© YEAR IX THE Nº 8 MAY 30 , 2019 HAVANA, CUBA ISSN 2224-5707 Price: avana eporter 1.00 CUC H YOUR SOURCE OF NEWSR & MORE 1.00 USD A Monthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 1.20 CAN Tourism Fair Meets Everyone’s Expectations Trump’s Endless Hostility Toward Cuba June 16, 2017 March 15, 2019 Trump signed a Presidential The U.S. government Memorandum on the policy announced an amendment toward Cuba, announcing on the granting of B2 a reversion on the visas to Cubans (for family rapprochement Barack Obama tourism and visits, among (2009-2017) had started and other functions), to only ordered the drafting of new allow a one-time entry of travel and trade restrictions. up to three months. September 29, 2017 April 5 & 12, 2019 On the pretext of health The Trump administration incidents reported by announced sanctions U.S. diplomats in Havana, against ships linked to P. 2 the Department of State Venezuelan oil that carry announced the withdrawal crude oil to Cuba. A Gift to Havana for its 500th Anniversary of 60 percent of the U.S. Embassy staff in Cuba and suspended visa allocation. April 8, 2019 The U.S. government October 3, 2017 announced the suspension The Department of State of the historic agreement ordered the departure of reached between the U.S. 15 Cuban diplomats from Major League Baseball and the the Embassy of Cuba in Cuban Baseball Federation. Washington DC. April 17, 2019 November 8, 2017 The Trump administration The U.S. announced new travel confirms that Title III of and trade restrictions with Cuba, the Helms-Burton Act which included a list of 180 will be totally enacted Cuban entities and sub-entities and announced that new with which the U.S. people restrictions will be adopted cannot make transactions. This on remittances and travel to list was enlarged on November Cuba not related to family 1, 2018 and March 11, 2019. reasons. P. 4 Inmersión P. 7 Prensa Latina, Cuba Sets New Female Athletes to Six Decades in the Service Economic Goals Make Cuba Proud of Truth P. 3 P. 13 P. 15 2 TOURISM Text & Photos Roberto F.CAMPOS Tourism Fair Meets Everyone’s Expectations Minister Marrero HAVANA.- Cuba continues to be in the spotlight, above all in terms of tourism, as corroborated during the recent tourism fair, which stood out for its colorful atmosphere and bountiful opportunities. In addition to being a fruitful occasion for networking, the 39th edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITCuba 2019) held in Havana offered a look at Cuban tourism´s promising future. The fair was held at San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress from May 7 to 11, with the last day open to the public. This year´s fair honored Spain as the guest country and was dedicated to Havana and its 500th anniversary on November 16, while it also emphasized event-based and incentive tourism. The closing statements by Cuban authorities in regards to the upcoming 40th edition turned out to be quite interesting, as Russia will be the ´guest of honor´of the 2020 FITCuba Fair. On the last day of the event, Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero also announced that the upcoming edition will be held at the Varadero beach resort and will be largely dedicated to beach tourism. The Cuban Minister said that the main venue for the 2020 fair will be Plaza America exhibition site -located about 140 kilometers east of Havana- while the recently inaugurated Hotel Internacional de Varadero serve as the sub venue. Canada continues to be the main issuing market of tourists to the island with The FITCuba 2019 Fair was attended by 7,567 professionals of the tourist industry from 1,109,000 visitors. 53 countries, including 263 journalists, most of them specialized in international tourism. The United States stands as the second market in line with the 12 categories The most important deals included two business contracts between Canada’s Blue approved for visits to Cuba, mainly through the cruise ship modality. However, the Diamond Firm and Cuba’s Gran Caribe Hotel Chain for the administration of two new number has decreased more than 40 percent due to the U.S. economic pressures hotels, one in Cayo Coco and the other in Varadero. against the island. Also worth mentioning is the workshop that was held for representatives of the 19 Despite the obstacles posed by President Donald Trump, a delegation of 50 U.S. foreign hotel chains operating in Cuba and a conference between Cuban and Spanish representatives of 26 companies came to FITCuba. Last year, 850,000 cruise ship representatives, which was attended by 150 participants. passengers visited the country on the 25 boats of 17 cruise lines that operate in The above mentioned figures, Marrero said, show that in spite of the campaigns Cuba. led by the U.S. administration to cut the number of trips to Cuba and affect its tourist Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain contributed one million industry, the island has expanded opportunities with the rest of the world. visitors -20 percent of the total. Other markets had record figures: Mexico with During the fair, the Cuban minister provided a high level of security for foreign 21 percent, Russia with 30 percent, and China, Colombia and Portugal with ten investors, backed by Cuban law. He stressed that all negotiations are protected by the percent. Foreign Investment Law No. 118 and the National Dignity Law No.80. After the first four months of the year, Cuba welcomed 1,928,478 tourists, The participants agreed that Havana is an example of a destination with promising representing a cumulative seven percent increase. On May 6, two million visitors were statistics, currently with 51 airlines that connect the capital to 36 international cities. reported, 12 days earlier than in the same period of 2018. A total of 450 flights per week are reported during the high tourist season in Cuba The country is witnessing a strong investment process, with 13 new hotels being (November-April). built this year in Havana alone. With regards to the ports, Havana welcomes 12 of the 17 companies that operate The investment portfolio includes 170 projects. There are 27 joint ventures, 94 in Cuba. The capital hosts more than half of all visitors that spend their vacations on business contracts and 19 management contracts, which account for 44,000 rooms -6 the island. percent of all the rooms in the country. In 2018, Cuba recorded 4,732,000 tourists, and the local authorities have ratified This work is complemented with 26,000 privately-owned rooms that are run the commitment to welcome 5.1 million visitors this year. through tour operators and travel agencies, which are also in high demand. YOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE THE ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY HavanaReporter SPORTS.AND MORE President: Luis Enrique González. Art Direction: Anathais Rodríguez Information Vice President: Moisés Pérez Mok Graphic Designers: Fernando Fernandez Tito Printing: Imprenta Federico Engels Editorial Vice President: Orlando Oramas Chief Graphic Editor: Francisco González Publisher: Agencia Informativa Latinoamericana, Prensa Latina, S.A. Chief Editor: Luis Melian Assistant Staff: Yaimara Portuondo Calle E, esq. 19 No. 454, Vedado, La Habana-4, Cuba. English Editor: Mitra Ghaffari Advertising: Nelson Pérez Vergara Telephone: (53)7838-3496 / 7832-3578 Translation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián Circulation: Commercial Department. Fax: (53)7833-3068 E-mail: [email protected] CUBA 3 Prensa Latina, Six Decades in the Service of Truth By JorgeLUNA HAVANA.- Against all odds, the Latin American News The young revolutionary leader added that Latin Agency Prensa Latina, founded June 16, 1959, only five American media should have access to Latin American months after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, news so as to receive the truth and not be victims of celebrates its 60th Anniversary this year with more than foreign lies. 40 offices around the world. Argentinean journalist Jorge Ricardo Masetti, Prensa As the region´s first alternative media source and Latina´s first General Director, who had risked his life with a firm Latin-American vocation, Prensa Latina far to interview the rebel leaders in the Sierra Maestra, outlasted the United States Government’s prediction confirmed that the idea of founding Prensa Latina came that it would survive only one month. The U.S. stimulated out of Operation Truth. hostile media campaigns against the new-born Cuban In the new agency, which quickly opened offices political process and its agencies (Associated Press and abroad, young and talented Latin American reporters United Press International) flooded the region´s press like Carlos María Gutiérrez, Rodolfo Walsh and Gabriel with false information (“fake news”) about the Cuban García Márquez, worked alongside Cuban journalists. reality. Throughout the last six decades of uninterrupted UPI had 151 news offices in the U.S. and 110 abroad, existence, Prensa Latina has had to face numerous with 10,000 reporters all over the world. Its information obstacles and difficulties, including violent attacks, was distributed throughout 111 countries in 48 shutdowns, arrests and even murder by dictatorial languages, according to a UNESCO report published in regimes. 1964. Nevertheless, its journalists have covered main world Simultaneously, AP had 110 offices in the U.S. and events and offered news in politics, economy, science, 57 abroad, with 500 official reporters and thousands of technology, culture and sports. freelancers. They defend Prensa Latina´s founding principles: Together, both U.S. agencies had more than 400 defying monopolized information, news manipulation, offices and thousands of journalists around the world, media wars and fake news.