“Dear comrade Gustavo Porras! Comrades!
First of all, I would like to convey words of greetings and congratulations on this special day from our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Thank you for the opportunity to speak here, to address representatives of the friendly people of the Republic of Nicaragua.
At the bilateral meeting, we have just discussed the key issues of development of our relations and mutually beneficial cooperation on the following principles:
- each country has the right to defend its interests and develop independently;
- you cannot resolve your security issues at the expense of the security of others;
- only independent states have future.
The situation in the world has shown that the path that our nations have chosen is the only right one.
Since 2012, Russia has been overcoming challenges, countering sanctions, as over 21 thousand sanctions have been imposed against our country. They have only one goal — to halt the development of the Russian Federation. Despite this, our economy is developing.
According to the World Bank, by the end of 2023, Russia has become the 4th world economy after China, the USA, and India, and the largest European economy.
The states that initiated and imposed sanctions against our country, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, China, punished themselves:
— The USA has lost its leading position;
— Germany has become the sixth economy;
— France — the ninth;
— Britain is the tenth.
The desire to maintain hegemony by any means hit them like a boomerang.
Together, we are fighting for the right of our citizens to plan their own future and determine the path of development. Either a state has sovereignty or becomes a colony. There is no other way.
“The sovereignty is not discussed, but defended with arms in hands,” said the national hero of Nicaragua Augusto Sandino. The 45th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution once again proves that liberation from Washington's dictates ensured the systematic socio-economic development of Nicaragua and an improvement in the quality of life of its citizens.
Congratulations, comrades, on your special day! I wish you and all the people of Nicaragua prosperity, happiness and health!
Relations between our countries are special and friendly in nature. Russia wants Nicaragua to be a strong, independent and prosperous state. We will continue to support our strategic counterpart, as we share the same intension to strengthen relations on the basis of mutual respect, trust and the absence of double standards.
This year we will mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Our countries are building relations on the principles of equality, mutual respect and trust, and respect for the national interests.
We have much in common: we stand for a just multipolar world, the rule of law in international affairs, ensuring stability and security, non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states, the absence of double standards; we defend these principles together at the international organizations. And this is our strength.
The dynamics of the development of relations are set by the heads of our states — Presidents Vladimir Putin and Daniel Ortega.
The Republic is not just Russia’s key counterpart in Latin America: Nicaragua is a close ally of our country.
The words spoken by Comandante Daniel Ortega during his first visit to the USSR as head of state in April 1985 characterize decades of Russia-Nicaragua friendship. “Cooperation between our countries is for all life,” he said.
It would be right to find new effective solutions within the parliamentary dimension to implement various joint projects. Russia has something to offer.
Additional opportunities give us new formats of cooperation between our parliaments. It would be right to make our friendship and long-standing relations stronger.
Together, we can counter any foreign pressure, cope with challenges and threats, protect sovereignty and independence of our states. Free homeland or death!
Viva Rusia! Viva Nicaragua!”
