Havana, Cuba.- Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, received his Panamanian counterpart, Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vázquez, on Wednesday during a working visit to the island.

In welcoming the Panamanian foreign minister and his delegation, the Cuban foreign minister, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, expressed his confidence that this opportunity would contribute to further strengthening the historic and traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Prior to the talks, which also included Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rodríguez Parrilla emphasized that Cuba holds Panama and Panamanians in high regard, noting that “there are many commonalities, stemming from a strong and multifaceted cultural bond and a tradition of cooperation in international organizations and on the multilateral agenda.”

The Cuban foreign minister expressed his gratitude for the visit amidst the difficult circumstances facing the country and wished it a productive and enjoyable experience.

Martínez-Acha Vázquez reiterated the historical ties between the two nations and emphasized that the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino Quintero, values ??the bilateral relationship in these complex times, he said.

The visiting foreign minister described the ties as very friendly, very successful, and commercial, while reiterating the willingness to “cooperate on many points, as countries that understand each other’s needs.”

The Panamanian Foreign Minister is accompanied by Edwin Abel Pitty Madrid, Panama’s ambassador to Havana; Marcos Caisuutti, presidential advisor; and Adolfo Ahumada, advisor to the foreign minister.

Panama re-established diplomatic relations with Havana in 1974, under the leadership of Omar Torrijos, despite external pressure to isolate Cuba from the Latin American and Caribbean community.