Castro Sends VP to Brazil Inauguration

HAVANA TIMES, Dec. 31— Cuban President Raul Castro sent his First Vice President Machado Ventura to attend Saturday’s inauguration of Brazil’s new leader, Dilma Rousseff.

The first female president of the largest country in South America takes the helm from the highly popular Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva, who served two terms in office.  Both politicians are from the Workers Party (PT).

Machado traveled to Cuba along with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla and Council of State Secretary Homero Acosta Alvarez.

The ceremony will take place in the capital, Brasilia.