YEAR XI NO 1 JAN 7, 2021 HAVANA, CUBA ISSN 2224-5707 Price: 1.00 USD / 1.20 CAN 2021: Another Challenging Year Ahead P. 3 Health & Science Photo Feature Economy Vaccines that Break the Cuban Paradise for Monetary Unification Laws of Time Bird Species P.5 P. 11 P.13 2 TOURISM Cuba’s Tou r ism A i ms for Recover y i n 2021 By RobertoCAMPOS HAVANA.- Recovering the upward trend tourism registered in 2019 is undoubtedly the main objective of Cuban tourist authorities in 2021, despite the negative impact of COVID-19 and instability of the world travel market. Constantly committed to strict biosafety protocols, Cuba’s tourism is on the road to recovery and aimed to boost the economy through well-organized plans; hence, the sector is advancing despite the impact of the disease and hopes to rescue the number of foreign visitors. In Cuba, the measures adopted by the travel sector largely involve strict sanitary control, and even special certifications for hotels. Among other tools, that program includes a doctor and a nurse in every hotel to detect any possible health issue. Therefore, the recovery of tourism is interpreted as a given, mainly after the country’s main tourist resort, Varadero, reopened last October and all international airports reopened in November. According to the latest edition of the World Tourism Organization Barometer, in the first trimester of 2020 the sector shrank 22 percent in the world, with 67 million less international tourists, which accounts for Cuba’s tourism is on the road to recovery. PHOTOS: Prensa Latina. some 80 thousand million dollars. That pace continued throughout the year. announced that the 52 hotels in that destination have the Despite the slow pace of the sector due to COVID-19, this Tourism is one of the most important sectors to develop More Hygienic and Safe Tourism (T+HS) Certification, as do industry is paving the way and actions with producers and the Cuban economy; therefore, local authorities have made the rest of tourist facilities in the country. businesspeople are underway so as to meet the sector’s numerous improvements such as the over 9,000 projects Internationally renowned companies such as Meliá, needs, MINTUR spokesmen commented. in Varadero in order to recuperate the sector, and even try Iberostar and Blue Diamond, among others, are already Another important element of the MINTUR strategy to exceed the number of foreign visitors registered in 2019: committed to rescuing tourism on the island, in times is to facilitate foreign investment, increase access to a little over four million. when Canadian airlines and Germany’s Condor Airline new technologies, with Internet connectivity all over Referring to the topic, the Ministry of Tourism’s (Mintur) have resumed their flights, together with trips organized the country allowing for bookings and payments using Delegate in the western province of Matanzas, Ivis Fernández, by TUI (Germany-United Kingdom). international financial methods. For 4 News Headlines per day for just $25.00 CUP / month, Send an SMS with the letters PL to 8100 SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Art Direction: Anathais Rodríguez Printing: Prensa Latina. Information Vice President: Moisés Pérez Mok Graphic Designers: Fernando Fernandez Tito Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Editorial Vice President: Lianet Arias Chief Graphic Editor: Francisco González Prensa Latina, S.A. Chief Editor: Ilsa Rodriguez Santana Assistant Staff: Yaimara Portuondo Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. English Editor: Mitra Ghaffari Advertising: René García Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Translation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián Circulation: Commercial Department. Fax: (53)7833-3068 E-mail: [email protected] CUBA 3 2021: Another Challenging Year Ahead By OrlandoORAMAS Cuban child, pregnant woman or health staff member died due to the disease. Over a dozen biomedicines produced on the island have HAVANA.- Cuba will face 2021 with the proven been used in the treatment of COVID-19, and the trials of strength of last year, when the island was hit by the four Cuban vaccine candidates against the disease bring COVID-19 pandemic and its aftereffects, in addition hope to 2021. to the strengthening of the U.S. blockade, which The economy will be the other battleground. On January caused a contraction of the economy that amounted 1, Cuba eliminated monetary duality. The Cuban peso to 11 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. will prevail for both individuals and legal entities with an The country showed its strength by keeping the exchange rate of 24 pesos to one U.S. dollar. disease under control, but also by facing exceptional At the same time, a salary, pension and price reform economic conditions and overcoming Washington’s will be made, a process in which the authorities will be aggressions, said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on alert in the event that inflationary outbreaks arise. at the People’s Power National Assembly (ANPP) that These measures will be complicated but essential was in session on December 16 and 17. to remove many of the obstacles the economy The President also highlighted that the attempts faces, and to pave the way for the 2030 socio- that the Trump government made to asphyxiate economic strategy. Cubans were a complete and evident failure, as our Díaz-Canel stressed that there will be no shock people showed their heroism and withstood the therapy in Cuba, the concerns of the population will shortages caused by the non-conventional wars and be met and revised and no one will be abandoned. so-called soft coups. These actions will be accompanied by a State These confrontation attempts are focused on the budget, 52 percent of which will be dedicated to cultural sector in their capacity as an expression of education, public health and social care. the country’s essence, media display and foreign The economic plan is foreseen to grow from six financing, he added. to seven percent of the Gross Domestic Product. In the face of future relations with the United States, a However, this increase will be in relation to the country that will have a new government, the head of 2020 contraction. State reiterated that his country is willing to discuss any Cuban Deputy Prime Minister of Economics and topic but stressed that our principles and sovereignty Planning Alejandro Gil stated that the fulfillment will not be negotiable. of this goal will depend on the reactivation of the This new year, Cuba will continue fighting COVID-19 tourist industry and the increase planned in 19 Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel at the People’s Power with the strategy and results that place our country percent of the income for exports and services. National Assembly. PHOTOS: Prensa Latina. below the world’s average mortality rate. In 2020, no Cuba was expected to receive 5 million tourists in 2020, but the borders had to be closed for seven months because of the world health crisis. This year, the country expects to welcome 2.2 million visitors, a figure far below its potential, with the addition of 5,000 rooms – equivalent to 17 hotels. On the other hand, the economic plan gives priority to the substitution of imports and the materialization of links between the different productive actors, including the non-state sectors and foreign investment. At the institutional level, the Cuban Parliament endorsed a readjustment of the legislative schedule, affected by the pandemic. In this sense, the ANPP’s agenda this year will include a dozen bills, such as the laws related to the Popular Courts, Administrative Processes, Legal and Civil Procedures, Labor and Economics. Other bills include those related to Food Safety, Territorial Order, Personal Data Protection, Family Code, Claim of Constitutional Rights, among others. Cuba is nearing the 63rd anniversary of the Revolution, a year that will face its own challenges and victories, Raúl Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, attended the sessions of the parliament. as President Díaz-Canel predicts. 4 CUBA-U.S.A Cubans in the U.S. Donate Medical Supplies to the Island By KarinaMARRÓN HAVANA.- Sending love to their homeland, Representatives Joe García – of Cuban members of the Cuban community settled origin – and a group of Cuban-Americans in the United States donated medical settled in Southern Florida, who support supplies to contribute to the fight against the improvement of relationships Covid-19 on the island. between the two nations. The donation, received on December 10 Before the press, Romero emphasized the at the “José Martí” International Airport of importance of this event, not because of its The Director of “Pedro Kourí” Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK), Doctor Manuel Romero, appreciated Havana, was mainly addressed to the “Pedro economic value but because it shows the the donation. PHOTO: Prensa Latina. Kourí” Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK) solidarity between Cubans wherever they The institution’s Director, Doctor Manuel are, and for the human value it has. at the Department of Consular Issues and a proof of the fact that “what matters are Romero, appreciated the donation sent by He added that this action is a follow-up Cubans Living Abroad (DACRE) at the the reasons to strengthen and tighten links his fellow citizens, which was composed to the memorandum of understanding Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. and collaboration with the homeland.” of 102 health and protection material the Cuban Ministry of Public Health Stable stated the appreciation of the He added that this aid is in addition to packages for the health care staff. and the U.S. Department of Health and Cuban government and ratified the will to other support made by Cuban people and The delivery will also benefit 17 molecular Human Services signed in 2016 as part strengthen ties with emigrants in any part associations living broad, in support of the biology labs located all over the country in of the restart of relations between both of the world, including the United States, battle the country fights against COVID-19.