Less than two weeks after the Council of State removed Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz from his position as Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (Mincex), the official traveled to Russia as part of an official delegation invited to the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024 (SPIEF), which begins this Wednesday, June 5 and will last until Saturday the 8th.
Cabrisas, who still serves as deputy prime minister of the Government, was received on Monday by the vice president of the Federation Council, Konstantin Kosachev. According to the official note, they discussed “bilateral relations and the expansion of cooperation.”
“We are willing to work closely in parliament to implement the agreements of the leaders of the two countries and provide support to our Cuban friends within the framework of our parliamentary powers,” Kosachev said in reference to the recent visit of President Miguel Díaz-Canel. and his conversations with Vladimir Putin.
Cabrisas, known as Havana’s main debt negotiator with the Paris Club and other major creditors, was in Russia just two months ago. On this trip he plans to meet with other authorities and businessmen from Moscow to “achieve the effective participation of the Russian Federation in the National Economic and Social Development Plan of Cuba until 2030.”
“Parliamentary dialogue plays a vital role in solving the problems faced by Russia and Cuba,” Kosachev noted and clarified that they are working on “attracting investors” to develop “promising niches” in the island’s market.
“During the conversation, Konstantin Kosachev and Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz discussed in detail issues of economy, tourism, cultural and humanitarian ties, including the teaching of Cubans in Russian higher educational institutions and the opening of a branch of the Russian Museum in Havana” , notes the note.
The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the Federation Council, Grigori Karasin, the chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government and Northern Affairs and the head of the cooperation group of the Federation Council. with the National Assembly of People’s Power of the Republic of Cuba Andrei Shevchenko.
Cabrisas, 87 years old, was in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment from April 2023, replacing Rodrigo Malmierca, until May 2024. His place is now occupied by Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, who served as first vice minister of the Mincex.
