Parliamentarians looking to revitalize relations between Mexico and Cuba

Ninth meeting inaugurated in Havana

BY MARÍA JULIA MAYORAL

RICARDO Alarcón de Quesada, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power, presided over the inauguration on July 5 of the 9th Cuba-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, in which Manlio Fabio Beltrones, president of the Mexican Senate, expressed interest in encouraging increased bilateral relations to their previous historical levels and confirmed that nothing can justify a distancing between the two sister nations.

A large delegation from Mexico, representing both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, is participating in the talks. The delegation includes eminent politicians, representatives of all currents of opinion and political parties.

According to Beltrones, the composition of the delegation reflects with no doubt whatsoever the shared goal of urging the federal government of Mexico to “swiftly reestablish” and “fully strengthen” links with Cuba.

Alarcón, who highlighted the historic common positions with respect to international law, the defense of national independence, self-determination, non-interference by foreigners in internal affairs and Latin American solidarity, also confirmed that the fraternal rapprochement between Cubans and Mexicans is as alive today as at any other moment in our past.

Beltrones specified that the Mexican Congress has significant interest in reaching coordinated positions with Cuba in international forums such as the upcoming first meeting between the working group of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly. He also stated the importance of exchange in the areas of trade, education, science and technology, migratory issues, risk prevention and facing phenomenon associated with climate change such as severe hurricanes.