A ceremony was held on April 24 in the northern province of Hai Duong to mark the 53rd anniversary of Cuba’s Giron victory.

On April 19, 1961, responding to the call of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, the Cuban people defeated more than 1,500 US-trained troops who landed at Playa Giron (better known as the Bay of Pigs), as part of a scheme to overthrow the fledgling Cuban government after less than 72 hours.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also President of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Association, congratulated the Cuban Government and people on the historic triumph.

She highlighted the country’s socio-economic development in recent years and said it has also made strides in foreign affairs and international cooperation.

She confirmed that the Vietnamese and Cuban people remain close in the fight for the national independence and liberty despite their geographical distance.

Vietnam and Cuba set up diplomatic ties in 1960. The bilateral all-around cooperation been incessantly forged ahead thanks to regular high-ranking delegation exchanges, with the most recent visit to Cuba made by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Herminio Lopez Diaz and Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Hien highlighted the brotherhood between Vietnam and Cuba, and affirmed that both countries will stand side by side and do their utmost to nurture and develop their relationship.-VNA