Cuba and North Korea Strengthen Close Ties

The foreign ministers of North Korea and Cuba hold talks in Havana. Foto: Endrys Correa Vaillant / granma.cu

HAVANA TIMES – North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-Ho met in Havana with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodríguez on Wednesday as the two countries reiterated their mutual support and rejection of foreign interference in their internal affairs.

The two countries, who were involved in an embarrassing hidden weapons shipment back in 2013, are both under decades long sanctions from the United States. North Korea is also restricted in its economic and international affairs by the UN Security Council over its nuclear arms program.

“This visit is a demonstration of the strong ties of cooperation and friendship between the two nations, the legacy of historic leaders Fidel Castro and Kim Il-Sung,” stated Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, on receiving his counterpart from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Ri Yong Ho.

Rodriguez said that Cuba supports peace on the Korean Peninsula and for a political solution only possible through dialogue.

The Cuban foreign minister also noted that his country strongly rejects the imposition of sanctions and unilateral, arbitrary lists drawn up the United States, which violate International Law.

Ri Young Ho said he was pleased to be visiting the island. “Although Cuba and the DPRK are geographically distant, we have many similarities and I feel at home here,” he stated.

While political allies for decades, trade between Cuba and North Korea is minimal.  Both countries face shortages of consumer goods including food and medicines for their populations.

Ri Yong Ho was also received by Cuban president Raul Castro.

32 thoughts on “Cuba and North Korea Strengthen Close Ties”

  • Further to my comments about the friendship between the Trudeau and Castro families. Justin was one of three sons the others being Alexander and Michel (deceased).
    Alexander wrote:

    “I grew up knowing that Fidel Castro had a special place among my family’s friends. We had a picture of him at home a great big man with a beard who wore military fatigues and held my baby brother Michel in his arms. When he met my little brother in 1976 he even gave him a nickname that would stick with him his whole life “Miche Miche”.”

    Both Pierre Trudeau and Fidel Castro were Jesuits – as was Stalin who trained for the priesthood. The current Pope is the first Jesuit Pope and has twice visited the Castros.
    There is some facial similarity between Justin Trudeau and Fidel Castro – the noses remarkably so. But imagine being brought up with a totalitarian dictator as a family friend.

  • Justin Trudeau has within the last year visited the Castro family – he subsequently said it was “an honour” to meet the sons. Although speaking at the University of Havana with Raul Castro, Miguel Diaz-Canel and Bruno Rodriguez applauding his support, he did not follow the example of his father and give millions of Canadian taxpayers money to support the totalitarian communist regime. The Trudeau family are very much “buddy-buddy” with the Castros and FIdel even travelled to Canada to be an Honorary pallbearer at Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s funeral. Certainly there are many Canadians who are not fond of Trudeau, but he was democratically elected.

  • As two generations of Trudeaus have been sycophants of the Castro regime, you might well be right Ken.

  • Now that the DPRK is posing a real a present danger to the world through its nuclear threat, a minor player like Cuba would not be involved in meditating dialogue with the US.

  • Two third world dumps racing to the bottom. Only Cuba has better weather.

  • Never dined at Kings Court English College House, University of Pennsylvania

  • The statement about Canada helping to end the conflict is clearly attributed to Trudeau. I thought it was useful to forward it to this list and I still think that is the case.

  • Hmmm!

  • Canadians are not so enamoured with Trudeau. They may not wish a trade for Trump, but that does not make Trudeau a voice of the people nor for the people. He is for the elites and does their bidding. He is a far cry from Castro.

  • Not so fast. Canada and the USA are meeting for talks on how to prepare for nuclear war possibilities with North Korea.

  • I have not

  • Have you or have you not dined at the University of Pennsylvania – perhaps in company with Beatrize?

  • Anywhere in my paragraph did I deny undernourishment in the DPRK? Secondly, citation needed.

  • I don’t dine at a university? Also, that soldier getting shot for defection means nothing. (I do not support the North Korean government on ideologically grounds just anti-imperialist) In all countries if you literally defect to another side during the war you get executed, this is common military law.

  • Yes they are, that is literally what I stated prior Moses come on man read.

  • Hope you read about the various worms and parasites found within the gut of the defecting soldier – an indication of under-nourishment. if that is the case with a privileged Border Guard, what nutritional problems are being suffered by the “mass”?

  • Hope you saw the pictures of the North Korean soldier defecting. No doubt you will support any and all repressive actions which the pallid paunchy Kim Jung Un directs against the family of the defector. For that is the way your system works, install fear, supervise every action and maintain that Communist Dictatorship – for who are the people – they are but a proleteriat mass to be directed and controlled. Those individuals must like the Kulaks be eradicated.
    Beware Stepen-Pons that as one who dines at University, you yourself become an undesirable and thus disposable!

  • My point is that your communist talking points are outdated and inaccurate. By Marxist definition, China and Russia are as “Imperilist” as the US.

  • well, whats your point? Are Russia and China trying to expand into NK? NK is completely independent, and as China which is embargoing NK it still stands strong against imperialism and maintains independence.

  • You want Trudeau – TAKE HIM!
    Three blind mice!

  • Remember Stephen-Pons that the last empire to implode was the Soviet Union. That when the thirteen liberated countries subsequently held democratic multi-party elections, not one of them elected a communist government. That of course is the difference between those who have experienced the reality of living under communist dictatorship and those like yourself of communist persuasion who take an academic viewpoint of Marxism/Leninism.

  • You make my point.

  • This, my friends, is known as scraping the bottom of the barrel.

  • Bwwaahaahaahaa!!!! Good one Stalin!!!

  • What an embarrassing meeting. This really belittles Cuba in the eyes of the world.

    Utterly cringeworthy.

  • What an idiotic comment unless you are includimg China and Russia in your definition of Imperialist.

  • Two anti-imperialist nations uniting against the empire.

  • Thanks Obama

  • Good thing Rodriguez states he supports peace on the Korean Peninsula and dialogue. The irony would be if Cuba ends up mediating said dialogue between the west and North Korea. That would really belittle Trump/the US.

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