Vientiane July 25, 2025. Com. Chaleun Yiapaoheu, Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Vice President of the National Assembly, and President of the Laos-Cuba Friendship Association, received a courtesy visit from Mr. Gerardo Peñalver Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, and his delegation, on the occasion of their visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and other countries in the Asian region. Yiapaoheu offered his warm welcome and high appreciation for the visit, which constitutes an important contribution to strengthening the traditional friendship relations between the Parties, States, and peoples of Laos and Cuba. At the same time, he expressed his sincere gratitude for the support and assistance provided by the Party, State, and the brotherly people of Cuba in the task of safeguarding the nation in the past, as well as in the task of protecting and building the Lao PDR in the present. Likewise, he expressed feeling admiration for Cuba's achievements in the task of defense and national development, particularly the socioeconomic aspect and the continuous preservation of the advances of the revolution consistently for more than 60 years.
He similarly expressed admiration for Cuba's achievements in defense and national development, particularly in socioeconomic matters and the continued preservation of the revolution's advances consistently for over 60 years. He also reported on the significant progress in the construction and socioeconomic development of the Lao PDR in recent years, especially in the implementation of the Resolution of the XI Party Congress, during the final period of the IX legislature. He highlighted the activities of the Laos-Cuba Friendship Association, which have coordinated regularly with the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in this capital for important events and historical dates, such as organizing the ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Lao PDR and Cuba (November 4, 1974 - November 4, 2024) in Houaphan province. Competitions about this date and the theme were also held.
The support of the Laos-Cuba Friendship Association proved to be very important, as it closely followed and participated in the activities organized for the high-level delegation of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, led by Comrade Esteban Lazo Hernández, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, during its official visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic to participate in the celebration of five decades of diplomatic relations between the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Cuba. For the same reason, he highlighted the reception in December 2024 of the delegation led by the interim president of the Cuba-Laos Friendship Association, Cra. Viengsay Valdés, and artists, who gave a unique cultural performance for the Lao people and the accredited diplomatic corps. Finally, Yiapaoheu highly praised the cooperation of both friendship associations.
On this occasion, Com. Gerardo Peñalver Portal expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and reported on the results of his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and his courtesy visit to the Acting Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Central Committee of the Party, and he thanked Laos for its support in the elimination of the U.S. blockade against Cuba. He also praised the achievements made by the Lao people under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), which have gradually improved the living standards of the Lao people and increasingly elevated the role of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in regional and international forums; he wished that the Party, the State, and the Lao brotherly people achieve new and greater successes in the task of national defense, protection, and development, and in the implementation of the Resolution of the XI Congress of the Party. Both parties valued the solid traditional cooperation relations.
They referred to the important upcoming celebrations of the 105th and 100th anniversaries of the birth of the historical leaders Kaysone Phomvihane and Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, respectively. They also exchanged opinions frankly about the review and boost of the implementation of the joint agreements reached in the previous period, seeking to enhance future cooperation, especially in the fields of politics, education, agriculture, public health, and other areas of mutual interest, and agreed to continue providing support and assistance both bilaterally and multilaterally.
Embassy of Cuba