Cuban ambassador in Berlin dampens expectations for political change
Europe 01.05.2015
By our dpa-correspondent and Europe Online
Berlin (dpa) - Cuba's ambassador to Germany Rene Juan Mujica Cantelar
Thursday lowered expectations for political change on the Caribbean
island after the ongoing historic reconciliation between Washington and
Havana.
"This is not an issue that is on the agenda of the Cuban people, of the
Cuban society," he said at an event in Berlin.
He was answering a question about whether new political parties and
independent media would be allowed in the future on the socialist island.
"This is another assumption that unless you have a multiparty system you
don't have democracy or that democracy cannot exist without a multiparty
system," he said. "I reject this assumption."
But he added: "I cannot predict how Cuban society will be in 10, 20, 50
years."
The Communist Party has the monopoly on power in Cuba, and small
opposition groups move about in the shadows of illegality. The European
Union has been pushing Cuba for years to undertake a transition process
to a pluralistic democracy.
Cuba and the United States in December agreed to pursue normalization of
diplomatic relations after more than a half century of having none.
Source: Cuban ambassador in Berlin dampens expectations for political
change | EUROPE ONLINE -
http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/cuban-ambassador-in-berlin-dampens-expectations-for-political-change_389908.html
Friday, May 1, 2015
Japan sees rising business interest in Cuba with thaw
Japan sees rising business interest in Cuba with thaw
Japanese business interest in Cuba is likely to intensify because of the
thaw in US-Cuban relations, Japan's foreign minister said in an
interview published Thursday as he arrived for a visit.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida's stay is scheduled to include a meeting
with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez.
Kishida said Japan "supports and welcomes" the start of negotiations
between Washington and Havana on restoring relations after decades of
enmity. He said this thaw would "positively influence relations with Japan."
"Taking into account the improvement in relations between Cuba and the
United States, not only the government but Japanese companies will
further increase the interest in Cuba," he said in the interview with
Granma, the official Communist Party newspaper.
For now, it is hard for Japanese companies to do business with Cuba
because in doing so they face the prospect of sanctions from the United
States under the US trade embargo imposed in 1962, said Ken Okaniwa, the
foreign minister's spokesman.
Okaniwa said bilateral trade now stands at just 35 million dollars a
year, two thirds of it Japanese sales to Cuba.
Cuba exports tobacco, coffee and fish to Japan, and mainly buys Japanese
machinery, he added.
Cuba has been actively courting foreign investment to spur the island's
growth, which has remained sluggish despite reforms aimed at a gradual
opening of the economy after decades of Soviet-style policies.
In the most dramatic development to date, Cuba's President Raul Castro
and US President Barack Obama announced on December 17 they would open
talks to restore diplomatic relations severed more than 50 years ago.
The United States has since eased some travel and trade restrictions,
but lifting the US embargo requires action by the Republican-controlled
US Congress.
Cuba has long blamed the embargo for its economic ills.
Source: Japan sees rising business interest in Cuba with thaw - Yahoo
News -
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-sees-rising-business-interest-cuba-thaw-155737592.html;_ylt=AwrC1TG8dUNVc0sAHiHQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHZyb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--
Japanese business interest in Cuba is likely to intensify because of the
thaw in US-Cuban relations, Japan's foreign minister said in an
interview published Thursday as he arrived for a visit.
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida's stay is scheduled to include a meeting
with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez.
Kishida said Japan "supports and welcomes" the start of negotiations
between Washington and Havana on restoring relations after decades of
enmity. He said this thaw would "positively influence relations with Japan."
"Taking into account the improvement in relations between Cuba and the
United States, not only the government but Japanese companies will
further increase the interest in Cuba," he said in the interview with
Granma, the official Communist Party newspaper.
For now, it is hard for Japanese companies to do business with Cuba
because in doing so they face the prospect of sanctions from the United
States under the US trade embargo imposed in 1962, said Ken Okaniwa, the
foreign minister's spokesman.
Okaniwa said bilateral trade now stands at just 35 million dollars a
year, two thirds of it Japanese sales to Cuba.
Cuba exports tobacco, coffee and fish to Japan, and mainly buys Japanese
machinery, he added.
Cuba has been actively courting foreign investment to spur the island's
growth, which has remained sluggish despite reforms aimed at a gradual
opening of the economy after decades of Soviet-style policies.
In the most dramatic development to date, Cuba's President Raul Castro
and US President Barack Obama announced on December 17 they would open
talks to restore diplomatic relations severed more than 50 years ago.
The United States has since eased some travel and trade restrictions,
but lifting the US embargo requires action by the Republican-controlled
US Congress.
Cuba has long blamed the embargo for its economic ills.
Source: Japan sees rising business interest in Cuba with thaw - Yahoo
News -
http://news.yahoo.com/japan-sees-rising-business-interest-cuba-thaw-155737592.html;_ylt=AwrC1TG8dUNVc0sAHiHQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTByOHZyb21tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--
30% Of Americans Considering A Holiday In Cuba, Survey Says
30% Of Americans Considering A Holiday In Cuba, Survey Says
Interest in visiting the country has shot up since President Obama
announced plans to re-establish relations in late 2014.
posted on April 30, 2015, at 10:47 p.m.
Tom Gara
BuzzFeed News Business Editor
If survey responses are anything to go by, one of the first
beneficiaries of a re-established diplomatic relationship between the
U.S. and Cuba will be the country's tourism industry. Thirty percent of
Americans are planning or would consider a holiday to Cuba within the
next two years, according to a new survey.
Among Latino Americans, the number reaches 40%, said the survey, which
was conducted by YouGov and polled about 1,100 Americans. The study was
paid for by Airbnb, which began offering rentals in Cuba in March and
says it already has more than 1,000 listings there.
For now, tourism to Cuba is still a tricky proposition for Americans,
although less so than at any time in recent decades. In the past,
travelers had to apply for a special license to visit the country, and
licenses were only granted for limited purposes—things like family
visits; government, academic, or NGO work; journalism; or sporting
competitions. Tourism was not one of the permitted categories.
After changes announced by President Obama last December, people
traveling for those same limited set of reasons no longer need to apply
for a license, but tourism is still not a permitted category. American
credit and debit cards were also cleared to work in Cuba, but many other
restrictions remain in place, and free movement between the two
countries is still some time away.
Competing bills have been introduced in Congress, with one seeking to
eliminate restrictions on tourism and another seeking to create new
barriers.
If the country is opened to tourism, the survey suggests there are
plenty of travelers ready to prioritize it as one of their next
destinations. Of those who said they were considering a trip to Cuba,
65% said they would change their existing travel plans to include the
country.
Kay Kuehne, Airbnb's regional director for Latin America, said in a
statement that the Cuba could become one the company's biggest Latin
American markets. "This research shows that more and more Americans are
starting to factor Cuba into their future travel plans," she said.
Source: 30% Of Americans Considering A Holiday In Cuba, Survey Says -
BuzzFeed News -
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomgara/30-percent-of-americans-considering-a-holiday-in-cuba#.gj7x47V6z
Interest in visiting the country has shot up since President Obama
announced plans to re-establish relations in late 2014.
posted on April 30, 2015, at 10:47 p.m.
Tom Gara
BuzzFeed News Business Editor
If survey responses are anything to go by, one of the first
beneficiaries of a re-established diplomatic relationship between the
U.S. and Cuba will be the country's tourism industry. Thirty percent of
Americans are planning or would consider a holiday to Cuba within the
next two years, according to a new survey.
Among Latino Americans, the number reaches 40%, said the survey, which
was conducted by YouGov and polled about 1,100 Americans. The study was
paid for by Airbnb, which began offering rentals in Cuba in March and
says it already has more than 1,000 listings there.
For now, tourism to Cuba is still a tricky proposition for Americans,
although less so than at any time in recent decades. In the past,
travelers had to apply for a special license to visit the country, and
licenses were only granted for limited purposes—things like family
visits; government, academic, or NGO work; journalism; or sporting
competitions. Tourism was not one of the permitted categories.
After changes announced by President Obama last December, people
traveling for those same limited set of reasons no longer need to apply
for a license, but tourism is still not a permitted category. American
credit and debit cards were also cleared to work in Cuba, but many other
restrictions remain in place, and free movement between the two
countries is still some time away.
Competing bills have been introduced in Congress, with one seeking to
eliminate restrictions on tourism and another seeking to create new
barriers.
If the country is opened to tourism, the survey suggests there are
plenty of travelers ready to prioritize it as one of their next
destinations. Of those who said they were considering a trip to Cuba,
65% said they would change their existing travel plans to include the
country.
Kay Kuehne, Airbnb's regional director for Latin America, said in a
statement that the Cuba could become one the company's biggest Latin
American markets. "This research shows that more and more Americans are
starting to factor Cuba into their future travel plans," she said.
Source: 30% Of Americans Considering A Holiday In Cuba, Survey Says -
BuzzFeed News -
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tomgara/30-percent-of-americans-considering-a-holiday-in-cuba#.gj7x47V6z
Cuba storm kills 2, damages hundreds of homes
Cuba storm kills 2, damages hundreds of homes
Published Thursday, April 30, 2015 11:55AM EDT
Last Updated Thursday, April 30, 2015 7:36PM EDT
HAVANA - Cuban officials say an intense storm has killed at least two
people and caused extensive damage in the country's capital.
The Communist Party newspaper Granma says Wednesday's storms damaged
more than 1,000 homes, as well as hundreds of schools, shops and
warehouses in the capital
The Cubadebate website says the storm turned streets into rivers and
knocked down power lines, leaving many without electricity. It says an
81-year-old woman drowned and a 24-year-old man was electrocuted by
falling cables.
Source: Cuba storm kills 2, damages hundreds of homes | CTV News -
http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/cuba-storm-kills-2-damages-hundreds-of-homes-1.2352112
Published Thursday, April 30, 2015 11:55AM EDT
Last Updated Thursday, April 30, 2015 7:36PM EDT
HAVANA - Cuban officials say an intense storm has killed at least two
people and caused extensive damage in the country's capital.
The Communist Party newspaper Granma says Wednesday's storms damaged
more than 1,000 homes, as well as hundreds of schools, shops and
warehouses in the capital
The Cubadebate website says the storm turned streets into rivers and
knocked down power lines, leaving many without electricity. It says an
81-year-old woman drowned and a 24-year-old man was electrocuted by
falling cables.
Source: Cuba storm kills 2, damages hundreds of homes | CTV News -
http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/cuba-storm-kills-2-damages-hundreds-of-homes-1.2352112
Small-Ship Cruise Line to Offer People to People Sailings in Cuba
Small-Ship Cruise Line to Offer People to People Sailings in Cuba
April 29, 2015
(4:20 p.m. EDT) -- International Expeditions will offer several
small-ship sailings focused solely on Cuba in late 2015 and 2016.
The three 10-day programs, to take place in December, January and March,
charters Panorama, a 48-passenger three-masted sailing ship owned by the
Greek cruise line Variety Cruises.
The trip starts in Miami, where passengers take a charter flight to Cuba
to Cienfuegos, an art-infused city that's an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After a day trip to Trinidad – another World Heritage Site – and stops
at the island of Cayo Largo and Maria La Gorda, the ship sails to
Havana. Passengers spend three days in Cuba's capital, using the ship at
anchor as a base for exploration.
International Expeditions, which has been offering land tours of Cuba
since 2003, has a "people to people" license, which means Americans will
be able to book the trip and travel the itinerary without restrictions.
Cultural exchanges with Cubans will be held throughout the cruise to
comply with people-to-people education requirements.
Since President Obama lessened the restrictions on travel to Cuba in
January, the Caribbean's largest island has become a hot topic in the
cruising world. Until Congress officially lifts the embargo,
American-owned mainstream cruise lines cannot offer sailings to Cuba
(which may be a long time coming, as some lawmakers have introduced
legislation to roll back Obama's attempts to normalize relations).
In addition, many of Cuba's ports are too shallow for large cruise
ships. Cuba Cruise, a Canadian company, has offered two seasons of Cuba
sailings on 1,200-passenger Louis Cristal (now renamed Celestyal Cristal).
For more about cruising to Cuba, check out Cuba Cruising Basics, a Cuba
cruising Q and A, 10 Things Americans Should Know about Cruising to
Cuba. 10 More Things Americans Should Know about Cruising to Cuba and
the Cruise Critic Cuba Forum.
--By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor
Source: Small-Ship Cruise Line to Offer People to People Sailings to
Cuba - International Expeditions – Cruise Critic -
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6330
April 29, 2015
(4:20 p.m. EDT) -- International Expeditions will offer several
small-ship sailings focused solely on Cuba in late 2015 and 2016.
The three 10-day programs, to take place in December, January and March,
charters Panorama, a 48-passenger three-masted sailing ship owned by the
Greek cruise line Variety Cruises.
The trip starts in Miami, where passengers take a charter flight to Cuba
to Cienfuegos, an art-infused city that's an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After a day trip to Trinidad – another World Heritage Site – and stops
at the island of Cayo Largo and Maria La Gorda, the ship sails to
Havana. Passengers spend three days in Cuba's capital, using the ship at
anchor as a base for exploration.
International Expeditions, which has been offering land tours of Cuba
since 2003, has a "people to people" license, which means Americans will
be able to book the trip and travel the itinerary without restrictions.
Cultural exchanges with Cubans will be held throughout the cruise to
comply with people-to-people education requirements.
Since President Obama lessened the restrictions on travel to Cuba in
January, the Caribbean's largest island has become a hot topic in the
cruising world. Until Congress officially lifts the embargo,
American-owned mainstream cruise lines cannot offer sailings to Cuba
(which may be a long time coming, as some lawmakers have introduced
legislation to roll back Obama's attempts to normalize relations).
In addition, many of Cuba's ports are too shallow for large cruise
ships. Cuba Cruise, a Canadian company, has offered two seasons of Cuba
sailings on 1,200-passenger Louis Cristal (now renamed Celestyal Cristal).
For more about cruising to Cuba, check out Cuba Cruising Basics, a Cuba
cruising Q and A, 10 Things Americans Should Know about Cruising to
Cuba. 10 More Things Americans Should Know about Cruising to Cuba and
the Cruise Critic Cuba Forum.
--By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor
Source: Small-Ship Cruise Line to Offer People to People Sailings to
Cuba - International Expeditions – Cruise Critic -
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6330
Cuba-Britain business forum produces deals worth $400 mn
Cuba-Britain business forum produces deals worth $400 mn
Published April 30, 2015 EFE
Cuba and Britain signed investment accords in tourism, energy and
agriculture valued at approximately $400 million during a business forum
held this week in Havana, the state-run Web site Cubadebate reported
Thursday.
The agreements include the construction of a new golf course on the
island, as well as investments in agriculture and projects in the energy
sector, John Hutton, the co-president of Cuba Initiative, a
Cuban-British project launched in 1995, told local media.
The signing of the pacts took place within the framework of a business
seminar sponsored by Cuba Initiative in Havana, a meeting that began on
Tuesday with the presence of Cuban authorities and representatives of a
32-company British trade mission, the most important delegation of its
kind to visit the island in recent years.
Lord Hutton and Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo
Malmierca presided at the opening of the forum, which was also attended
by the executive director of the London Chamber of Commerce, Colin
Stanbridge, and the president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, Orlando
Hernandez Guillen.
"It's been a very successful mission. ... I think there are good
opportunities in Cuba. We've come at an opportune time and we've made
some progress, and I hope we can repeat this in the future," Lord Hutton
told local media.
Cuba and Britain are working to increase their $100 million trade
balance, which in 2014 suffered a 40 percent decline, according to
official figures.
Currently, Britain is Cuba's 9th largest trading partner within the
European Union. EFE
Source: Cuba-Britain business forum produces deals worth $400 mn | Fox
News Latino -
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/04/30/cuba-britain-business-forum-produces-deals-worth-400-mn/
Published April 30, 2015 EFE
Cuba and Britain signed investment accords in tourism, energy and
agriculture valued at approximately $400 million during a business forum
held this week in Havana, the state-run Web site Cubadebate reported
Thursday.
The agreements include the construction of a new golf course on the
island, as well as investments in agriculture and projects in the energy
sector, John Hutton, the co-president of Cuba Initiative, a
Cuban-British project launched in 1995, told local media.
The signing of the pacts took place within the framework of a business
seminar sponsored by Cuba Initiative in Havana, a meeting that began on
Tuesday with the presence of Cuban authorities and representatives of a
32-company British trade mission, the most important delegation of its
kind to visit the island in recent years.
Lord Hutton and Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo
Malmierca presided at the opening of the forum, which was also attended
by the executive director of the London Chamber of Commerce, Colin
Stanbridge, and the president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, Orlando
Hernandez Guillen.
"It's been a very successful mission. ... I think there are good
opportunities in Cuba. We've come at an opportune time and we've made
some progress, and I hope we can repeat this in the future," Lord Hutton
told local media.
Cuba and Britain are working to increase their $100 million trade
balance, which in 2014 suffered a 40 percent decline, according to
official figures.
Currently, Britain is Cuba's 9th largest trading partner within the
European Union. EFE
Source: Cuba-Britain business forum produces deals worth $400 mn | Fox
News Latino -
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/04/30/cuba-britain-business-forum-produces-deals-worth-400-mn/
Judge Denies Daughter’s Cuba Damages Claim Under TRIA for Father’s Death
Judge Denies Daughter's Cuba Damages Claim Under TRIA for Father's Death
By Patricia Hurtado | May 1, 2015
A federal judge who will sentence BNP Paribas SA Friday for violating
U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Iran and Cuba on Thursday rejected a
Cuban-American woman's bid for compensation for her father's death at
the hands of the Castro regime.
Marilyn Wiederspan, a Nebraska teacher, sought to have a $63.6 million
judgment paid out of almost $9 billion BNP Paribas will forfeit to the
U.S. She obtained the judgment from a Florida circuit court against the
Cuba and Fidel Castro for the 1959 torture and execution of her father,
Jose Velasquez Fernandez, a lieutenant in the Cuban army.
BNP, France's largest bank, admitted in July that it engaged in a
long-running conspiracy to violate U.S. embargoes against the three
nations by processing billions of dollars in banned transactions from
2004 to 2012.
Wiederspan argued she was entitled to a portion of the funds the bank
agreed to forfeit as part of the plea that were tied to Cuba. The
judgment was composed of almost $6.4 billion in penalties for illicit
transactions with Sudan, $686,600 for those with Iran and $1.7 billion
with Cuba.
U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in Manhattan rejected Wiederspan's
bid to intervene in the case, saying the Florida judgment is against
Cuba and not BNP. Wiederspan failed to show that Cuba has any
"ownership" of the funds that BNP is forfeiting, the judge said.
"Petitioner has a judgment against the Republic of Cuba," Schofield
ruled. "Petitioner has no judgment against BNP."
Wrong Proceeding
Wiederspan "has every right to enforce her valid judgment against the
Republic of Cuba in a proceeding," the judge said. "This is not such a
proceeding."
President Barack Obama in December made a surprise announcement that the
U.S. will seek to establish diplomatic ties with Cuba and ease economic
barriers. The U.S. recognizes more than 5,900 claims against Cuba
stemming from the expropriation of property owned by Americans in the
aftermath of the revolution, according to the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission, an arm of the Justice Department.
In the bank case, the U.S. has asked Schofield to sentence BNP in
accordance with the plea agreement reached in July. The sentence which
the bank faces on Friday includes a final order forfeiting $8.8 billion
and a fine of $140 million as well as five years' probation, Assistant
U.S. Attorney Andrew Goldstein said in a memo to the court.
Woman's Lawyer
Wiederspan's lawyer, William Sanchez, argued his client was entitled to
the funds under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002. He didn't
immediately return a voice-mail message seeking comment about the decision.
Jim Margolin, a spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara,
whose office brought the case, declined to comment on Schofield's ruling.
The case is U.S. v. BNP Paribas 14-cr-00460, U.S. District Court,
Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
Source: Judge Denies Daughter's Cuba Damages Claim Under TRIA for
Father's Death -
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/05/01/366535.htm
By Patricia Hurtado | May 1, 2015
A federal judge who will sentence BNP Paribas SA Friday for violating
U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Iran and Cuba on Thursday rejected a
Cuban-American woman's bid for compensation for her father's death at
the hands of the Castro regime.
Marilyn Wiederspan, a Nebraska teacher, sought to have a $63.6 million
judgment paid out of almost $9 billion BNP Paribas will forfeit to the
U.S. She obtained the judgment from a Florida circuit court against the
Cuba and Fidel Castro for the 1959 torture and execution of her father,
Jose Velasquez Fernandez, a lieutenant in the Cuban army.
BNP, France's largest bank, admitted in July that it engaged in a
long-running conspiracy to violate U.S. embargoes against the three
nations by processing billions of dollars in banned transactions from
2004 to 2012.
Wiederspan argued she was entitled to a portion of the funds the bank
agreed to forfeit as part of the plea that were tied to Cuba. The
judgment was composed of almost $6.4 billion in penalties for illicit
transactions with Sudan, $686,600 for those with Iran and $1.7 billion
with Cuba.
U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield in Manhattan rejected Wiederspan's
bid to intervene in the case, saying the Florida judgment is against
Cuba and not BNP. Wiederspan failed to show that Cuba has any
"ownership" of the funds that BNP is forfeiting, the judge said.
"Petitioner has a judgment against the Republic of Cuba," Schofield
ruled. "Petitioner has no judgment against BNP."
Wrong Proceeding
Wiederspan "has every right to enforce her valid judgment against the
Republic of Cuba in a proceeding," the judge said. "This is not such a
proceeding."
President Barack Obama in December made a surprise announcement that the
U.S. will seek to establish diplomatic ties with Cuba and ease economic
barriers. The U.S. recognizes more than 5,900 claims against Cuba
stemming from the expropriation of property owned by Americans in the
aftermath of the revolution, according to the Foreign Claims Settlement
Commission, an arm of the Justice Department.
In the bank case, the U.S. has asked Schofield to sentence BNP in
accordance with the plea agreement reached in July. The sentence which
the bank faces on Friday includes a final order forfeiting $8.8 billion
and a fine of $140 million as well as five years' probation, Assistant
U.S. Attorney Andrew Goldstein said in a memo to the court.
Woman's Lawyer
Wiederspan's lawyer, William Sanchez, argued his client was entitled to
the funds under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002. He didn't
immediately return a voice-mail message seeking comment about the decision.
Jim Margolin, a spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara,
whose office brought the case, declined to comment on Schofield's ruling.
The case is U.S. v. BNP Paribas 14-cr-00460, U.S. District Court,
Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
Source: Judge Denies Daughter's Cuba Damages Claim Under TRIA for
Father's Death -
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/05/01/366535.htm
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