First day of State Funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Cuba

On July 24 and 25 (local time), the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba solemnly held a memorial service and opened a condolence book in memory of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

Officials and staff of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba, the Defense Attaché Office, the Trade Office and the Vietnam News Agency Resident Office visited and signed the Condolence Book.

In front of all the staff of the Embassy, ​​Vietnamese agencies and delegates attending, Ambassador Le Quang Long highlighted the great and especially outstanding contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong during nearly 60 years of work. He was awarded the Gold Star Order, the 55-year Party membership badge and many other noble orders and medals of Vietnam and the world by the Party and the State.

Ambassador Le Quang Long affirmed that the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is a great loss to the Party, State, people and his family.

To express condolences and commemorate General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front decided to hold the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong with the State funeral rites.

On the very first day of the funeral and opening of the condolence book, many delegations from ministries, branches, friendship organizations of Cuba, and the diplomatic corps came to express their condolences to the Party, State and People of Vietnam.

In particular, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel, leading a high-ranking delegation, visited and signed the condolence book to express his condolences to the devoted friend, close brother and person who made great contributions to the special and loyal Cuba-Vietnam relationship.

Secretary General of the National Assembly and Secretary General of the Council of State of Cuba Homero Acosta Álvarez emotionally said: “We come here to express our deepest solidarity with the Vietnamese people, to pay tribute to the leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, a great brother, a great friend of Cuba, who made great contributions to the country of Vietnam and to the cause of building socialism. On behalf of the Cuban people and the Cuban National Assembly, I come here to express my condolences and affirm our support and eternal solidarity with the Vietnamese people. In this moment of sorrow, I would like to send to the Vietnamese people a warm hug, symbolizing the long-lasting support and solidarity between our two peoples.”

Meanwhile, Hero of the Republic of Cuba Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, President of the Committee for the Defense of the Cuban Revolution, affirmed that Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong was a symbol of brotherhood between the Cuban and Vietnamese peoples. The Cuban people deeply mourn his passing.

Sharing the grief over General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Ambassador Fredesmán Turró González - who was twice the Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam, sadly shared: “This morning we came to sign the condolence book to express our condolences. We are truly saddened and emotionally confused to hear of the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. He was an outstanding leader of Vietnam, a scholar and a great friend of the Cuban people. The news of his passing has truly shocked the entire Cuban people. We share our condolences with the Vietnamese people and with the comrades and members of the Communist Party of Vietnam for this great loss.”

For his part, journalist Martín Hacthoun of Prensa Latina commented that Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong is an outstanding leader of the Vietnamese people, but at the same time, he is also a leader of international stature. He has devoted his whole life to the development of Vietnam. He is also a great friend of Cuba. He is a wise strategist in Vietnam's international relations, promoting an independent, sovereign foreign policy and, above all, very effective in all aspects of foreign policy, including trade, economy and the development of international relations. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong is a simple, modest leader, who has devoted his whole life to the development of Vietnam, for a fair and prosperous society.

A large number of overseas Vietnamese, students and Vietnamese businesses in Cuba also came to pay their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who devoted his last breath to the cause of building and developing the country.

Under the harsh sunlight and sudden rains of summer, half a world away from Hanoi, in front of the Vietnamese Embassy in Havana, groups of people lined up to pay their respects to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The touching lines in the condolence book are a testament to the sentiments of overseas Vietnamese and international friends towards the comrade, and also a recognition and gratitude for the General Secretary's contributions to the country's development process as well as to the Vietnam-Cuba brotherhood in particular and the friendly relations between Vietnam and other countries in general.