and priority that Fidel Castro gave them from the first moment, which all Vietnamese remember and thank, he stressed.

He explained that this is evident in the written press, television, online media on the Internet and social networks. The citizens themselves express their feelings in different ways towards Fidel, he highlighted.

They also remember the visits made in 1973 to the liberated zone of the South when the phrase 'we Cubans are willing to give Vietnam even our own blood' became a symbol, as well as those made in 1995 and 2003.

Likewise, they describe the meetings that he had when he received in Cuba different Vietnamese authorities in his position of leader of the Government and of the Party and the State and also those he met after leaving those responsibilities.

According to the ambassador, these exchanges are always a source of encouragement and joy for them, because 'we must really say that the Vietnamese people deeply loves our Commander,' he added.

Indeed, it is likely that one of the last international leaders to greet him was Vietnam's president, Tran Dai Quang, during his recent visit to Cuba, and we know that this was a great encouragement for the leader as for all the leaders and people of this country, he declared.

He considered that despite his death, the example and legacy of Fidel is a commitment for both Cubans and Vietnamese who 'have to do somehow with the bilateral relations with a view to do everything in our power to continue to maintaining it exceptional.'

The diplomat added that the embassy will open a book of condolences - from November 28th to December 4th, a moment during which the Vietnamese brothers will be able to express their affection for Fidel and the regret for his death.

Also, it is planned that a high-level delegation from Vietnam, representing the Government, Party, State and the whole society, will travel to Cuba to accompany the people in their pain.

Shortly before these statements, Prensa Latina noticed the presence of the young university student Pham Van Hien, who deposited flowers at the embassy as a sign of his love and respect for Fidel, he declared.