The Ladas are coming

The Ladas are coming

Boris Aleshin would like to see a lot more Lada automobiles in Cuba and
all over Latin America. He does because he is the president of Avtovaz,
the company that manufactures that line of cars.
"Today, 96,000 Ladas are rolling on Cuban roads and we plan to enlarge
that market," he said Monday, according to the Novosti news agency. His
statement was directed at Jorge Luis Sierra Cruz, Cuba's Minister of
Transportation, who was touring the Avtovaz plant in Togliatti, 620
miles southeast of Moscow. Sierra was accompanied by representatives of
Cubalse, the Cuban trade-and-service conglomerate.
"The purpose of our meetings with our Cuban partners is to achieve a
good level of sales and create a joint venture for the distribution and
servicing of our automobiles," Aleshin told Novosti. "Because of our
interest in the expansion of Avtovaz products in Latin American markets,
Cuba could become a base of distribution for us."
Siera Avtovaz is shorthand for Volga Automobile Works.
Sierra did not speak to Novosti, but the agency reported that his visit
was connected with the purchase by Cuba of 2,000 Ladas this year.
Avtovaz is also considering setting up an assembly plant in Cuba,
Aleshin said.
---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

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