Viewing from December 2014
The Problem With Obama’s Cuba Speech
News from Cuba | Wednesday, 31 December 2014
by Matt Pepe for CounterpunchSix years into his Presidency, Barack Obama has finally taken steps he campaigned on in 2008 to normalize relations with Cuba. The new policy towards Cuba will include important changes including establishing formal diplomatic relations, removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, and ... read more
Cuba’s Future? It’s Up To The Cubans
Campaign News | Monday, 29 December 2014
Bernard Regan writes in the Morning StarFOLLOWING President Barack Obama’s release of Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino and Antonio Guerrero, the remaining three of the Miami Five, to join Rene Gonzalez and Fernando Gonzalez back in Cuba there has bee much speculation about the future of Cuba-United States relations.Obama has claimed ... read more
$11 million in Cuba grants up for grabs
News from Cuba | Monday, 29 December 2014
The blockade failed to force the 'regime change' successive US administrations wanted in Cuba, so now they will fund external organisations to achieve their "pragmatic objectives" through other methods, as this report by Tracey Eaton for Along the Malecon makes clear.Along the Malecon, 25 December 2014:The State Department on Wednesday ... read more
Interview with Michael Krinsky, who represents Cuban government in US
News from Cuba | Monday, 29 December 2014
Below are edited transcript highlights of the interview with Michael Krinsky who represents the Cuban government in the US.Go to the link below to hear the interview in full."We’re joined today by attorney Michael Krinsky, a partner in the famous law firm of Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman. This ... read more
Cuban spy's ultimate mystery: How he got his wife pregnant from a U.S. prison
News from Cuba | Monday, 22 December 2014
CNN report on Gerardo and Adriana expecting a babyHavana, Cuba (CNN) -- It might be the most bizarre of the closely guarded secrets from last week's historic agreement between the United States and Cuba: How did the leader of a Cuban spy ring serving life in a California federal prison ... read more
CSC Statement: Miami Five are free, now we must end the Blockade!
Campaign News | Sunday, 21 December 2014
CSC welcomes the return of Ramón Labañino, Antonio Guerrero and Gerardo Hernández to Cuba to join Fernando González and René González. We celebrate along with their families, the people of Cuba, and the international “Jury of Millions” who have fought successfully for the release of these unjustly imprisoned men. CSC is ... read more
The Normalisation of Relations Between the US and Cuba Is a Victory for Right Over Might
News from Cuba | Friday, 19 December 2014
John Wright writes in the Huffington Post after this week's historic eventsThe announcement that the US and Cuba are to begin the process of normalising relations after decades of a US-imposed economic blockade and policy of undermining the Cuban Revolution is long overdue.Cuba and the Cuban people have successfully defied ... read more
'Cuban Five' at Heart of US-Cuba Deal
News from Cuba | Friday, 19 December 2014
The Cuban Five have steadfastly maintained their innocence and there has been a worldwide campaign to free them. In Cuba, the five men are considered national heroes.In the course of delivering his historic speech dramatically altering U.S. Cuba policy, President Barack Obama briefly mentioned that the United States released three ... read more
Win 2 flights to Cuba in our Blockade Buster Raffle
Campaign News | Thursday, 18 December 2014
With a fabulous first prize of two return flights to Cuba, why not try your luck in the CSC Blockade Buster Raffle?This draw is a fantastic way to support CSC and hopefully win yourself a great prize.1st prize: TWO RETURN FLIGHT TICKETS TO CUBA(two economy class low season flight tickets ... read more
British and international trade unions welcome the release of Miami Five
Campaign News | Thursday, 18 December 2014
The British and international trade union movement welcomed the release from prison of the final three members of the Miami Five which took place on an historic day on 17 December 2014.The release of Gerardo Hernández, Antonio Guerrero and Ramon Labañino from American prisons follows the release of Alan Gross ... read more
Statement from President Raul Castro
News from Cuba | Thursday, 18 December 2014
Raul's speech on the freedom of the Five and a shift in US relationsFellow countrymen, Since my election as President of the State Council and Council of Ministers I have reiterated in many occasions our willingness to hold a respectful dialogue with the United States on the basis of sovereign equality, ... read more
Latin American Leaders: New US-Cuba Relations a ‘Moral’ Victory
News from Cuba | Thursday, 18 December 2014
The restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana has been described as a new era in the region.Latin American leaders have welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision Wednesday to restart diplomatic relations with Cuba.“We must recognize the gesture of President Barack Obama, a brave and necessary gesture in history. ... read more
Cuba's Silvio Rodriguez to USAID: 'go to hell'
News from Cuba | Wednesday, 17 December 2014
from Associated PressOne of Cuba's most famous musicians is telling the U.S. Agency for International Development to "go to hell" for pulling his son and other island-based rappers without their knowledge into a scheme aimed at sparking a youth uprising against the Communist government.Folk singer Silvio Rodriguez went onto his ... read more
Raul Castro: Cuba and US to Re-Establish Diplomatic Relations
News from Cuba | Wednesday, 17 December 2014
On his special address, the Cuban head of state Raul Castro said relations between both governments will be relaunched.Cuban president Raul Castro gave a speech on Wednesday and said relations between both governments will be reset.“We have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations, but this does not mean that the main ... read more
Why USAID Could Never Spark a Hip Hop Revolution in Cuba
News from Cuba | Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Any attempt to engineer a U.S.-affiliated movement from above is destined to be revealed for the farce that it isBetween 2006 and 2007, I received numerous visits from two State Department officials at my home in Harlem, New York. I had just written a book on Cuban cultural production, with ... read more
US blockade stalled payment to Cuban Ebola doctors
News from Cuba | Monday, 15 December 2014
Associated Press and The Big Story reportHAVANA (AP) - Cuba had to cover food and lodging expenses for dozens of its doctors fighting Ebola in Sierra Leone after the U.S. embargo delayed payments from the World Health Organization, an official at the U.N. agency said.U.S. officials as high as Secretary ... read more
Cuba’s extraordinary global medical record shames the US blockade
News from Cuba | Sunday, 14 December 2014
From Ebola to earthquakes, Havana’s doctors have saved millions. Obama must lift this embargoFour months into the internationally declared Ebola emergency that has devastated west Africa, Cuba leads the world in direct medical support to fight the epidemic. The US and Britain have sent thousands of troops and, along with ... read more
Miami Five prisoner and Ebola-fighting doctor give each other strength
News from Cuba | Sunday, 14 December 2014
The following is correspondence between one of the Miami Five, Gerardo Hernández, currently imprisoned unjustly in the United States, and Cuban doctor, Rotceh Ríos Molina, who is currently part of the team of medical professionals fighting the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone. Hernández and Ríos are considered heroes in Cuba, ... read more
Hundreds make their voices heard in solidarity with the Miami Five
Campaign News | Saturday, 13 December 2014
Over 300 people turn out in support of the Five in London on a cold December eveningChanting of “Free the Five!”, “Viva Cuba” and “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” were heard across West End of London after a crowd of over 300 people braved ... read more
Give a friend the gift of membership to CSC this Christmas
Campaign News | Saturday, 13 December 2014
Not only will you both be supporting the people of Cuba, but they will receive a free book and other goodies too!With a choice from two beautiful full colour books on Cuba, plus a fabulous music CD, badge, special Che Guevara bag and four copies of the quarterly Cuba Si ... read more
Cuban doctor Felix Baez returns home after Ebola treatment
Campaign News | Saturday, 13 December 2014
Felix Baez returns to HavanaA Cuban doctor who recovered from Ebola after receiving experimental treatment in Switzerland has been welcomed back to Havana by relatives and officials.Felix Baez was the first of Cuba's contingent of 250 doctors and nurses to have contracted Ebola in West Africa.He was met at Havana's ... read more
US agency infiltrated Cuban hip-hop scene to spark youth unrest
News from Cuba | Saturday, 13 December 2014
Investigation finds USAid recruited musicians ‘to break information blockade’ as part of covert social projectHip-hop has emerged as the latest covert weapon in the US government’s hapless attempts to unseat Cuba’s communist government.Like its previous efforts, including exploding cigars, Cuban Twitter and the botched Bay of Pigs invasion, the attempt ... read more
Caribbean nations urge US to end Cuba embargo
News from Cuba | Monday, 8 December 2014
US pressed to end 54-year-old economic embargo, as 15 Caribbean nations meet in Havana for summit.Caribbean leaders have urged the US to end a 54-year-old economic embargo against Cuba, describing it as "senseless" as they convened in Havana for a regional summit.Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Sunday ... read more
Ebola control: the Cuban approach
News from Cuba | Saturday, 6 December 2014
More than 160 Cuban doctors and nurses arrived in Sierra Leone on Oct 2, 2014, to support local teams in controlling the Ebola epidemic. 300 more are being trained in Cuba at present and will be on their way to Liberia and Guinea in the coming weeks. The worldwide response ... read more
Aleida Guevara provides inspiration at 10th Latin America Conference
Campaign News | Monday, 1 December 2014
by Bob OramThe daughter of Che may share his iconic name but she is a Cuban legend in her own right. She spoke about Latin American integration, Cuban internationalism the need for solidarity at four sessions during Latin America 2014 on Saturday, and her presence helped make it not only ... read more
