At the ceremony held at the Cuban Embassy in Hanoi, Thu Thao stated that the handover took place within the spirit of Vietnam-Cuba brotherhood and friendship, and in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.

  “This is an occasion for us to remember and pay tribute to Fidel—a great friend and dear comrade of the Vietnamese people, a leader who held special affection for Vietnam and provided steadfast, unwavering support during the most difficult moments of our history,” she added.   Vietnam-Cuba friendship, she noted, is manifested not only in statements or historical milestones but also in concrete actions, in sharing during difficult times, and in the mutual support between the peoples of both nations.

  For his part, Polanco expressed gratitude for the donation on behalf of the Cuban government and people, describing it as a significant gesture of solidarity.

  It comes, he explained, at a time when Cuba is facing a very difficult situation caused by the tightening of the blockade, the energy embargo, and threats of military aggression from the United States government.

  It is an expression of the unwavering solidarity of the Vietnamese Communist Party, State, and people with the cause of the Cuban people, said the diplomat, who received a check for 100 billion dong (approximately 3.8 million US dollars at the official exchange rate) from Thu Thao.

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