Launched the day before, the event convened by the St. Petersburg State University has as its central theme ‘Russia and Ibero-America in the globalizing world: history and modernity’ and according to its organizers, more than 700 delegates from both sides of the Atlantic are participating.

The editor-in-chief of the Latin America magazine and professor of that study center told the Sputnik news agency that the current level of ties and cooperation between the two regions does not reflect the existing potential.

At the inauguration, the director of the Latin America Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexander Schetinin, highlighted Moscow’s solidarity with Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, which in addition to facing the effects of Covid-19 are the object of Western sanctions, he said.

Regarding trade exchange, the diplomat emphasized that it grew again after its deterioration due to the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

In this regard, he stated that its volume reached eight and a half billion dollars in the first six months of this year, an improvement of almost 50 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

He also highlighted Russia’s capabilities in the use of nuclear energy in health and agriculture, in addition to cooperation in the construction of airplanes and helicopters.

However, the Russian diplomat acknowledged that one of the factors hindering the development of relations with Latin America are the obstacles imposed by the United States.

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