Newsletter

Embassy of Cuba in New Zealand
Newsletter
No.7
21ST February 2015
ABSTRACT
The world is watching as Cubans and North Americans get together for the second
discussion on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations. A number of US senators
have been in Cuba to gauge the mood of the people as the rest of Latin America and
the Caribbean urge the US to accelerate the process of ‘normalisation,’ cheered on, in a
sense, by both New York Times and Los Angeles Times daily newspapers in our Media
section. Meanwhile tourism is booming, driven by Canadian interests, many more
aircraft arrivals are scheduled, and copies of new books are flying off the shelves at the
Book Fair. New Zealand will be supporting Cuba’s medical assistance initiative in the
Pacific Islands, facilitating English language training for the doctors and providing
logistical support. We cover the successful and longstanding collaboration of the US
and Cuba in the field of meteorology, and the success of Cuban anti-drug smuggling
methods. The Friends of Cuba in Angola remember the success of the Cuban brigade
helping liberate their country from oppression by apartheid South Africa in the 1970s,
and Costa Rica’s National Assembly president Henry Mora on a diplomatic visit has
highlighted the importance of relations between parliaments: “Assemblymen are the
representatives of the people and a good relationship between these bodies ensures
good exchanges at governmental level.”
Embassy of Cuba in New Zealand
Newsletter
No. 7
21ST February 2015
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Down to the nitty-gritty: step one — getting Cuba off the ‘terrorist list’
Entrepreneurial spirit abroad in Cuba!
Second round of Cuba-USA talks set for Feb27
CELAC demands an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade
Presidential advisor: US Cuban policy irrational
Panama: unionists analyze the Cuban blockade
USA: Hispanics approve diplomatic ties
Canada hotel chain expands operations in Cuba
Thousands of Cubans flock to Book Fair
Tourists’ arrival boom at Cayo Coco resort
Cuba and New Zealand support Cuban medical collaboration in the Pacific
Differently-abled benefit from Ecuador-Cuba pact
Cuba commits to continue help with Ebola
Meteorology: collaborations despite confrontations
Customs service intercepts 49 drug trafficking operations in 2014
Cuban involvement in Africa's struggle for liberation
President of Cuban Parliament welcomes Costa Rican counterpart
Normalise US-Cuba relations now! says NYT
US migration policy to Cuba is obsolete — LA Times
BLOCKADE
Down to the nitty-gritty: step one — getting Cuba off the ‘terrorist list’
“We want to make progress in political,
cultural and economic relations between
the United States and Cuba, because the
blockade hasn’t had any success,” says
Nancy Pelosi, the influential Democratic
minority leader in the House of
Representatives of the US Congress back
in the US after a visit to Cuba.
“There is strong bipartisan support for
lifting the economic, commercial and
financial blockade of the US against Cuba but it’s not complete, there are still divisions
between those who have the power to debate a bill," she clarified.
Pelosi said the three days visit to Cuba had been very productive:"We are very pleased with
the work: this visit was aimed at seeing how we move forward, and we are very excited about
the potential of the plans we have talked about.
"We agreed on many things and disagreed on others, but this will help us take huge steps
hereafter. The first thing would be to remove Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring
terrorism," added Pelosi.
Congressman Jim McGovern of Massachusetts also called for the removal of Cuba from the list
because “it does not belong to it.
"Let’s eliminate this excuse and begin to have normal diplomatic relations. That’s how a
constructive process begins," he pointed out.
For legislator David Cicilline, removing Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism,
opening embassies and solve the banking problem of the Interests Section of Cuba in
Washington, were “steps we should take to build trust between our two countries and have
productive discussions."
“There is much that we share and that can benefit both countries, said Californian
representative Anna Eshoo, "This is a very important two-party project," she said.
Minnesota congressman Collin Peterson said that since he was elected to Congress 25 years
ago he has supported the lifting of the blockade against Cuba:"We've had ups and downs and
this has damaged both countries, especially the Cuban people.
"We want to leave the blockade behind, sell food to Cuba, we can help the island’s agriculture
to develop, but we have restrictions in the US that make this trade difficult, which is stupid, it's
something that makes no sense," underlined Peterson.
The reestablishment of the two-party work group on Cuba would help, said Peterson “to push
the Republican leadership so there is a bit of democracy in Congress. We debate, and
initiatives are voted.”
Back to top
BLOCKADE
Entrepreneurial spirit abroad in Cuba!
US
Democratic
senators
McCaskill,
Klobuchar and Warner came to Cuba last
week to hold a conference in Havana to
again express their support for lifting the
longstanding US economic, commercial and
financial blockade of Cuba —and find out
what Cubans were thinking.
Virginian senator Mark Warner admitted
that Cuba faced many challenges to
achieving normalization, recalling that US
federal agencies studied to determine if
Cuba should be excluded from the list but said there had been no indication from them when
they would come to a conclusion.
All senators met a wide spectrum of Cuban society and Warner said his own state of Virginia
was among the first to start doing business with the island, in 2002, selling agricultural
products under severe limitations that included paying cash in advance.
Claire McCaskill, from Missouri, said the senators wanted to find out Cubans’ reactions to the
‘normalisation’ news. She described as “positive” contacts with Cuban foreign minister Bruno
Rodriguez and Josefina Vidal, director general of the United States dept at the foreign ministry.
She had been particularly impressed with the Mariel special development zone of Mariel, and
what it offered future trade operations between Cuba and the United States, especially for
agricultural products: "I come from a state where we grow beans, corn and rice. We have
cows, hogs: I want to see ships in the Mariel, and food containers produced in Missouri. But to
do so we have to move forward with this process — so complicated — on relations between
the two countries” she said.
Minnesotan Amy Klobuchar spoke of the importance of the bipartisan bill she had just
presented to the Senate, designed to eliminate the restrictions still blocking trade, travelling
and sea transport: "We know we have a long way to go, but I'm very glad I made this trip, for
having met with foreign minister Rodríguez, and I thank the Cuban government and people for
the warmth with which they received us," said the senator, adding that December 17, 2014
would be "a day to remember all my life."
Cuba had much to offer: the United States would benefit from stable relations in the future,
once the sanctions were lifted — tourism could thrive for both nations, she said, adding that
while attending the Senate subcommittee on that issue, as she does, she would insist on its
importance.
Concluding the conference, Klobuchar said they returned home having achieved the goals of
the trip: "The main reason was to come and share with the Cuban people, something we could
do, walk the streets, and then go back and tell our colleagues what we've seen.
“There’s an entrepreneurial spirit here, and the people want better relations with the US.
"We come back with information to give to our colleagues because there are people in
Congress who have a single view of Cuba and it is only what they hear on the Hill," she said.
Back to top
BLOCKADE
Second round of Cuba-USA talks set for Feb27
Delegations from Cuba and the United
States will meet on February 27 in
Washington DC for a second round of talks
on the reestablishment of diplomatic
relations, says the Cuban Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
The island's delegation will be led by
Josefina Vidal, general director of the United
States department at the Cuban Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
The first round of talks was held in Havana on January 21-22, after the announcement made
on December 17.
Back to top
BLOCKADE
CELAC demands an end to the economic, commercial and financial
blockade
The heads of state and government of the
Latin American and Caribbean States
gathered in Costa Rica on the occasion of
the Third Summit of the Community of
Latin American and Caribbean States
(CELAC), last month. In their release they
wished to
1. Express their strongest opposition to
the coercive economic measures not
supported by international law, including
all those unilateral actions imposed on
sovereign countries for political reasons,
that impair the well-being of their peoples
and are designed to prevent these countries from exercising their right to decide, by their own
free will, their political, economic and social systems.
2. Reiterate their firm rejection to the application of laws and measures contrary to
international law, such as the Helms-Burton law, including its extraterritorial effect, and urge
the government of the United States of America to put an end to its application.
3. Welcome the announcement made last December 17 by the presidents of the Republic of
Cuba and the United States of America, Raul Castro Ruz and Barack Obama, respectively, on
the reestablishment of diplomatic relations. In light of the declaration formulated by President
Obama, and urge to take all actions within his executive powers to substantially modify the
blockade against Cuba and the United States Congress to initiate, as soon as possible, a
discussion on removing it.
4. Remember that, since 1992, the United Nations General Assembly has reiterated in 23
resolutions, the need to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade
imposed against Cuba by the government of the United States of America and highlight the
support given by 188 member states of the United Nations to the most recent Resolution
A/RES/69/5, approved on October 28th, 2014, and calls upon the international community to
maintain identical attitude while the blockade against Cuba is in existence.
5. Reiterate their opinion that this blockade is contrary to the principles of the United Nations
Charter and international law.
6. Reiterate their deep concern and rejection to the strengthening of the extraterritorial
dimension of the blockade, as well as on the increasing persecution of Cuba´s international
financial transactions, which is contrary to the political willingness of the international
community.
7. Request to the government of the United States of America to fulfill the successive
resolutions adopted by the United Nations general assembly, and in response to the repeated
calls from the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, to put an end to the economic,
commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, which is contrary to international law,
severely and unjustifiably damaging the well-being of the Cuban people and affecting peace
and coexistence among the nations of the Americas.
Belén, Costa Rica, January 29th, 2015
Back to top
BLOCKADE
Presidential advisor: US Cuban policy irrational
Cuban presidential advisor and scholar Abel
Prieto has said Washington's policy towards
Cuba does have an impact on the island, but it
also prevents US citizens from enjoying rich
cultural contacts with the Cuban people.
During an interview with Latin America
specialist Salim Lamrani, culture minister
Prieto said that the irrational, absurd and
indefensible US policy of Cuba prevented the
two nations from fruitful exchange.
Barack Obama allowed cultural exchange but
not commercial links, which prevented Cuban artists who tour the United States from receiving
a single cent for their activities, said Prieto, who considered that the US people are therefore
missing a good chance to get advantage of contacts with the people of Cuba.
Cuba would benefit a lot from having relations with the United States and he noted that
although an avalanche of American tourists could bring with it consumerism culture, all other
positive aspects would outweigh negative ones.
He said that many US citizens were eager to discover what he called “the prohibited island,” as
Cuba was the only country in the world they were barred from visiting, and he recalled his
meeting with a US movie maker in Cuba who had been amazed to see a modern movie theatre
in Havana and the celebration of an international film festival each year.
The presidential advisor lashed Washington´s policy of banning Cuba from purchasing drugs for
sick children, while maintaining constant harassment against banks that have commercial
relations with the island, a fact he described as “a big cruelty.”
Back to top
BLOCKADE
Panama: unionists analyze the Cuban blockade
The Trade Union and Social Alternative Summit
to be held in Panama inApril will discuss key
issues including the US blockade on Cuba.
Labour organizations and social movements
from Panama agreedto call the meeting to be
held on the 10th and 11th of April in parallel
with the Summit of the Americas, which will be
attended by heads of state and government of
the 35 member countries in the region.
The organizers released a bulletin displaying their agenda, covering labour migrations and
rights, trade union freedom, health, regional integration and social security.
They also propose support for the relatives of those killed in the US invasion of Panama on
December 20, 1989.
One of the first Summits of the Peoples, in 2005, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, brought together
some 12,000 people in the city for the 4th Summit of the Americas, then including 34 member
countries of the Organization of American States.
At that time it declared against the creation of an Free Trade Area of the Americas (ALCA),
whose existence did not find consensus in the meeting of the Heads of State, where US expresident, George W, Bush, had tried to relaunch the idea.
Then Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez had said to media:“The ALCA brings poison. It is an
imperialist, annexationist and fundamentalist proposal: if you are with ALCA you are against
me.”
Back to top
BLOCKADE
USA: Hispanics approve diplomatic ties
More than 70 percent of Hispanic
citizens living in the United States favour
the restoration of diplomatic relations
between the US and Cuba — a survey by
the Florida Atlantic University (FAU),
showed that 68 percent approve
bilateral trade.
“Diplomatic ties are a first step,” says
Kevin Wagner from FAU’s Initiative for
Economic Surveys and Businesses.
In the country's southern territories, including Florida, about 60 percent of Latin citizens is in
favour of increasing trade with Cuba, while nationally, nearly 49 percent of those consulted
state they are willing to visit Cuba.
Back to top
TOURISM
Canada hotel chain expands operations in Cuba
Canadian company Blue Diamond has
assumed the administration of the Breezes
Jibacoa Hotel, adding to its 13 earlier
property commitments.
Operated until now by Jamaican group
SuperClubs Breezes, Jibacoa has 240 rooms
near Havana, in one of the prioritized areas
for tourism development with the
participation of foreign capital.
Also Canadian group Sunwing Travel in conjunction with Cuban owners, has more than 7,000
rooms under the Royalton, Memories and Starfish brands.
Memories Miramar Havana Hotel, previously known as Occidental Miramar, has also been
incorporated as well as Montehabana Apartotel, with which it started operations,
concentrating on business and conferences.
Blue Diamond has also picked up the administration and commercialization of the Memories
Holguin, (in front of the Riu Playa Turquesa), a four-star hotel of 531 rooms located in
Yuraguanal Beach, in Guardalavaca.
Blue Diamond has managed to position itself as the second largest foreign hotel chain in Cuba
in only three years, following the Spanish Melia.
Back to top
TOURISM
Thousands of Cubans flock to Book Fair
Over its first three days early this week
more than 75,300 people visited Havana’s
International Book Fair at the San Carlos de
la Cabaña Fortress and sites in the city’s
Vedado neighbourhood. To date, some
64640 books have been sold at Cuba’s most
important literary event.
Monday featured the presentation of
Mario Goloboff’s biography of Julio
Cortázar at La Cabaña and the Cervantes
Colloquium at the University of Havana.
A day later Cuba’s 2014 National Prize for Literature was awarded to Eduardo Heras León, in a
ceremony attended by vice president Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
Earlier Juan Valdés Paz had received the 2014 National Prize for Social Sciences from minister
of culture Julián González Toledo; and attracting attention among the many book launches was
‘Gaviotas Blancas', by decorated Hero of the Republic Ramón Labañino, of ‘the Cuban Five.’
Back to top
TOURISM
Tourists’ arrival boom at Cayo Coco resort
41 flights — a record number —is arriving weekly
at international Cayo Coco airport, Jardines del
Rey, on the north coast.
Head of airport operations Néstor Rodríguez told
media that one of the indicators marking
efficiency is the passenger stay at the terminal,
now reduced to 17 minutes which was very
pleasing.
Also the friendliness of traffic staff, a quick solution of passenger worries and the recovery of
101 hours of delay of planes, supported the quality in services and the high coefficient of
satisfaction in the clients.
About 95 percent came from Caada, then the United Kingdom, Argentina and recently,
another from the Italian city of Milan.
The airport of Cayo Coco moved some 400 000 tourists last year, while for next May they
expect the arrival of 50 flights with a daily average of eight thousand holidaymakers.
The Cayo Coco airport is fifth by volume of passengers, after Havana, Varadero, Santa Clara
and Holguin, said Rodriguez.
It is located about 10 kilometres from the hotels of Cayo Coco and 30 from Cayo Guillermo,
main keys that make up the beach resort of the northern coastline of Ciego de Avila province,
430 kilometres east of Havana.
The main travel agencies operating this resort are Thomas Cook (England), Air Transat, Canjet,
Wesjet, Air Canadá and SunWing (Canada) — with over 20 flights a week — Blue Panorama of
Italy and Cubana Airline, among others.
Flights also come in from other Cuban resorts, mainly Aerocaribbean with excursions to
Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Havana and combined flights to other Cuban tourist destinations.
Back to top
HEALTH
Cuba and New Zealand support Cuban medical collaboration in the
Pacific
A cooperation arrangement between Cuba
and New Zealand to support Cuban medical
assistance in the Pacific Islands has taken
place in Wellington at the headquarters of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The
document, was signed by acting chief
executive of the New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Craig Hawke and Cuban
ambassador Maria del Carmen Herrera
Caseiro, marking a milestone in the sustained
development of the relations between the two countries.
Following the signing the Cuban diplomat referred to the good progress of the bilateral
ties, highlighting some of the recent events that denoted the leap forward experienced
in the selinks. Among others, she mentioned the reciprocal visits of the two foreign
affairs ministers, the progress in cooperation and support on issues of special priority
for both countries in multilateral fora; as well as the celebration of the first official
dialogue between New Zealand and Cuba to exchange views on topics of interest in
the respective regions and bilateral initiatives.
"The signing of this arrangement constitutes a concrete and tangible result of the
interest and will of both parties to continue strengthening the relations of cooperation
and friendship and is a convincing sample of our commitment to support sustainable
development in the Pacific region, "said Caseiro, who reaffirmed the willingness to
deepen this cooperation, including the possibility of exploring joint initiatives to
support programmes in the Caribbean region.
For his part Craig Hawke expressed his satisfaction with the achievement of the
arrangement and highlighted the efforts of both sides in its conclusion, highlighting the
significance of this step, which he agreed to describe as a milestone in the
development of bilateral relations between New Zealand and Cuba. Referring to the
importance of the Pacific for his country, he expressed his recognition for the Cuban
medical collaboration in the region and Cuba´s prestige in the field of health.
The agreement encourages, among other things, English language training for the
Cuban doctors who will serve in the Pacific Islands and New Zealand´s support in the
air transport of these personnel from Cuba to New Zealand and to the Pacific host
country once language training is completed.
Back to top
HEALTH
Differently-abled benefit from Ecuador-Cuba pact
Dozens of families with differently abled
members are today able to receive assistance
from the Ministry of Economic and Social
Inclusion (MIES)in the framework of an EcuadorCuba cooperation agreement, which benefits
about 25,941 people.
Authorities from the two countries are
collaborating during the closing ceremony of the
Cooperation Agreement MIES-Celaee (Latin
American Reference Centre for Special Education
in Cuba) for technical and scientific assistance in the field of disabilities.
During the past three months, MIES personnel have been trained in workshops about
techniques for stimulation, development of training materials with recycled resources, and
sexuality of people with disabilities.
According to the Secretariat for Disabilities, the result of the Cuban technical assistance has
had a high social-political, academic and functional impact.
The support group, in addition to training the Ecuadorian technical staff, has accompanied
families in different households assisted by MIES.
Back to top
HEALTH
Cuba commits to continue help with Ebola
Cuba will continue medical collaboration in
the African countries affected by the ebola
virus, an epidemic that killed thousands of
people says vice-minister of public health,
José Ángel Portal.
The island answered the call of the World
Health Organization (WHO) to face the
epidemic, as part of the history of
solidarity of the Caribbean nation with
Africa, he told media, emphasizing the
importance of learning from the experiences acquired to face this kind of emergencies.
Portal also honoured the memory of cooperate doctors Jorge Juan Guerra Rodríguez
and Reinaldo Villafranca Antigua, members of the Cuban contingent in western Africa,
who died from other causes during their mission.
He also praised Cuban doctor Félix Báez Sarria, who returned to Sierra Leona after
having survived the ébola infection.
Back to top
ENVIRONMENT
Meteorology: collaborations despite confrontations
Despite the five-decade confrontation
between Cuba and the United States, the
countries have maintained permanent
bilateral collaboration in the field of
meteorology.
The fact that the two countries have been
threatened by similar natural phenomena
has been the key for systematic exchange
over the years by Cuban and US
meteorologists, Doctor Jose Rubiera, who heads the Weather Forecast Centre at the island´s
Meteorology Institute told media.
“Over the past fifty years and beyond any conflict between the two countries, we have
maintained cordial, friendly and respectful relations with US meteorologists,” he said.
“In the face of threats by hurricane or other dangerous event, we exchange information, we
talk on the phone and prepare the warnings and alerts to be announced. We put our weather
stations and radars at the service of US meteorologists, while the Cuban government always
grants the required permits for weather aircraft to enter Cuban airspace. The information
collected by those planes is very beneficial for us as well as the forecast models from US” he
said, adding that at different times US experts have visited the Cuban Meteorology Institute
and attended scientific events, while local specialists attended training courses at the
headquarters of the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, Florida.
However, Rubiera pointed out that the US economic, commercial and financial blockade of
Cuba has prevented the island from purchasing parts and equipment on the US market for
local weather stations and from acquiring modern technology to receive satellite images.
For Doctor Rubiera, the willingness expressed by Washington and Havana to advance towards
the normalization of bilateral relations would open doors to joint research projects in the field
of meteorology and strengthen the technological infrastructure of the island. This, he said,
would guarantee the safety of human lives in both countries and would further improve the
operations of the meteorology systems.
Back to top
INSIDE CUBA
Customs service intercepts 49 drug trafficking operations in 2014
One of the main strategies used by
smugglers is the employment of third
parties to deliver consignments or orders,
says principal inspector of the AGR
enforcement directorate Daniel Noa
Monzón.
He expressed concern, given the increase in
such activity, which involves drug dealers
taking advantage of travellers from other
countries who agree to carry packages to
Cuba as part of their own baggage, in
exchange for some sort of compensation or
payment.
He called upon travellers to think twice about the risks involved in transporting packages for
unknown persons, with no knowledge of their contents, emphasizing that, if discovered, the
person carrying narcotics is held responsible for the violation of Cuban law.
Noa Monzón reported that last year 44 kilograms of cocaine, as well as small quantities of
marijuana, hashish and synthetic cannabis were confiscated at airport customs.
Also detected during the year were new methods of hiding drugs, with a noticeable shift
toward using automobile parts and tools.
He said that illicit substances have also been transported in plaster and ceramic pieces,
furniture, batteries, audio speakers, bicycle tires, toiletries, food and other objects.
Referring to so-called "mules," Noa Monzón reported that 10 persons of different nationalities
were detained with drugs attached to or ingested within their bodies, a practice which
endangers the life of the trafficker, despite the immediate, specialized medical attention which
has to be provided in such cases.
The AGR official reported that another 32 incidents occurred in which travellers attempted to
introduce illicit drugs for their own use. These individuals were detained at aerial and maritime
terminals, carrying very small amounts of marijuana, hashish or cocaine, he said.
In these cases, pertinent customs regulations were enforced, with established administrative
steps taken involving warnings, confiscation, and fines as high as 200 CUC.
The AGR is constantly focused on improving and updating the skills of its personnel, and in
2014 organized a full staff development program which included the training of inspectors and
x-ray machine operators, while also making significant investments in equipment to detect
narcotics on persons and in baggage.
Noa Monzón explained that these efforts were tied to the country's efforts to strengthen
surveillance which will continue in 2015, the 52nd anniversary of the foundation of AGR, at a
time when increases in international travel and cargo transportation were expected.
He additionally highlighted Cuba's participation in a number of international operations at the
request of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the World Customs
Organization, the entity which manages collaborative work and exchanges among customs
services on an international level.
Back to top
SOLIDARIDAD
Cuban involvement in Africa's struggle for liberation
President of the Friends of Cuba Society
(FOCUS) in this city, Bheki Mvovo, has praised
the Cuban nation, whose sons contributed to
put an end to apartheid and to the liberation
of South Africa.
“When the Cubans came to fight in Africa,
they defeated the imperialist forces in Angola
and boosted the liberation of South Africa,
and the only thing they asked in return was to
carry their dead out of the battlefields,” Bheki
told media.
Mvovo had been to the Caribbean island only once — in 2013 to attend the colloquium for the
release of the Cuban Five, held in the eastern Cuban province of Holguin — but he feels in his
heart he has visited it more than once.
FOCUS chapters have been established in several South African provinces, where support for
the Cuban Revolution is enthusiastic, which he also described as being a model for his own
country, he added.
As to the Solidarity movement in these southern African lands, Bheki pointed out "it would
never stop, because our relationship with Cuba is always present.
“I am grateful for the sacrifices of the Cuban people in support of the freedom of other nations
worldwide,” he said.
In the 70s and 80s, Cuba changed the course of history in southern Africa, despite US efforts to
negate them, says Piero Gleijeses, professor in the School of Advanced International Studies at
Johns Hopkins University.
“The Cuban victory on African soil had a repercussion beyond Namibia and Angola. In the
words of Nelson Mandela, this victory ‘destroyed the myth of invincibility of the white
oppressor (and) inspired grass-roots organizations fighting in South Africa.”
Back to top
DIPLOMACY
President of Cuban Parliament welcomes Costa Rican counterpart
Cuban National Assembly president Esteban
Lazo has received his Costa Rican
counterpart, Henry Mora, emphasizing the
close relations between the two countries.
Lazo highlighted the importance of relations
between parliaments, as he considers that
assemblymen are the representatives of the
people and a good relationship between
these bodies ensures good exchange at
governmental level, he said.
It was the first visit to Cuba at such a high parliamentary level, pointed out the Cuban leader,
while assuring it will make a decisive contribution to expanding the bilateral links.
He praised the organization of the recently concluded 3rd Summit of the Community of Latina
American and Caribbean States, held in Costa Rica, mentioning that its final declaration
pointed out the need for unity within diversity for a sustainable development to eradicate
poverty and promote social inclusion.
Lazo also talked about the historic ties between the two countries, as several distinguished
Cuban patriots settled in Costa Rica and from there, they organized an expedition to join the
struggles for independence of the nineteenth century.
The meeting was also attended by the vice-president of the European Parliament, Ana Maria
Mari Machado, and the chairperson of the Commission on International Relations of that body,
Yolanda Ferrer.
Back to top
MEDIA
Normalise US-Cuba relations now! says NYT
For the first time in over 50 years, the political situation in the United States and Cuba is
favourable for the resumption of bilateral relations, says New York Times editorial writer
Andrew Rosenthal.
Interviewed on the BBC British Network, he
highlighted the five articles published in the
course of the last month, all dedicated to Cuba
and to the end of the embargo.
Editorials like this would keep on searching for
angles to feed-up the debate: there was "an
increasing number of voices in the United States
who advocate for a greater rapprochement with
Havana.”
In Washington, it was being argued that president Barack Obama has an important window of
opportunity to signal change on his Cuba policy, in the run up to the upcoming Summit of the
Americas that will be held in April, 2015 in Panama, said Rosenthal adding that what the Times
ultimately wants is to "influence US policymakers as they keep pondering a Cuba policy".
The five editorials in both languages (English-Spanish) published until now are:
"Time to end the embargo on Cuba" (Oct 11),
"The Impressive Contribution of Cuba in the Struggle against Ebola" (Oct19)
"Electoral changes on Cuba policy " (Oct 25).
"Prisoners exchange with Cuba (Nov 2)
"Cuba, Misadventures of US in Trying to Overturn its Regime (Nov 9).
The New York Times is considered by many the most influential paper of the United States. Its
editorials tend to be discussed in political circles in Washington and they frequently have
international repercussion, commented the interview on the BBC programme.
Back to top
MEDIA
US migration policy to Cuba is obsolete — LA Times
The US migration policy toward Cuba, forged in
the Cold War, is obsolete and the US Congress
should review the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA),
said the Los Angeles Times.
In addition to the US commercial blockade and
other sanctions against the island, this especial
consideration had outgrown the alleged
usefulness it had 50 years ago: Cuban immigrants
should be treated without differentiating them
from those of other latitudes, it concluded.
“The world has changed since that statute entered into force in 1966, and the Capitol should
examine it to end this special treatment,” said the writer in his piece "Another obsolete U.S.
policy towards Cuba: immigration."
In a similar article, The New York Times stated on January 31 that the CAA bill is a relic of the
Cold War and should be cancelled, because it grants unique privileges to those who come
irregularly from the island.
The Times says that legislation is obsolete, as well as the wet-foot, dry-foot policy, established
in 1995 by the then President William Clinton (1992-2001), through which the Cubans arriving
in U.S. territory are accepted and return those who are intercepted at sea.
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Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in New Zealand
76 Messines Rd, Karori, Wellington 6012
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Text edited by David Reade of International Public Relations (ipr.bz) on behalf of the Cuban Embassy, Wellington, from Cuban news
agency sources