The problem with buying food in Cuba - A tourist view

Voxxi

By Teresa Sanchez

For many visitors to Havana, the most disappointing thing about the city is the food. Tourists with deep pockets who stay in touristy areas might not notice as much, but those who try to live like locals will quickly realize that the food problem is very real and can make getting day-to-day groceries exhausting.

Although Cubans have “libretas,” or ration books that entitle them to rice, beans, cooking oil, and other basic items, the quality and quantity leave much to be desired. The rice often has rocks and pieces of dirt mixed in, making the process of cooking a much longer and unpleasant task, as one has to sit down and separate each grain. A “monthly” supply of beans for one person is so small that it could easily be eaten in two days. Coffee from the state is cut with the chícharro bean, making it literally explosive. Faced with these difficult realities, Cubans are forced to shop at expensive markets or “inventar,” invent ways to acquire food on the black market.

Despite the government opening the market to some independent stores as of recent, government rationing through the libretas is still the norm.

There are no supermarkets in Cuba; small markets offer a limited supply and are outrageously expensive for Cubans who earn an average of $20/month. There are often long lines to get in, you have to check your purse/backpack and bring your own plastic bags, and you must be attentive when paying because the cashier might try to shortchange you (an experience I faced almost daily).

In fact, shopping for food can be such a hassle that sometimes I chose to go hungry instead of go shopping.

In this Aug. 30, 2013 photo, a food vendor spreads out convertible pesos, known as CUCs, the two bills on the right, and regular Cuban pesos at her stand in a vegetable market in Havana, Cuba. Cuba is the only country in the world that mints two national currencies.(AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

During my first week in Havana I went to a grocery store to buy some crackers. There was a line of about 100 people outside. After waiting an hour in the hot sun, a near riot broke out as the people, impatient, started to storm the entrance. They were angry that the much-coveted big cans of tomato sauce were being bought in such large quantities by the people already inside. Scared for my safety and tired of waiting, I left empty-handed.

Getting groceries in Cuba

People also shop at agros, open-air produce markets, but these are expensive, and the produce is filthy. Buying lettuce for salad is not worth it, because each leaf has to be washed thoroughly—and first you have to disinfect the water just to wash the lettuce! This can be a two-hour process. Shopping at agros is stressful too, as they are overcrowded with people and stray dogs, and the venders are dishonest.

As the Cuban mantra goes, “no es facil,” it’s not easy.

After expressing my despair about the food situation to a foreigner with years of experience in Cuba, I learned of a “socio” who could get me yogurt, cheese, and meat.

This was my entry into the black market; I soon realized that everyone has a “guy” for certain items.

“If you want tamales, my house keeper can get them for you,” or “I have a persona de ‘confianza’ that can get you lobster,” are typical offers.

But these are still expensive prospects and require planning, which is difficult since many people do not have phones.

Eating at restaurants in Cuba

The other option for food is going out to eat. There are generally two cuisines on the island: Cuban food “comida criolla” and “Italian” food. I mention “Italian” because it is marketed as such, but really these are just privately owned businesses that sell cheap pizza or spaghetti out of a person’s front door. Pizza costs 10 Cuban pesos, roughly 50 cents, but they are made with low quality ingredients, hardly resembling pizza I’ve had anywhere else in the world in terms of texture and flavor.

The saving grace of Cuban food is the fruit. Mangos, guava, papaya, pineapples, etc. are unbelievably delicious.

Also, the food situation outside of Havana is not as bad as I describe—the food passes through fewer hands and is thus less corrupted by the time it reaches your plate.

Despite the difficulties surrounding the acquisition of food in Havana, the resiliency of Cubans and the way they rely on family and social networks to overcome these problems continues to impress me.

If you plan on visiting Cuba, the greatest gifts you can bring are olive oil and cooking spices. But if not, bring lots of patience with you and un amigo de ‘confianza’.

Muere un canadiense en un accidente de tránsito en Granma-Cuba

Diario de Cuba

www.cnctv.cubasi.cu

Un ciudadano canadiense murió y cuatro cubanos resultaron heridos este miércoles por la tarde, al chocar un auto de turismo con un carro-grúa en una carretera de la provincia Granma, informó la estatal Agencia de Información Nacional (AIN).

En el choque, que ocurrió en la Carretera Central, cerca de la ciudad de Bayamo, "perdió la vida el ciudadano canadiense Jiwoirn Aisin, de 56 años, quien conducía un automóvil del Ministerio de Turismo, en dirección hacia el occidente de la Isla", señaló la AIN.

Añadió que los cuatro cubanos heridos —dos mujeres y dos hombres— están reportados "de cuidado". Son Odalis Uber Monteagudo, de 26 años de edad y residente en Jiguaní, provincia de Granma; Aliannys Martínez García, de 26 años y procedente de Jimaguayú, Guáimaro, Camagüey; Luis Manuel Álvarez Pelegrino, de 49 años de edad, y Yunior Infante Cobas, de 24 años, ambos de Santiago de Cuba.

El accidente, cuyas causas se investigan, se produjo cuando el auto de turismo impactó contra el carro-grúa de la estatal Empresa de Transporte a Granel, de Santiago de Cuba.

Video: Protestan activistas en la Catedral de La Habana

HablemosPress

Por Mario Hechavarria Driggs.

LA HABANA, 13 de Febrero.- En horas del mediodía del miércoles los opositores Carlos Manuel Figueroa Álvarez y Santiago Roberto Montes de Oca Rodríguez realizaron una protesta cívica en la Plaza de la Catedral en el municipio Habana Vieja. Ambos activistas fueron detenidos de inmediato.

Figueroa y Montes de Oca portaron carteles que pedían libertad para los presos políticos y respeto a los derechos humanos. Además exigían el fin de la represión y libertad para el pueblo de Cuba.

Agentes de la Seguridad del Estado en presencia de decenas de turistas que tomaron fotos de la protesta arrestaron a los activistas.

Hasta el momento se desconoce el paradero de Figueroa y Montes de Oca.

Figueroa, es presidente del Movimiento Juvenil Antorcha Martiana.
En este video se muestra parte de la protesta tomada con un teléfono celular.

Mis vacaciones en Cuba: demoras, interrogatorios y custodia

Taringa!

No acercarse en caso de ser periodista... el aeropuerto José Martí de La Habana

Por: Rodrigo Duarte rduarte@infobae.com

Pese a intentar presentar una imagen de apertura en la reciente cumbre de la Celac, la dictadura de los Castro no abandonó su implacable persecución contra todo pensamiento o actitud independiente. Un periodista de Infobae, de vacaciones en la isla, vivió el acoso en carne propia y cuenta los absurdos detalles.
Son las ocho y media de la noche en La Habana y según lo planeado hace semanas, cuando decidí que pasaría mis vacaciones de verano cumpliendo una asignatura pendiente de mis años de adolescente y visitaría Cuba, ya debería haber llegado al hotel y comenzado mi recorrida de la ciudad. En cambio, llevo tres horas detenido en el aeropuerto José Martí, incomunicado y, a juzgar por la mirada de pocos amigos del oficial encargado de vigilarme, no parece que vaya a poder irme en cualquier momento.

¿Qué hice para encontrarme en esta situación? ¿Intenté ingresar drogas al país, grité que tenía una bomba en mitad del vuelo hacia Cuba o agredí a alguien en la cola de Migraciones? Ni siquiera intenté introducir literatura "enemiga" ni elementos "subversivos" tales como una laptop o un grabador. No, simplemente mi pasaporte indica que soy periodista y por lo tanto, automáticamente sospechoso de ser un "agente desestabilizador del Imperio" (textuales palabras del diario Granma para referirse a todo aquel que critica al régimen).

A decir verdad, durante todo el tiempo que permaneceré bajo custodia a mi llegada, unas cuatro horas, en las que cada una de las pertenencias con las que viajo -desde la ropa interior hasta mi agenda personal- serán sujetas a una revisión exhaustiva en dos oportunidades y seré interrogado por cuatro personas diferentes, nadie me dirá el porqué de mi demora, pero las constantes preguntas sobre mi "actividad laboral" (¿Usted escribe sobre política? ¿Cuál es la postura de los medios en los que trabaja?) no dejan lugar a la duda sobre el motivo del acoso.

Confinado a una oficina en un rincón del aeropuerto, había pasado suficiente tiempo como para ponerme a pensar sobre qué detalle en mi currículum podría haber hecho a las autoridades cubanas interesarse tanto por mí. Sí, escribo en Infobae, un diario digital que, a diferencia de otros medios argentinos, se ocupa de informar acerca de las constantes violaciones de los Derechos Humanos que se cometen en Cuba, pero yo mismo no escribo notas de ese tipo.

Intenté pensar entonces acerca de notas mías recientes que hubieran podido enojar a los servicios de inteligencia cubana. ¿Pudo haber sido mi entrevista al director de la fundación Federico Klemm sobre el flamante libro sobre su catálogo? Tal vez el fallecido artista fuese considerado por los hermanos Castro un elemento contrarrevolucionario -después de todo, el comunismo no suele ser apreciativo de la homosexualidad o el arte- y al darle difusión a su despolitizada obra yo había atentado contra el proceso de toma de conciencia histórica de los pueblos latinoamericanos y por lo tanto debía ser escarmentado.

¿O tal vez fue mi nota sobre el éxito de la publicidad del refresco Manaos lo que me convirtió en sujeto indeseable para la Revolución? Es verdad que el spot es indudablemente malo, ¿pero podría ser tan malo para hacerme merecedor del destrato de tres funcionarios cubanos e impedir mi entrada al país?

Pero cuando llega el cuarto oficial para hacerme las mismas preguntas que he estado respondiendo desde que me separaron de la fila que se dirigía a migraciones, muchas de ellas mas absurdas que abusivas (¿Vino a cubrir la Celac? No, vine de vacaciones. ¿Está afiliado a algún partido? No, a ninguno ¿Por qué trae con usted un libro en inglés? Porque el libro no está editado en español ¿Quién es Morrissey? Un músico inglés ¿No le gusta la música en español? Sí, también me gusta), me doy cuenta de que esto podría extenderse varias horas más y que es mejor actuar. Decido recurrir al "chapeo", una acción generalmente despreciable pero que, dadas las peliagudas circunstancias, encuentro justificada.

"Escúcheme, oficial. Estoy hace varias horas acá y nadie me dice cuál es el problema. Le pido por favor que llame al embajador uruguayo, que es amigo de mi padre, quien también es diplomático, y pídale de mi parte que venga". Inesperadamente, la estrategia funciona y en diez minutos se apersona otro hombre, cuyo uniforme denota mayor jerarquía, y me dice que puedo quedarme tranquilo, que ya fueron a buscar mis pertenencias y en unos minutos podría irme.

"¿Sabes lo que pasa? Vienen muchos presidentes a nuestro país y estamos velando por la seguridad de todos, inclusive la suya también", es toda la explicación que me ofrece. Pero no todo es amabilidad. Mientras me entrega el celular que me habían quitado al momento de detenerme, se despide con una amenaza, no del todo velada: "Tenga en cuenta que yo confío en usted y le creo que no viene a hacer periodismo sino a vacacionar. No se meta en problemas, no comprometa su estadía en el país. Vaya y disfrute".

Soy escoltado hasta la salida de la terminal por un agente que, antes de subirme al taxi, me recomienda que no vaya a olvidarme del "consejo" que acaban de darme. Le respondo que lo voy a recordar, aunque los primeros tres días en Cuba no tendré forma de olvidarlo ya que un hombre de civil me seguirá no muy sutilmente vaya donde vaya, sea de mañana o de noche.

Una vez en el auto rumbo hacia el hotel, y pese a que ya oscureció, puedo divisar en la ruta carteles oficiales anunciando la cumbre de la Celac, que arranca el día siguiente. "Unidad en la diversidad" es el irónico lema del encuentro y ocupa un lugar destacado en los afiches. Me viene a la mente el consejo que recibe el protagonista al inicio de Nuestro hombre en La Habana, la famosa novela de Graham Greene: "Si quiere pasarla bien en este país, no le conviene afrontar la realidad".

Toronto mom trapped in Cuba after tot's tragic death

torontosun

By Jenny Yuen

Justine and Cameron in Cuba two hours before the crash

TORONTO - All Justine Davis wants is to come home to Toronto so she can bury her three-year-old son.

She has been stuck for six weeks in a Cuban hospital following a horrific traffic mishap which killed her son, Cameron, just outside the Cayo Largo resort they were staying at over the Christmas holidays.

A source confirmed Tuesday that Cuban authorities are conducting an investigation into the crash involving Davis’s gas-powered rental scooter and a truck.

However, Davis complained that while authorities have not laid any charges, they forbid her to leave Cuba to attend her son’s funeral on Saturday.

She’s hoping the Canadian government will intervene on her behalf.

“They won’t let me go,” Davis, who’s in her 20s, said in a telephone interview from her hospital room at Clinica Cira Garcia in Havana.

“I just don’t know what more they want from me. As for the immigration release — nobody can tell me anything ... They’re deciding whether they want to charge me or release me. I’ve prepared a eulogy for him and it’s going to be really psychologically damaging to miss his funeral.”

She told how the crash took place Dec. 23 on a two-lane road that was partially paved. Davis said she rented a Jeep to take her child sight-seeing, but upon returning it early, the owner of the CubaCar rental company suggested she use up excess time by riding a scooter.

She said there was no additional paperwork to fill out and she and Cameron were given helmets. A spokesman who identified himself as Nelson at CubaCar confirmed to the Toronto Sun it is legal for children to ride on such scooters, provided they wear helmets.

Davis claims Cuban police said she attempted to avoid potholes in the road, right before hitting the truck, which she disagrees with. Davis said she and her son were thrown about nine metres and the child’s helmet came off.

Davis, who was still conscious, crawled to Cameron’s body before they were separated by paramedics.

The little boy died at the scene, but it wasn’t until the next day that Davis was informed about her son’s death.

“He was very happy,” Davis, her voice quivering, said of her son. “He went to a daycare. He really liked gymnastics and going to the park. He really liked to dance and perform on stage. He was just happy.”

Despite repeated phone calls to police stations in Cayo Largo and nearby jurisdictions Tuesday, the Toronto Sun was unable to find anyone to speak on behalf of Cuban authorities.

One officer who answered the phone indicated media needed to contact the local tourism board and then changed his mind to say, “only the detective who is working on the case can give out information.”

When reached, the Havana police department would not put the Sun in contact with Lt.-Col. Rogeleo, the lead investigator in this case. Davis said she requested a copy of the police report, but was told it would take up to three months.

The Canadian Embassy in Cuba referred media to Foreign Affairs Canada, which said government officials are trying to push for the case to be expedited.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the Canadian Citizen who passed away in Cuba,” Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said in an e-mailed statement.

“Canadian consular officials in Havana, Cuba, are providing consular assistance to the family and are in contact with local authorities on the matter.”

A source said Davis is under investigation to determine if she played a role in the crash.

Davis said she doesn’t believe she has done anything wrong.

“They’ve had all the information they’ve had for a long time ... How much longer do I need to wait?” she said.

According to the Foreign Affairs Canada website, traffic accidents are a frequent cause of arrest and detention of Canadians in Cuba.

“Accidents resulting in death or injury are treated as crimes, and the onus is on the driver to prove innocence,” the website read. “Regardless of the nature of the accident, it can take five months to a year for a case to go to trial. In most cases, the driver will not be allowed to leave Cuba until the trial has taken place.”

Cameron’s father, Michael Sifontes, 31, said while frustrated by the lack of information coming out of Cuba, he’s not surprised.

“People need to know not to drive in Cuba,” he said. “They have a false sense of security because we bring so much tourism, that we’re protected there. We’ve heard stories of people getting into fender benders and Cubans hold on to them. They’re really holding on to her because they don’t want to be accountable for what happened. They don’t want their tourism to be affected.”

Davis brought Cameron to the resort because she wanted some family time after her father passed away in November. During the six weeks in hospital, Davis said she underwent five surgeries for broken bones, contusions and a large gash on her left thigh.

Hospital staff will release Davis in the next week or so, but she will have to find a place to live in Cuba while waiting for permission to leave.

The toddler’s body was released Jan. 14 from Cuba and arrived back to Canada on Jan. 18, but only after Davis said she paid $9,500 for embalming and transportation services. Davis said the funeral had to happen this week because embalming standards in Cuba were subpar compared to those in Canada.

A director at Ward Funeral Home at 2035 Weston Rd. confirmed the boy’s funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

In the meantime, family and friends are donating to a foundation set up in aid of Cameron, which will help offset costs of the boy’s funeral.

Toronto immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann said this is “by no means” a typical situation.

“The Canadian government has been criticized for being particularly unhelpful to Canadians in distress,” he said. “The Canadian Embassy should be pounding on the prosecutor’s office and saying, ‘Either charge this woman or let her get to her kid’s funeral.’ You can’t keep her waiting. It’s inhumane.”

Cadáver de turista canadiense “se pierde” en Cuba

Café Fuerte

Zoran Tomic, fallecido en Cuba el pasado enero

Pareciera el relato ideal para un filme de humor negro de Tomás Gutiérrez Alea: los familiares de un turista canadiense que falleció en Cuba están pidiendo explicaciones por una prolongada espera de 18 días en el envío del cadáver por parte de las autoridades de la isla.

Zoran Tomic, de 65 años, murió repentinamente cuando vacacionaba con su esposa en Cuba, el pasado 13 de enero, y sus familiares reclamaron de inmediato el cuerpo para realizar sus funerales en Brampton, la ciudad donde residía, en el área de Toronto, provinciade Ontario.

Se suponía que el cadáver viajaría a la mayor brevedad, pero al parecer un problema con el ataúd que fue trasladado a Cuba por la funeraria de Brampton tuvo en espera a sus familiares hasta el pasado 1 de febrero, según reportó el canal CityNews.

“Es casi como si nadie sabía dónde estaba”, relató David Tomic, hijo del fallecido. “Lo hemos perdido inicialmente, y luego [ las personas que manipulan el cuerpo en Cuba ] lo perdieron también”.

El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de Canadá está investigando el caso para determinar las razones de la demora.

Ataúd en vuelo

Tomic afirma que fue informado en tres ocasiones de que el ataúd estaba en vuelo hacia Canadá, pero la demora continuaba. Finalmente, el pasado sábado en la noche el cadáver llegó a la funeraria de Brampton que el ataúd había llegado.

Se les informó que el ataúd había sido erróneamente etiquetado como “carga general” en Cuba.

De acuerdo con un comunicado con la aerolínea Air Canada, el féretro les fue entregado para su transportación el 30 de enero. La compañía dice que no tuvo posibilidades de enviarlo al día siguiente por “limitaciones operativas”, pero asegura que mantuvo a la funeraria informada.

“Mantuvimos informada a la fuenraria como parte de nuestro procedimiento habitual, pero en este caso hubo una falta de comunicación interna que estamos investigando. Pedimos disculpas por las incomodidades que esta situación haya provocado”, indicó Isabelle Artthur, portavoz de la aerolínea.

Canadá es el principal emisor de turismo hacia la isla, con 1,105,729 visitantes reportados en el 2013.

Brainwashing: Tours changing American views of Cuba, US policy

AP News

www.voanews.com

By PETER ORSI 

HAVANA (AP) -- When President Barack Obama reinstated "people-to-people" travel to Cuba in 2011, the idea was that visiting Americans would act as cultural ambassadors for a U.S. constantly demonized in the island's official media.

Two and a half years later, a survey shared exclusively with The Associated Press suggests the trips are not only improving Cubans' views of Americans. They are also changing U.S. travelers' opinions of the Caribbean nation for the better, and dimming their view of Washington policies that have long sought to pressure Cuba's Communist leaders.

"I think U.S.-Cuban relations should be open. People should be talking to each other. People should be sharing," said Ellen Landsberger, a 62-year-old New York obstetrician who recently visited on a people-to-people tour.

"We have this tiny little island that is no threat to the U.S. that we're isolating from the world," she said. "It doesn't make sense."

There's surely significant self-selection among people-to-people travelers; supporters of a hard-line policy against Cuba are unlikely to consider such a tour. And the people who run the trips tend to be more or less sympathetic toward Cuba, or at least to the idea of easing or lifting the 52-year-old U.S. embargo, which could potentially be a boon to their business.

Still, the results of the multiple-choice survey by Friendly Planet Travel, a company based in suburban Philadelphia that promotes legal tours of Cuba, are eye-catching. Three-quarters said they were drawn by curiosity about life in a nation that has been off limits to most Americans for decades.

Before travel, the most prevalent view of Raul Castro's government was "a repressive Communist regime that stifles individuality and creativity," 48 percent of respondents said. That fell to 19 percent after their visits, and the new most-popular view, held by 30 percent of respondents, became the slightly more charitable "a failing government that is destined to fall."

Most striking, 88 percent said the experience made them more likely than before to support ending the embargo against Cuba.

Peggy Goldman, president of Friendly Planet Travel, said visitors are surprised at how hard it is to find many goods, even something as basic as an adhesive bandage.

Some leave Cuba blaming U.S. policy for the shortages - as the Cuban government does constantly, although analysts also point to a weak, inefficient and corruption-ridden economic system as a key cause of scarcity.

"In day-to-day life, it's so difficult for the average Cuban. When the travelers go and they see that, and they experience it themselves, it makes sense that they say (the embargo) doesn't make sense," Goldman said. "It hasn't toppled the government in all these years. We need to try a different way."

Goldman acknowledged that her informal poll, which surveyed 423 Americans who visited Cuba in December, was not scientific.

But others in the industry tell a similar story.

"Some people go back and say they want to write letters to their senators," said Jeff Philippe, a guide who has taken 34 groups to the island in just over a year for Insight Cuba, which puts on people-to-people tours for Americans. "I've had several people say to me, `I want to make this my personal mission to end the embargo.'"

That could provide ammunition to the harshest opponents of people-to-people travel, who have argued from the beginning that the tours, partially organized in concert with Cuban state-run entities, let the Communist government put its best face forward and hide its warts.

"It's hard to imagine anyone being exposed to Cuba's reality and walking away with a more favorable view of the Castro regime," said Sen. Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American Republican from Florida. "But it's not surprising to hear that's the case with these tourist trips to Cuba, since they are specifically designed to expose people only to what the regime wants them to see."

"It's clear these tourist trips do little more than help the regime's image, fund its repressive machine, and undermine the courageous work of Cuba's democracy fighters," Rubio said.

In general, the tours tend not to include much contact with Cuban dissidents.

In a written response to an AP request for comment, the U.S. State Department said people-to-people travel has successfully "contributed to a more realistic and therefore more positive view of Americans and the United States by the Cuban people." It called the visitors ambassadors of democratic values, free-market economics and freedom of expression.

"Being favorably disposed to Cuba and ordinary Cubans should not be confused with endorsing a totalitarian system of government," it said of the returnees. "The people of Cuba have a rich and powerful culture that is rightfully appreciated by visitors to the island."

Tour operators insist any talk of Potemkin villages is wrong. They argue they're supporting local organic farmers, performers, artists, musicians and entrepreneurs who run private restaurants, adding that the Cuban government's involvement in scheduling is minimal and agendas carefully comply with U.S. rules barring sun-and-sand tourism.

"It's nothing like going to North Korea where you've got minders and there are only certain places you can go," Goldman said.

Most visitors report warm and seemingly open exchanges with Cubans from all walks of life. Some say they're aware that being shuttled around in air-conditioned buses and sleeping in luxury hotels differs greatly from most Cubans' reality.

"That part of it, you feel very separated. It's almost schizophrenic because you're treated very differently from the person who lives here," said Allan Kessler, a New York banker. "But, yes, we are meeting different types of people. We have no idea if everyone is pre-screened or not, but to our eye it seems rather candid."

He spoke on a recent morning after his Insight Cuba group visited a local youth dance troupe and a farmers market. Each traveler was given the equivalent of less than $1 in the local currency, about one-20th of the average monthly salary, to see how much they could buy. Afterward they discussed the experience.

"Overpriced," "very little protein," "it doesn't go very far" were among the comments. "Why are beans so expensive?"

Then it was off to lunch at an enormous outdoor state-run restaurant where just about every client orders the house specialty, roast chicken.

Estimates of how many Americans travel to Cuba legally on cultural exchanges range from around 70,000 to 100,000 a year.

Several Cubans interviewed by the AP said they've always been taught to separate people from politics, and valued the chance to meet Americans.

"We realize that they're just like us. They like to dance," said Glenda Quintana Carpio, a 20-year-old member of the dance troupe who coached visitors in basic steps after a performance in a Havana theater. "We're human beings from different countries with different idiosyncrasies."

Cuba: Impiden a turistas de crucero canadiense contactar con la poblacion de Antillas

Martí Noticias

Una vez a la semana, un crucero procedente de Canadá atraca en el Municipio de Antillas, en Las Tunas. Pocos turistas desembarcan y para los lugareños, es como si la nave "no" estuviera ahí.

Montreal man dies after accident in Cuba

CJAD 800

By Patrick Lejtenyi
A 32-year-old Montreal man and former CJAD employee who died following a water-related accident in Cuba is being remembered as a man who never quit on his dreams, even when suffereing from serious physical challenges.

Matt Stone was legally blind and suffered from juvenile diabetes but his father Kerry Stone says his ailments never dampened his spirits.

The elder stone says he and his family have made peace with their son's death.

He remembers Matt as someone who never had a bad word to say about anyone, a hard worker and a lifelong radio fan.

He adds that Matt's physical problems never got in the way of his ambitions.

"The word 'can't' wasn't in his vocabulary," he says. He was always up for a challenge. "He'd think it over in his mind, and if it wasn't something totally ridiculous or life-threatening, he'd say, 'Look, I'd like to do it, I think I can and I won't have any problem with it.' And he'd go ahead and he did it."

Matt Stone died as a result of a water-related accident while on a cycling trip in Cuba.

He was in a coma for several days before he was flown home.

Kerry Stone says he died just hours after landing in Montreal on Saturday.

Photo from Facebook

Prince of Asturias Visits Cuba's Stand at Madrid Tourist Fair

Prensa Latina

www.cadenagramonte.cu

Madrid, Jan 22.- Prince of Asturias Felipe de Borbon visited today Cuba's stand during a tour through the pavilions on occasion of the opening of the Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid. Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero and the island's ambassador to Spain, Eugenio Martinez, received Prince Felipe, heir to the Spanish, throne in the stand, in which the main Cuban products are represented. It also provides a rapprochement to its origin.

Marrero talked to the Prince some aspects of the exhibition, among them the presence of Jose Castelar (Cueto), a cigar maker who holds the Guinness record for the longest Havana cigar, the largest of them measured 80.81 meters long.

In statements to Prensa Latina, ambassador Martinez said the visit is a recognition to the country and the Cuban tourist product.

Spain is one of the most important tourist markets to Cuba, although its volume has suffered a contradiction in the last few years, as a result of the economic crisis in the European country.

Almost 9,000 representatives of companies from 165 countries are participating in the 34th edition of FITUR, and it is expected to receive about 200,000 visitors until Jan. 26.

Canadian tourists delayed in Cuba for almost 20 hours

Nearly 200 weary travellers are finally back on Canadian soil after being stranded in a Cuban

@252MOVE

airport for hours without any food or water.

“They just let us rot in a Cuban airport with no water eventually in the end, no food, in heat with babies that have fevers. Kids are walking around crying,” Janina Gibson, a passenger on Flight 683, told CityNews.

Dino Kanelopolous, another passenger, said he arrived at the airport in Varadero around 6:30 p.m. for the flight, which was scheduled to depart at 9 p.m. on Monday. But it was revised to leave Tuesday at 3:45 p.m. with an arrival time at Pearson airport of 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

“The information was that there were technical difficulties with one of the planes,” he explained. “They made arrangements to get another flight out. We got that information right around midnight.”

More on 680News >>

Cubanos segundo emisor de turistas a Varadero

cubasi

Luis Martínez, especialista comercial del Ministerio de Turismo (MINTUR) en la provincia de Matanzas, dijo a la AIN que el mercado nacional mantiene tendencias de crecimiento, con promedio de estancia de 3,3 días y preferencia por hoteles de mayor categoría.

   Los turistas cubanos prefieren la temporada estival para su estancia, y se respeta la relación calidad-precio, aseguró el experto.

   Después de Canadá y Cuba, en Varadero aumentaron también los visitantes de Alemania, Rusia, Reino Unido, Bélgica y Argentina, nación suramericana que se consolida por encima de Chile, Francia, Italia y España.

   Desde el año 2008 la península de Hicacos acoge de manera consecutiva e ininterrumpidamente a más de un millón de visitantes, quienes disfrutan de las bondades de los 22 kilómetros de playa, en la planta hotelera con más de 20 mil 390 habitaciones, y diversas ofertas extrahoteleras.

   Según un documento del MINTUR, al cual la AIN tuvo acceso, Varadero acoge al 44 por ciento de los turistas  extranjeros que arriban a Cuba, y en ello influye la labor del Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Gualberto Gómez.

   Para este 2014 los esfuerzos se encaminan a ofrecer servicios de excelencia en los hoteles que cuentan con estándares mundiales, gestionados por grupos como Cubanacán, Gaviota, Gran Caribe, e Isla Azul, algunos en asociación con prestigiosos operadores internacionales, aseguran especialistas.

Inside the Cuba airplane to Cayo largo. ... Plane Smoking!!!

Alex Niko

Turbia muerte de un canadiense de origen cubano en La Habana

ElNuevoHerald.com

Brandon Ross

Juan O. Tamayo

Un ciudadano estadounidense nacido en Canadá murió en circunstancias misteriosas en la azotea del famoso Hotel Nacional de Cuba, afirmó su madre el viernes en Miami.
“El salió el 21 de noviembre por la noche, diciendo que quería encontrarse con su primo. A la mañana siguiente su cama estaba vacía. Yo llamé al primo y él me dijo que no había visto a mi hijo”, dijo Onelia Ross a El Nuevo Herald.
El cadáver de Brandon Ross, de 31 años, fue cremado inmediatamente por el gobierno cubano, impidiendo una autopsia independiente, aun cuando funcionarios canadienses se ofrecieron a tramitar la devolución del mismo, dijo Ross.
Ross dijo que ella nació en Cuba y que conoció a su esposo, un diplomático canadiense, cuando él prestó servicio en La Habana de 1974 a 1976. Ellos viven en Canadá y Brandon nació en Ottawa pero obtuvo la ciudadanía estadounidenses tras estudiar en Estados Unidos, agregó.
La madre dijo que ella y Brandon viajaron a Cuba el 17 de noviembre de vacaciones, el primer viaje de él a la isla, y que alquilaron habitaciones en una casa particular en el barrio habanero de El Vedado, no muy lejos del Hotel Nacional.
El 21 de noviembre, madre e hijo caminaron por el paseo junto al mar conocido como el Malecón, pararon en el hotel para beber un trago y luego regresaron a sus habitaciones, dijo Ross. Luego Brandon volvió a salir, y ella no volvió a verlo hasta que al día siguiente le pidieron que identificara su cadáver.
Ross se echó a llorar y dijo que estaba demasiado desconsolada para continuar hablando con El Nuevo Herald, pero confirmó detalles que había dado al canal de televisión Telemundo51 en Miami, el cual fue el primero en reportar el caso el miércoles.
“Ibamos muy felices y contentos (a Cuba), y todo se convirtió en una pesadilla”, dijo ella al reportero de Telemundo51 Ernesto Morales.
Cuando ella vió el cadáver, dijo a la estación televisiva, “la cara de mi hijo estaba como si le hubieran dado piñazos”. Su ojo izquierdo estaba casi negro y el derecho todo morado, agregó. “La quijada la tenía partida, y se le veía un diente partido”.
Las autoridades cubanas le dijeron que Ross estaba en la azotea del hotel cuando resbaló y se cayó de una altura de unos 20 pies, dijo la madre a Telemundo51. También le dijeron que él había sobrevivido alrededor de 12 horas antes de morir como consecuencia de sus lesiones, afirmó la madre.
Su hijo le había mencionado que quería tomar algunas fotos desde la azotea del hotel, dijo ella al canal televisivo. No hubo explicación de cómo pudo haber llegado a la azotea, que hasta donde se sabe no está abierta al público.
Las autoridades le dijeron asimismo que su hijo había muerto durante la noche, pero no le dieron una copia de su autopsia, añadió Ross. Las últimas fotos en su cámara — la cual, según ella, no mostraba señal alguna de una caída — parecen tomadas al amanecer.
Amigos de la madre han dicho que ella cree que Brandon fue asesinado a golpes, pero no ha explicado cómo llegó a esa sospecha.
“En ese país miserable no existen leyes”, dijo ella a la estación.
El Departamento de Estado confirmó el viernes la muerte de Brandon Ross el 22 de noviembre, y dijo que estaba “brindando toda la asistencia consultar apropiada” a su familia, pero añadió que “por respeto a la privacidad de los afectados no tenemos nada más que decir al respecto”.
Beatrice Fenelon, portavoz del Departamento de Asuntos Exteriores y Comercio Internacional de Canadá, confirmó que un ciudadano canadiense había muerto en Cuba pero no dio su nombre, y dijo que funcionarios consulares canadienses en La Habana habían prestado ayuda a la familia.
Los funcionarios consulares también “han estado en contacto con las autoridades locales”, dijo, pero no se podía divulgar más detalles del caso “para proteger la privacidad del individuo en cuestión”.

Read more here: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2014/01/11/1652834/muere-un-ciudadano-estadounidense.html#storylink=cpy

Head of Russian Neo-Nazi, Anti-Gay Group Flees to Cuba

Maxim Martsinkevich  (Source:VK.com via Vocativ.com)

EDGE on the Net

By Jason St. Amand 

The leader of a neo-Nazi anti-gay Russian group, which tortures and humiliates LGBT youth, has fled to Cuba after spending months running away from authorities, news site Vocativ reports.

Maxim Martsinkevich, the leader of the anti-gay/neo-Nazi group "Occupy Paedophilia," first fled to Ukraine but has now settled in Cuba, according to a Wednesday interview with Russian news site Life News.

Martsinkevich recently took to VKontakte, a Russian social media site, to write that he fled to Cuba around Dec. 10. Vocativ reports that laws allow Russians to visit Cuba for up to 30 days if they do not have a visa. Martsinkevich apparently does not have a visa, which means he will have to stay in the country illegally or soon leave. Additionally, Martsinkevich, known as "Teask" (Russian for the cleaver), says he doesn’t have the money to fly home, however.

On Christmas Martsinkevic wrote a plea on his VKontakte account:

"Attention! Official dispatch from Freedom Island (i.e. Cuba)!
An offer regarding the investigation and trial.

The case against me is very unusual. There are no victims. No damages. The investigation was done by incompetents. The crimes were committed virtually. I was charged without being present. I was arrested in absentia.

Contrary to Interpol statutes, there has been an international arrest warrant issued in my name. I do not recognize my guilt. I am currently in Latin America and do not have the money to return to Russia.

Given the above and thinking logically, I ask the following:

To hold the questioning and trial in the open for the mass media to observe, with me being present via Skype. In case of conviction, I offer to serve the prison term virtually, by placing an avatar behind bars for the amount of time designated by the court.

That would be fair and just, and would help bring about legal innovation.
If you agree, repost this message.

Sincerely, Maxim Martsinkevich"

Maxim Martsinkevich  (Source:VK.com via Vocativ.com)

Martsinkevich also posted an image of himself behind bars with the caption: "Russia’s Neo-Nazi poster boy asks for help."

Vocativ reports that the Russian government charged him "with extremism in early November."

Martsinkevich and his group made international headlines for luring LGBT teens via social network websites, then torturing and humiliating them. Members of "Occupy Paedophilia" allegedly bullied their victims while recording them - sometimes in public during the day. Clips of the abuse were then posted online in order to out the teens to their family, friends and schools.

In one incident that occurred in November, the group attacked a gay contestant from Ukraine’s "X Factor" show. According to reports, Martsinkevich attacked Alexander Bohun, beating him repeatedly, threatening him with violence and forced him to make a series of false statements while being recorded.

"I was referred to as ’pedophile’ illegally, mocked, and forced to admit actions and desires that I have not committed in any circumstances, and I had to admit all that publicly," Bohun said.

Bohun’s lawyer, Elena Kherson, says Martsinkevich broke the law by accusing another man of a crime without an instigation or trial.

Maxim Martsinkevich  (Source:VK.com via Vocativ.com)

"There is no evidence of the involvement of Alexander Bohun, in the crime of which ’Slasher’ accused him," she said. "And most importantly, he [Bohun] is the victim." The clip shows Martsinkevich shaving Bohun’s head, painting it with a rainbow marker and then apparently makes him drink a cup of urine and pours urine over his head.

"Basically I would not kill you because you’re gay," Martsenkevich reportedly says in the video. "I would send you to a concentration camp, organize parades for gays there, dress you as a woman, and make you sing songs. Take a good care of you."

Martsinkevich and group made waves again in November when they lured and kidnappeda 20-year-old gay exchange student from Swaziland, Africa. The student, only known as "David Smith," was stripped and interrogated about his sexuality. He was slapped and taunted and the members of the group shaved his head. He was also forced to kiss and dance with a watermelon, which was later shoved in his face.

The victim, however, was returned to his native country in November, according to officials from Swaziland.

Vocativ reports that charges of extremism Martsinkevich currently faces are for inciting hatred and "humiliating human dignity" under Article 282 of the Russian criminal code. He could be sentenced to five years in prison.

It’s unknown of Russia’s highly controversial "homosexual propaganda" laws will impact Martsinkevich’s case.

Cuba no está preparada para la llegada de los "yankis" - Experto

Joel García

Cuba: Pescadores furtivos le venden erizos a los turistas

Cubanet

LA HABANA, Cuba, 6 de diciembre de 2013 – Dos  buzos de Jaimanitas   descubrieron  hace poco  una nueva forma de ganar dinero,  la venta de erizos  a  turistas que se hospedan  en  hoteles del litoral.
Son Joaquinito  y Sandy,  quienes entran todos los días  al mar en busca de  las prendas y  dinero que pierden por descuido los bañistas,  y también sobreviven de la pesca  y    la extracción  de calandraca del fondo marino  para la venta como carnada.  Ahora han añadido a la lista el erizo de mar,   especie que abunda  en los arrecifes,  considerados  platos de lujo en algunos países desarrollados.
El  descubrimiento fue realizado  por  Sandy,  al que apodan  en el   pueblo  el suicida,  desde aquella  vez que  resolvió  una  compleja   situación familiar clavándose  un cuchillo en el abdomen.  Cuenta  que mientras  buceaba  en los arrecifes detrás del club Habana,  tres turistas italianos se acercaron a la orilla y  le pidieron que  sacara erizos  para comer. Dijeron que eran afrodisíacos,  y  en sus países  platos  caros.

 
Un saco de erizos
Sandy  se puso la careta,  mordió el snorker y se zambulló en el agua. En menos de diez minutos tenía afuera un saco  de erizos. Los contaron,  sesenta erizos de primera calidad, que los  italianos  devoraron en menos de lo que cantó un gallo.
Abrían los cascarones de espinas y se comían las huevas amarillas alojadas en  su interior. Relataron  que contienen  un alto poder nutritivo  y   medicinal.  Le pagaron  10 cuc por el atracón, que en su país  hubiera costado una fortuna, ya que un plato de  erizos se cotiza en  restaurantes especializados en  50 dólares, dijeron.

Sandy acepto el dinero sin chistar,   porque consideró   ventajoso el negocio, que le  había demorado solamente 10 minutos en  recolectar los especimen marinos.
En unión  de  su amigo Joaquinito,  un padre de familia que   sobrevive con el negocio de la calandraca  y  del buceo en la orilla,  y  que ha añadido  también la venta de caracoles,  la pareja de buzos se ha agenciado una clientela  fija de  extranjeros  que han corrido la voz entre  sus coterráneos,  de  erizos y caracoles baratos,  y los esperan  al mediodía  en  la orilla,  para comprarles.
Estómagos de hierro
–Se comen  los erizos  crudos,  y también  los moluscos que viven dentro del  caracol. Los devoran sin sal, sin limón, sin cocinar.  Tienen estómagos de hierros –dice Joaquinito.

Un custodio del club Habana  los regañó hace poco,  alegando   una supuesta alteración del ecosistema. Los buzos  contestaron   que los erizos llevan años muriéndose de viejos en el fondo,  y pinchando a los bañistas,   y ellos ahora  los  estaban utilizando  con un  fin  social.
–Además, estamos pasando las de Caín. Tenemos que  sobrevivir  como sea –dijo Sandy.
El jefe de sector de la policía   les  advirtió recientemente,   de ciertas  informaciones  que le estaban llegando  sobre venta ilícita de erizos, pero los muchachos se hicieron los suecos.
–¿Venta ilícita? ¿De erizos?  ¿A quién? ¿Dónde? ¿Cuando?

Cuba:Tourism continues slide

Cuba Standard

Graphic by Cuba's statistics institute: First drop in five years

CUBA STANDARD — The number of foreign visitors to Cuba continued its year-long slide in October, dropping 0.9 percent from the same month in 2012.

The total in October was 167,977 visitors, down from 169,566 a year ago.

Year-to-date through the end of October, the total number of visitors was 2,312,609, down 1.2 percent from the same period last year.

The weakness comes as the “other” category, the second-largest outbound category that includes visitors from the United States, dropped 3.8 percent, indicating that people-to-people travel and family visits may begin to wane. Also, traditionally important European markets such as Italy, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Russia continued to drop, as did Argentina.

The strongest-performing outbound market and engine that drives Cuban tourism continues to be Canada, with 1.8 percent more visitors year-to-date. Other strong performers are Germany (+5.5%), Mexico (+10.3%), Venezuela (+18.9%), Chile (+31.5%), Colombia (+4.9%), and China (+15.1%).

Cuban hotels have been able to compensate for part of the drop in international tourism with a fast-rising number of Cuban guests. Domestic tourism in Cuba grew 12.6 percent in the first seven months of the year — the most recent data available — compared to the same period in 2012. A total of 339,470 Cubans stayed in hard-currency hotels from January through the end of July, making them the third-largest contingent, following Canadian and U.S. visitors. Tourism officials expect the number to reach 625,000 by the end of this year, nearly 100,000 more than in 2012.

Also, Cuban state tourism companies are making strides to diversify their portfolio. Boating and golf projects are among the top investment priorities in Cuba; a large marina is expected to open in the beach resort of Varadero in December.

Cuba permitirá yates de recreo por cinco años en sus marinas de turismo

La Habana, 26 nov (EFE).- Cuba potenciará el desarrollo de sus marinas turísticas con

marina hemingway

facilidades para las embarcaciones de recreo, incluido un permiso para que permanezcan hasta cinco años en la isla, según un decreto aprobado por el Gobierno y publicado hoy en la web de la Gaceta Oficial.

Las facilidades son fruto de un nuevo reglamento firmado por el presidente cubano, Raúl Castro, con el objetivo de organizar la explotación de los servicios marítimo-portuarios en las marinas, una de las apuestas de Cuba para desarrollar el sector turístico.

El reglamento establece así que “las embarcaciones de recreo en viaje de placer, podrán permanecer en el territorio nacional hasta cinco años” y añade que “este plazo podrá ser prorrogado por la marina”.

Los dueños de embarcaciones que “necesiten ausentarse por períodos prolongados o salir” de la isla, podrá suscribir contratos para la custodia de su nave y los servicios que requiera en ese periodo.

La lista de servicios incluye avituallamientos, mantenimientos, reparaciones, navegación, alojamiento y recogida de desechos, entre otros.

Otra de las medidas aprobadas por el Gobierno es la creación de una Comisión Nacional de la Náutica que coordinará todas las políticas relacionadas con las marinas y el turismo náutico.

Por su parte, el Ministerio de Turismo promoverá un portal en internet “para la atención y recepción de embarcaciones de recreo”, que recibirá información adelantada sobre las embarcaciones, tripulantes y pasajeros “lo que facilitará su acceso a las aguas territoriales cubanas y a las marinas”.

Junto a los proyectos inmobiliarios asociados al golf o el turismo de naturaleza, el desarrollo de las marinas es una de las fórmulas de Cuba para diversificar sus ofertas en el sector turístico, actualmente el segundo capítulo de ingresos en divisas del país.

En ese sentido, en agosto pasado fue inaugurado en el balneario de Varadero un nuevo complejo hotelero administrado por el grupo español Meliá, que está ubicado junto a una marina con capacidad para 1.300 atraques para yates y embarcaciones de recreo.

Las autoridades cubanas también trabajan en la transformación de la zona portuaria de la bahía de La Habana en espacios turísticos, una vez que sus actividades industriales y fabriles se trasladen progresivamente a la zona económica del puerto de Mariel, que debe empezar a operar en enero próximo.

Two officials from Cuba’s diplomatic mission in Washington meet in Miami with companies that handle travel Cuba-USA

Fox News Latino

Two Cuban officials from the nation’s mission in Washington made an uncommon trip to Miami early this week to meet with representatives of companies that handle the growing business of travel between the two countries.

Such trips by members of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington are rare, as representatives from the communist nation need permission from the U.S. government to travel outside the capital. Travel to South Florida, in particular, is considered a security risk, given the strong anti-Castro sentiments among Cuban exiles living in the area.

The Miami Herald reported that the officials held meetings on Monday, Nov. 11, with a number of companies that regularly offer travel to the island. The meetings were held in anticipation of the holiday season.

Tourism is an important part of the Cuban economy. In 2012 alone, 3 million people visited the country – about 476,000 of them were Cuban-Americans and an estimated 98,000 others were U.S. residents traveling on so-called “people-to-people” trips.

The main worry of the travel industry representatives is that the number of travel companies growing, the number of travelers to Cuba has been shrinking recently. The Cuban government reported a 2 percent drop in overall international arrivals in the first six months of this year compared with 2012.

This decline has probably continued in recent months thanks to a cholera breakout on the island and a subsequent U.S. travel advisory after several foreigners came down with the disease in August.

"We urge you to follow public health recommendations and guidelines, such as safe food and water precautions and frequent hand washing to help prevent cholera infection," the the U.S. Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy in Havana recommended in a statement published online.

Other topics of discussion at the meeting on Monday included speeding up the time it takes for Cuban-Americans to receive visas as well as a concern over the high cost of  people-to-people trips. These visits, which U.S. President Barack Obama approved in 2010 in order to promote “purposeful engagement” between Cubans and Americans not of Cuban descent, can cost between $700 and $800 a day and may not include any tourist activities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.