Cuban President Raul Castro met on Sunday night with his Bolivian counterpart, Evo Morales. Both leaders, in the Ecuadorian capital Quito, for Monday’s swearing- in ceremony of President Rafael Correa – who was re-elected last April - , spoke of topics of mutual interest and exchanged experiences on ways in which their respective countries face today’s complex challenges.

They also reaffirmed their interest in further increasing bilateral cooperation and agreed on the need to strengthen unity among Latin American and Caribbean nations.

Present in the meeting were the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, and Bolivia’s Defense Minister Dr. Walter San Miguel. According to Granma newspaper, Rafael Correa’s swearing-in ceremony takes place on Monday morning and Quito will also host a summit of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), whoso pro-tempore chairmanship Ecuador assumes today.

The Cuban delegation, which also includes Havana Historian Eusebio Leal, was welcomed on Sunday morning at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport of Quito by Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister Lautaro Pozo.

“This swearing-in ceremony, with the presence of 14 heads of state and government, and particularly the Cuban President, is going to be very important for the Ecuadorian people,” Pozo told reporters. “We have long-standing bonds of friendship with the Cuban people.

President Castro’s presence here is an honor for Ecuador and for our President,” he added. “Ecuador and Cuba cooperate in many fields.

There are Cuban collaborators making their contribution in Ecuador in sectors such as education and public health and hundreds of Ecuadorian youths are currently studying in Cuba. Our relations are very good,” he stressed.