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Díaz-Canel meets with “Por el Equilibrio del Mundo” delegates in Havana

Writer's picture: Michael LaxerMichael Laxer

These included Jorge Arreaza, executive secretary of ALBA-TCP, Atilio Borón, José Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain, Peter Mertens, secretary general of the Belgian Labor Party, Soka Gakkai's Yoshiyuki Nagaoka, George Katrougalos of the UN Human Rights Council and former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar.

All photos via Estudios Revolución


By Leticia Martínez Hernández, translated from the Spanish


While the second day of the VI International Conference “Por el Equilibrio del Mundo” (“For World Balance”) -- which has brought together in Havana some 700 delegates from 98 countries, and more than 400 participants from Cuba -- was being held at the Convention Center, the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, met with several of the distinguished guests attending this edition of the global forum dedicated to the Apostle José Martí.


The president received Jorge Arreaza, executive secretary of ALBA-TCP, with whom he discussed the work priorities of this important mechanism of integration, founded by Fidel and Chávez. He praised the current secretariat as thriving in the office, and highlighted Cuba's permanent support for the alliance that brings together Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada and Saint Lucia.


Both agreed on the idea of strengthening ALBA, and of returning, Arreaza said, to the level of social policies that were seen in previous years. They discussed the "Agroalba" project, which aims at food sovereignty in the region, and other projects that may arise related to cultural, sports and intellectual exchanges.


On Wednesday, Díaz-Canel also met with Argentine intellectual Atilio Borón, with whom he talked about the challenges of the Latin American left and the need for unity, in the midst of the fascist onslaught of the new US administration. They discussed global solidarity with Cuba, the harsh situation that the country is experiencing due to the intensified blockade policies and the resilience of the Cuban people.



He also met with José Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain, and then with Peter Mertens, secretary general of the Belgian Labor Party, both of whom have a long, friendly relationship with the Cuban Revolution. In the two meetings, the conversation was framed by the shared perspectives and the relations between the political organizations and the need to make a common front for peace and against the policies of war and fascism that are prevailing in the world today.




The representative of the Japanese organization Soka Gakkai, Yoshiyuki Nagaoka, was also received by Díaz-Canel, shortly after giving a lecture at the event on artificial intelligence. The Head of State thanked him for his presence at this world event and spoke of the historic relationship between the Japanese organization and Cuba, fostered by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.


Soka Gakkai is an organization active in 192 countries and territories, whose objective is to promote peace, culture and education, based on the Buddhist philosophy of respect for the dignity of life.



The President also received George Katrougalos, an expert of the UN Human Rights Council, whom he thanked for his support in the island's fight against the U.S. blockade and against its inclusion on the fraudulent list of countries sponsoring terrorism. Díaz-Canel underscored Cuba's commitment to respecting human rights, and its willingness to continue cooperating on this important issue.


Katrougalos referred to his friendly relationship with the Caribbean country, recalled his participation in the struggle for the return of the Cuban Five unjustly imprisoned in the United States, and referred to Cuba's work at the United Nations, where it is considered a power for diplomacy.



At the end of the day, the President met with the former President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, and they discussed the close relationship between the two countries and cooperation in various sectors. In all these meetings, Díaz-Canel was accompanied by Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee, and Emilio Lozada García, head of its Department of International Relations.


The sessions of the Conference continue Thursday, and it is expected, according to the agenda, that the Cuban Head of State will meet with other delegates of the event.



This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC

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