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CUBA
NEWS
The
Miami Herald
Nations' leaders sign business agreements
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ignores human
rights issues on his first trip to Cuba as Brazil's
president.
By Anita Show, Associated Press
Posted on Sun, Sep. 28, 2003 in The Miami Herald.
HAVANA - Linked for decades as fellow icons of
Latin America's left, Brazil's president and Fidel
Castro cemented their relationship as they talked
business and ignored Cuba's human rights record.
Presiding over Saturday's signing of $200 million
in new business deals in Cuba by private Brazilian
enterprises, the Cuban leader put his arm around
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as
they talked about future trade between their nations.
''This is an exceptional step for Cuba and Brazil,''
said da Silva, a former labor leader.
''In a globalized world, we must join together
. . . so we can compete one-on-one with developed
nations,'' he said.
Specifics of the agreements were not disclosed,
but they included $140 million in deals with Brazilian
firms to build four beach hotels, Brazilian officials
said. Other deals included investment in Cuban
sugar and transportation.
Da Silva traveled to Cuba more than 20 times
in his labor organizing days. Elected Brazil's
president nine months ago, this was his first
visit to the island as leader of Latin America's
largest country.
''Cuba is very honored,'' Castro told reporters.
"This is the best trip we have had in a long
time.''
Da Silva also briefly met Cuba's Roman Catholic
Cardinal Jaime Ortega on Saturday morning, a presidential
spokesman said.
As he grows accustomed to his budding role as
a leader of regional integration, da Silva clearly
wants to maintain good ties with Cuba.
Da Silva said before he arrived he would not
meet with Cuban dissidents or discuss Cuba's human
rights record.
''I don't give opinions about the internal political
conditions of other countries,'' da Silva told
reporters in Mexico this week.
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