The President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, received the President of the Republic of Panama, His Excellency Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez, on Monday afternoon, during an official visit to Cuba.

During the cordial meeting, the two leaders exchanged views on the positive state of relations between the two countries, and the perspectives for bilateral cooperation, foreign investment and trade. Díaz-Canel thanked Panama for its support for the Cuban resolution presented each year in the United Nations General Assembly against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States. They also addressed other issues on the regional and international agenda.

Cuba and Panama maintain historic political and diplomatic relations, and have developed a positive bilateral dialogue, based on friendship and cooperation.

Accompanying the distinguished visitor were Augusto Arosemena Moreno, minister of Commerce and Industry; Alcibíades Vásquez Velásquez, minister of Social Development; Deputy Foreign Minister, Luis Miguel Hincapié; Deputy Minister of Tourism, Marien Calviño; Nicole Wong, director general of Foreign Policy at the Panamanian Foreign Ministry; and Max José López Cornejo, Panamanian ambassador to Cuba.

Participating on the Cuban side were Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister of Foreign Trade and Investment; Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, minister of Education; Marcelino Medina González, interim minister of Foreign Affairs; and Lydia Margarita González Navarro, Cuban ambassador appointed to Panama.

During his stay on the island, President Varela paid tribute to Cuban National Hero José Martí, at the memorial to him in the capital; and is set to visit the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, which since 1986 has conducted research in the fields of medicine and biology, as well as agriculture and livestock.

He will also visit the “Solidarity with Panama” school, a national reference educational institution designed for children with disabilities or special educational needs, from preschool to ninth grade.