The high award, granted by Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, was conferred on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Kingdom, Sok Chenda Sophea, who praised the work of Rodriguez Barrios at the end of her mission.
Chenda Sophea also exalted the progress made in the historic ties between the two countries, established at a diplomatic level on April 15, 1960, as well as the agreements and consensus reached in the exchange of high-level visits.
In acknowledging the decoration, the ambassador said she accepted it “on behalf of the heroic Cuban people, who have always had a close friendship with Cambodia”, and thanked the countless tokens of support offered by this Indochinese nation to the noble causes defended by her compatriots.
Rodriguez Barrios, who ends her work here, was also received by the King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni, a propitious occasion to make a balance of the state of bilateral relations, which have progressed in areas such as health, education, sports, and agriculture, among other matters.
The president of the National Assembly of the Kingdom, Khuon Sudary, also held a meeting with the head of mission in which she highlighted the central role played by Cuban and Cambodian women in the construction of their respective nations.
Sudary called for further expansion of bilateral ties, especially in the legislative sphere, and ratified the commitment to continue accompanying Cuba in the struggle to put an end to the economic, financial, and commercial blockade imposed more than six decades ago by the United States.
According to the Cuban diplomat, respect, admiration, and identification of common goals of progress, despite the geographical distance, are benchmarks of the ties between her country and Cambodia.
On the eve of the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, when meeting with members of the Association of Cambodian Graduates in Cuba, diplomats, sports collaborators, and Cubans living in the Kingdom, Rodriguez Barrios stressed that ties also have a key historical component.
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