Cuban representative in Ireland
Cuban government official Javier Dominguez Martines visited Ireland during Central America Week as a guest of the organisers, which included the Cuban Support Group, and met with a delegation from Sinn Fein.
Ireland is currently the only European Union country without diplomatic relations with Cuba. Martines said he hopes this will soon change. In the meeting with Sinn Fein, he added, "The Irish and Cuban peoples share similar histories and characteristics" and promoted the development of contacts between the two countries.
Martines discussed the US blockade, saying, "Everyone is talking about free trade and walls coming down in Europe, but in the Caribbean walls are staying up. What we want is free and fair trade."