Havana (VNA) – Over the past 65 years, the steadfast solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Cuba have been consistently strengthened, with the press playing a crucial role in nurturing and amplifying this unique relationship, according to President of the Cuban Journalists’ Association Ricardo Ronquillo Bello.
Speaking to Vietnam News Agency’s correspondents in Havana on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties (December 2, 1960 – 2025), Ricardo Ronquillo Bello stressed that the relationship between the two countries has long been rooted in journalism.
He recalled that national hero José Martí, in the 19th century and without the benefit of today’s technology, produced a remarkably vivid and accurate portrayal of the Vietnamese people in his celebrated work "A Stroll through the Lands of the Annamese," which praised their patriotism and industriousness.
In the 20th century, the resistance war against the US drew strong attention from Cuban journalists, who helped the world better understand the struggle. Among them were Santiago Álvarez and Marta Rojas, whose reporting helped raise global awareness and galvanise opposition to the US war in Vietnam. Notably, the late Marta Rojas reported from the front lines alongside Vietnamese guerrilla forces and became the last foreign journalist to interview President Ho Chi Minh.
Cuban media continued to stand with the Vietnamese people throughout the struggle for national independence and reunification, and remain supportive as Vietnam advances its nation-building and development efforts today.
In recent years, media and communications cooperation between the two countries has expanded through regular delegations and professional exchanges. These activities have helped the two sides share experience in disseminating information, defending the ideological foundations of the Party, and promoting the image of Vietnam and Cuba – and above all their fraternal relationship – to global audiences.
In the digital era, Vietnam and Cuba are urged to further strengthen cooperation in journalism and communications to counter hostile narratives, information manipulation and disinformation campaigns that exploit technology to erode public trust in Party leadership and undermine the credibility of the socialist political system.
The 2015 cooperation agreement between the Cuban Journalists’ Association and its Vietnamese counterpart provides an important legal framework to bring the two sides closer not only symbolically but also practically, helping them jointly address shared challenges in the digital age.
Ricardo Ronquillo Bello emphasised that Vietnam’s practical experience in applying artificial intelligence to detect and combat misinformation is of great value to Cuba, particularly at a time when the country is grappling with severe difficulties due to the US embargo./.
65 years of Vietnam-Cuba relations: Shining symbol of friendship in the 21st century
Over the past 65 years, Vietnam and Cuba have always stood shoulder to shoulder, from the struggles for national independence to the challenging periods of national building and development.
