Raul Castro in Venezuela in honor of Hugo Chavez's memory

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Mar 2023 11:21

A Cuban delegation headed by the historic leader of the revolution, Raul Castro, arrives in Venezuela to pay tribute to the late Hugo Chavez.

Former Cuban leader Raul Castro speaks during the opening ceremony of the seventh Cuban Communist Party congress in Havana, April 16, 2016 (Reuters)

Former Cuban leader Raul Castro on Saturday afternoon arrived in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, at the head of a high-level delegation to honor the memory of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, ten years after his death, the Cuban Communist Party's Granma website confirmed.

"Army General Raul Castro Ruz, traveled to the friendly Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on Saturday afternoon" to participate in the Meeting on the Validity of the Bolivarian Thought of Commander Hugo Chavez in the 21st Century, the website said.

Castro, 91, is accompanied by Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and Commander Ramiro Valdes, as well as Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla, Health Minister Jose Angel Portal Miranda, and Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy.

"A high-level Cuban delegation, chaired by the historic leader of the revolution, Raul Castro, arrived today (Saturday) in Venezuela to pay tribute to Commander Hugo Chavez (1954-2013) ten years after his physical disappearance," wrote the Cuban Communist Party on Twitter.

Una delegación del alto nivel de #Cuba, presidida por el líder histórico de la Revolución, Raúl Castro, llegó hoy a Venezuela para rendir homenaje al comandante Hugo Chávez (1954-2013), a 10 años de su partida física.https://t.co/9q2ALBBBMH #ChavezVive
— Partido Comunista de Cuba (@PartidoPCC) March 4, 2023

Chavez, the leader of the Bolivarian revolution, presided over Venezuela from 1999 until his death on March 5, 2013.

He had battled cancer for two years and received most of his treatment in Cuba.

On Friday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez, commemorated "10 years of battle" and "victory" of his government against imperialism.

"Ten years later, we can tell you that we are here whole, victorious, and ready to continue the battle for the rest of the 21st century," Maduro affirmed.