Above: Timor Leste President Taur Matan Ruak

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Timor-Leste Taur Matan Ruak has arrived in Havana for an official visit to Cuba.

Ruak, a former military commander who has served as the country’s president since 2012, arrived in the country on Thursday.

His visit will include discussions with Cuban President Raul Castro, according to a government statement.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Ruak urged the US government to end the economic embargo against Cuba.

“We believe in dialogue, openness and inclusion as a means of strengthening confidence in international relations,” he said. “Therefore, we call for an end to the embargo against the Republic of Cuba, an embargo that does not take into account the reality of today, of the country or of the Cuban people.”