Ahmadinejad begins five-day visit to Latin America

by Renata Giraldi

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left Tehran on Sunday (8th), the capital, for Latin America, where he will be for almost a week. He first landed in Caracas (Venezuela), then goes to Managua (Nicaragua), Havana (Cuba) and Quito (Ecuador). The Iranian President travels with an entourage of ministers and businessmen from the country.

According to aides, Ahmadinejad seeks to build relationships and discuss economic and political issues. The President defines the relations between Iran and Latin America simply: "Relations between Iran and the Latin American countries are friendly and are in full development."

For Ahmadinejad, there are cultural similarities between the Latins and the Iranians. The visit to Latin America was motivated, aides said, by the inauguration of the re-elected President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega. Ortega is called a General by Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, and several Latin American political leaders, for having participated in the guerrilla movement in the country.

In Cuba and Ecuador, Ahmadinejad meets with President Raul Castro (Cuba) and Rafael Correa (Ecuador), and former President, Fidel Castro. In recent years, the Ahmadinejad government has intensified bilateral relations with several Latin American countries especially with Venezuela and Brazil - during the administration of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The Ecuadorian president informed yesterday (7th), through his advisors, the intention of Ecuador's government is to increase bilateral relations with all countries, including Iran. Ahmadinejad will be in Quito, Ecuador, on the next day, October 12. *

With information from the official news agency of Iran, IRNA / / Edition: Grace Adjuto 

Translated from the Portuguese version by:

Lisa Karpova

Pravda.Ru