THE © YEAR VI Nº 9 MAY, 3 2017 HAVANA, CUBA avana eporter ISSN 2224-5707 YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE H R Price: A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.00 CUC, 1.00 USD, 1.20 CAN P. 3 ALBA Promotes POLITICAL COUNCIL Unity and Peace P. 4 Cuba Economy Economy Sports Raúl Paz: Biennial Eco Oil Exploration Cuban´s Return to Songs for Life Tourism Seminar in in Cuba on the Can-Am and Optimism September Increase Baseball P.10 P. 13 P. 14 P. 15 2 Caracol at “30th Holguin Meeting of International Partagas´ Tourism Fair Friends” The Caracol S.A. Business Group run La Casa del With an extensive nationwide branch network, the Habano Partagás will host the 30th “Meeting of Cuban Tourism Ministry run Caracol chain of stores Partagás´Friends” gathering later this year. carries a fine selection of popular brands. So many years after the event was first held, the The chain’s almost 700 outlets within and outside organizers are delighted that the number of friends hotels, promote exclusive and high-quality products. who participate in the annual celebration continues to In the province of Holguín -- the venue for this year’s grow every year. 37th International Tourism Fair -- Caracol has a number Caracol is once again inviting cigar lovers from of special offers available to customers. around the world to join them for the forthcoming Their stores respond to the needs of an ever growing festivities between November 13 and 17 2017. number of tourists who want to buy Cuban souvenirs With special events scheduled for each of the five for themselves or relatives and friends. days, our friends can enjoy an exclusive experience of The chain’s cigar shop network caters to tourists the place where the world’s best tobacco grows. who appreciate quality Cuban cigars. Internationally renowned brands like Cohíba, Partagás, Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo are always in stock at both the La Casa del Habano El Cuje in Activities Include: Guardalavaca and the Behique cigar shop in the heart of Holguin city, where Caracol staff offer excellent • Accreditation reception at La Casa del Habano personal attention. Partagás. Products on sale in Caracol’s branch network include • Welcome dinner in an emblematic Havana the traditional rum-cigar-coffee triad, exclusive clothing location, to include cigar and rum tasting, artistic brands, casual, sports and dress footwear, a range of show and other activities. high-quality saddlery and leather items, perfumes for every occasion and photo and film services. • Countryside excursion including rural Caracol S.A.’s recent strong and steady growth has recreational and leisure activities and cigar tasting. ensured that the company enjoys a privileged position within Cuba’s retail sector. • A day on the beach that includes nautical activities, cigar and rum tasting and lunch. Facebook: @tiendascaracolcuba Twitter: @tiendascaracolcuba • Gala dinner with rum and cigar tasting, an awards ceremony, cultural activities and humidor auction. Information: Date: November 13 to 17, 2017. Place: La Casa del Habano Partagás, Industria # 520, La Habana, Cuba. Telephone.: (53) 7 8623772 Email: [email protected] CUBA 3 Holguín Hosts International Tourism Fair By Roberto F. CAMPOS Steeped in history and boasting beautiful beaches, on Holguin, the provincial capital city of which is stunning landscapes and exciting dive sites, the popularly known as The City of Parks. province of Holguín is all set to host Cuba´s International This eastern Cuban region attracts more than of Tourism Fair for the first time. This year’s 37th edition two million tourists per year, 48 percent of whom come has Germany as guest country and is dedicated to the from Canada, 25 percent from the United Kingdom and promotion of circuit options. 6 percent from Germany. Behind only Havana and Varadero, Holguin, in Home to more than 700 kilometers of wonderful Cuba’a northeast is home to some of the country´s coastline and 41 kilometers of strand, Holguín has principal tourist resorts with 220 highly attractive some 5,500 rooms on offer in a variety of three, four spots, 170 of which relate to natural settings and 50 to and five-star hotels. socio-cultural activities. The Pesquero and Guardalavaca beach areas Holguín’s most magnificent landscapes, such as the have excellent hotels, an abundance of endemic beaches of Guardalavaca and Pesquero -- also the names plant species and crystal clear waters that provide of the region´s most popular hotels -- are by the sea. the ideal settings for both leisurely nature walks Roberto F. Campos Roberto F. The 2017 International Tourism Fair from May 3-6, and maritime activities like snorkeling, diving will include a number of promotions and presentations PHOTO: and seafaris. US Yachts Set Sail For Cuba By BenjamínMICERINOS Cuban Recreational Yacht Club authorities and Cruising World Magazine executives from the U.S. met recently in Havana, in the context of the growing interest in sailing the waters of the Cuban archipelago. Mark Pillsbury, Cruising World’s Chief Editor, and David Gillespie, a magazine specialist, spoke to executives from Cuban recreational sailing companies like Marlin Marinas y Náuticas, at the Hemingway Yacht Club, in western Havana. Cruising World’s editor, Jennifer Brett, also formed part of the visiting group. The April meeting dealt with issues arising from Campos Roberto F. increasing interest by visiting US yacht owners in berthing in Cuban ports, to experience the Island for them. PHOTOs: Topics such as sea routes and the infrastructure restrictions imposed by Washington on Havana, ensure US required to service the growth in this sector, were also visitors can only travel to Cuba under one of 12 categories addressed at the talks. approved by the Treasury Department. Cuba currently has two yacht clubs: Marina Díaz Escrich explained that if such restrictions were Hemingway, in Havana and Meliá Marina Varadero, over lifted, Cuba would make an ideal stopover for sailors and a 100 km east of the capital city, in the province of Matanzas. perfect meeting place for people from different countries At the meeting, Hemingway International Yacht Club and continents. Commodore and president, José Miguel Díaz Escrich The talks coincided with the Cruising World Rally, in which and his guests agreed that the still enforced commercial 60 yachts and 267 people from 22 US states participated. A Weekly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE THE YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY HavanaReporter SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Graphic Designers: Laura Reyes. Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Information Vice President: Hector Miranda. Chief Graphic Editor: Alfredo G. Pierrat Prensa Latina, S.A. Editorial Vice President: Maitté Marrero Canda. Advertising: Irina Hernández Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. Chief Editor: Ilsa Rodríguez. Circulation: Commercial Department. Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Fax: (53)7833-3068 Translation: Dayamí Interián/ Sean J. Clancy/Yanely Interián Printing: Imprenta Federico Engels. E-mail: [email protected] 4 CUBA ALBA Promotes Unity and Peace By ErnestoVERA The recent XV Political Council of the Bolivarian countries of origin. Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ The declaration in support of Venezuela calls for Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP, in Spanish) in Cuba, reaffirmed unity within Latin American and Caribbean diversity the bloc’s commitment to regional unity and peace. and the promotion of friendly and cooperation Foreign affairs ministers and senior representatives centered relationships, in line with the Proclamation from the integration mechanism’s 12 member states of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Peace Zone. concentrated on the urgent need to support the Other documents expressed the region’s support progressive processes in several nations of the region for the electoral victories in both Nicaragua and by in the face of an offensive by a right that is abusing the Citizen Revolution in Ecuador, in opposition to the legal, judicial and media powers to create a platform “conspiracy of the ultra-reactionary mafia within the for conspiracies. US Congress.” The meeting in Havana in April, resulted in According to ALBA-TCP representatives, the so- declarations of full support for Venezuela, Ecuador called NICA-ACT represents a sinister plot to impose and Nicaragua – hounded by the reactionary forces – an economic blockade on the government and people and condemnations of the interventionist attitude of of Nicaragua that infringes on that nation’s right to the Secretary General of the Organization of American wellbeing, security, work and peace. States (OAS), Luis Almagro, to Venezuela. Consensus was also reached on the need for a ALBA-TCP leaders repudiated Almagro’s endeavors united front to face the challenges of sustainable to manipulate the entity he chairs to sanction development in the Caribbean – because of its Venezuela, based on false claims of violations of the vulnerability - and on a commitment to cooperate Inter-American Democratic Charter. with Haiti on the priorities of its government, on the Dignitaries demanded that the OAS explain its basis of respect for its sovereignty. selective policy of endorsing coups and subversions In the ceremony in support of Venezuela – which against elected progressive and revolutionary was attended by Cuban President, Raúl Castro and governments, while forced disappearances and the marked the meetings closure – Venezuelan President murder of journalists and social and political leaders Nicolás Maduro robustly reiterated his country’s in the region go unquestioned. a wall along its border with Mexico and on the commitment to its revolutionary course in spite They also called the Inter-American body to end mass deportation of Latin American and Caribbean of threats and pressures from imperialists and the its conspiratorial silence on the US decision to build migrants, fleeing from poverty and insecurity in their conservative ultra-right wing.