© YEAR IX THE Nº 4 FEB 28, 2019 HAVANA, CUBA ISSN 2224-5707 Price: avana eporter 1.00 CUC H YOUR SOURCE OF NEWSR & MORE 1.00 USD A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.20 CAN Tourism P. 2 Cuban Tourist Sector Targets More Competitive Products Cuba-U.S. P. 3 Havana Heals Tornado Scars Drumming to the Beat of Havana’s Yearly Festival P. 4 The U.S. Increases Hostility towards Cuba Culture P. 6 Havana & a Defining Element: Rum Sports P. 15 Ibargüen vs Rojas: The P. 7 Sports Rivalry of the Year? 2 TOURISM Cuban Tourist Sector Targets More Competitive Products of friends or in the company of their By MasielFERNANDEZ families. The hotel has conditions for holding HAVANA.- The Cuban tourist industry big events, as it has a modern convention is committed to offering ever more center with seven meeting halls and a competitive products that meet clients’ 1,000 square meter ballroom. expectations. Likewise, it has alternative areas As part of this strategy, the sector including terraces, swimming pool, is offering a new variety of hotels that gardens and a beach, offering make the difference, Cuban Tourism multiply choices so that the events Minister Manuel Marrero said in Madrid are held successfully, said Meliá Hotels during the International Tourism Fair, International. FITUR 2019, last January. Marrero referred to a new generation of five-star luxury hotels in Havana and Varadero, such as Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana, Iberostar Grand Packard and Hotel Meliá Internacional Varadero, “which will be the best of that beach resort.” Meliá International is the newest hotel and is considered one of the most original in Cuba, very much convenient to hold big events. With a nice and contemporary design, its rooms have smart technology, intended to offer greater comfort to guests, according to a press release published by Meliá Hotels International hotel chain, which runs the hotel. The facility that recently opened its doors in the famous Varadero beach resort belongs to Gran Caribe Group, and has 946 rooms spread in eleven floors. It affords “incomparable views” of Varadero Beach, which TripAdvisor recognized as the third best in the world in 2018. The Cuba division of Meliá Hotels International chain praised in the release the institution’s high level of personalized services, with exclusive areas for guests who wish to have a more personal attention, both for individual travelers and families. The ground floor has 15 restaurants where the “guests can enjoy the best variety of flavors, from Japanese to Italian and Cuban food,” the note reads. In addition, its 16 bars allow the customers to appreciate different ambiences while tasting the most varied cocktails, it added. The hotel also has a Yhi Spa on the last floor, with an infinity swimming pool, Courtesy of Meliá International. Hotels and a Teen Spa specially for adolescents who wish to receive services for a group PHOTOS: A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE THE YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY HavanaReporter SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Graphic Designers: Paola A. González Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Information Vice President: Hector Miranda. Chief Graphic Editor: Francisco González Prensa Latina, S.A. Editorial Vice President: Lianet Arias Advertising: Nelson Pérez Vergara Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. Chief Editor: Luis Melian Circulation: Commercial Department. Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Translation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián Printing: Imprenta Federico Engels Fax: (53)7833-3068 E-mail: [email protected] CUBA 3 Havana Heals Tornado Scars By MendyRODRIGUEZ its premise: “Nobody will be left to their own fate.” HAVANA.-ONE month after a strong According to the Head of State, tornado devastated five municipalities of recovery measures should be guided by Havana, the Cuban capital shows signs of the concept that things should surpass recovery, even though much remains to their prior state of being and added that be done. priority should be given to the most For many, it will be difficult to forget vulnerable people. the night of January 27, when several lives Díaz-Canel highlighted that the were lost, dozens of people were injured, tragedy has strengthened the Cubans’ more than 7,800 homes were damaged unity and has consolidated collective and the electricity, communications and management, relations between national water services were affected. and local entities, and interactions This weather phenomenon changed between different sectors of the society. the landscape in some areas of The president expressed his Guanabacoa, Regla and Diez de Octubre– satisfaction for being part of a community the most affected municipalities–where of people where individuals share what over 1,600 buildings either totally or they have and show sensibility and partially collapsed and hundreds of trees generosity, in respect to the solidarity, and electrical posts fell, obstructing many dedication and effort made in favor of roads. disaster relief. According to Havana’s governmental As for the material damage, he president, Reynaldo García, the city is estimated that based on a conservative gradually regaining strength and basic analysis, most of the problems could be services have been restored. resolved and tended to by the end of the “The most difficult task is solving year. infrastructural issues of housing, though notable progress has been made in this regard. For example, thousands of neighbors have assembled the necessary building materials, while actions to repair and build for the victims are underway,”García indicated. Yaima Castillo, a resident in Regla, told The Havana Reporter that she feels relieved to see that her home is almost ready, even though it was almost totally destroyed by the tornado. “I can’t complain about the workers. From when they arrive until late evening, they work nonstop and hardly rest. My home is almost ready thanks to their efforts,” she said. NOBODY WILL BE LEFT TO THEIR OWN FATE On the very night of January 27 and the days that followed, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the areas hit by the tornado. On those occasions, he talked to the victims and assured them that the Revolution will hold to For 4 News Headlines per day for just $1CUC / month, send a SMS with the letters PL to 8100. 4 CUBA-U.S. The U.S. Increases Hostility towards Cuba interfered in Venezuela or received Colombian guerrillas By WaldoMENDILUZA when, in fact, they are delegates of peace talks, a process suspended by President Iván Duque after a deadly attack HAVANA.- Following the notable tightening of the U.S. in the South American country. economic, commercial and financial blockade against The situation in Venezuela, the target country of Cuba in 2018, the new year began with an escalation of another coup d’état attempt led by the White House, is the US hostility towards the island. used by top U.S officials to fabricate a case against Cuba, By the middle of January, President Donald Trump including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National suspended the Title III rule of the Helms-Burton Act of Security Advisor John Bolton. 1996 for 45 days only, after his predecessors had done Experts, businesspeople, intellectuals and so for six months. This initiative entitles U.S. nationals to personalities from different parts of the world including bring lawsuits before U.S. courts against any foreigner the United States, have questioned the Trump policy who “partakes” in properties nationalized in Cuba during towards Cuba, highlighting that they have put it in the the 1960s. hands of minority sectors in Miami, like Senator Marco The Cuban Foreign Affairs Ministry called that decision Rubio, and ultra conservative representatives. a dangerous threat because, if the aforementioned title They disagree with those who are committed to takes effect, the blockade would intensify, in glaring undoing achievements like the bilateral talks about violation of International Law and directly affecting the topics of common interest, commercial flights, cruise sovereignty and interests of third party countries. ships and the arrival of more than 600,000 U.S. nationals At the end of January, officials of the Trump in 2018, although the blockade restricts tourist travel. administration said, both under anonymity and openly, In the meantime, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel that Washington was considering to include Cuba back ON THE WAY TO CONFRONTATION called the escalation of U.S. threats irresponsible hostility on the unilateral list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Cuban leaders have warned that as part of the and a brutal attack on International Law and third party Obama removed the island from that list in 2015, amid objective to reverse the progress made under the countries. a process of bilateral rapprochement that was greatly Obama administration in bilateral relations, the White "We will not permit political intimidations; we have applauded throughout the world. House seems to be embarking on a course of greater sufficient, legitimate reason and fact to cope with so “Some U.S. government officials seem to be out of confrontation. much hostility and disdain,” the president stressed. control, involved in frenzied attacks against Cuba by any The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Meanwhile, the support of positive bilateral relations, means possible,” said Carlos Fernández de Cossío, the Communist Party of Cuba, Raúl Castro, has reiterated the flow of tourists to Cuba and bilateral trade continue director of U.S. Affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry. that the island is willing to talk and maintain respectful to increase in the United States and Congress itself. Some The diplomat denounced the orchestration of lies relations with the powerful neighbor, but it will also sectors, small but powerful, insist on creating a scenario about Cuba in Washington as a weapon of first defense.