Above: Fidel Castro

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Cuba’s Fidel Castro has published his first official remarks on the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last week.

In a statement published by in Cuba’s state-owned Granma newspaper, republished by its government information agency and signed by Castro, Cuba’s former leader said Chavez was “the best friend the Cuban people ever had in their history.”

The statement comes after leaders from around the world and the Caribbean came to Venezuela for Chavez’s official funeral on Friday.

“Not even he suspected how great he was,” Castro said.

On Sunday, Venezuela announced the country would choose its next president on April 14.

While a victory by Acting President Nicolas Maduro would likely mean continued strong ties with Cuba, it’s not clear what impact a victory by Opposition Leader Henrique Capriles Radonski would mean for bilateral ties.