Excerpts from a letter sent from the U.S. Congress to the White House this week: March 24, 2009 The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States of America The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: As Members of the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus, who represent the overwhelming majority of Cuban Americans in […]
The Fifth Summit of the Americas, an initiative of the Organization of American States (OAS), will meet on April 17-19, 2009 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. President Obama has recently confirmed that he will attend the Summit. Cuba, as previously noted, is the only independent country in the Western Hemisphere that is excluded from the OAS, making […]
Last Friday, U.S. federal courts sentenced Luis Perez of southern Florida to 10 years in prison. As the head of a human trafficking network (which operated partially out of his garage), he is not only guilty of bringing numerous illegal Cuban migrants into the United States, but of providing dangerous and inhumane conditions for passage to […]
The EU Commissioner for External Relations confirmed today what we discussed a few days ago—that the EU wants to move toward a compromise with Cuba in relations and dialogue, which will involve reformulating the Common Position in favor of a more cooperative approach. Meanwhile, El Salvador’s newly elected President, Mauricio Funes, announced last week that […]
While Cuba’s World Baseball Classic team was in the United States this week, two Cuban journalists deserted the team and their duties in order to avoid returning to the island. Yuri Boza snuck away the first day that the team arrived in Southern California. Raúl Arce, the well-known sports writer for Juventud Rebelde “disappeared” just hours […]
Cuba was knocked out of the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday after losing 5-0 to Japan in San Diego’s Petco Park. The defeat was disappointing but not entirely surprising to fans, who had watched Japan rout Cuba 10-6 in the same venue during the finals of the Classic in 2006, and therefore had a sense […]
For the Ladies in White, this week is the sixth anniversary of the sentencing of their husbands, sons and fathers—Cuban dissident journalists jailed in 2003 for reportedly “receiving money from the United States with the aim of destroying the Revolution“—and they are mirroring the years with six days of demonstrations. Their protests are simple and […]
Louis Michel, the European Union Commissioner in Charge of Development and Humanitarian Aid, has made it clear that the EU is working toward revising and updating its position on political change in Cuba. Current policy is defined by the “Common Position,” elaborated in 1996, which states in its opening paragraph: The objective of the European […]
The Fifth World Water Forum kicked off yesterday in Istanbul and will continue through March 22nd. During the week, participants from around the globe take part in a number of discussions and debates that purportedly seek “to find solutions to achieve water security.” The Forum is held every three years, with the last event held […]
Three hurricanes (Ike, Gustav and Paloma) ravaged Cuba in 2008, causing over $10 billion in losses. Half a million homes were partially or fully destroyed, thousands of acres of crops wiped out, and health and communications infrastructure severely damaged in some areas. Predictably, those areas have not yet bounced back. But Brazil has been a […]
A prominent scholar on Cuban development, Arch Ritter, posits that an impasse in Cuban-US relations may be inevitable for years to come. His article in Canada’s Globe and Mail is worth a read, and his analysis deserves serious consideration. Ritter’s point is that although Raúl is willing to open channels of dialogue with the United States, […]
For Cuban-Americans, opportunities to travel to the island have significantly multiplied this week with the passing of the omnibus bill. As previously noted, individuals with relatives on the island are now allowed to visit them annually, instead of once every three years. But the new allowances go even further, by broadening the definition of “family.” […]
This post can also be seen on FPA’s Latin America Blog. One of the greatest and diverse minds in public policy today is Fareed Zakaria. Once the host of a wonderful public policy show Foreign Exchange on PBS, Fareed Zakaria GPS is now likely CNN’s best and most in depth show on American media today. […]
One of the greatest and diverse minds in public policy today is Fareed Zakaria. Once the host of a wonderful public policy show Foreign Exchange on PBS, Fareed Zakaria GPS is now likely CNN’s best and most in depth show on American media today. Zakaria has done much to add colour in the shadows of […]
Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans Frontières, or RSF) officially published their annual report of the “List of Internet Enemies” today. Cuba has a prominent place in the report: it is the only Western Hemisphere country in the ranks. RSF actually calls Cuba “one of the most backward Internet countries,” and reports that only 2% of the […]