CARACAS, Venezuela - Cuban President Raul Castro launched his first international trip Saturday, visiting with longtime ally Venezuela before heading to a regional integration summit in Brazil.
"Welcome to your home," President Hugo Chavez said as he hugged Castro at the airport outside Caracas, where marines dressed in white uniforms stood in formation under a bright Caribbean sun. "Your visit is an honour for us."
Castro, who wore dark sunglasses and a grey suit, delivered greetings from his older brother.
"I bring a salute, a hug for all Venezuelans from the Cuban people and from the leader of the revolution, comrade Fidel Castro," he said.
Chavez -- a former lieutenant colonel-turned-socialist -- is a longtime ally of the ailing, 82-year-old Fidel, who stepped down in February.
Chavez and the younger Castro, 77, laid flowers at a statue of South American independence hero Simon Bolivar in the capital's centre Saturday.
Later, they were to wrap up negotiations on 311 co-operation projects at the presidential palace, Venezuela's state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported.
It was not clear exactly how long Castro planned to stay in Venezuela, but Venezuela's official news agency said the visit was going to last just a few hours. The Brazilian summit opens Tuesday.
In recent years, Venezuela and Cuba have signed oil, health, education and agriculture agreements.
The Cuban government has sent 30,000 doctors and nurses to support Chavez's numerous social programs, while Venezuela sells Cuba about 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day on preferential terms.
