Written by: Staff, on August 21st, 2010
Could the SDN list be the best censorship tool for websites?
You may not know what the SDN list (Specially Designated Nationals) is but we´ll explain. It’s the US version of Iran and Chinas state censorship machine. Initially created with good intent to inform the world (and US entities, persons) of Terrorists, Rogue regimes and other [...]
Written by: Staff, on June 14th, 2010
Irina Bokova of UNESCO met today with Old Havana´s infamous front man Eusebio Leal. Few Cubans have lasted so long in such a post and the reasons why Mr. Leal has outlasted most of his peers (and critics) is that the job he has done and is doing is truly remarkable. Whether it be courting [...]
Written by: Staff, on June 13th, 2010
This year has seen the biggest exodus of Cuba dedicated travel agencies since the government allowed representation offices on the Caribbean island of foreign agencies in the early 90´s. The idea back then was to allow foreign travel companies and wholesalers to have on the ground staff to better manage inbound visitors and thus increase [...]
Written by: Staff, on June 7th, 2010
Local operators are suffering from a distinct lack of automatics cars. Better said, they are nonexistent. Why one would ask? Well, as of January 2010 a new rule was quietly introduced where automatic cars are only bookable through approved agencies such as Havanautos or Cuba Car
To combat this change and loss of business, local foreign [...]
Written by: Staff, on March 9th, 2010
Cash-strapped Cuba will require visitors to buy health insurance if they want to enter the country, according to a new government measure disclosed on Saturday.
Under the measure, which takes effect in May, the insurance will be sold by foreign companies approved by the Cuban government or by Cuban firms at ports of entry to the [...]
Written by: Staff, on February 10th, 2010
HAVANA – Ernest Hemingway still haunts Cuba; he’s just doing it in wax.
A life-size likeness of the legendary author debuted last week at a wax museum in the eastern city of Bayamo.
Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” while living in Cuba and his exploits in literature and life are celebrated in monuments across [...]
Written by: Staff, on February 4th, 2010
CARACAS, Venezuela
President Hugo Chavez has turned to his friends in Cuba for help in tackling Venezuela’s energy crisis, drawing criticism Wednesday from opponents who say that the communist-led island is notorious for its own electricity woes.
The socialist leader announced that Cuban Vice President Ramiro Valdes had arrived on Tuesday to head a Cuban team [...]
Written by: Staff, on December 31st, 2009
Ever so quietly the Cuban government began a campaign to lock foreign travel agencies registered inside and outside Cuba out of the lucrative Cuban American travel market. From early November agencies reported abruptly canceled services for clients arriving in Havana´s terminal 2. Initially the motive was that their receptive agents in Cuba, the likes of [...]
Written by: Staff, on December 16th, 2009
The flurry of news emanating from the U.S between June and October concerning the possible lifting of travel restrictions seems to have died down. Many consider this is because Cuba is refusing to reciprocate or make any democratic concessions whatsoever. Others are suggesting that Raul Castro sees the arrival of millions of US citizens to [...]
Written by: Staff, on November 7th, 2009
In another sign that Cuba´s economy is walking a financial tight rope the government is set to abolish the CUC or Cuban Convertible Peso by March 2010.
Introduced as the brain child of Fidel Castro in a measure to eradicate the U.S Dollar and also reduce the value of remittances, the CUC was an effective method [...]