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U.S. visitors to Cuba increased by 5 percent in June (to 68,000), but for the first half of 2018 the overall numbers were down 24 percent. More importantly, during that period, half of all U.S. visitors arrived by cruise ship, up from one quarter last year. Cuba recorded a record 4.7 million visitors in 2017, […]
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel has made extraordinary progress in the 90 days since he has become president, reports the Council of the Americas. Under his leadership, the country has drafted a new constitution that will formalize the ownership of private property and diversify power between a term-limited president, a prime minister and provincial governors. At […]
Cuba’s new constitution, the draft of which will be released next week, reportedly will officially recognize private property for the first time since the Revolution. The new constitution will also create the position of prime minister, along with president, state media reported on Saturday. The commission to change the constitution is being headed by former […]
For some time now Cuban citizens have been using cell phone minutes as a medium of exchange, and as a way to transfer funds from abroad. Now the state phone company Etecsa is encouraging such transfers with discount offers for payments from overseas, reports the Miami Herald. Tania Velázquez, vice president for business and technology strategies […]
The U.S. State Department is investigating whether a ‘sonic attack’ experienced by a U.S. government employee in China mimics the ones experienced by U.S. diplomats in Cuba. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday that the incident in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou is “very similar” and “entirely consistent” with what happened in Havana. […]
Turkey-based Global Ports Holding has won a 15-year contract with Cuba’s Aries Transport to operate the Havana cruise port. The agreement commences June 21, with built-in incentives based on passenger growth. GPH will also work with its Cuban partners to design new cruise terminals at the port, which it will market and manage. The port […]
Vietnam’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) reports that Cuba is now the third biggest international destination for Vietnamese enterprises after Laos and Cambodia. Despite the geographical distance, Vietnamese firms registered to invest $19.9 million in Cuba in the first trimester of 2018, according to FIA. Projects include oil and gas exploration, and diaper and washing powder production […]
The United Nations Human Rights Council yesterday listened to statements made by Cuba, the U.S., and some 140 other countries as it prepares a report on human rights in the Cuba. The council periodically reviews human rights records in all of the U.N.’s 193 members; this year it is reviewing 14 nations, including Cuba. The […]
Unable to produce sufficient oil for export from its own reserves, Venezuela has been buying Russian crude oil and shipping it directly to Cuba, according to an exclusive report by Reuters. The news service documented purchases of some $440 million worth of Russian Urals crude by Venezuela, which it then delivered to Cuba for prices […]
