Vol. 17, No. 1 January 2009

www.cubanews.com

In the News celebrates 50 years of revolution as Bush leaves without achieving goal GDP to grow 6% in ’09 BY ANA RADELAT Cuba says 2008 growth came to just 4.3%, among hardline exiles in Miami, a group that n Jan. 1, the Castro brothers marked the appears to be shrinking because younger exiles half of official predictions ...... Page 2 50th anniversary of the revolution that and those who arrived more recently are more Oswept them to power. Three weeks later, moderate in their views of U.S.-Cuba relations. Marking the revolution on Jan. 20, President George W. Bush leaves But some say Bush has fallen short of his oft- stated goal of weakening Fidel and Raúl Castro Invitation-only crowd hears Raúl’s speech office — thereby ensuring his place in history as the 10th occupant of the White House who and pressuring the regime toward democratic in de Cuba ...... Page 3 tried and failed to bring democracy to Cuba. reforms. During his eight years in office, Bush moved “You can’t have influence without contact,” Pushing the limits steadily to isolate the United States from Cuba, said Phil Peters, a Cuba expert at the Lexington reducing diplomatic and “people-to-people” con- Institute in Arlington, Va. Blogger Yoani Sánchez tests tolerance of tacts with the island. Bush’s policy was an exten- Peters said Bush’s main interest was in “play- Cuba’s power elite ...... Page 4 sion of the hard line fellow Republican presi- ing to his loyal constituency” in the exile com- dents adopted towards the communist country, munity, one that “is older and votes religiously” especially that of and Bush’s on the issue of Cuba. Raúl’s Latin trip father, George H.W. Bush. “But from the point of view of influencing Visit to , seen as a total The younger Bush maintained that policy to Cuba, the policy backfired,” he told CubaNews. “To measure its impact, all you have to do is success for Cuba’s leader ...... Page 5 the very end, even rejecting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s suggestion after Barack look at the results. Everybody, including dissi- Obama’s Nov. 4 election victory that Washing- dents, said it was a threat to sovereignty.” Port of Havana ton should improve its relationship with Cuba Many analysts argue that, during Cuba’s 50 Final article in our 11-part series looks at by assigning more senior American diplomats years of revolutionary government, its leaders to the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. have turned U.S. hostility to their benefit by Cuba’s largest port ...... Page 6 Bush’s tough policy solidified his support See Bush, page 2 Trade deficit up 7% Regime warns Cuba must ‘tighten its belt’ eyes post-communist Cuba due to rising food, fuel costs ...... Page 11 as potential trade partner, tourism rival Business briefs BY LARRY LUXNER “I wish to do business in Cuba,” says the Social security changes approved; Etecsa bout 10 minutes east of San Juan’s Luís entrepreneur. “That’s my dream.” slashes cellphone rates ...... Page 12 Muñoz Marín International Airport, Hav- García is hardly the only dreamer here. ana-born Victor García runs a factory that Kenneth McClintock, a veteran lawmaker in A Puerto Rico’s Senate, became the island’s secre- Russians return imports reinforced steel bars from , Brazil, and the U.S. mainland. tary of state and lieutenant governor Jan. 1. 3 warships dock in Havana; a chronicle of Fast Steel Corp., based in the industrial sub- He told us Cuba represents a long-term busi- ness bonanza for this U.S. commonwealth Cuba-Russian relations ...... Page 13 urb of Carolina, employs 100 people and does $15 million in annual sales. Its sole market is whose 4 million inhabitants — despite Puerto Puerto Rico. Rico’s current fiscal crisis — enjoy the highest Neighborhood artist “We don’t export at all,” García recently told standard of living in Latin America. “Puerto Rico’s immediate problem is that we José Fuster brings color and spice to his CubaNews over cups of strong espresso. “But if Cuba opens up to tourism, there’s going to be a have a $3 billion deficit, which exceeds the per- little corner of Havana ...... Page 14 lot of construction there, and they’re going to capita deficit of any state except California. We make a lot of money.” have to spend the next few months focusing on CubaNews (ISSN 1073-7715) is published monthly García, 70, is originally from Havana’s La that,” said McClintock. by Luxner News Inc. © 2009. All rights reserved. Vibora district. He left Cuba in 1962 and settled “But the short-term solution must be accom- Subscriptions: $429 for one year, $800 for two years. in Puerto Rico, returning for the first time 10 panied by mid- and long-term strategic plan- For editorial inquires, please call (301) 452-1105 ning, and preparing for the opening of Cuba has or send an e-mail to: [email protected]. years ago. He’d love to go back again, eventual- ly establishing a subsidiary on his native island. See Puerto Rico, page 10 2 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 President and . It’s also blocked exports of medical tech- Bush — FROM PAGE 1 Bush has also used his authority to require nology to Cuba and has dramatically boosted appealing to Cubans’ nationalistic pride. U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba to be paid for funding for U.S. Agency for International De- The best-known aspects of Bush’s Cuba in cash before leaving U.S. ports, making the velopment grants to “democratize” Cuba. policy are the restrictions enacted in 2004 on export of American food commodities under In their zeal to isolate Cuba, administration officials also tried to block its team from play- exile travel to Cuba and remittances to family the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export En- hancement Act of 2000 (TSRA) more difficult. ing in the World Baseball Championship and on the island. Those moves are likely to be He’s also tightened visas for academic ex- pressured the Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel in reversed by President-elect Obama. changes, forcing the Latin American Studies Mexico City to expel a group of Cuban offi- But Bush’s efforts to isolate Cuba were Association last year to move its annual con- cials who were meeting in February 2006 much broader than restricting Cuban- ference from Boston to Montreal. with representatives of U.S. oil companies. American travel and remittances. In addition, the Bush administration has “Bush did succeed in reducing U.S travel to Since assuming office in 2001, Bush has stepped up prosecutions of Americans who Cuba, in making it harder for farmers to sell suspended biannual bilateral migration talks break the embargo’s prohibition of spending to Cuba, in reducing the flow of information between Washington and Havana that were money on travel to Cuba without Treasury from the United States to Cuba and in deny- the product of an accord between former Department permission. ing visa applications for cutural icons like [musicians] Ibrahim Ferrer and Carlos Var- ela,” said Sarah Stephens, executive director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas. Cuba: Economy to grow 6% in 2009 But Stephens said the successes in isolat- Cuba in the past few months. ing Cuba “bred a larger failure.” uba’s economy will grow by 6% in “It gave the United States a black eye inter- 2009 as new accords with foreign Cuba and Venezuela have signed 150 cooperation agreements for 2009 worth $2 nationally and it reduced the contact between C countries and economic reforms com- Cubans and Americans that should, in fact, be pensate for negative international factors, billion, including continued expansion of a joint venture oil refinery and petrochemical the goal of U.S. policy,” she told CubaNews. said Economy and Planning Minister José Bush administration officials counter that Luís Rodríguez. complex in central Cienfuegos province. Cuba has restructured debt and delayed their tough policies bostered the dissident The official said hurricanes and other movement in Cuba, and pressured Europeans factors restricted 2008 GDP growth to 4.3% payments to various foreign companies in recent months, its coffers hit by three pow- and other allies to take a harder line towards —barely half the original government fore- Havana. Curtailing travel and remittances cast and a sharp drop from the 7.3% growth erful hurricanes, falling nickel prices and the international financial crisis. also cut off Cuba’s access to U.S. dollars, recorded in 2007. hurting the economy, they say. Cuba was hit by hurricanes Gustav, Ike Rodríguez said growth would also get a and Paloma during 2008, causing $10 bil- boost from reforms undertaken by Raúl, WARONTERRORISM PUSHED CUBA ASIDE lion in losses. The cost of food imports also who has decentralized agriculture, boosted prices paid for farm products and begun Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutiérrez, the rose by $8 billion over the previous year. administration’s point man on Cuba, said in a Rodríguez said 2008 was one of the most distributing unused state lands with accom- panying resources to private farmers, coop- recent opinion piece that “unconditional dia- difficult since the so-called “special period” logue with the Castro brothers would only sig- began — the term used for the economic eratives and some state-run entities in an effort to reduce soaring food imports. nal that conditions in Cuba are acceptable.” crisis caused by the 1991 collapse of the He also listed a series of U.S. efforts to Soviet Union, which subsidised Cuba. “Without a doubt the agriculture policy and most importantly substituting food im- reach out to Havana that backfired. Without releasing specific figures, offi- “In 1977, President Carter sought to im- cials said 2008 saw Cuba spend 6.7% more ports will impact the economy,” said Rodrí- guez, adding that Cuba’s new wage policy prove relations by opening a U.S. Interests than it took in, creating a deficit President Section in Cuba. The Cuban government Raúl Castro said must be reconciled. — which eliminates caps on earnings and ties wages more closely to individual per- responded by including dangerous prisoners “We have to be realistic and adjust our formance —would contribute to growth. ❑ and patients from its jails and metal health dreams to real possibilities,” said Raúl. facilities in the ,” wrote the “That means complying with the socialist Cuban-born Gutiérrez. principal each receives according to his “In the mid-1990s, President Clinton eased work. Gratuities should be strictly limited restrictions on travel and remittances. Havana so as to ensure all citizens are equal.” responded by creating a migration crisis and The president of Cuba’s parliamentary shooting down two U.S. civilian planes over economic commission, Osvaldo Martínez, international waters,” he concluded. blamed the lower growth rate on factors Cuba was not a priority for Bush, especially outside the country’s control. after the 9/11 attacks, when the White House “Economic growth of 4.3% is less than was forced to concentrate its efforts on the 8% foreseen in the plan, and this is Middle East terrorist threats. explained by the profound devastation Early in his administration, Bush decided caused by hurricanes, the economic war to leave the thorny issue of how to deal with waged against us and a noticeable increase Cuba to a blue-ribbon panel called the in the price of food and fuel during most of Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, the year,” he said. composed of cabinet heads. Even so, according to Rodríguez, Cuba’s The commission accepted input from exile GDP will grow faster in 2009 than in 2008. groups and other non-governmental entities. “The country has important cooperation But it rejected many ideas proferred by mod- agreements with Venezuela, Brazil and erates, including the Cuban American Natio- Russia. Relations with will also con- nal Foundation, instead adopting those of the tinue and broaden,” he said in an interview rival Cuban Liberty Council. broadcast by state-run Radio Rebelde. The The close relationship between hardline presidents of all four countries have visited exiles and the president’s brother, Jeb Bush, See Bush, page 13 January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 3 POLITICAL ANALYSIS Little to celebrate Revolution: 50 years and beyond BY TRACEY EATON n the 50th anniversary of the BY DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI democratic and legitimate the Cuban system Cuban revolution, Raúl Castro fter the victory of the Cuban Revolution really is. Yet Cuba’s dissident movement — Owarned of dark, difficult days in January 1959, many thought such an with very few exceptions — remains very ahead for his island nation. A experiment was doomed. Clashing with much a Washington-sponsored activity that “Let us not entertain any illusions,” he U.S. interests was unthinkable; surviving has not been able to create any significant said during a Jan. 1 speech in Santiago de without a sugar quota, and without oil and grass-roots alternatives. Cuba. “As we commemorate this half- other supplies from the United States would century of victories, it is time to reflect on lead to economic collapse. the future ... the coming years will not be And if not, the Guatemalan experience of easier. This is the truth. I am not saying 1954 — or even the Marines — would take this to scare anyone.” care of Fidel Castro, and everything would be LARRY LUXNER The 77-year-old Raúl, named president back in order. But events did not unfold last February, repeated the words of his according to the rules of conventional geopol- big brother Fidel: “This revolution could itics, and Castro’s revolution survived. destroy itself. We could destroy our- Twenty years back, as the Soviet Union selves and it would be only our fault.” began to crumble, only a handful of people Fidel, 82, did not show up for the low- would bet their money on the survival of the key event. He fell ill in July 2006 and has revolution. Yet remarkably, it remained intact. not appeared in public since then. But Two and a half years ago, almost every- Raúl drew the strongest applause when- body — from renown physicians and so-called ever he mentioned Fidel — a symbol of Cuban experts in Miami to top CIA officials in his enduring power in socialist Cuba. Washington — was betting on Fidel’s immi- nent death. Against all odds, he, too, managed In fact, all that was heard from Fidel Granma to survive, remaining very much in control Flag-waving kids mark the revolution in Old Havana. was a 16-word message in con- and a key influential figure in Cuba and the gratulating “our heroic people” on the world at large. In the meantime, Cuba’s experience in the revolution’s 50th anniversary. Exceptionality and resilience have been fields of education, public health, sports, civil The invitation-only event was austere, two prominent attributes of the Cuban Revo- defense, biotechnology research and cooper- underscoring Cuba’s economic despera- lution and its leadership over the years. Ten ation with other Third World nations, contin- tion months after three hurricanes dev- U.S. administrations have passed, and none ue to receive international praise. astated the island. Only 3,000 residents were able to bring down or defeat the many On the other hand, the Cuban economy is of Santiago de Cuba attended the speech. challenges posed by this peculiar revolution- today self-explanatory. In agriculture, the pri- There were no heads of state, other ary experience. vate sector (individual farmers and coopera- than Raúl. There was no diplomatic pres- In late December, Latin American and tives) is by far the most productive one, pro- ence. No military parade. No huge rally Caribbean heads of state meeting in Salvador, ducing two-thirds of Cuba’s food output. in a country where Fidel has been known Brazil, welcomed back Cuba as a full member In the meantime, mining, oil drilling and to organize mass events drawing hun- of their community while the U.S. embargo other industries and services associated with dreds of thousands of people. was unanimously condemned and the incom- foreign investments, technologies, markets Raúl said the days ahead will be chal- ing Obama administration urged to change and administration techniques are the most lenging, but insisted the socialist govern- Washington’s Cuba policy. productive in the Cuban economy; they form ment is “stronger than ever. It has never Meanwhile, a new wave of leftist govern- the bulk of the 945 corporations that have failed to stand by its principles, not even ments — by way of democratic elections — already adopted perfeccionamiento empresari- in the most difficult circumstances. This are changing the political map of the Western al, and half of them are certified by Lloyd’s truth cannot be changed in the least.” Hemisphere, from Nicaragua and El Salvador and ISO standards. He conceded that his regime has made to Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela. The remaining two-thirds of the state sec- many mistakes, but said it would remain tor is still way behind. If practical results are strong as long as people remain united. HOW THE REVOLUTION SURVIVED the real measure of truth — as taught by “Revolutions can only advance and Objections to the Cuban experience are Marx — then Cuban authorities should rethink seriously what is so deeply wrong endure when they are carried forward by many, like the absence of Western democrat- the people,” he told the crowd, stressing ic conventions or the state-run economy’s with their state-controlled economy. In late 2007, Cubans debated all these the continued loyalty of young people. inability to build an efficient and stable model. Despite his dire warnings, Raúl urged Critics point to persistent housing deficits shortcomings and other topics affecting their and meager food supplies, aggravated over lives, making 1.3 million recommendations. his fellow Cubans to be proud they’ve the last 20 years by a dual-currency system Following those debates, Raúl Castro made managed to maintain their independence that large sections of the population resent. his famous assertion that “changes in concept from the United States. More recently, three major hurricanes left and institutions are needed” (cambios de con- “Never again shall poverty, abuse and $10 billion in losses and an unprecedented ceptos e instituciones son necesarios). injustice return to our land,” he declared. degree of devastation — and tackling the Until now very little, with the sole excep- “Never again shall the heart of our moth- needs of thousands of families who lost every- tion of land redistribution, has been done, ers be filled with pain and the soul of thing remains one of Cuba’s most immediate making these urgent reforms and restructur- every honest Cuban succumb to shame.” and critical challenges. ing Raúl’s most important challenge. The Tracey Eaton, former Havana correspon- The other side of the Cuban coin shows an year 2009 — during which the island’s dent for the Dallas Morning News, is based incredible degree of social participation and Communist Party plans to hold its long-await- in St. Augustine, Fla. He covered the Jan. 1 involvement in every state-oriented task. ed VI Congress — will clearly indicate the event for CubaNews and other publications. This invariably brings up the debate of how path and pace of reforms in Cuba. ❑ 4 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 DISSENT IN CUBA Havana blogger tests tolerance of Cuba’s power elite BY VITO ECHEVARRÍA band, independent journalist Reinaldo Esco- asked why the Ministry of Prices and Finance oani Sánchez, the 33-year-old habanera bar, among others, will award one lucky blog- couldn’t also extend such price reductions to who has gained international media ger a new laptop computer as its first prize in “all commodities with prohibitive prices,” like Yattention by posting her writings online September 2009 — this, in a country where tetra-packed milk, which as she observed is — filled with criticism of Cuba’s PCs are still a rare luxury. only available at the so-called dollar stores. political system — is testing the Only a week earlier, on Yoani’s latest entry, on Dec. 28, mentioned a tolerance of the powers that be Dec. 10, Sánchez attended a 1,552-km fiberoptic undersea cable that will in Havana. forum on sexuality at Hav- one day link Venezuela to Cuba and other On Dec. 17, despite warnings ana’s Museum of Fine Arts. Caribbean islands, providing the region with by the Interior Ministry not to The guest speaker was none high-speed Internet connectivity. attend a bloggers’ workshop in other than Mariela Castro, Assuming the joint venture is completed in Pinar del Río, she did so any- Raúl Castro’s daughter and the near future, she said the Cuban govern- way, and posted her account of director of the Cuban Natio- ment should allow “Internet access for all, not it on her “Generación Y” blog nal Center for Sex Education. based on privilege, with the opportunity for (www.desdecuba.com/genera- When Mariela called for anyone to contract for a home connection.” tolerance of gays and trans- ciony/). The posting includes a Sánchez also called for lower rates for photograph of some of the gender Cubans, Sánchez openly asked her why such cybercafés and Internet-connected computers other attendees, one of whom in hotels, which she said “cost one-third of a appears to be fellow Havana courtesies couldn’t also be extended to Cubans of differ- monthly salary for one hour,” and the option blogger Miriam Celaya. Havana blogger Yoani Sánchez to use online international social networks like What came out of that work- ing political views. Incredibly, a video of that encounter was made and later Facebook, Hi5 and Twitter, as well as video- shop was the announcement of a contest conferencing services like Skype. called “A Virtual Island,” which is designed to posted on YouTube.com. In her Dec. 20 entry, Sánchez — noting that So far, apart from Mariela later expressing encourage blogging throughout Cuba. her displeasure of Sánchez’s presence at that A jury consisting of Sánchez and her hus- the government had recently slashed the cost of setting up a cellphone account in half — event, calling her a “she-rooster trying to dis- credit the Cuban revolution,” there have been no real reprisals from local authorities for her attendance at the workshop, or for challeng- Group chronicles regime’s ‘bloody tally’ ing Raúl’s daughter so brazenly. uba Archive, a nonprofit organization Augusto Pinochet in ,” according to CRITICS WONDER WHO’S FINANCING YOANI headed by Maria Werlau, says it has Werlau. “Yet while Pinochet was subject to Cdocumented more than 8,200 fatalities solid worldwide condemnation, Fidel Cas- While some Cuban bloggers who live over- or disappearances caused by the Castro tro has been lauded by many celebrities seas are amazed that Yoani Sánchez has got- regime in the 50 years it has been in power and influential global figures.” ten away with this much, in a system tradi- — including 38 cases in 2008 alone. In 2008 alone, 42 deaths have been regis- tionally intolerant of opposing views, others The group’s latest report “offers a tragic tered, all in prison except one — two extra- are asking harder questions. illustration of the abhorrent human-rights judicial killings, 23 for lack of medical care, One New York-based web surfer who didn’t violations taking place in Cuba’s prisons,” 11 reported suicides, two in accidents want to be identified recently asked: “How can says Werlau. “Sadly, these prisons include resulting from negligence, plus one death Yoani afford to sneak into tourist hotels and the Combinado de Guantánamo, where four from undetermined causes. log on regularly, if the cost is so prohibitive, deaths took place, a prison that escapes the Between Jan. 1, 1959, and Dec. 15, 2008, unless she’s getting financial help from over- attention of most mainstream media despite a partial tally of deaths attributed to the seas? Regarding the incident with Mariela its proximity to the prison at the U.S. Naval Castro regime comes to 8,237, including Castro, how was it videotaped and put on Base eliciting so much interest.” documented cases of combat actions YouTube.com, unless it was staged? For all Since the late 1990s, Cuba Archive has against the communist government. we know, this could all be political theater.” been confronting “the vast Cuban propa- In addition, deaths at sea in exit attempts Indeed, Sánchez’s slick site, and the regular ganda machine by focusing on its bloody are estimated to have surpassed 77,000. posting of digital photos, including a recent trails,” said Werlau. “It has created a com- Ignored by world media, she said, is the one illustrating the sale of fresh grapes prehensive registry of deaths that makes it fact that the Castro regime has killed near- imported from the United States at $5.50/kg, harder to ignore the worst crimes of the ly 200 Cuban civilians for trying to leave the only fuels such speculation. Cuban regime as well as the magnitude and island — an amount similar to the 227 peo- Undeterred by the criticism, Sánchez re- present-day character of the tragedy.” ple who died in Berlin Wall crossings dur- cently received a “Best Blog” award from the Based on investigation by the one of the ing communist rule in East Germany. German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. And the group’s founders and directors, Armando “When the truth finally comes out, Cas- influential liberal American blog “The Huffing- Lago (who died last year) — as well as tro’s singular ability to fool so many, so ton Post” has endorsed Sánchez’s postings by direct testimony and new sources of infor- much and for so long will be nakedly providing its readers with a link to her site. mation — Cuba Archive has documented exposed,” she said. It is perhaps such international acclaim that 5,732 cases of execution, extrajudicial kil- Cuba Archive’s website offers registered has shielded Sánchez from jail time and other lings and disappearances. users free access to its electronic database. harsh forms of government reprisals. “These totals, which constitute partial yet Details: Maria C. Werlau, Executive Dir- The Castro regime may also feel slightly growing numbers, already amount to more ector, Cuba Archive, PO Box 529, Summit, annoyed but unthreatened by Sánchez, since than twice the 3,197 disappearances and NJ 07920. Tel: (973) 701-0520. Fax: (973) most Cubans still don’t have Web access. Even killings by the military regime led by Gen. 701-0521. URL: www.cubaarchive.org. so, Yoani Sánchez is clearly positioning herself to become Cuba’s new leading dissident. ❑ January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 5 POLITICAL BRIEFS

PAPER LAUNCHES ‘FREEDOM FLIGHTS’ DATABASE In their own words … It’s a baby dress, worn long ago by a 2-year-old “One after the other, all the U.S. [administrations] have tried to force regime to take a life-changing flight into exile in Miami. change in Cuba. Resisting has been the key of our victories during this half- Today, 39 years later, Elsa López proudly holds century of fighting ... The next 50 years will also be of permanent struggle.” up the white dress — the one she wore when her — Raúl Castro, during a 40-minute speech Jan. 1 to 3,000 supporters gathered in mother carried her onboard a 1969 Cuban Santiago de Cuba to mark the 50th anniversary of Cuba’s communist revolution. Freedom Flight to a new life in the United States. To López, who has treasured the dress for years, it has until now been the only tangible “The Revolution has given us a lot. I’m communist but I wish there were proof of her traumatic move. changes in the economy. That’s where the problem is.” “Now there is the database which I can show — Pedro, a 65-year-old pensioner attending the celebrations in Santiago de Cuba. my children,” said López, 41, referring to the recently launched Miami Herald Cuban Freedom “I can’t tell you how emotional I became at seeing my late father’s name on Flights Database — a one-of-a-kind permanent list the database list. All of a sudden, I was a little boy tightly holding his hand as of the names of the 265,000 Cubans who came to we boarded our plane.” the United States from 1965 to 1973 on those — Unidentified man, in an email to the Miami Herald, thanking the newspaper flights to escape Fidel Castro’s Cuba. for publishing its Cuban Freedom Flights Database (see news item at left). Since the Miami Herald unveiled the project with an article and a special event Dec. 15 at the “Let’s make a gesture for a gesture. These prisoners you talk about — they Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, the database want us to let them go? We’ll send them with their families and everything. — at www.miamiherald.com/flights — has But give us back our five heroes. That is a gesture on both parts.” been visited by thousands of Cuban exiles in — Raúl Castro, telling reporters during a Dec. 19 visit to Brasília that the United South Florida and across the country searching States should release five convicted Cuban spies from prison in exchange for polit- for their names and those of loved ones. ical dissidents languishing in Cuban jails. Hundreds more have emailed corrections to the list, memories and photos of their final day in Cuba and early experiences in the United States. “In the defense of free exchange and the transparent practice of internation- They have also expressed their appreciation for al trade, the application of unilateral coercive measures that affect the well- the creation of the database. being of the people and obstruct the process of integration are unacceptable.” “Our own Ellis Island registry; how wonderful,” — Statement issued at the end of a summit in Brazil by 33 Latin American and wrote one woman. Said another: “'I thank you on Caribbean heads of state, demanding an end to the U.S. embargo against Cuba. behalf of myself and my daughter, who will now be able to see her mother’s name on this list.” “If I were Obama, the first day of my presidency I’d lift the economic block- ade on Cuba ... if the United States doesn’t, we should expel its ambassadors.” RAUL’S LATIN TRIP GENERATES VALUABLE RESULTS — Bolivian President , speaking at that same summit in Brazil. A number of influential Latin American heads of state will be visiting Cuba over the next few “The party is all about solidarity, and while it’s true that we lack many things months — a trend that appears to reinforce in Cuba, the hurricanes showed we still stand together.” Cuba’s recent success in forging ties and gaining — Maria José Fachada, survivor of two hurricanes in the Pinar del Río town of respect throughout the Western Hemisphere. Consolación del Sur, quoted in a Dec. 23 story in the St. Petersburg Times. Expected visitors include Argentina’s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner; Chile’s Michelle Bache- “I was born with the revolution. I’ve never known capitalism. My earliest let, Mexico’s Felipe Calderón and Ecuador’s memories are of socialism, the special period and the U.S. blockade. For years . I had to wear the same pair of shoes to school. But at least I had free health- This follows Raúl Castro’s visits to Venezuela care and education. And as a nation, everyone was willing to work together.” and Brazil in the second half of December, and — Liaena Hernández, who at 18 is the youngest deputy in Cuba’s National Cuba’s admission as a full member of the Rio Assembly. Hernández was interviewed Dec. 22 by Michael Voss of BBC News. Group of nations during a key regional summit held in Salvador, Brazil. Every nation attending the meeting (as well as “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am back.” the Caricom-Cuba summit in Santiago de Cuba) is — Patrick Manning, prime minister of Trinidad & Tobago, showing reporters his demanding that the incoming Obama administra- scar Dec. 24 following successful kidney surgery in Cuba. The 62-year-old head of tion end the U.S. embargo. Based on the results, state also met with Raúl Castro for an hour before his return to Port of . Raúl’s trip is widely viewed as a complete success. Raúl’s tour also had a strong economic dimen- “We pick up the purpose of the sociedades, but we are going further. We sion. His delegation was comprised of top busi- meet not only to carry out activities specific to the society of color, but to ness officials such as Ricardo Cabrisas (in charge actively fight against racism.” of all external-sector economic activities); Rodrigo — Norberto Mesa Carbonell, founder of Cofradía de la Negritud (Fraternity of Malmierca (recently named minister of foreign Blackness), a Havana social club established in 1998. Carbonell was quoted in a investment) and Osvaldo Martínez (head of the Dec. 20 story in the Miami Herald about the revival of race-based clubs in Cuba. National Assembly’s economic commission). The notion of a “greater economic articulation” “Cuba expresses its most energetic condemnation of this genocidal mas- with Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico and other nations sacre by the Israeli government, which is directed at annihilating the was discussed again and again. Palestinian population, including women, children and the elderly.” In fact, Mexico’s deputy secretary of external — Cuban Foreign Ministry statement on ’s latest military offensive trade, Geronimo Gutiérrez, predicts bilateral trade against Islamic Hamas terrorists operating from the Gaza Strip. with Cuba — after a satisfactory rescheduling of Cuba’s debt — is likely to reach $1 billion. 6 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 INFRASTRUCTURE Port of Havana: The crown jewel of Cuba’s ports network BY OUR HAVANA CORRESPONDENT foodstuffs, refrigerated cargo, fish and sea NOTE TO READERS: This is the 11th and products, fruits, tobacco and cruise-ship pas- he port of Havana is by far the largest, final installment of our carefully researched busiest, most versatile and most prom- sengers. The port has also the capacity to per- series on Cuba’s ports. We hope you’ve found form the biggest and most complex naval T ising sea link Cuba has with the rest of these articles to be useful and informative. the world — a fact that has remained repairs on the island. Previous stories in this series cover these Only a few key commodities do not get unchanged for centuries. ports (followed by 2008 publication dates): Since the Cuban economy has always shipped through Havana on a large scale. depended on foreign trade and always will, its Mariel (January); Cienfuegos (February); Nickel is one of them, as it is shipped abroad port will remain a key component of Cuba’s Matanzas (March); Nuevitas (April); Santi- from the eastern ports of Nicaro and Moa (see economic development. ago de Cuba (May); Nipe (June); Moa (July- CubaNews, June and July-August 2008). Moreover, the city of Havana, where the August); Cárdenas (September); Puerto Once a key activity, sugar has been redi- port is located, is home to one of every five Padre (October) and Guayabal (December). rected in the past decades through other Cubans, attracts one of every four tourists ports to ease the burden to the capital. Fuel and produces two of every five pesos on the of cargo including bulk and bagged grains, imports, the main commodity traded in Hav- island — all valid reasons for keeping the port bulk fertilizers, cement, coal, oil and its ana, will also decline if in the future Havana’s strong in the future. byproducts, chemicals, heavy machinery, old petroleum refinery is dismantled in favor The port of Havana can handle a wide array vehicles, scrap metals, containers, lumber, of the new Cienfuegos terminal along Cuba’s south coast (see CubaNews, February 2008) and the underutilized Matanzas petroleum node (see CubaNews, March 2008) evolves into another modern refinery. With 27,600 feet of docking space, it can handle three dozen ships simultaneously at pier while others can be operated at mooring. Two decades ago, the port operated at full capacity and it was not uncommon to see dozens of vessels waiting offshore for their shot at the harbor. That was partially why the port of Mariel (see CubaNews, January 2008), 30 miles to the west, grew in importance as an auxiliary port to Havana. HISTORY The magnificent Bay of Havana was claimed for Spain in 1509 by explorer and conquistador Sebastián de Ocampo, and soon after — in 1519 — a settlement was founded near the fledgling port, originally named Carenas (careening) because it was a place for repairing vessels used in the first stages of the trade and conquest of the New World. The area around the bay provided the hard- wood, naturally occurring tar and asphalt needed for caulking the early Spanish ships. The port quickly evolved during the 16th century to become the gathering point for Spain’s flotas, the convoys of trade and mili- tary ships carrying treasures from the Americas back to Europe. This drastically increased its importance, turning Havana into the most important port and coastal settle- ment in the New World, well before New York or New Orleans were developed. The port’s strategic location, facing the Strait of Florida and near the entrance of the Old Bahamian Channel — both natural navi- gation routes to and from Europe — turned Havana into a formidable trading post in early colonial times. In 1762, the port was seized by England and held for 18 months along with the Florida peninsula. Thereafter Havana emerged as the closest port to the growing United States, a fact that later put it at the center of rising U.S.- See Port, page 7 January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 7

Port — FROM PAG E 6 Cuba trade. Independence from Spain at the dawn of 20th centu- ry gave Havana a major economic and trade boost, help- ing the port grow in capacity and versatility. Large warehouses and docks were built and expand- ed, important industries sprouted nearby and the infra- structure of highways, bridges, tunnel, railroads and power lines took their current shape. The city grew in close communion with the port serving it, with a com- prehensive network of trade and commerce institutions and facilities. After Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, things changed. By 1960, a wave of nationalizations swept through the largest industries and facilities, beginning with the two existing oil refineries.Within less than a decade, the entire port — right down to the tiniest eateries sur- rounding it — were all in state hands. In 1962, the regime launched a comprehensive plan See Port, page 8 LARRY LUXNER

PORT OF HAVANA: These vintage photos depict contractor’s plant and portion of completed bulkhead built for Cuban American Terminal Co. (top left), and a panoramic view of Havana harbor looking from northeast to southeast towards Regla (middle left). Visible in this picture is the P&O Ferry ship, new pier office building, old P&O passenger shed and office building; bulkhead for José Rodríguez, Customs warehouse and bulkhead for Havana Elevated Railways. At bottom left, officers on a patrol boat dock near Habana Vieja. The top two images are reproduced in CubaNews with express permission from www.portofhavana.com. 8 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 longued economic situation has led to a the west side of Guasabacoa cove, and the Port — FROM PAGE 7 decline in port use. This decline was further passenger cruise-ship facility built in 1996 at exacerbated in 2002 with the downsizing of the Sierra Maestra Terminal, but idle since to invest in the port. During the 1960s, the the sugar industry. 2005 when the Castro government abruptly government built the Haiphong Terminal at Havana now handles just 45-50% of the cancelled a contract with the Italian entity it Cayo Cruz, the former dumping site of had selected to run the terminal. Havana; the fishing port; the grain terminal at cargo it handled in the late ‘80s, a fact that’s led to the neglect of some port facilities such Regla, and a number of minor works that ENVIRONMENT expanded port activities southward to the as the Tallapiedra piers and the Andrés Atarés and Guasabacoa coves. González Lines docks. Havana is a relatively ample and well-shel- In the mid-1980s, at the peak of friendship Several industries of national significance tered harbor, boasting a narrow and straight with the Soviet Union and the height of served by the port are still in use, as the Ñico one-mile long entrance channel, with depths Cuba’s prosperity, the port of Havana handled López oil refinery (formerly Standard Oil and limited to 43 feet by the Havana tunnel built in close to 15 million tons of goods annually, or Shell refineries), the largest in Cuba with a the late 1950s just across the harbor’s mouth. nearly 40% of Cuba’s total foreign trade. refining capacity of 122,000 barrels/day. The interior of the bay measures 8 sq miles, In 1986, Havana served 1,505 vessels — Others have been dismantled or are at best with depths ranging from 32 feet at anchorage one out of every four navigating Cuban partially idle, such as the thermoelectric areas to 42 feet at the deepest berthing places. The entire area surrounding the bay is waters. Together, they carried 13.25 million plants of Tallapiedra and Regla, the fishing heavily developed with residential or industri- tons of cargo, 72% of that amount in imports, port or the dry docks at Casablanca. al zones. mainly fuels. Another 5% was exports, and the A few new facilities have been built or The eastern side of the entrance channel is remaining 23% consisted of intra-island trade. upgraded recently, representing scarce bright a tall cliff where two of the most impressive But since the early 1990s and the collapse spots of modern activity. These include Hav- of the Soviet bloc, Cuba’s dismal and pro- ana Containers Terminal (TCH in Spanish) at See Port, page 9 January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 9

— FROM PAGE 8 return of some fish species to the bay. Also Port less of a problem recently are foul smells, AGRIBUSINESS colonial fortresses of the Caribbean were floating wastes and petroleum runoff. built, while the west and south sides are low The Cuban government had allocated hun- Rice exporters bullish on Cuba and consist mainly of land reclaimed from dreds of millions of dollars to upgrade port .S. rice growers hope President-elect the sea. facilities in Havana, but in light of massive ’s campaign mantra of At night, vessels approaching the harbor hurricane damage across the island in 2008, Uchange will boost rice sales to Cuba, are guided by El Morro lighthouse, which is it’s likely much of that money will now be reports Dow Jones. visible from 18 miles offshore, while the diverted to reconstruction efforts elsewhere. “The best case in our view would be to re- flame of the refinery torch and the lights of THE FUTURE move the restrictions regarding trade and some tall buildings are visi- economic relations and travel, and just kind of ble from 25 miles away. The Early last year, CubaNews open it up,” said Reece Langley, vice-presi- nightly city glow can be reported that Dubai-based dent of government affairs for the USA Rice seen from 40 miles away. DP World would invest at Federation, which represents rice producers, However, being the least $250 million to convert millers and merchants. busiest port in Cuba comes the port of Mariel — only 24 “Whether that’s going to happen, I think at a high cost. The bay is nautical miles west of that’s a long shot, at least initially.” reportedly one of the most Havana — into a modern But Langley and others say there’s plenty of polluted in the world, a con- container facility. reasons for the rice industry to be optimistic dition aggravated since the A formal feasibility study about change coming to Cuba. ‘70s when already poor envi- was commissioned follow- “From what we can tell, they’re using about ronmental controls were fur- ing two years of talks with 1 million tons per year, and we think can sup- ther eased to speed up han- the Castro government, but ply them 350,000 to maybe 500,000 metric dling of vessels in port. DP World officials have con- tons of that,” said Langley. For decades, the factories sistently declined all com- Trade with Cuba picked up in 2001, follow- located around the bay — ment on the subject. ing passage of the Trade Sanction Reform and and a large part of the city Mariel is the closest Export Enhancement Act, and rice sales slow- itself — also used to dump Cuban port to the U.S. Gulf ly built up to a high of 177,000 tons in 2004. wastewater and solid wastes Coast, which along with The Bush administration tightened restric- into the bay with little if any Havana’s limited port capac- treatment. Ships were tions in 2005, however, and sales dropped. ity almost forcibly obliges it U.S. rice growers shipped 60,000 tons to Cuba allowed to clean their refuse to take a bigger role in fut- in the bay premises. in 2007, dropping to only 12,000-15,000 tons ure U.S.-Cuba trade links. through October 2008, said Langley. Especially noxious was American ports are close effluent produced by the oil The U.S. government’s changes in 2005 to capacity, and environ- have prevented Cuba from purchasing U.S. refinery, which until recent- mental restrictions make ly lacked the simplest tools rice via credit. any big expansion unlikely. “You basically had to have payment of cash to avoid spillling oil directly In a post-embargo world, into the bay. Also harmful Mariel, which may be open in advance, which meant payment had to be are the large volumes of for business by mid-2012, sent before the shipment ever left the United untreated industrial waste would be a well-positioned States,” Langley said. carried into the bay by the hub, say industry analysts. That’s prompted Cuba to get loans from for- Luyanó and Martín Pérez rivers, and the Goods could be transferred from the big eign countries in order to buy U.S. rice, said waste from the fishing port and thermal container ships arriving at the port to smaller Bill Nelson, a grain analyst with Doane Advi- power plants. vessels, which could then reach dozens of sory Services. The environmental disaster of Havana harbors in the southern U.S. Easing this restriction and granting Cuba Bay, however, was alleviated by a sharp Once the port is operating and normal credit would facilitate more sales, analysts say. decline in port and industrial activities, and trade routes are restored with the United “If you’re going to sell, you might as well by some modest cleaning efforts undertak- States, Mariel could become an auxiliary port just sell it,” Nelson said. “There are certainly en by the government. In the last few years, to Havana that would eventually pull the capi- issues with Cuba we all know about, but there local residents have noticed the gradual tal city’s expansion in its direction. ❑ are also hungry people there.” Langley added that another potential change, allowing for direct banking, would cut down on transaction time and costs Oklahoma launches talks on wheat sales because payments to U.S. companies that do sell rice to Cuba wouldn’t have to be made to n Oklahoma trade mission led by State Commission and several state legislators. a third-party bank. Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach Peach said the group was impressed with The U.S. Department of Agriculture says on A visited Cuba last month, kicking off improvements in terms of electrical power its Web site that in 2006, Cuba was the 33rd negotiations for future wheat sales. and mass transit since last visiting in 2006. largest market for U.S. agricultural exports. “In addition to wheat, the Cubans wanted “The changes we saw were significant and Cuba is considered a natural consumer of to explore possible sales of forest products positive,” he said. “After they had been hit by U.S. rice because of its proximity to the Uni- and dairy cattle,” said Peach, quoted by the two major hurricanes [in 2008] we were not ted States and its key rice-producing regions. High Plains Journal. “Some logistical areas sure what conditions we would find.” That allows it to purchase much smaller need to be worked out but we’re confident Peach also said Cuban officials believe bi- amounts than it could from key U.S. competi- that we will make a delivery of wheat some- lateral trade will become much easier after tors like Vietnam and Thailand — and operate time in the coming months.” President-elect Obama takes office Jan. 20. hand-to-mouth, worrying less about getting it A sale to Cuba would involve about one Details: Haidar Haidary, Oklahoma Dept. shipped and storing it, say analysts. ❑ million bushels of wheat. of Agriculture, 2800 N. Lincoln Blvd., Okla- Details: Jim Guinn, Vice-President/Internatio- Accompanying the agriculture secretary, homa City, OK 73105. Tel: (405) 522-5509. nal Promotions, USA Rice Federation, 4301 N. were officials of the Oklahoma Wheat Email: [email protected]. Fairfax Drive, #425, Arlington, VA 22203. Tel: (703) 236-2300. Email: [email protected]. 10 CubaNews ❖ January 2009

Puerto Rico — FROM PAGE 1 and engineering firms that have done some harder than anyone else to keep Section 936, strategic planning in that direction, and fran- which was ultimately repealed by the Clinton to be an important element of that planning,” chisees who will be ready to jump into Cuba administration, leading to massive layoffs. he explained. “It cannot be simply defensive whenever U.S. franchises can be sold there.” Colorado says Cuba represents a big hope planning. It has to be offensive also.” William Riefkohl, executive director of the for the troubled Puerto Rican economy — As a senator representing the pro-state- Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, said especially with President-elect Obama vowing hood New Progressive Party for 16 years, a number of local companies already do busi- to relax certain aspects of the embargo. McClintock commissioned three legislative ness with Cuba under the Trade Sanctions “We were very big in construction, but studies analyzing the impact Cuba’s eventual Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 there’s not much more we can construct in reopening to the U.S. market would have on (TSRA), which allows U.S. entities to sell agri- Puerto Rico. We have to look at Cuba not as a the Puerto Rican economy. cultural commodities to the Cuban govern- competitor but as an opportunity, like China. He’s convinced Puerto Rico has far more to ment on a cash-only basis. Every type of project that could go on in

“Puerto Rico’s immediate problem is that we have a $3 billion

LARRY LUXNER deficit ... But the short-term solution must be accompanied by mid- and long-term strategic planning, and preparing for the opening of Cuba has to be an important part of that planning.”

— PUERTO RICO SECRETARY OF STATE AND LT. GOV. KENNETH MCCLINTOCK

“Several food Cuba, Puerto Rico has done it,” says Colo- companies here are rado. “It’s not a matter of investing money, it’s taking advantage of a matter of servicing. We’re very fond of TSRA, although they Cubans and always been. They’re our broth- probably don’t want ers, and we have so much in common.” to publicize that,” said Riefkohl, whose TWO WINGS OF THE SAME BIRD influential PRMA So much, in fact, that the Caribbean islands has 1,200 members are often referred to as “dos alas del mismo representing nearly pajaro” — two wings of the same bird — the entire manufac- because of their shared history under Span- turing sector. ish colonial rule and eventual “liberation” fol- One well-known lowing the Spanish-American War of 1898. case is Pan Ameri- PRMA’s William Riefkohl Yet economically and politically, the two can Grain, a Guay- islands could hardly be more different. Poor nabo commodities broker that has exported by U.S. standards, Puerto Rico nonetheless rice to Cuban state entity Alimport under the enjoys full democra- provisions of TSRA. However, Pan American cy and a per-capita Cuban exiles protest in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. officials including vice-president Eduardo income exceeding Fernández were unavailable for comment. $18,000; more than gain than to lose from such an opening. 1.5 million vehicles “It’s a risk, but every risk is an opportunity. MANUFACTURING DRIVES P.R. ECONOMY choke its streets and For example, I would rather see a Puerto Manufacturing now employs 105,000 peo- highways. Rican financial institution set up an ATM sys- ple and represents 42% of Puerto Rico’s total Following the tem in Cuba than for Wells Fargo to do it. GDP of around $70 billion. That’s down from 1959 revolution, Puerto Rican banks know how to set up 160,000 jobs in the early ‘90s, when the island Puerto Rico’s rela- ATMs in tropical, salty-air and mountainous was still receiving lucrative tax benefits under tive prosperity and environments,” he told CubaNews. Section 936 of the Internal Revenue Code. Spanish-speaking “Puerto Rico and Cuba are so much alike Yet thanks to those incentives, Puerto Rico culture attracted geographically that firms here have devel- still has one of the world’s largest concentra- many Cuban exiles. oped an expertise in these things.” tions of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Steelmaker Victor García At one time, that Pfizer, Upjohn, Bristol Myers Squibb and community num- SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND Merck all have factories here — and that’s bered 20,000 people. That’s since dwindled, McClintock said the studies he commis- unlikely to change anytime soon, no matter though transplanted cubanos still tend to dom- sioned as chair of the P.R. Senate Federal how advanced Cuba may be in biotech. inate certain sectors of the local economy — Affairs Committee “prodded the private sec- “Pharmaceutical companies doing business most notably in advertising and media. tor into action,” though evidently not enough. here cannot pack up and leave for Cuba, be- Even so, says García, “the exiles in Puerto “We still have a long way to go,” said Mc- cause the infrastructure is simply not there,” Rico are more liberal than those in Florida. I Clintock, whose new boss, Puerto Rico Gov. Riefkohl said. “They don’t have clean rooms, don’t know why, but maybe because we don’t Luís Fortuño, has traveled to Cuba and has and they’d have to go through a lot of effort in have the politicians and the radio stations.” expressed deep interest in the subject. order to establish a sizeable presence of life- Sandro Murtas is director of the Interna- “For example, some law firms here have science companies. Cuba is not a powerhouse tional Trade Center, which is co-sponsored by already established relationships which will of industry, and social issues would also have the U.S. Small Business Administration and allow them to have correspondent relations to be resolved.” Inter-American University of Puerto Rico. with lawyers in Cuba when the time comes,” As Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner in “As far as business opportunities, I think Washington, Antonio J. Colorado Jr. lobbied McClintock told us. “There are also design See Puerto Rico, page 11 January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 11

Puerto Rico — FROM PAGE 10 FOREIGN TRADE Puerto Rican professionals in the service sec- tor — engineers, software developers, etc. — De la Nuez: 2008 trade deficit up 7% could bring knowledge to Cuba, once they decide to upgrade their infrastructure,” says uba’s trade deficit soared by nearly 7%, The state reports foreign exchange data in Murtas, who formerly chaired the PRMA’s or an estimated $5 billion, in 2008 due the convertible peso, which it pegs at $1.08. international trade committee. Cmainly to rising prices for imports such President Raúl Castro has been warning for “We could also benefit because Cuba, with- as food and oil and falling prices for nickel, its several months Cuba would have to tighten out a doubt, has a reservoir of professionals,” main export, Reuters reported Dec. 26. its belt due to rising international prices for he added. “There could be joint-venture In a speech to parliament deputies, Foreign food and fuel. opportunities for companies here, which are Trade Minister Raúl de la Nuez said imports The global financial crisis has made it diffi- abundant in capital, and for Cuba, which has surged 43.8% while exports grew just 2.1%, cult for Cuba to get credit to purchase human capital.” said Reuters, citing figures published by the imports, which include 60% of its food. Opportunities Communist Party daily newspaper Granma. Over the last few years, Cuba has helped also await in tour- The news follows reports that Cuba, bat- pay for its trade deficit — a measure of goods ism, though many tered by three hurricanes and the global bought and sold — through revenue from worry financial crisis, is facing a cash crunch that’s tourism and service exports, mainly for that this sector will forcing it to seek debt restructuring with var- health and education to oil-rich Venezuela. be the first to suffer ious countries and companies and delay cash Aside from the $10 billion in damage once the U.S. ban transfers for payments abroad. caused by three hurricanes which struck the against travel to “Dealing with the trade balance is a strate- island last year, nickel prices have plummeted Cuba is lifted. gic issue for the country’s economic sur- worldwide amid rising production and falling “When we look at vival,” Ricardo Cabrisas, vice president of the demand to between $10,000 and $15,000 per the numbers, we Council of Ministers in charge of internation- ton, from a high of around $50,000 in 2007. know that Cuba and al economic relations, told the meeting. Cuba reported a debt of $17.8 billion and a the Dominican Re- Kenneth McClintock Granma gave no figures for 2008, but reli- current-account balance of payments surplus public tend to attract able estimates for 2007 place imports at $16.1 of $527 million in 2007, based on $9 billion in a specific type of cost-conscious tourist,” says billion and exports at $4.4 billion, leaving a service exports. Murtas. “But both countries are investing in deficit of $11.7 billion. But tourism revenues edged up only slight- upgrading and creating hotel infrastructure ly in 2008, and there was no mention of a big that appeals to more affluent tourists. That’s That would be an increase of $4.8 billion, or 69.5% over official figures for 2007, that jump in other service exports, all but ensur- Puerto Rico’s target market. So if Cuba enters ing a big deficit in the 2008 current-account that area, we might have some difficulties.” showed a deficit of $6.9 billion, with exports totaling $4.3 billion and imports $11.2 billon. balance of payments. ❑ WILL CRUISE SHIPS STOP COMING? García is more blunt. UN accepts Cuba’s GDP methodology “Puerto Rican politicians are afraid of Cuba. Remember that tourism to Puerto Rico [con- key United Nations panel has agreed An ECLAC spokesman could not be imme- sists mostly] of Americans,” he says. “If Cuba after several years of dispute with Cuba diately reached for comment, but an ECLAC opens up to the Americans, Puerto Rico is Ato include social investment in calcula- report issued in July included Cuban data going to be hammered.” tions of the country’s Gross Domestic without any of the past qualifications. Not true at all, McClintock retorts. Product. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the “In tourism, the Cubans have some compe- Reuters reported Dec. 16 that the decision UN adopted a single system of national titive advantages in terms of lower costs, but by the UN Economic Commission on Latin accounts, which in the introduction said it we have 4- and 5-star tourism,” he said. “That America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) — con- was meant for market economies and requires a high degree of training and sophis- sidered an authoritative source on the economies in transition to market-based tication which has yet to develop in Cuba.” region’s economies — was a victory for the ones, Cuba and North Korea being the only McClintock insists that, curiosity aside, Cuban government, which has argued that exceptions to the rule at the time. ❑ Puerto Rico has even less to worry about ECLAC’s national accounts methodology was when it comes to the cruise-ship business. biased against non-market economies. “The infrastructure in Cuba is simply not “We have worked all year with ECLAC, Chile’s D&S pulls Cuba items there, and cruise passengers are only willing including its top officials, to perfect the Chile’s Distribucion y Servicio (D&S) to withstand so much roughing it. They no method that can really measure our growth,” SA, the subject of a takeover bid by Wal- longer enjoy anchoring offshore and going to Oscar Mederos Mesa, director of the Cuban port in a dinghy. That was quaint and nice in Mart Stores Inc., will stop selling prod- National Statistics Office, told Reuters. ucts from countries that have diplomatic the ‘60s and ‘70s, but not today,” he said. The dispute centered over whether Cuba “We have a much better infrastructure for conflicts with the United States, reported could include in its growth calculations esti- Bloomberg news service. handling cruise ships. It would take Cuba five mates of the market value of free social serv- to 10 years to come up to speed. You can’t D&S’s Lider supermarket chain will ices and subsidized goods, as well as massive remove 42 items from countries such as build that kind of infrastrucure overnight.” medical and other services exported mainly Venezuela, Cuba and Iran, said Bloom- McClintock adds that Puerto Rico also to Venezuela in exchange for oil. enjoys a geographical advantage over Cuba. Cuba began including the items in its GDP berg, quoting the Santiago-based news- “In Cuba, you can only do a three-day calculations in 2003, but ECLAC said the paper Diario Financiero. cruise where you hit a different port every Cuban formula was under study and began Arkansas-based Wal-Mart, the world’s day. If you want to go from Havana to Jamaica noting its reservations when publishing the top retailer, began an offer to buy D&S in to Mexico, you have to spend a day at sea,” he Caribbean island’s data. a deal worth $2.66 billion, the largest said. “But with Puerto Rico, you can fly into The different methodologies produced dif- Wal-Mart acquisition in Latin America. San Juan and take a seven-day cruise with fering numbers. In 2004, for example, Cuba Wal-Mart officials didn’t immediately re- seven ports, or a 14-day cruise with 14 ports spond to email requests for comment. ❑ said its economy grew 5%, while ECLAC put and see a different port every day.” the number at 3%. 12 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 from their contributions to social security. The Previously, only foreigners and Cubans hold- BUSINESS BRIEFS new bill also expands to 15 years the period ing key state jobs could have cellphones. from which to select the five years of service Customers still must buy a phone card for REGIME APPROVES SOCIAL SECURITY CHANGES with the highest income, as a reference to cal- the calls. Making or receiving local calls costs The Cuban parliament approved a new culate retirement pensions. 30c/min. Calls to the U.S. are $2.70/min. Cell social security law in the recently concluded Over three million of Cuba’s 4.3 million- phones are still out of reach for most Cubans, second session of the Seventh Legislature. member workforce made proposals based on whose salaries average about $20 month. Modifications to the old law represent a sub- the draft of this law, which was discussed in In related news, the Italian newspaper stantial increase in expenses, but also adapt thousands of assemblies across the island. Corriere della Sera reported Dec. 10 that Italia this bill to the realities of a rapidly aging pop- SpA had informal talks with Telefonica SA on ulation that by 2020 will see fewer Cubans of ORGANOPONICOS MAKE A COMEBACK the sale of its 27% stake in Etecsa. working age than retirees. Cuba’s urban farms(organopónicos)are 97% Telefonica may offer as much as $500 mil- Alfredo Morales, Cuba’s minister of l;abor recovered after being hit by three powerful lion for the holding, while Telecom Italia is and social security, decreed the new retire- hurricanes last year: Gustav, Ike and Paloma. seeking up to $780 million, the daily said. ment age as 65 for men and 60 for women. Adolfo Rodríguez, head of the urban farming The two companies aren’t negotiating yet The pension will be calculated by taking 60% program, told Cuban state media that 9,884 and Telecom Italia may decide to hold an auc- of the average salary for 30 years of work, acres of vegetable gardens were damaged, yet tion for its stake supervised by Cuba’s gov- compared to 50% for 25 years of service as the presence in December of 10 types of veg- ernment, which controls the mobile operator. done previously. etables were a testament to Cuba’s recovery. Another 2% will be added to the pensions of Rodríguez said Cuba will have achieved its VENEZUELA, CUBA UNVEIL TELECOM, ENERGY J-Vs those who keep working after 30 years. 2008 target of 1.34 million metric tons of fresh Venezuela and Cuba have agreed to create Assistance is not limited to one pension, if vegetables and 12,000 tons of pork. joint oil and telecommunications ventures, the person qualifies for another in the case of opening the way for the development of 173 total or partial disability. ETECSA SLASHES CELLPHONE RATES bilateral projects worth $2 billion in 2009. People who retired due to age can go back It’s now a little bit easier to activate a cell The deals were inked Dec. 13 by Presidents to work and receive both a pension and a sal- phone in Cuba. Hugo Chávez and Raúl Castro during the lat- ary, as long as they’re employed in a different The Associated Press reported Dec. 11 that ter's first official visit to Venezuela. A memo of activity than the one from which they retired. Cuba’s telephone monopoly Etecsa is cutting understanding calls for the formation of “a Nevertheless, they may be employed in the the cost of activating a cellular phone from joint venture for the oil and liquefied natural same occupational profile, and exemptions $120 to about $65 — a move that could put gas refining system in Cuba” — a deal that may be approved by the municipal office of the once-restricted devices in the hands of will expand the island’s Cienfuegos and the Labor and Social Security Ministry. more ordinary citizens. Hermanos Díaz refineries. Self-employed workers are also included in Last April, the government opened cellular The two leaders also agreed to form a social- the benefits which are paid from a fund made phone service to any Cuban who can afford it. ist J-V known as Guardian del Alba to “pro- duce integrated technology solutions” for the telecom and IT industries. The meeting’s final act included a review of Retail website evades OFAC — for now the 2009 “cooperation program,” which calls Web address and the slogan, “Your Friendly for the continuation of 137 development proj- rupo Excelencias, based in Spain, has ects, and 36 new ones worth $2 billion. Purchases,” to shoppers in Havana, hoping teamed up with the Castro regime to Venezuela and Cuba carried out 76 joint to entice purchases from visiting exiles. G create MallHabana.com, which offers projects worth $1.35 billion in 2008. prices in U.S. dollars and says it can deliver The cards attracted so much attention During the ceremony, Chávez presented product ranging from flowers to flat-screen that Havana’s Palco supermarket quickly Castro with the Order of the Liberator and TVs within 24 hours to homes in Havana. ran out. The store sells expensive imported gave him a replica of South American inde- “It’s a good business, but it’s also a way goods to foreign diplomats, tourists and Cu- pendence leader Simon Bolívar’s sword. for Cubans [overseas] to help their family bans lucky enough to have hard currency. members here,” said Sergio Pérez, the Hav- Pérez said the site has 20,000 registered THINK TANK OFFERS 9 WAYS TO MEND CUBA TIES clients and rings up “millions of dollars” in ana director of the Spanish-language site. How can America break its 50-year-old diplo- sales, though he wouldn’t be specific. But the Los Angeles Times, in a Dec. 24 matic deadlock with Cuba? The Center for story, says the website also appears to be a Payment requires a non-U.S. credit card Democracy in the Americas thinks it can help. direct challenge to U.S. limits on shipping — a rarity among Cubans in the U.S. — or CDA’s new report, “9 Ways for Us to Talk to funds to Cuba or spending money there. direct money transfers to Excelencias’ Cuba and for Cuba to Talk to Us,” is available The newspaper says dozens of the prod- Spanish accounts. Customers can also pur- at www.democracyinamericas.org. It identi- ucts listed are made in Cuba — such as chase U.S. money orders and ship them to fies nine critical areas where Washington and Havana Club rum and guayaberas. Others company reps in , Pérez said. Havana can communicate and work together. are imports already stocked by upscale A spokesman for the U.S. Treasury De- These areas of cooperation are military, state-run stores, such as 29-inch Panasonic partment’s Office of Foreign Assets Control secruity, migration, medicine, commercial TVs or crunchy peanut butter from Canada. declined to say specifically if MallHabana.- trade, energy, disaster preparedness, educa- The site was created in August 2006; it com violates Washington’s trade embargo. tion and the role of Cuban-American exiles. features a limited range of products at what But Ninoska Pérez Castellón, a Miami ra- “Cuba ceased being a security threat to the Americans would consider sky-high prices. dio and TV host, said U.S. authorities have U.S. over a decade ago, yet our policymakers The first item listed under “computing” is shut down similar such websites based out- remain wedded to a series of dated policies a set of eight crayons. Further down the side Cuba in the past, and she expects that cry out for a fresh approach,” said retired page, a Dell computer that would retail for OFAC to take similar action this time. Marine Corps Gen. John J. Sheehan. “This $450 in the U.S. is “on sale” for $1,424. “Apparently they think they can violate report offers concerte ideas which could yield This past Christmas season, the regime the law. It’s really pathetic,” said Perez benefits to both sides of the Florida Straits.” promoted the site heavily, with baggers and Castellón, a member of the Cuban Liberty Details: Sarah Stephens, Executive Director, cashiers at state boutiques passing out busi- Council. “It’s the law, it’s clear and they are CDA, PO Box 53106, Washington, DC 20009. ness cards bearing the MallHabana.com violating it.” ❑ Tel: (202) 234-5506. Fax: (202) 234-5508. Email: [email protected]. January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 13 Bush — FROM PAGE 2 POLITICS who at the time was Florida’s governor, is often cited as the reason Bush veered to the right on Cuba issues. Russian warships dock in Havana Tomás Bilbao, executive director of the n Dec. 19, a Russian anti-submarine at Inter-American Dialogue, told AP: “That is Cuba Study Group, said that in his first few destroyer and two logistical warships Cuba’s diplomatic specialty, playing both years in office, Bush had taken a more meas- sides, or all sides, on every issue.” ured, thoughtful approach towards Cuba. Odocked in Cuba — in what Associated Press correspondent Will Weissert called a Erikson, author of a new book called “Cuba He said Jeb Bush became more in-volved in Wars,” said he wasn’t surprised to see Russian U.S.-Cuba policy after President Bush gave a “thumb-your-nose port call” aimed at Wash- speech to Cuban-Americans in Miami in May ington in waters just 90 miles from Florida. ships come to Cuba just as the Castro regime 2002 promising that “meaningful reform on AP said the visit was non-military, an exten- pushes better ties with Washington. Cuba’s part will be answered with a meaning- sion of a tour that included stops in Venezuela “Cuba has always been a country that ful American and and shows Moscow’s desire to wants to have its cake and eat it too,” he said. response” — flex some muscle in America’s backyard after “They want to keep the United States as the which hard- the Bush administration supported the for- No. 1 enemy and at the same time benefit liners criti- mer Soviet republic of Georgia. from U.S. travel and trade.” cized as too “It also signals that Cuba is willing to hedge During the visit, Russian sailors in white- conciliatory. its bets and fall back on Cold War allies, even and-tan dress uniforms stood at attention on Its first re- as President Raúl Castro reaches out to the the deck of the Admiral Chabanenko destroy- port, issued United States, offering to negotiate directly er, which chugged into Havana Bay amid a in May 2004, with President-elect Barack Obama and pro- cloud of gray smoke. recommend- posing an unprecedented swap of political The crew visited a Cuban naval school and ed stepped- prisoners held in his country for five Cuban held wreath-laying ceremonies at the tomb of up assistance spies behind bars in America,” wrote Weissert. Cuban independence hero José Martí and the to dissidents, Daniel Erikson, director of Cuba programs Soviet Internationalist Soldier Memorial. ❑ increased funding for Radio and TV KEY EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF CUBA-RUSSIA RELATIONS Marti — the U.S. government’s broadcasts to Cuba — and 1960-62: Alliance with the USSR is built following Fidel Castro’s triumphant revolution, the controversial restrictions on remittances though Escalante affair and Moscow’s unilateral actions during the Missile Crisis create seri- and travel to Cuba. ous tensions, along with permanent Cuban distrust towards the Soviets. The commission also cooperated with 1964-68: Cuba’s growing tensions and conflicts with Soviet leadership under Nikita NGOs and foreign governments to press for Khrushchev and early years of Leonid Brezhnev. human rights improvements and support of 1974: Brezhnev visits Cuba. Cuban dissidents and civil society. The admin- istration adopted all the recommendations. 1978-79: Clashes between Havana and Moscow over strategies in Africa. Soviet refusal in 1979 to meet Cuban demands to upgrade its military hardware, and over handling of issues BUSH’S FOCUS REMAINED THE EMBARGO at Cienfuegos submarine base and the supply of MiG-23s. Tensions prevail. Less attention was placed on the report’s 1985-89: Fidel becomes an outspoken critic of perestroika and glasnost; warns of its dan- “carrots” to a post-Castro Cuba. It promised gers. Tripartite (Angola-Cuba-USSR) cooperation ceases almost completely. to work with the OAS and other international 1989: Mikhail Gorbachev visits Cuba. Agreements are signed but not implemented, and entities to improve Cuban living conditions. Soviet trade and cooperation fall apart. Subsequently, Cuba refuses to meet financial obliga- Peters said the transition plan, Bush’s blue- print for change in Cuba, “got lost” in the con- tions concerning its debts to the collapsing Soviet Union. troversy over the panel’s punitive proposals. 2000-01: visits Cuba. Moscow unilaterally closes down Lourdes eaves- Bilbao worked for former Housing and dropping station, with a subsequent freezing of bilateral relations. Urban Development Secretary Mel Martínez 2004: Russia begins new rapprochement with Cuba. Sergei Lavrov, minister of foreign when the commission was created and was affairs, makes a very friendly visit, seeking to restore ties and expand cooperation. Martínez’s representative to the panel. 2006: Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov visits Cuba and postpones indefinitely the issue of Because the commission’s task was to find “old debt” while agreeing to reschedule $166 million in current payments and grant Cuba a ways to speed a transition in Cuba, Bilbao said he was “surprised the commission re- new credit line of $355 million. commended further isolating a closed society.” 2007: Bilateral trade reaches $400 million (compared to $8 billion in the mid-1980s). Bush convened the commission again after Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin visits Cuba three times in 12 months; an additional $20 Fidel Castro’s illness forced him to hand over million credit is granted. Important agreements in oil, nickel mining and transport signed. power to his brother Raúl on July 31, 2006. July 2008: Anatoly Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s Secruity Council, visits Cuba and The following year, the commission issued meets with Raúl Castro. a second report urging creation of an $80 mil- lion Cuba Fund for a Democratic Future that October 2008: Gen. Alexander Maslov, Russia’s chief of air defense of the ground army, would support civil society in Cuba, “break visits Cuba and signs key treaties in IT and communications with Cuban counterpart Ramiro the regime’s information blockade” via great- Valdés. Metropolitan Kiril Gundjaev inaugurates Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Old Havana. er Internet access, and offer scholarships to Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez Roque visits Russia and meets with Putin and President U.S. universities for dissidents’ children. Dmitri Medvedev, but dismisses any possibility of a Russian deployment of weapons in Cuba. But the basis of U.S. policy toward Cuba November 2008: Medvedev’s Nov. 27-28 trip to Havana marks the first visit of a Russian would continue to be the embargo. As the re- port emphatically stated, “the more economic leader to Cuba since 2000; Fidel writes a reflexion critical of Soviet role in Angola in the ‘80s. pressure there is on the regime, the greater December 2008: Russian warships dock in Havana — the first time since the Cold War. the likelihood there will be dramatic and suc- – DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI cessful change for the Cuban people.” ❑ 14 CubaNews ❖ January 2009 ARTS & CULTURE Artist José Fuster brings Havana neighborhood to life BY TRACEY EATON tury Catalan architect. But his work is original spot where some people bump their heads. ne day, José Fuster answers the door with distinct Cuban roots, said Havana writer Lately, Cold-War politics has also crept into wearing a swimsuit. Another day, it’s an Marta Rojas. some of Fuster’s work. In September, he Oapron — lift it and a part of the male Fuster often returns to themes of the unveiled a giant sculpture of a hand and an anatomy suddenly pops out. Cuban countryside — campesinos, farm ani- eye — a tribute to five Cuban spies being held Not that part, of course. It’s just a piece of mals, palm trees and crocodiles, Rojas said. in American prisons. stuffed nylon. And Fuster is laughing once He was a literacy worker in rural eastern “I’m not a politician, but politics is part of again. Cuba in the early 1960s, just after Fidel Castro life whether one wants it or not,” he said, call- At 61, he’s a playful grown-up kid who has spent more than a decade turning his art stu- dio and home into a magical garden of sculp- tures and colorful mosaics. Tourists regularly stop by Fuster’s studio in Jaimanitas, a fishing town west of Havana. TRACEY EATON There, they find red-painted roosters and campesinos with Picasso-like eyes mingling among the palm trees. Neighbors call it the “Fustine Chapel,” though his studio doesn’t resemble the Vati- can’s Sistine Chapel at all. Fuster said his art is really about some- thing else: La alegría de vivir — the joy of liv- ing. It’s right there, written on the tiles of a bench he built in front of his home. “The joy of living is in my art because that’s what I see in Cuba,” Fuster said over lunch on the second floor of his studio. “When I travel to the or Mexico, I see children begging. I see children cleaning car windshields. We don’t have that. In Cuba, I paint what I see: the happiness of children.” Material goods like clothes, TVs and com- puters are in short supply, Fuster readily con- cedes. But he says most Cubans lead happy, peaceful lives. A ONE-MAN URBAN RENEWAL TEAM Not everyone on the island has such a rosy outlook. Yet Fuster is undeterred and spends much of his time extending his colorful can- vas into the surrounding neighborhood. Fuster has built ornate tiled roofs, fanciful archways, benches, tables and murals throughout his neighborhood. He’s splashed his artwork on more than 80 of his neighbors’ homes and yards — and he’s not finished. He jokes that he’s going to keep working until his Artist José Fuster and some of the whimsical creations he has used to liven up his Havana neighborhood. art reaches the ocean, a quarter-mile away. “I work every day — no vacations,” he said. took power, and that had great influence on ing the U.S. embargo against Cuba cruel and It all began harmlessly enough. Fuster put his later work as an artist, she said. merciless. “We have to stand up as Cubans up a wall facing the street in front of his home Fuster’s paintings, sketches and sculptures and defend ourselves against those policies.” in 1996 and started showing neighbors the have been shown in the United States, Europe He said he built the spy monument on his kinds of sculptures he had been making for and much of Latin America. His pieces have own, not because the socialist government years. His neighbors began asking if he could also been on display at Havana’s National Fine requested it. decorate their homes. And so he did, for free. Arts Museum, and he has won many of his “I do what you see around me with my own Fuster quickly became a one-man urban country’s top art awards. money,” Fuster insisted. “The government renewal team. A set of tiled arches and fence But Fuster remains unpretentious, prefer- doesn’t tell me to do anything. If you ask me in front of one house is called “Beautiful ring to go barefoot and shirtless as he labors my truth, this is it. I don’t belong to any polit- María,” named for a neighbor’s wife. away on his latest whimsical creation or shows ical party in Cuba. I’m just an artist.” ❑ There’s a monument to Princess Diana, around a busload of tourists who show up inspired by a woman who says her daughter unexpectedly. Tracey Eaton, a former Cuba correspondent is a princess. And there’s also a park where His studio is decorated with such creations for the Dallas Morning News, was based in Hav- neighbors can play chess. as “The Love Column,” “The Love Seat” and ana from 2000 to 2005 and now teaches jour- Fuster said he draws some inspiration from “Column of Joy.” Humor is a common theme: nalism in St. Augustine, Fla. To visit his blog, go Pablo Picasso and Antoni Gaudí, a 19th-cen- A curse word is painted on the stairs at the to http://alongthemalecon.blogspot.com/. January 2009 ❖ CubaNews 15 ARTS & CULTURE Foreign assistance energizes Cuban cultural programs BY PATRICIA GROGG / INTER PRESS SERVICE rather for the social and cultural role it plays,” In its creative writing courses, the center — n Cuba, international aid is promoting the said Susana Rochna, Hivos coordinator for founded in 1998 by Cuban short-story writer advancement of cultural projects, adopting Central America and the Caribbean, speaking Eduardo Heras León — has taught more than Ian approach that enriches the traditional from her office in San José, . 500 young students from cities, towns and perspective on development with a dimension Hivos, a Dutch entity inspired by humanist remote villages, thus transforming Cuba’s lit- closer to the needs of the human spirit. values, is active in 30 countries around the erary map, which had previously been domi- With that aim in mind, two European orga- world, working with local organizations in a nated by the large cities. nizations, the Swiss Agency for Development range of fields, including culture, where it Thanks to foreign aid, the center was later and Cooperation (COSUDE) and the Dutch supports independent artistic initiatives. able to set up a computer lab, furnish the Humanist Institute for Cooperation with “This marriage between cooperation and main office and establish the publishing Developing Countries (Hivos), have kept up its concern for development and art has an house Caja China, which has released short- their aid efforts in Cuba — along with other interesting effect, because it helps raise social story anthologies and puts out the quarterly initiatives by multilateral bodies — in spite of awareness,” said Rochna. “We support art El Cuentero literary magazine. political and diplomatic changes. that is quite avant-garde and anti-establish- “I believe financing is key, because it basi- “Foreign development aid goes directly to ment, that stimulates reflection, generates cally allows people to produce and bring to enhance the spirit of the population,” Yoanny change and awakens the best in people.” life their ideas,” said Rochna, noting that Sarmiento, director of the Casa de Cultura Of the 800 NGOs backed by Hivos, 150 are Hivos has a budget of 100 million euros, of cultural center of Jamaica, a town located 800 located in Latin America and the Caribbean. which around 5% goes to its art and culture kms east of Havana, told IPS. In Cuba, Hivos has made a decisive contribu- program. In Jamaica, the second-biggest town in the tion to the development of many cultural insti- Since the European Union and Cuba broke province of Guantánamo, a project that began tutions like the Pablo de la Torriente Brau off relations in 2003, following diplomatic in 2006 aims to revitalise the community’s Cultural Center, the Retazos dance company, sanctions imposed by the EU for mass dissi- social and cultural life, backed by financing the International Low Budget Film Festival dent arrests, Cuba has received no official from the United Nations Development Pro- organized by Humberto Solás, and the Onelio cultural aid from the EU as a bloc or from gram (UNDP), which has supplied technical Jorge Cardoso Center, a literary workshop. most of its members, with the exception of equipment to cultural centers. “Hivos gave us the start-up funds to open Spain and .But this situation could “There’s been a huge increase in the num- the Center,” said Ivonne Galeano, head of the change now that the EU and Cuba renewed ber of appreciation workshops, and the quali- state-run Onelio Jorge Cardoso Center. “We ties in late October. ty of art has improved enormously,” says Sar- had the approval and support of the Ministry In late 2007, Cuba was receiving aid from miento, a 33-year-old music teacher. of Culture, but we didn’t have the money to 39 countries, 110 local governments, 102 “We don’t support art for art’s sake, but buy the initial equipment.” NGOs and 20 private funds. ❑ Germany’s Van Dyk visits Cuba to talk music, politics t the invitation of some friends, last grew up in communist East Germany, paid a noted that — like other foreigners who have month I attended a dance music event visit to Havana in 2007 for more than just a trekked to Havana — he was curious about a A at New York’s Roseland hosted by Paul fancy photo shoot. country the United States goes out of its way Van Dyk — a 37-year-old German who’s In an undated interview conducted by the to marginalize. become one of the world’s most popu- Australian dance publication Onion, Van Dyk Van Dyk also wanted to shoot a music video lar trance and house music DJs. in Havana, but blamed U.S. filmmaker Van Dyk is accustomed to doing Michael Moore (of “SiCKO” fame) for stadium shows and appearing at sun- making that virtually impossible. soaked locales like Ibiza, Rio and even “The way Moore approached it is Beirut. So I couldn’t help but notice very wrong, because there were a lot that his current CD cover, “In of organizations trying to lift the ban Between,” shows Van Dyk holding a on Cuba, trying to get the relationship fedora hat walking down a street in between the countries on the econom- Old Havana. ic side as well as on the bilateral side The trendy electronic music scene back on track” Van Dyk told Onion. that Van Dyk hails from is a far cry “Then Michael Moore comes along, from other musicians who use Old f-----ing it all up, and now everything is Havana for their CD covers; those back to zero. types usually pitch music reminiscent “This is one of those reasons I don’t of the Buena Vista Social Club. like Michael Moore and his ap- In fact, Van Dyk’s fan base is the proach,” Van Dyk continued. “Instead “iPod set” of Europeans and other of working with people who are trying global dance music enthusiasts in to change things, he puts his own ego their 20s and 30s. Perhaps the only on the plate, and then he acts as the house music DJ who actually did a live only ambassador for that cause. He’s mix show in Havana was Paul harming a lot of those causes. A lot of Oakenfold, performing there in 1999 people who work in charity organiza- for the BBC’s Radio 1. tions and other groups, who actually Van Dyk came to Cuba even though do something for those causes, are the island has few young fans who really pissed off with that.” download his music. The DJ, who – VITO ECHEVARRÍA 16 CubaNews ❖ January 2009

CALENDAR OF EVENTS CARIBBEAN UPDATE If your organization is sponsoring an upcoming event, please let our readers know! You already know what’s going in Cuba, Fax details to CubaNews at (301) 949-0065 or send e-mail to [email protected]. thanks to CubaNews. Now find out what’s happening in the rest of this diverse and Jan. 13: “Outlook on the Americas” Luncheon, Biltmore Hotel, Miami. Speakers: Juan José fast-growing region. Daboub, managing director, ; Walter Bastian, deputy assistant secretary/Western Subscribe to Caribbean UPDATE, a monthly newsletter founded in 1985. Cor- Hemisphere, U.S. Commerce Department, and Susan Kaufman Purcell, director, University porate and government executives, as well of Miami’s Center for Hemispheric Policy. Sponsored by UM and the Association of American as scholars and journalists, depend on this Chambers of Commerce in Latin America. Cost: $75. Details: Maria Medrano, AACCLA, 1615 publication for its insightful, timely cover- H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20062. Tel: (202) 463-5384. Email: [email protected]. age of the 30-plus nations and territories of the Caribbean and Central America. Feb. 5: “Cuba’s Armed Forces and Security Apparatus,” Center for Strategic and Internatio- When you receive your first issue, you nal Studies, Washington. Third in a 5-part Cuba series. Details: Jessica Horwitz, CSIS, 1800 have two options: (a) pay the accompany- ing invoice and your subscription will be 1800 K St. NW, #400, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: (202) 775-3211. Email: [email protected]. processed; (b) if you’re not satisfied, just write “cancel” on the invoice and return it. Feb. 19: “The Rise and Fall of Cuba’s Sugar Economy,” London. Keynote speaker: Noted There is no further obligation on your part. Cuba expert Bruce Pollitt of the University of Glasgow. No charge. Details: Stephen Wilkin- The cost of a subscription to Caribbean son, International Institute for the Study of Cuba, London Metropolitan University, 166-220 UPDATE is $281 per year. A special rate of Holloway Road, London N7 8DB. Tel: +44 20 7133-2405. Email: [email protected]. $141 is available to academics, non-profit organizations and additional subscriptions Mar. 1-9: Fourth International Workshop on Child Health,” Camagüey, Cuba. Organized by mailed to the same address. Camagüey Children’s Hospital and the International Institute for the Study of Cuba. Includes To order, contact Caribbean UPDATE at 116 Myrtle Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041, call us three-day conference headed by Imti Choonara, a child health specialist from Nottingham at (973) 376-2314, visit our new website at University. Registration fee for doctors: £250 (excluding travel expenses). Details: Stephen www.caribbeanupdate.org or send an Wilkinson, International Institute for the Study of Cuba, London Metropolitan University, 166- email to [email protected]. We accept 220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB. Tel: +44 20 7133-2405. Email: [email protected]. Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Mar. 19-21: CubaTradeExpo, Inter-Continental Miami. Event promises to “bring together interested parties on the subject of Cuba” and “provide a venue for reputable professionals to network with business and investors. Panels on tourism, real-estate, agriculture and ener- gy. Cost: $795 (or $595 before Jan. 31). Details: Jonathan Bedard, 90 Exchange Street, #LL-1, Lynn, MA 01901. Tel: (617) 981-2766. Email: [email protected]. URL: www.cubaex.com.

Mar. 27-Apr. 30: 10th Annual Havana Biennial, Wilfredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, Editor & Publisher Havana. Artists from 44 nations invited to participate. Theme: “Integration and Resistance in ■ LARRY LUXNER ■ the Global Era”. Details: Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wilfredo Lam, San Ignacio 22, esq. Washington correspondent Empedrado, Plaza de la Catedral, La Habana Vieja, Cuba. URL: www.bienalhabana.cult.cu. ■ ANA RADELAT ■ Jul. 13-27: Latidos Cuba dance trip exclusively for 10 travelers anywhere in Canada. Led Political analyst by tour guide and dance instructor Chen Lizra, this two-week trip takes in “an adventure of ■ DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI ■ sightseeing in Havana, and breathtaking countryside in Viñales and Trinidad.” Cost: $1,000 Feature writers excluding airfare and hotel accommodations. Registration deadline: Mar. 31, 2009. Details: ■ TRACEY EATON ■ ■ VITO ECHEVARRÍA ■ Latidos Productions, Vancouver, BC. Tel: (604) 708-2170. URL: www.latidosproductions.com. Cartographer ■ ARMANDO H. PORTELA ■

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