Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes: For Cuba, the Vietnamese people have always been a heroic model and historical example
WVR - Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes shares his insights with The World and Vietnam Report on the occasion of Cuban National Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernández's official visit to Vietnam and co-chairing the inter-parliamentary cooperation committee meeting between the two countries.
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| National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man welcomes Cuban President of the National Assembly of People's Power Esteban Lazo Hernandez during his visit to Vietnam, in November 2024. |
How does the Ambassador assess the significance and highlights of the agenda for the visit to Vietnam from September 30 to October 5 by the President of the National Assembly of People power the Republic of Cuba, Esteban Lazo Hernández?
We highly appreciate the official visit to Vietnam by President of the National Assembly of People's Power and President of the Council of State of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernández. On this occasion, Comrade Lazo Hernández will co-chair the second session of the inter-parliamentary cooperation committee between the two countries alongside Comrade Tran Thanh Man, Politburo Member and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam.
During the visit, the Cuban delegation will engage in various activities, including meetings with key Vietnamese leaders, visits to socio-economic sites in several localities, and exchanges of legislative experiences, primarily focused on promoting bilateral economic, trade, and investment issues.
The second session of this inter-parliamentary cooperation committee takes place just a month after the state visit to Vietnam by Comrade Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba. This underscores the priority both National Assemblies place on closely and systematically monitoring the new, comprehensive, effective, practical, and sustainable cooperation phase initiated after the agreements reached a year ago during the historic state visit to Havana by Comrade General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, President To Lam in September 2024.
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| Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Rogelio Polanco Fuentes. |
Since then, in 2025, the "Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Year", we celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations, with bilateral cooperation strengthened across all fields: politics, economy, trade, investment, defense and security, foreign affairs, justice, culture, and society, among others.
Notably, both sides have made progress in cooperation areas of significant importance to both countries, such as food production, the biopharmaceutical sector, and renewable energy. Positive outcomes from the rice production project in Cuba with Vietnamese investment, the establishment of a joint venture for research, production, and commercialization of medical drugs, and the implementation of a solar energy project in our country with Vietnamese collaboration are clear evidence of these advancements.
The impetus from both National Assemblies for these and other areas is crucial to realizing and expanding these results with the highest determination and speed, for the benefit of the peoples of both countries.
In the Joint Statement during the state visit of the First Secretary, President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez at the invitation of General Secretary To Lam, both leaders emphasized the importance of the Vietnam-Cuba inter-parliamentary cooperation committee mechanism. Could the Ambassador elaborate on the role and notable contributions of this mechanism within the overall special, traditional friendship between the two nations?
In April 2023, the leaders of the two National Assemblies signed an official agreement in Havana establishing the inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanism between the two countries.
Arising from this initiative, the first session of the inter-parliamentary cooperation committee took place in September 2024, also in the capital Havana, where both sides shared experiences in policy and law-making with the aim of strengthening and promoting the traditional solidarity, special friendship, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cuba.
For many years, both sides have exchanged legislative activities and the operational methods of the two National Assemblies, but in recent times, this work has been practically and effectively consolidated, coinciding with a vibrant parliamentary phase to serve the ongoing transformations in the socialist construction efforts in both countries.
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| National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn receives Ambassador Rogelio Polanco Fuentes. (Source: quochoi.vn) |
Both National Assemblies facilitate the construction of appropriate legal frameworks through corresponding legislative roadmaps, serving the socio-economic development of each country. Regular exchanges on these issues allow for deepening the progress achieved, as well as addressing limitations and challenges, enhancing the quality and effectiveness of work to promote the sustainable implementation of bilateral agreements.
The parliamentary cooperation mechanism also allows for strengthening coordination both bilaterally and at international and regional forums, where both parliaments play an active role in pursuing an independent and self-reliant foreign policy and protecting the legitimate interests of the peoples of both countries.
Finally, we expect that the second session of this inter-parliamentary cooperation committee will mark a new milestone in the special friendship and solidarity relationship, clearly demonstrated by the extraordinary participation of the people in the campaign to support the Cuban people, initiated by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and implemented by the Vietnam Red Cross.
The presence of the Cuban National Assembly delegation will be an opportunity to convey our people's deep gratitude for the encouragement that this meaningful solidarity movement brings in Cuba's current struggle against adversity. And to achieve this, alongside our own efforts, we always have the heroic model and historical example of the Vietnamese people.
Thank you very much, Ambassador!
