Cristina Kirchner and Cuban President Raul Castro arrived in Venezuela

The presidents of Cuba, Raul Castro, and Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, are already in Venezuela to attend the celebrations on that country’s bicentenary of Independence and take part in a summit in Alba.

Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, said during an official ceremony: “Do you know how has just arrived? Raul Castro, Raul Castro has just arrived” and then he added: “Cristina is arriving, Argentina’s president.”

State television broadcast live the arrival of prime ministers from Antigua and Barbuda, Wiston Baldwin Spencer, and from Dominica, Roosevelt Skerryt, but not the arrivals of Fernandez de Kirchner and Castro’s.

Most presidents of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas (ALBA) arrived Sunday to attend the official commemoration of the Bicentennial of Independence, and take part in a summit which will take place at the end of the day.

Venezuela and Cuba promoted Alba’s initiative, which will also join Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.

Argentina does not belong to Alba, but the president was invited to give a speech at a special session of the National Assembly (Parliament).

Leonel Fernandez, president of the Dominican Republic, is another special guest at the celebration, which includes a large civic-military parade in Caracas.