A delegation of the KKE headed by the GS of the CC of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, visited Havana in the period 20-23 October 2014, at the invitation of the CP of Cuba. Elisseos Vagenas member of the CC of the KKE and responsible for the International Relations Section of the CC and Dimitris Karagiannis, member of the Editorial Board of “Rizospastis”, also participated in the delegation.

The delegation of the KKE had the opportunity to hold a series of meetings with cadres of the CP of Cuba, which culminated on the 23^rd of October with the meeting with Salvador Valdes Mesa, member of the PB of the CC of the CP of Cuba, and Vice President of the State Council of the Cuban government.

The meeting took place at the headquarters of the CC of the CP of Cuba, in Revolution Square.  There was an exchange of views about the experience from the struggle of the two parties in the two countries, with as the main task the ideological and political work and the organizational strengthening of the Communist Parties.

Cde Mesa initially conveyed the great appreciation of the CP of Cuba concerning the KKE’s contribution to consistent solidarity with Cuba and to the struggle of the international communist movement.

Afterwards there was a presentation regarding the difficult and complex tasks of the CP of Cuba in this period, three years after the 6^th Congress and the Nationwide Conference and the need for it to play its vanguard ideological-political role, as well as the need for the younger generations to learn the militant traditions of the Island of the Revolution and be its worthy young followers.

On his part, D. Koutsoumpas noted the major value that the exchange of experiences has and that this enriches the experience and the activity of both parties. He underlined the consistent solidarity of the KKE with the CP of Cuba and the Cuban people and referred to aspects of the struggle of the labour-people’s movement of Greece and the priorities the party sets concerning the organization of the working class, the youth and women from the popular strata.

Earlier the delegation of the KKE met with Jose Ramon Balaguer Cabrera, member of the Secretariat of the CC of the CP of Cuba and head of the International Relations Section. There was a wide-ranging exchange of views about the developments in the two countries and about international issues. There was also a meeting with members of the International Relations Section of the CC of the CP of Cuba, headed by Oscar Martinez Cordoves, deputy head of the Section. A discussion was held on issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as the course of the next International Meting of Communist and Workers’ Parties that will be held in November in Ecuador.

The delegation of the KKE also had a meeting with the deputy head of the International Relations Section, responsible for Latin American affairs, Jorge Arias, and with members of the Permanent Committee for the advancement and implementation of the directions of the economic and social policy of the party and the Revolution that were decided on at the recent 6^th Congress of the CP of Cuba.

The delegation of the KKE during its stay met with the leadership of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and with relatives of the 5 Cuban heroes, three of whom ( Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero) continue to be imprisoned in the USA.

Finally it visited the memorial of Jose Marti in Revolution Square and the Latin American School of Medicine.