Full text of the remarks delivered by the Ambassador of Cuba to Canada, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, at the Assembly of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Cuba, which met in the Canadian Parliament on December 3, 2025.
Honorable Senators and Members of Parliament:
It is a true privilege to address you. I would like to express my special gratitude to two friends, the co-chairs, Senator Judy White and Member of Parliament Gabriel St. Marie, for the invitation.
The relaunch of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Cuba in this new legislative session is an important step that will contribute to strengthening the long-standing friendship between the peoples of Canada and Cuba.
This year marks a historic moment: the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Eight uninterrupted decades of respect, cooperation, and exchange in all sectors for our mutual benefit. Moreover, I believe it is important to emphasize its uninterrupted nature, because at the beginning of the 1960s, under pressure from the United States government, all the countries in the Americas broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba. Only two countries, Canada and Mexico, maintained them, in an act of courage and independence.
History shows that Canada has always been a reliable partner and a bridge for dialogue and understanding with Cuba, regardless of the political party in government.
Therefore, despite the global challenges and uncertainty that characterize our times, we firmly believe in the potential that exists to continue developing bilateral relations.
In March of this year, we successfully held another round of inter-ministerial political consultations here in Ottawa, and we are already working to organize the next one in Havana in 2026. No topic of interest was left undiscussed, always with respect, and the points of consensus far outweighed the disagreements.
Economic relations continue to progress well. Canada is one of Cuba's main trading partners, and several major Canadian companies have investments in Cuba in sectors such as mining, industry, and tourism. At the recently concluded Havana International Fair, which, as usual, featured a pavilion dedicated to Canada, Cuba announced new measures to incentivize foreign investment in our economy and a broad portfolio of business opportunities encompassing sectors such as mining, energy, tourism, biotechnology, and financial services, to name just a few.
We are in contact with provincial governments and various companies in Canada interested in exploring possibilities for cooperation in the health sector. The Cuban Revolution has developed public health and the pharmaceutical-biotechnology industry, establishing cooperative relationships with dozens of countries on every continent.
We are also working to increase academic and cultural exchange programs. Knowledge and art are powerful links in the process of promoting these relations.
Recently, when Cuba suffered severe economic and infrastructural damage from Hurricane Melissa's passage through several eastern provinces, one of the first governments to react was Canada's, approving nearly CAD 7 million in emergency assistance through United Nations agencies and NGOs. This is not the first time that Canada has stood by our people in difficult times. Its solidarity is tangible proof of the true meaning of the friendship that unites us. These are gestures we deeply appreciate and that reaffirm the historic nature of our relationship.
Honorable friends,
I cannot fail to mention the main obstacle to the Cuban development: the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed for more than 60 years by the United States government.
The new administration has intensified the blockade to absurd levels, with the aim of drowning us in economic problems. They have not hesitated to lie, as when they included us on a list of countries that supposedly sponsor terrorism, with the sole objective of hindering financial transactions and our access to foreign currency.
However, despite the extraterritorial measures that seek to suffocate our economy, the Cuban people have demonstrated unwavering resistance and dignity. It is a daily battle to defend our sovereignty, the right to decide our own destiny without interference.
We thank Canada for its consistent position in international forums where it has repeatedly opposed these policies against Cuba.
Honorable friends,
In the parliamentary sphere, there is a great opportunity to promote the relations. For instance, both Cuba and Canada are active members of Parlamericas, a very important forum. I recognize the presence of the Chair of the Canadian chapter of Parlamericas, the Honorable Patrizia Latanzio.
The National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba will convene the Sixth ordinary period of sessions of the Tenth Legislature this month, starting with the meetings of the permanent working committees on December 15. We are informed that the Assembly's International Relations Committee will also reactivate parliamentary friendship groups with other countries, including Canada.
As soon as this is official, we will contact you to organize a videoconference between the co-chairs early next year to agree on a joint work plan for promoting relations.
We believe this will foster a frank and constructive dialogue that will allow us, beyond bilateral issues, to exchange views on topics of interest such as climate change, food security, and international peace and security.
Hundreds of thousands of Canadian have visited Cuba this year to enjoy our beaches and warm climate, but also get in touch with the warmth of our people.
Some of you already know Cuba, but we would like to encourage many senators and parliamentarians to visit our country, experience its reality firsthand, and thus contribute to further developing the friendly and cooperative relations that characterize the links between Canada and Cuba.
I am certain that this Parliamentary Friendship Group can foster a fruitful dialogue between our two parliaments, exchanging experiences on legislative matters and other issues of mutual interest. For our part, we are eager to support any initiative that elevates our relations to a higher level of exchange.
Thank you very much.