Permanent Secretary of SELA meets with Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez in Cuba

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba's Central Committee and President of the Republic, welcomed His Excellency Mr. Lesly David, Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System in Cuba for a visit.

Photos via Estudios Revolución

By René Tamayo León, translated from the Spanish

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, reaffirmed Cuba's commitment and willingness to collaborate with the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) to promote integration, defend regional interests, and enhance complementarity among our countries. His Excellency Mr. Lesly David, the permanent secretary of this integrationist organization, was in Cuba for a visit.

With affection, the president welcomed the Haitian director on Thursday afternoon (September 18). The director, who studied in Cuba and "whom I have known for a long time," was congratulated by the president on his recent election as Permanent Secretary of SELA. This marks the first time a national from a Caribbean state has led the institution.

"You are also a product of our education, which we take pride in," added Díaz-Canel, expressing a commitment to continue backing SELA's regional strategies for economic recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as initiatives related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Cuba can count on SELA," stated Lesly David, acknowledging the island's active involvement in the organization.

"SELA has always counted on Cuba and will continue to do so," emphasized director who also stressed the significant human capital that Cuba possesses. "SELA can benefit Cuba, and Cuba can benefit SELA, creating a win-win situation for all," he stated.

David started by expressing his condolences for the passing of his colleague, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, with whom he had collaborated on numerous occasions. "He is always in my thoughts," he said with sadness.

The Secretary General of SELA highlighted the significant potential of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

He stated that with over 700 million inhabitants, our priority should be discussing integration, as we possess both the capacity and resources to achieve it.

In welcoming Mr. Lesly David, the Cuban President commended the potential contribution of the institution he leads in addressing the challenges currently faced by the countries in the region.

In the present international scenario, Díaz-Canel highlighted an urgent issue: a significant military presence has been established in the Caribbean—the largest in the past two decades—under the guise of fabricated claims regarding drug trafficking in the region, alongside a campaign against the Bolivarian Revolution and President Nicolás Maduro Moros. He stressed that it poses a threat to the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

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