The vice-president of the Government of the Russian Federation, Dimitri Chernishenko, arrived at the Antonio Maceo International Airport in Santiago de Cuba to begin an official visit to the Antillean nation.

Coming from Moscow, Chernishenko was received Wednesday night by Beatriz Jhonson Urrutia, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, of the Council of State and first secretary of the political organisation in the province; Manuel Falcón Hernández, governor of the untamed territory, and Oscar Pérez Oliva, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment.

Victor Koronelli, the Slavic giant’s ambassador to Cuba, was also present.

Jhonson Urrutia welcomed the president of the Eurasian part of the Russia-Cuba Intergovernmental Commission for economic, commercial and scientific-technical collaboration to the hospitable and rebellious city of Santiago de Cuba.

On his first trip to the Hero City, Chernishenko will carry out a brief agenda that includes fraternal exchanges with the local authorities and a tribute to the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, in the Santa Ifigenia heritage cemetery.

The group JJ Son offered the visitor interpretations of Chan Chan and Lágrimas negras, distinctive Cuban music from the so-called Capital of the Caribbean.

Russia and Cuba are united by long-standing and close ties of friendship, which have been strengthened thanks to the cooperation and relations between the two countries based on solidarity.