Viewing from December 2011

Miami 5 send message of Hope for 2012

News from Cuba | Saturday, 31 December 2011

New Year’s messages from the Miami Five: Fernando González Llort, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez, René González Sehwerert and Gerardo Hernández NordeloDear friends:I wish to convey to all of you my most sincere appreciation for another year of company in solidarity with this struggle for truth and justice.The year ... read more

A Star is Born? Enter the CELAC

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 28 December 2011

by Manuel Barcia for the Huffington PostBarely a few weeks ago heads of state of all 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries converged in the city of Caracas to launch a new initiative for regional integration, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, better known by its Spanish acronym ... read more

Cuba and Australia mull joint aid plan

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 28 December 2011

By Lisa Zilberpriver for World News Australia Multimedia JournalistAustralia is looking to team up with Cuba to provide doctors and medical training in the Pacific region, with a scoping mission planned for early 2012.It comes as East Timor celebrates an important landmark in its development as a nation - the ... read more

Raul's speech to the National Assembly in December

News from Cuba | Monday, 26 December 2011

"I AM CONVINCED THAT CORRUPTION IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ENEMIES OF THE REVOLUTION"All of us in leadership roles must act firmly in the face of indiscipline and lack of control of receipts and paymentsSpeech by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, ... read more

Prison amnesty for almost 3,000 Cuban prisoners

News from Cuba | Monday, 26 December 2011

President Raul Castro announced that almost 3,000 prisoners would be freed in December as a humanitarian gesture. A full transcript of this announcement is reprinted below:"Before concluding, I must inform this Assembly that, in a humanitarian and sovereign gesture, the Council of State has agreed to pardon more than 2,900 ... read more

Time to clean up U.S. regime-change programs in Cuba

News from Cuba | Sunday, 25 December 2011

by Fulton Armstrong for the Miami HeraldAs USAID subcontractor Alan P. Gross marked his second year in a Cuban prison for carrying out secret "democracy promotion" operations, White House spokesman Jay Carney demanded his immediate release and gloated: "Cuban authorities have failed in their effort to use Gross as a ... read more

Cuba Pardons Thousands of Common Criminals

News from Cuba | Sunday, 25 December 2011

by Fernando Ravsberg for the Havana TimesHAVANA TIMES, Dec 25 - President Raul Castro announced in parliament the pardon of 2,900 of prisoners, mostly the sick, elderly, women and youth who - despite not having completed their sentences - have the potential for reintegration into Cuban society.Among those to be ... read more

More Cuban women opting for self-employment

News from Cuba | Saturday, 24 December 2011

From the EFE News AgencyCuba has seen an increase over the last two years in the number of women and workers of a higher educational level who have opted for self-employment, though the young seem uninterested, a recent survey shows.A survey taken by the National Statistics Office, or ONE, between ... read more

Cuba to use sugar cane in new electricity plant

News from Cuba | Thursday, 22 December 2011

From AFPHAVANA - Cuba will open its first electricity plant using sugar cane as a biofuel hoping eventually to meet 30 percent of its energy needs from the fuel source, the official Granma daily said Thursday.The plant, being built in Ciego de Avila province, some 400 kilometers (240 miles) east ... read more

Number of Self-Employed Workers in Cuba Exceeds 357,000

News from Cuba | Wednesday, 21 December 2011

From the Cuban News AgencyCuba's Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security Jose Barreiro Alonso announced on Wednesday that the number of self-employed workers in the Caribbean nation now exceed 357,600, which represents a significant increase compared to last year.Speaking during a working meeting of the Commission of Economic Affairs ... read more

Interview with Mariela Castro

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Interview with Mariela Castro, director of Cuba’s National Centre for Sex Education (CENESEX) by Bernard Duraud for the French newspaper L’HumanitéThe daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro and the late Vilma Espin, a key figure in the Cuban Revolution, Mariela Castro Espin, 49, director of Cuba’s National Center for Sex ... read more

Cuba: New Credit System Comes Into Effect Today

Campaign News | Tuesday, 20 December 2011

From Radio Cadena AgramonteA recently approved credit system allowing the granting of loans to small-business owners, private farmers and those looking to repair or rebuild their homes has come into effect in Cuba, this Tuesday, December 20.Specifics on the credit system are established by the 289 Law-Decree, three complementary resolutions ... read more

U.S. Congress ratifies blockade against Cuba

News from Cuba | Saturday, 17 December 2011

by Juventud RebeldeThe United States Congress rejected a legislative proposal that would have facilitated the purchase of U.S. goods by Cuba, reported PL.Leaders in the U.S. Capitol, under pressure from conservative members of Cuban origin, agreed to remove the initiative presented by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, for flexibility of payments, ... read more

Alberto Juantorena maintains his belief in the Cuban way

Campaign News | Wednesday, 14 December 2011

He's a legend of the five-ringed circus, but money still can't buy Alberto Juantorena, writes Rick Broadbent in the Times and the AustralianHe's a legend of the five-ringed circus, but money still can't buy Alberto Juantorena, writes Rick Broadbent in the Times and the AustralianAlberto Juantorena, who won two gold ... read more

Wives of Miami 5 in live conference from Havana today

News from Cuba | Friday, 9 December 2011

On Friday 9 December at 2.30pm(UK time, 9.30am Cuban time) Adriana Perez and Olga Salanueva, wives of Miami 5 prisoners Gerardo Hernandez and Rene Gonzalez will take part in a live vido conference from Havana discussing terrorism. Follow it on twitter @ventanapolitica and @cubaminrex.Watch it live on the blog at ... read more

Cuba released statement on arrest of Alan Gross

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 6 December 2011

This Statement was released by the Cuban Interest Section in Washington on Friday the 2nd of December.Pablo DíazCounselorPermanent Mission of Cuba to United NationsNew York.Considering the increased attention that the case of Alan Gross has had over the last few days, we are sharing with you views held by the ... read more

US man faces 25 years US jail term for travelling to Cuba

News from Cuba | Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Marc Verzani charged with violating Trading With the Enemy Act, witness tampering and obstruction of justiceA Scarsdale lawyer has been accused of taking an illegal business trip to Cuba in violation of the U.S.'s embargo against the island.Marc Verzani, 45, of Claremont Road, Scarsdale, and Adem Arici, 49, of Brooklyn ... read more

Miami 5 Vigil report and photos

Campaign News | Monday, 5 December 2011

More than 250 people braved lashing rain to stand shoulder to shoulder with the mothers of the Miami 5 outside the US embassy on Thursday 1 December.The fifth annual US embassy vigil heard from trade union general secretaries and leaders, lawyers, and MPs who all pledged their continured support for ... read more

Latin America 2011 Conference report

Campaign News | Monday, 5 December 2011

Bob Oram, reports on the seventh annual Latin America conference[photo: Alberto Juantorena dedicates his gold medal to the Cuban people at the Latin America conference on Saturday 3 December]The annual Latin America Adelante conference never ceases to amaze. It is amazing that yesterday on the first Saturday in December, for ... read more