President Raul Castro took a firsthand look on Saturday at the ongoing works that take place as part of a project to expand the port of Mariel, in the Cuban western province of Artemisa.
Raul, who visited the facilities accompanied by First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, highlighted the economic significance of the project, not only for the development of the country today, but also for the future.
The work is being carried out by an International Economic Association between the Brazilian group Odebrecht and a Cuban construction company, and it is partially financed by a credit granted by the government of Brazil.
The Cuban leader noted that these works will significantly improve the operational capacity of the port and they will allow an increase of the size of ships able to dock in the port.
He added that the investment will provide Cuba with an important facility for a long time in the so-called Special Development Zone of Mariel which covers more than 400 square kilometers.
During the visit to Mariel, Raul listened to a report on the current state of works and the construction of infrastructure facilities for transportation, among other aspects.
Also accompanying the Cuban head of state and government were other leaders such as Antonio Enrique Lusson Battle, Vive President of the Council of Ministers; and Cesar Ignacio Arocha Macid, Minister of Transportation.