© YEAR IX THE Nº 7 APR 16 , 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 Congressman McGovern: Cuba and U.S. Can Have Normal Relations P. 4 Photo Feature Posters Celebrate Havana’s 500 Years P. 11 Health & Science Culture Economy Sports P. 14 P. 15 P. 5 P. 6 Cuba Responds to A Bridge between Cuba Offers a Helping Hand Acosta Danza Honors Cuban and UK Ballet U.S. Blockade by Cuba and The to Mozambique Masters Expanding Markets United States 2 TOURISM A Golden Age for Cuban Tourism By FranciscoMENENDEZ HAVANA.- The 39th edition of the the 12th International Nature Tourism International Tourism Fair, FITCUBA 2019, Meeting, TURNAT 2019, from September undoubtedly draws the attention of tour 23th to 28th. guides, travel agents and professionals Shortly before 2018 came to a close, from the tourist industry, mainly because Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero Cuba stands as an increasingly attractive said that Havana would be a renewed tourist destination and country in tourist destination in 2019. constant movement. Quality is the main priority, because This dynamic is largely appreciated in Cuba has a number of elements that this sector, which experts identify as the distinguish it from other destinations, most noteworthy not only in the country such as the places designated as a World but in the rest of the Caribbean as well. Heritage Site by UNESCO. This year’s fair features Havana’s 500th Just in the capital, there are 250 anniversary (November 16th), Spain as National Monuments and several the ‘Guest of Honor’ country, and a variety tourist facilities and parks. Moreover, of events and give-away trips, embracing Cuba has 70,000 hotel rooms that meet all the elements needed to get people’s international standards. attention. A total of eleven five-star hotels are Experts’ assertion that Cuban tourism operating in Havana, while ten others maintains an increasing trend shows that wof the same caliber are expected to be this industry represents a key sector of inaugurated by the end of 2023. the country’s economy. According to the tourism development With the constant restoration of plan, 100,000 rooms will be available hotel infrastructure, the enhancement of nationwide by 2030. While the majority several recreational options and Cuban of those projects will rely on limited local authorities’ concern over the quality of resources, foreign investment is also a services, the island aims at occupying priority. a privileged position within the tourist Official statistics indicate that Cuba market. welcomed 4,689,894 foreign visitors Scheduled for May 7th-11th, the 39th in 2017, representing an 11.6 percent edition of the fair also includes engaging increase over the previous year which, programs such as the underwater compared to the rest of the Caribbean, photography contest, FOTOSUB, taking accounted for a 16.2 percent rise. place in the central Cuban province of Cuba closed 2018 with a new record Cienfuegos. in tourist arrivals of 4,750,000 registered Likewise, the provinces of Matanzas foreign visitors. This data offers an (particularly the Zapata wetlands), Sancti attractive panorama that puts FITCUBA in Spíritus and Cienfuegos will cohost a good position this year. PL PHOTOS: A Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency 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 Cuba and UK Consolidate Cooperation of Interests By LiviaRODRIGUEZ A TIGHT AGENDA In Havana, their Highnesses visited the Center of Molecular Immunology, one of Cuba’s most important HAVANA.- The recent four-day visit of Prince Charles medical research institutions. They also toured the of Wales and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall, to capital’s historical center – declared a UNESCO World Cuba– the first official visit paid by members of the Heritage Site in 1982 – accompanied by the city British royal family – consolidated the cooperation of historian, Eusebio Leal. interests between the United Kingdom and Cuba. The Prince of Wales also inaugurated the construction London and Havana described the presence of the of the first solar park at the Mariel Special Development Highnesses in Cuba from March 24th to 27th as an Zone, west of Havana, which will supply 50 megawatts opportunity to strengthen relations, opening a new to the National Electrical System once finished. door in bilateral relations with the realization of projects This project is conducted by Mariel Solar S.A., a for the benefit of the Cuban people and economy. United Kingdom corporation with solely Cuban affiliates. During their visit to Cuba, as part of a Caribbean tour, According to its director, Andrew McDonald, this is the Charles and Camilla had a tight program of activities, first large-scale project in Cuba in the field of energy which included official talks between the heir to the supply and the biggest in the region. United Kingdom throne and Cuban president Miguel UK ambassador to Cuba, Anthony Stokes, praised the Díaz-Canel. progress made in the construction of the first bioelectrical In this meeting, described as cordial by the Cuban plant in Cuba by the Biopower S.A. Company, a Cuban head of State, both officials referred to the good state of and British partnership with the objective of generating affairs in bilateral ties, which are based on cooperation electricity from vegetable biomass. and mutual respect. During their visit, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall had They also expressed their willingness to increase meetings with specialists of different institutions, such such ties, particularly in the fields of education, health, as the Cuban Women’s Federation (FMC), covering topics culture and environment. related to equality and gender violence. In the framework of the royal visit, Cuba and the The FMC Secretary General, Teresa Amarelle, United Kingdom reviewed their diplomatic ties. For explained the social objective of this organization, this reason, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno which plays an essential role in gender equality and Rodríguez welcomed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, State unites more than 4 million Cuban women all over the Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations. country. Both officials ratified their willingness to strengthen and The agenda of Prince Charles of Wales and his wife expand ties in different sectors. also included a visit to the John Lennon Park, in Havana, Rodríguez also had a phone conversation with where they talked to representatives of the British UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Jeremy Hunt, community settled in Cuba and members of the English who spoke not only about the visit of their Highnesses motorcycle and classical car clubs. but also about London’s long-standing policy of They also learned about the Club Submarino approaching Havana in a positive way. Amarillo (Yellow Submarine), one of the places of General Director for Bilateral Issues at the Cuban reference for rock music in Havana. This club pays tribute Ministry of Foreign affairs, Emilio Lozada, and Director to the legacy of The Beatles, a famous British band from PL for the Americas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the 1960s composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, the Commonwealth, Hugo Shorter, also convened. George Harrison and Ringo Starr. PHOTOS: Tornadoes: A New Threat to Cuba? Leticia Martínez Leticia Hernández PL By WaldoMENDILUZA PHOTOS: PHOTO: HAVANA.- Cuba, a country used to facing hurricanes and flooding, will apparently “We must include this type of weather phenomenon in the plans for disaster have to get ready to tackle other weather phenomena such as tornadoes, like that of prevention. This occurrence is something new for us,” the president stated. January 27th, when different areas of Havana were badly affected by the devastating Díaz-Canel also commented that in the next Meteoro exercise – which is held natural disaster. annually to get the Cuban population ready to face and prevent disasters – the danger Almost 80 years had passed since Cuba had been affected by such a phenomenon, of tornadoes will also be included. although there are records of lower-impact tornadoes in 1950 and 1961. In December In May, Cubans will participate for two days in this traditional exercise, which 1940, a tornado hit the town of Bejucal, in the Mayabeque province, which is also mobilizes workers, specialized forces and the population at large to simulate different in the western part of the island. On that occasion, 20 people were killed, over one potential scenarios, either as a result of the forces of nature or accidents. hundred were wounded and there was severe infrastructural damage. Head of the Civil Defense Staff, Major General Ramón Pardo, urged to include the The recent tornado left seven people dead, dozens wounded and thousands of risk of tornadoes in the prevention plans in order to improve the national, provincial homes affected – about 1,000 totally or partially destroyed – in the municipalities of and municipal surveillance systems. Regla, Guanabacoa and Diez de Octubre, in the capital city. According to Pardo, the family guide for the protection of the population in the In a government meeting held to evaluate the relief efforts following the case of tropical cyclones and other severe phenomena must include tornadoes.