Hanoi - Death Friday of Vietnam President, Tran Dai Quang, at the age of 61, is also a painful loss for Cubans for all he did for friendship and cooperation between both countries.

Quang had been elected to the post on April 2, 2016, by the National Assembly, and until his demise he held the executive office with brilliance and high sense of duty. An official report from the Board of Health Services for High Ranking Officials indicated the Head of State passed away at 10:05 local time Friday at the Central Military Hospital 108 due to a serious illness, but did not tell which. In the next few days, the National Assembly will summon a special session to elect Vietnam's new president. As soon as the death of the President was known, Cuban ambassador to Vietnam, Lianys Torres, in a working mission in another province, called Prensa Latina by phone to express the sorrow overcoming her compatriots at this moment. "President Tran Dai Quang was a great friend of Cuba, firm promoter of the historic brotherly links between our nations," she said.

A few days ago, despite being severely ill, Quang had the kindness of receiving our first Vicepresident, Salvador Valdes, to whom he expressed feelings of infinite friendship of the Vietnamese to Cuba and their revolution, recalled the diplomat.

On that occasion, said Torres, he also stressed how proud and honored he felt for having been the last head of State received by Fidel Castro (on November, 2016, few days before the physical disappearance of the historic leader of the Cuban revolution).

During his stay in Havana, Army General Raul Castro, at the moment President of Cuba, imposed on Quang the Order Jose Marti, top award given by the State Council.

For his part, the head of the Cuban medical team in Vietnam, Jose Hernandez, expressed the sorrows of his compatriots after knowing the statesman's decease.

It has been a hard news for the 18 members of the group. Under Quang's presidency our two countries took firm steps forward to strengthen cooperation on the health field and we profoundly regret his demise, as someone who has lost a dear friend, he said.

Cuban students also felt the impact for the passing away of President Tan Dai Quang and through Prensa Latina conveyed their 'heartfelt condolences' to the State, government and the Vietnamese people, 'who has received us like their children.'

'Only a few days ago Vietnamese and Cuba alike celebrated the 45th anniversary of the first visit of our Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro, to Vietnam, a fact that showed again the strength of our alliance', they expressed in writing.

Cuban students here and our people in general will never forget the expressions of grief of the Vietnamese when we lost our leader. With that same sorrow we will bid farewell to president Tran Dai Quang, they assured.