President of Cuban Parliament heads delegation to Vietnamese leader's funeral

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 23 (ACN) Political Bureau member Esteban Lazo Hernandez, President of the National Assembly of People's Power and of the Council of State, arrived in Hanoi at the head of a delegation to attend the State Funeral of the Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Phu Trong with a message of heartfelt condolences from the Cuban Party, State, Government and people.

Lazo was received at the airport in Hanoi by Bui Van Cuong, secretary-general and president of the Office of the National Assembly of Vietnam, and Orlando Hernandez Guillen, Cuban ambassador to Vietnam.

After learning of the regrettable death of the beloved Vietnamese leader and friend, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez sent their condolences to To Lam, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in a message stating that “the physical departure of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong is an irreparable loss for Cuba, which will always remember him as a great brother and a tireless promoter of the specially friendly relations between our Parties, National Assemblies, Governments and peoples”.

President Díaz-Canel also declared a period of Official Mourning from July 20 to 21 and of National Mourning on July 22, whereas the National Assembly of People's Power paid a posthumous tribute to and observed a minute of silence in recognition of the revolutionary trajectory of Nguyen Phu Trong, whose funeral honors will be held on July 25 and 26.

Together with several world leaders, Cuba accompanies the people of Vietnam in these difficult moments with the firm will to continue strengthening the historic, endearing and unbreakable ties of brotherhood between the two countries.