Cuban professor and researcher Jose Luis Perello, in his usual comments on the Facebook network, makes reference to this issue on Wednesday.

He points out that the presence of that northern nation in the recent Havana International Fair (FIHAV 2024), confirmed the 80-year collaboration (the fair had to be interrupted due to the passage of Hurricane Rafael, on November 6).

Perello says that relations between Cuba and Canada date back to the 18th century, when ships from Canadian provinces with Atlantic coasts traded and bartered codfish and beer for rum and sugar.

Canada’s first diplomatic mission in the Caribbean was established in Cuba in 1945.

In 1959, Canada recognized the revolutionary government to host the 80th anniversary of Canada-Cuba diplomatic relations in March 2025.

The relationship is based on a commitment to open dialogue, cooperation and the advancement of trade and investment, which was reaffirmed at the 40th edition of the Fair.

Canada’s approach is to engage, without restrictions, with all elements of Cuban society: the government, the business sector, non-governmental organizations and civil society.

Cuba is Canada’s main market in the Caribbean/Central American sub-region and is the largest export market in that region.

Canada is the second largest source of direct investment in Cuba, important in mining, energy, oil and gas, and some investments in renewable energy, agriculture/heavy equipment and tourism.

It is known that Canadian tourism has been the main source of international visitors to Cuba since the 1980s.

At the end of October 2024, when the accumulated number of international visitors to the country reached 1,844,858 international visitors, as always, Canadian tourists accounted for 39.4 percent of the total and ranked first with 727,204 arrivals.

The head of Mintur took advantage of the ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome the new Canadian ambassador to Cuba, Marianick Tremblay, concluded Perello’s message.

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