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☆ Outspoken Cuban Priest Cries Foul as Country Marks Good Friday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Nelson Acosta and Marc FrankHAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban Roman Catholics held public processions across the Communist-run country on Friday to mark Good Friday, but there was at least one exception in Havana where 150 of the faithful were relegated to the church parking lot. “It is not possible today to introduce Jesus Christ without introducing to him a people who are having a hard time,” he said. The Cuban government largely blames U.S. sanctions for the crisis and U.S. subversion for the unrest, charges that Washington denies. “What I have heard from the government is that there are 111 authorized processions throughout the country,” he said. Christmas and then Good Friday were recognized as holidays and religious processions are now common.

Persons: Nelson Acosta, Marc Frank HAVANA, Lester Zayas Diaz, Parish, Christ, ”, Jesus Christ, ” Zayas, Washington, Ariel Suarez, Cuba's, Zayas, Pope John Paul, Marc Frank, David Gregorio Organizations: Communist, Reuters, Facebook, U.S, Cuban, Cuba's Bishop's Locations: Cuban, Havana, Vedado, Cuba

☆ Cuba stages pro-Palestine march past US embassy in Havana
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] People shout slogans during a march in support of Palestinians, calling for a ceasefire and for charging Israel with committing “genocide” in Gaza, in Havana, Cuba, November 23, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini Acquire Licensing RightsHAVANA, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Cubans on Thursday marched in front of the U.S. embassy in Havana charging Israel was committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. Communist-run Cuba has been a strong backer of the Palestinian cause for decades and has trained more than 200 Palestinian doctors. "We are here and it is no coincidence that we have marched in front of the United States embassy," Anet Rodríguez, a university professor, said. Since then, some 14,800 Gazans have been killed by Israeli bombardment, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Persons: Alexandre Meneghini, Israel, Miguel Diaz, Fidel Castro, Marc Frank, Anet Rios, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, United, State, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Havana, Cuba, Rights HAVANA, Cuban, Palestine, Israel, Communist, United States

☆ Cuban ministers reveal details of food, fuel shortages amid economic crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Minister after minister have delivered the bad news as the import-dependent Communist-run country weathers a fourth year of crisis, scraping by with a minimum of foreign exchange as output plummets. Food production, the supply of phamaceuticals and transportation are down by at least 50% since 2018, the top officials said, and continued to decline this year in large part due to chronic fuel shortages and power outages. "The ministers provided new information revealing just how serious the crisis is and that growth this year is very doubtful," Cuban economist Omar Everleny said. Public transportation, vital in a country where few have vehicles, has also been hobbled by fuel shortages and difficulties in obtaining spare parts. If before the collapse of former benefactor the Soviet Union "there were 2,500 buses operating in Havana ... today there are just 300 compared with 600 four years ago," Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodríguez Davila said.

Persons: weathers, Omar Everleny, Ydael Jesus Perez, Tania Margarita Cruz, Eduardo Rodríguez Davila, Marc Frank, Sandra Maler Organizations: Senior Cuban, Agriculture, Industry, Thomson Locations: Cuba, Caribbean, Cuban, Soviet Union, Havana .

☆ Cuba warns of worsening blackouts as fuel crisis bites
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HAVANA, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Power blackouts in Cuba are expected to increase significantly due to a lack of fuel, officials warned in a nationwide TV broadcast, worsening the country's plight as it deals with food and medicine shortages. The Communist-run island has been mired in crisis and plagued by blackouts and shortages of food, medicine and fuel since the pandemic. Cuba says U.S. sanctions are largely to blame for the crisis, depriving the country of foreign exchange to import most of its fuel, food and other supplies. Cuba has also seen regular crude and fuel imports from Russia and Mexico, according to shipping data. "Cuba has bought more crude and fuel this year, compared with last year.

Persons: Vicente de la O Levy, Jorge Pinon, Pinon, Fidel Castro’s, Marc Frank, Nelson Acosta, Marianna Parraga, Rami Ayyub Organizations: Energy, Mining, Communist, Gross, Communist Party, University of Texas, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Cuba, Havana, Washington, Venezuela, Russia, Mexico, Austin ., United States

☆ Developing Countries Double Down on Technology at Havana Summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Marc, Frank and Nelson AcostaHAVANA (Reuters) - Developing nations on Saturday declared Sept. 16 the annual "Day of Science, Technology and Innovation in the South" as they prepared to wrap up a two-day summit on the subject. "We note with deep concern the existing disparities between developed and developing countries in terms of conditions, possibilities and capacities to produce new scientific and technological knowledge," the final declaration of the G77 group of developing nations and China said. China maintains that it is not a G77 member, despite being listed as one by the bloc, but Beijing says it has supported the group's legitimate claims and maintained cooperative relations. At the same time, it calls for more cooperation between member nations in science, technology and innovation as strategies for their development. While more than 100 member delegations participated in the summit, only Brazil and a few dozen others were led by heads of state.

Persons: Marc, Frank, Nelson Acosta HAVANA, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Marc Frank, Nelson Acosta, David Gregorio Organizations: Science, Technology, Innovation, United Nations System, International, Cuban, United Nations Locations: China, Beijing, United, Brazil

HAVANA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday praised efforts to support the Global South in the international arena as he opened a summit of the G77 group of developing nations and China with host Cuba. The focus is the scientific and technological divide between rich and poor countries and its impact on development. Guterres said greater international equality was essential to building the consensus needed to tackle climate change and inequality. "The world is failing developing nations" he said, expressing the hope that the meeting would strengthen participants' clout on a wide range of issues. While more than 90 delegations are participating in the summit, which ends on Saturday, only a few dozen are led by heads of state.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Guterres, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Diaz, Marc Frank, Nelson Acosta, Aurora Ellis Organizations: United Nations, Global, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, China, Cuba, United States, Cuban, Beijing

REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHAVANA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Cuba has uncovered a human trafficking ring that coerced its citizens to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine, its foreign ministry said, adding that Cuban authorities were working to "neutralize and dismantle" the network. It was not immediately clear if the Cuban foreign ministry statement was associated with the Ryazan report. The defense ministers of Cuba and Russia earlier this year discussed the development of joint "technical military" projects at a meeting in Moscow. "Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine," the foreign ministry said late on Monday. Cuba said it had already begun prosecuting cases in which its citizens had been coerced into fighting in Ukraine.

Persons: Juan Medina, Miguel Diaz, Canel, Dave Sherwood, Marc Frank, Felix Light, Michael Perry, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Russia, Monday, Cuban, Thomson Locations: Cuban, Cuba, Madrid, Spain, Rights HAVANA, Ukraine, Caribbean, Moscow, Russia, Ryazan, Havana, Tbilisi

HAVANA, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Representatives of 14 western creditor nations, grouped in the Paris Club, were in Cuba this week to salvage a debt agreement with the import dependent country which is expected to default on payments for a fourth consecutive year. William Roos, co-chairman of the Paris Club, had said on Wednesday that he proposed a plan which apparently was rejected. The 2015 Paris Club agreement forgave $8.5 billion of the $11.1 billion in sovereign debt Cuba defaulted on in 1986. Cuba, which last reported foreign debt of $19.7 billion for 2020, has restructured debt with Russia, China and some other creditors since then. The Cuba group of the 22-member Paris Club, which manages old sovereign debt, comprises Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Persons: ”, William Roos, Ricardo Cabrisas, Cabrisas, Marc Frank, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Paris Club, Investment, Cooperation, Communist, Gross, Reuters, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Cuba, Paris, Russia, China, Caribbean, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland

"We understand there is a crisis, and the need for banking, but this is our money," Hernandez said. Her business had already adopted electronic banking but she often needs quick access to cash to pay for emergencies on job sites, she added. Rodriguez said he and many other entrepreneurs began using electronic banking long before the new measures were announced to comply with tax laws that have evolved with the growing private sector. But for many smaller businesses and mom-and-pop stores in Cuba, the formalities of doing business, like paying taxes, remain novel concepts, he said. Cuban officials have said the new banking measures are necessary for transparency, to assure transactions are recorded and taxes are paid.

Persons: Alberto Quinones, Yulieta Hernandez, Hernandez, Fidel Castro, Leonardo Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Ronald Venero, Nelson Acosta, Anett Rios, Carlos Carrillo, Dave Sherwood, Marc Frank, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Cuba, Cuban, Havana, Santiago de Cuba

☆ Cuba bans company access to ATMs, limits cash transactions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAVANA, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Cuban Central Bank issued rules this week banning state and private businesses from using ATMs and limiting cash transactions between them, as it seeks to tame runaway inflation and off-the-books business amid a grave economic crisis. They limit cash transactions to 5000 pesos and will be implemented gradually over six months, official media said. The government pegs the dollar at 24 pesos and for select companies, tourists and residents at 120 pesos, though it has few to exchange. The dollar currently fetches 230 pesos on the informal market. The crisis has led to a lack of confidence in the state-run banking system, resulting in a lack of cash at some ATMs as businesses use them, leaving residents in the lurch.

Persons: Alejandro Gil, Nelson Acosta, Marc Frank, Deepa Babington Organizations: Cuban Central Bank, Economy, Thomson Locations: HAVANA

Summary Peso's informal value hits all-time low vs dollarAnnual inflation surges to 45%Plunge in peso value 'something horrible', says teacherHAVANA, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The Cuban peso was trading on the informal market at an all-time low of 230 to the dollar on Wednesday, slumping to half its value a year ago as consumers struggle with surging inflation and scarce goods, a widely watched tracker showed. The state considers the informal exchange rate, widely tracked via the independent news outlet El Toque, as illegal, but it has been unable to shut it down. The state officially pegs the local currency at 120 pesos to the dollar, but it has few to exchange. The weakening informal rate was similar to a fall in the government’s electronic equivalent, which residents must use to purchase goods at state stores that are relatively well-stocked compared with peso outlets. Prices grew 39% last year, a figure many economists say underestimates the rate as it does not adequately account for a growing informal market.

Persons: HAVANA, Bert Hoffman, Alejandro Gil, May, Sonia Nunez, Gil, Mario Fuentes, Christian Plumb, Conor Humphries Organizations: Cuban, German Institute of Global, Communist, Economy, Thomson Locations: America, Hamburg, Cuban, Havana

☆ Cuban economy minister says no quick fix to devastating crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Speaking before the country's parliament, Gil said the primary sector, which includes agriculture, mining and other basic production, was down 34.9% compared with 2019, while manufacturing was off 20%. A third sector that includes services such as tourism, communications and education was down 4.9%. Gil said the crisis, which has left residents reeling, protesting and leaving the island nation, was "complicated," but he added that the government was working on solutions. "The gradual recovery of the Cuban economy has not yet reached the necessary pace," he said. Additional reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alejandro Gil, Gil, Esteban Lazo Hernandez, Marc Frank, Paul Simao Organizations: Economy, Communist, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, Cuba

☆ Cuba still struggling to earn foreign currency
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People wait in line to buy foreign currency in Havana, Cuba, September 7, 2022. Morales did not say plans to import more than $9 billion and export $3.6 billion this year had changed. By comparison, in 2019 the Communist-run country reported exports of $12.6 billion and imports of $11 billion. Cuba forecast 3% growth this year, while the U.S. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean placed it at half that amount. The government last reported its foreign debt as being $19.6 billion in 2019.

Persons: Alexandre Meneghini HAVANA, Leticia Morales, Morales, Marc Frank Our Organizations: REUTERS, Prensa Latina, Agency, U.S . Economic, Latin, Thomson Locations: Havana, Cuba, Tourism, U.S, Latin America, Caribbean

HAVANA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Cubans suffering long lines for food, fuel and medicine now have a new problem: painfully slow internet. "The internet keeps getting worse and worse and we're reaching the point where getting online is becoming impossible for the average Cuban," he said. But getting online can still be a touchy subject. Global internet watchdogs have also said Cuba has restricted internet access during recent protests to suppress coverage of the demonstrations and limit their spread. Cuba's government has since announced another cable project, called Arimao, which aims to connect Cuba to the Caribbean island of Martinique by April.

☆ Priests from Cuba’s Santeria religion see hard year ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAVANA, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Priests from Cuba’s Afro-Cuban Santeria religion on Monday warned of a difficult year ahead and called on followers to guard against calamities and mounting social ills after a tough year in 2022 in which a record number of Cubans left the Communist-run island. "Do not delay pending religious works and consecrations,” the priests, known as babalawos and grouped together in the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba, advised in their Letter of the Year published Sunday. “Natural disasters are forecast due to hurricanes, sea turmoil and river flooding with economic and human losses,” their Letter said. A record number of Cubans left, with some 250,000 entering the United States according to U.S. government statistics, the majority crossing over the Mexican border. "I am very hopeful that Cuba and the United States will reach an agreement."

☆ Cuba says U.S. greenlights MLB players for World Baseball Classic
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAVANA, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Cuba said on Saturday the United States had granted permission for some of its top ballplayers to participate in the World Baseball Classic on the national team. The team will be the first since Fidel Castro's 1959 Revolution to include Cuban players from both countries. Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio told Reuters earlier this month the United States was blocking some of Cuba's top players from participating in the Classic. Cuba has asked several players who in recent years had defected from the Caribbean island - long famed for its baseball talent - to represent their home country in the event. As a result, Cuba's baseball talent has fled the country in unprecedented numbers in the past decade, emptying dugouts and denting national pride.

☆ Latin American leftist bloc closes ranks behind deposed Peruvian president
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Demonstrators gather as the government announced a nationwide state of emergency, following a week of protests sparked by the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo, in Cuzco, Peru December 14, 2022. REUTERS/Alejandra OroscoHAVANA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - A bloc of left-wing countries meeting in Havana on Wednesday closed ranks in support of the ousted former president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, amid protests and roadblocks in the South American nation that have left at least eight dead. Castillo's former vice president Dina Boluarte was sworn into office after his removal. On Monday, the governments of Mexico, Bolivia, Colombia and Argentina called for the protection of Castillo's human and judicial rights. Reporting by Marc Frank; additional reporting by Nelson Acosta; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cuba says its allies have pledged help to end its economic crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HAVANA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - China, Russia, Algeria and Turkey have pledged to restructure Cuba's debt, provide new trade and investment financing, and help ease an energy crisis, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told state-run media following a rare trip abroad last week. Cuba's debt with business partners and suppliers has ballooned, leading some to refuse to do business with Cuba unless it is in cash, according to foreign business and diplomatic sources with knowledge of recent transactions. Cuba's current foreign debt is considered a state secret. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, the Caribbean island nation reported its foreign debt at $19.6 billion. "There is no short-term solution to Cuba's electric power sector challenges; the system is old, tired and broken.

☆ Cuba wins China debt relief, new funds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAVANA, Nov 27 (Reuters) - China has agreed to restructure Cuban debt and provide new trade and investment credits to the beleaguered Caribbean Island nation after a meeting in Peking between the two Communist countries’ leaders. Gil was speaking in an interview with official media traveling with President Miguel Diaz-Canel as he returned home over the weekend from a tour of Algeria, Russia, Turkey and China. Analysts estimate the debt in the billions of dollars, although no official figures are available. Gil said China had agreed to quickly complete a floating dock, wind power and solar energy project, among others. President Diaz-Canel told the official media after talks in Peking that debt was at the top of his agenda with President Xi Jinping who sympathized with the difficulties Cuba was going through.

HAVANA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Cuba on Tuesday said it had signed 30 foreign investment deals valued at around $400 million this year, more than in 2021 but far short of pre-pandemic levels of at times around $2 billion. Cuba is struggling through its worst economic crisis in decades, and desperately needs foreign investment to help underwrite the purchase of food, medicine, fuel and raw materials needed to jumpstart sputtering output. “We have to banish all that unnecessary bureaucracy and generate new opportunities that are attractive to foreign businessmen,” Marrero said at an investment forum in the capital. Some at the trade fair told Reuters they were willing to bet on Cuba despite the downturn. "Definitely we are not afraid as investors in Cuba, we are already making arrangements and making alliances with a well-established (private) company,” he said.

☆ Cuba hosts first U.S. business conference in years, seeks investment
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Cuba's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Fernandez de Cossio listens to Phil Peters, founder of FocusCuba, during a conference in Havana, Cuba, October 26, 2022. "Almost everything we do is with the new booming private sector," said Cuban-American Hugo , whose Miami-based Fuego Enterprises Inc (FUGI.PK) operates an online food market that processes 4,000 orders in Cuba per day. "It is important American businesses see this for themselves," said Cancio, who was attending the conference. The Biden administration has loosened some restrictions on Cuba around remittances, tourism and migration. It has also expressed interest in supporting Cuba's private sector.

☆ Cubans approve gay marriage by large margin in referendum
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Marc Frank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A voter casts his vote at a polling station during the new Family Code referendum in Havana, Cuba, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Alexandre MeneghiniHAVANA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Cubans approved gay marriage and adoption overwhelmingly in a Sunday referendum backed by the government that also boosted rights for women, the national election commission said on Monday. "Justice has been done," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote in a tweet. The 100-page "family code" legalizes same-sex marriage and civil unions, allows same-sex couples to adopt children, and promotes equal sharing of domestic rights and responsibilities between men and women. Preliminary results from the electoral commission showed 74% of 8.4 million Cubans eligible to vote participated in the Sunday referendum.

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