Havana, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) Panamaâ�Ös President, Juan Carlos Varela, is participating today in a Panamanian-Cuban business forum, as part of a visit that aims to promote trade and bilateral economic relations.
Varela traveled to Cuba accompanied by 12 business people from several sectors, led by Minister of Trade and Industry, Meliton Arrocha, who also included in their agenda a tour of the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), west of Havana.

Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX), Rodrigo Malmierca, and other officials of that body that will provide training in the portfolio of business and investment opportunities on the island, are attending the managerial forum at the emblematic Hotel Nacional.

Deborah Rivas, Director General of Investment of MINCEX, will present details of the legal framework governing the participation of foreign capital in the country, while ZEDM director, Ana Teresa Igarza, will explain the conditions and characteristics of that enclave.

Subsequently, the Panamanian president will visit the Latin American School of Medicine, where he will meet with students of that nationality trained as doctors here.

According to statements by the president, in this visit, to be run until Saturday, Sept. 12, issues related to health, culture and sports, as well as ways to boost trade and strengthen relations between the two countries, are under discussion.

In this regard, the head of Panamanian State said that exchanges with the Colon Free Trade Zone and the Caribbean nation, will be analyzed.

Panama has supported the struggle of the Cuban people and government to end the unjust economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States, and has maintained ties of cooperation in different sectors, such as education, culture and sports.

During the first day of Panamanian President in Havana, an immigration agreement was signed to soften visa between both nations, and toured the "Solidaridad con Panama" school, an educational center for children with motor problems, opened in the 80s of the last century.