MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. A Russian delegation will visit Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua in the second half of April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.

In his article entitled ‘Russia and Latin America: Future-Oriented Partnership and Cooperation’ published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, the top Russian diplomat noted that Russia favored strengthening cooperation with Latin American countries "on the basis of mutual support, solidarity and consideration of each other's interests".

"It is in this vein, in the spirit of strategic partnership, that our relations develop with many countries of the region, including Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, which our delegation will visit in the second half of April," the top diplomat noted.

Lavrov also pointed to the readiness of the Russian side "to build up diversified contacts at the level of heads of states and governments, parliaments, diplomatic services, other ministries and departments." "We are open for expanding cooperation on a multilateral basis, especially within the framework of the dialogue between Russia and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States," he added.

In addition, Lavrov drew attention to the expansion of the legal framework between Russia and Latin American countries in recent years. "This concerns, in particular, the creation of a space of mutual visa-free travel. Now it covers 27 states of Latin America and the Caribbean. All of South America and almost all of Central America have become visa-free for our citizens," the top diplomat concluded.

Lavrov's article was translated into Portuguese for the Brazilian newspaper Folha and into Spanish for the Mexican magazine Buzos.