On March 5, 2019 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka and Madame Sanja Jayatilleka attended the Service at the Saint Louis Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the 6th death anniversary of el Comandante Hugo Chavez, the late President of Venezuela at the invitation of the Ambassador H.E. Carlos Rafael Faria Tortosa.

President Chavez is well-known for his Catholic faith and description of Jesus Christ as "the first revolutionary and greatest socialist in History."
Ambassadors, Russian Foreign Ministry representatives among whom was the Head of Latin America Department A. Shetinin, Head of the major Russian oil company Rosneft I. Sechin who knew Hugo Chavez personally, Defence Attaches, diplomats and friends of Venezuela, who wanted to pay tribute to 'el Comandante', gathered together to commemorate President Hugo Chavez's death anniversary.
The Service was followed by the speech of the Ambassador of Venezuela who told the audience that during 12 years Hugo Chavez paid 10 state visits on Russia and told Vladimir Putin that "in his face the Russian President could see a true friend, and in Venezuela – a staunch ally".