More Storm Damage, More Diplomacy, & More Calls for US to drop the embargo
November 14, 2008
Dear Friend:
We’ve been busy on the Cuba news front this week.
The first thing we talk about is the weather. The island was lashed
by Hurricane Paloma. While the storm destroyed more homes and
infrastructure, Cuba’s skill at civic preparedness helped affected
residents survive their material losses. Surveying the damage, Cuba’s
president, Raúl Castro, reminded the Cuban public that with climate
change, horrific hurricane seasons were likely to be an on-going fact
of life.
Our second subject is reform. The BBC asks “what happened to the
reform process?” It has been stalled since the onset of hurricane
season. Other press reports discussed a shortage of veterinarians and
other technicians on Cuba’s agriculture cooperatives, saying that these
human resources has been concentrated in Cuba’s massive state farms
which are less productive. For the second time since becoming
president, Raúl Castro replaced a member of his cabinet, installing a
new minister for Foreign Investment.
Finally, we address diplomacy. There were three more calls this week
- from Russia, Brazil, and Amnesty International - for the U.S.
government to remove its embargo against Cuba. While the United States
continues to be the odd man out, Cuba is newest member of the Rio
Group, an organization of Latin American and Caribbean nations. Also,
the presidents of Russia and China will be visiting Cuba (and with no
preconditions) later this month. Finally, Fidel Castro has released a
book “La Paz en Colombia (Peace in Colombia),” about Cuba’s role in
efforts to bring the warring sides in Colombia together.
As usual, we close our news blast with a menu of recommendations - for reading, for listening, and for advocacy.
To read the entire November 14 Newsblast, click here.
