Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Cuban leader Raul Castro on his re-election as president of Cuba's State Council, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
Putin said in a cable message that the election results in Cuba have confirmed Raul Castro's high authority and the wide popular support for social and economic reforms in that country.
The Russian president reiterated that Moscow stands ready to continue working with Havana to deepen their friendly relations.
Castro has introduced a series of reforms to modernize the country's social and economic systems, including loosening control of private enterprises, easing travel restrictions and allowing the sale or exchange of private property.
Castro, who was elected as president in 2008, was re-elected to a second five-year term on Sunday. After the vote, Castro said he would be retiring at the end of his term in 2018 if not before.