Hilton to Cuban dictator and his bulletproof BMW limo: You’re not welcomed here

The bulletproof vehicle which will be used by Cuban President Raul Castro during his current visit to T&T

By Alberto de la Cruz

Being a ruthless dictator who has illegally taken ownership of an entire nation and its 11-million people has its advantages (see bulletproof BMW 7-series limousine above), but it also has its disadvantages. On a trip to Trinidad & Tobago for a conference originally scheduled to he held at a Hilton-run hotel, Cuban dictator Raul Castro will have to find some other hotel to stay at thanks to the U.S. embargo on the Cuban dictatorship:

US says no to licence for Hilton venue

The Government was forced to shift the venue for tomorrow’s Caricom-Cuba summit from the Hilton Trinidad Conference Centre to the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), following issues concerning the US embargo on Cuba. The US-owned Hilton in T&T was unable to obtain a licence from the US Government in order to host the Caricom-Cuba summit, a Hilton statement indicated yesterday. Cuban President Raul Castro arrives in T&T at 10.30 am today for the one-day summit which will also be attended by 12 of the 14 Caricom leaders.

The summit brings together regional heads with the leader of Cuba. It will be Castro’s first visit to T&T since he assumed the presidency in 2008, succeeding his brother, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. The summit has been held in Caricom over the last decade as regional territories have deepened ties with Cuba and seek to further enhance co-operation with that country. At the last summit in 2008, then-Cuban President Fidel Castro was presented with Caricom’s highest award—the order of Caricom. T&T had later been designated as the location for the next summit. More on  Babalu blog >>