Cuba-Brazil a Growing Relationship

HAVANA TIMES – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff received Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla Monday afternoon at the Planalto Palace. Rodriguez is on an official visit to the South American country, reported DPA news.

Coinciding with the Cuban’s visit to Brasilia, President Raul Castro welcomed, but in Havana, Fernando Pimentel, Brazilian Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, who traveled to the island on a working visit.

In both encounters both the Cuban and Brazilian leaders evaluated as “excellent” the state of bilateral relations, expanded after the visit to Havana by Dilma Rousseff in 2012, and restated the will to further strengthen them.

Rodríguez said in Brasilia that there is “huge potential and bright future” in socio-economic ties between the two nations, especially in lines such as economic cooperation, investment and trade.

Brazil is the main sponsor of the huge project at Mariel port, west of the Cuban capital, as well as large-scale investments in agriculture on the island.

It was also made known on Monday that Brazil seeks to “import” some 6,000 Cuban doctors to fill a public health void in poorer regions of the country.