Cuba will help Nicaragua to reduce illiteracy, currently hovering around 33 percent, Education Minister Miguel de Castilla stated.

During a farewell ceremony to 39 Cuban experts supporting the National Literacy Campaign called "De Marti a Fidel" (From Marti to Fidel), the minister said that all conditions to continue the post-literacy program in January with more than 100,000 registered students have been created.

"To Cuba, Fidel, Raul, you personally, let me say no thank, let us say you have left us the extraordinary commitment of continue working for the poor of our country," De Castilla stressed.

Adult Education director Reynaldo Mairena termed invaluable the work of about 80 Cuban professionals attending the literacy program.

Cuban Charge d'affaires Rene Ceballo highlighted the will of his country's teachers who have accompanied the crusade to proclaim Nicaragua the fourth country of the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America) in eradicating illiteracy.

Local authorities also bid farewell this week some members of the Venezuelan brigade Antonio Jose de Sucre, which in a solidary effort worked along with the Cubans to fulfill the goal proclaimed by President Daniel Ortega in August.