You do not need to give a lot of thought to know two things: The first is that the attitude of the Bank that suspended services to the Cuban Interests Section in Washington has nothing to do with the restrictions of the blockade. Because these have been there for over 50 years ago, but in 1977 all legal arrangements were made, from a financial point of view, under the Vienna Convention and the Agreement on Establishment of the Office of Interests in Cuba and Washington, for these could operate without the restrictions that now the bank puts to the Office of Cuba in Washington. Let's see why it is doing it¸ because the embargo cannot be put forward as a justification. The second is that neither Armengol , but mostly Montaner , behave up to the situation, when they talk about Cuba laundering money. Implying that's why Cuba has been punished. Where do they draw that argument from? If the Interests Section knew of the measure since July and it is now that reports it, it seems to me that this is more a result of that Cuban officials know that such a move is totally illegal and presumably think...

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Workshops, concerts and TV programs on the issue of non-violence, are part of the actions taking place on the island to support the global campaign launched by the UN Secretary Ban Ki -moon, to combat violence gender . These initiatives will take place from 25 November - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, until December 10 - World Day of Human Rights, supported by Cuban institutions, renowned artists and experts in the country. Both the campaign and other events focus on creating leaders of conscience in two key areas: musicians and athletes, Julius Caesar Pagés , coordinator of the African and Ibero-American Network of Masculinities , one of the organizers of the Cuban day, told AP . “The three large consumption items of men in Cuba are music, sports and sex," the author of “Macho, masculine male”, said, who along with a team of collaborators conducted a study of 20,000 male to investigate the main themes of his personal "agenda”. “Many more people die (in the world) from domestic violence than from war. What we will do these 16 days is displaying results of the entire...

The International Center of Havana is a company that offers a range of services to foreign entities that do not reside in the country, ranging from advice for their establishing in Cuba , to the counseling service for studies of business opportunities in certain markets or the introduction of some of its technologies in the Cuban industry. OnCuba recently spoke with Alberto Pérez Tejeda, president of this institution, looking for details about the work they do and the possibilities for foreign businessmen to invest in Cuba. What role does the CIH have in the promotion and support to foreign investment in Cuba? The foreign businessmen look in us the support of experienced professionals that, from here, can monitor the market, recommend strategies for sale, introduction or market their goods and services. Cuba recently issued a decree - law establishing the operation of the Special Development Zone Mariel. How does the CIH get involved in this mega project? We support companies in their initial development and subsequent consolidation, both domestic and international companies wishing to start operations solidly assisted by experts. We started with the help in the exploration of the Cuban market, investment needs; we make feasibility studies, and continue...

The Berlin’s M-Appeal company announced that it will co-produce the second film of the young Cuban filmmaker Carlos Machado Quintela, "Benjamin or the planetarium," adding that filming should begin in March 2014. M-Appeal join hands with Argentina’s Rizoma Films, directed by Hernan Pablo Musaluppi and Chernov. The Germans have the rights on worldwide sales outside Cuba and Argentina. The Quintela’s script won last Tuesday the World Film Fund Award worth 35 000 Euros to be used to make this film. According to Musalappi, they have already available 70 percent of the funding. "Benjamin" plot located in the Nuclear City, in Cienfuegos, where they began to build the first nuclear power plant in Latin America, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union it was left unfinished, forcing the inhabitants of this city, mostly scientists to find other ways to make a living, including pig breeding In this context the story unfolds, revolving around three characters: a young disappointed to have been dropped out of work: an old man only wants to live without complications and a father that only wants to learn to ride bikes. That M-Appeal produce this new foray by Quintela came as no surprise, because it had...

The recent official establishment of the Special Development Zone Mariel (ZDEM), is a clear sign that Cuba intends to attract foreign capital as a way to stabilize economic growth. With an area of 465 square kilometers, 45 km (west of the Cuban capital, the ZEDM includes as its main attraction the important geographical position equidistant from Gulf of Mexico’s ports and a deepwater pocket bay whose dimensions allow large Post- Panamax vessels maneuvering. The floating giants can carry between 9500 and 12 000 standard containers and on average, its dimensions are 366 meters in length, 49 wide and a draft of up to 15 meters. Mariel is inserted also in the possibilities that the canal expansion on the Isthmus of Panama will open, which facilitate the passage of large ships, and also ahead of the waterway that Nicaragua plans to build . As part of the conception of ZDEM is the customs and tax regime and other flexibilities that there will favor those who install their industries and commercial enterprises. The spirit of "mega project" is clearly inspired by the success of similar zones in China, and although it was not recognized by Cuban authority’s assimilation of such experiences, the...

Perhaps little known to the fans of the island, in part because they left when they were still very young, and for having residence in Ireland, three Cuban boxers have tacked an incredible streak of victories in professional boxing. The superheavyweight Ismaikel Perez, better known as Mike "The Rebel" Perez, shocked on November 2, the Mecca of boxing, the Madison Square Garden in New York City with his unanimous decision victory over Russian Magomed Abdusalamov, who displayed an impressive record of 18 fights, all won by KO, of which 11 were in the very first round. The beating Perez gave the Russian giant stature of 1.91 meters sent him to the intensive care ward of St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, in an induced coma result of a blood clot in his brain. The Rebel, as Perez wants to be known, abandoned Cuba in 2007 to settle in Cork, Ireland. During his tenure with the amateur boxing he conquered the world junior title in 2004South Korea in the lightweight division and the silver medal in the 2005Moscow World Cup. Under the direction of Cuban coach Nicholas Cruz Hernandez, Perez remains unbeaten after 20 professional fights, of which has won 12...

Cuba is a country where fewer children are born and the proportion of people 60 years and over experienced a progressive growth. According to statistics, this is one of the major trends that distinguish the demographic dynamics of Cuban society. A reality that places the island among the oldest countries in Latin America and its sustained pace will make it, within about two decades, the nation with the highest rates of population aging on the continent. If half century ago only 6.9% of Cubans exceeded the six decades of life, in 2012 - according to data from the Census of Population and Housing, that figure rose to 18.3% and is projected to increase continuously as part a process that has its main trigger in the low fertility levels, combined with high life expectancy and the impact of migration flows in the composition of Cuban society and its demographic structure. For the country's economic policy, the rising trend in the proportion of the number of seniors represents one of its most pressing challenges, not only for its impact in the areas of production and services, safety and welfare, but also by the irreversibility specialists attribute to aging. “There is no evidence...

The Visual Arts Development Center in the Old Square calls for the 8th National Engraving Meeting, to be held in different venues in Havana between November 1st and 29th. At a press conference, the Organizing Committee presented the various activities that make up the event, which will be focused on a sample- contest displaying more than one hundred works of fifty artists from around the country. Margarita Gonzalez, Deputy Technical Director of Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Center, said that on November 1st, together with the opening of the main exhibition, it will be announced a Grand Prix and three mentions. Workshops of plastic artists Eduardo Roca ¨Choco¨ and Nelson Dominguez, the Graphic Experimental Workshop, the Cuban Cultural Fund will grant collateral awards, in addition the Kcho Laboratory-studio will grant the Life work prize and the Belkys Ayon Award in the category of student. Throughout the meeting various theoretical debates will be developed on the state of the art, with the participation of artists and specialists in the demonstration. It will also be offered a lithography workshop by Carlos del Toro, for young artists and students from around the country, and the Kcho Laboratory- studio will host an open call workshop....

Z Street just got another hole. It is a beautiful, jagged and brittle hole. A perfect cavity, worthy of a perfect left foot sprain. Wet still in her amniotic fluid is just a small little boo-boo on the asphalt, but everyone knows it will grow and become a brand new hole. No one knew for sure how it happened. It seemed that she would never again misstep. The last time the doctors said that no such thing would ever happen, that if she used the correct contraceptive methods, the humble Z, would not bring any more potholes into this world. But there she was, still in pain, looking at her new crater, as one looks at the sky in full moon nights and knowing that it is inhospitable, cold and distant, but still seems beautiful. Then the neighborhood fortune-teller said she knew. By chance she was awake at the time, at dawn, when two criminals raped Z. She confessed that she was afraid for her own life and therefore did not warn anyone. They looked very rough and although neon light illuminated the whole corner, she could not identify them. They had a pick, a crowbar and a shovel. And...

The highest I've gone in my life is the Heliografo Hill in Arroyo Blanco. My friend, the historian Adrian Garcia Lebroc, said we were about 300 meters above sea level. To tell the truth it seemed thousand to me. It was clear that I have no soul of mountaineer, or physical abilities. I reached the top very exhausted, breathless, and with a terrible pain on the soles of feet and repentance was biting my flesh, but stoic as any other. I could not show I was a weak. Climbing hills seems to be for naive. Rarely in the end there is something more than what you already knew and les in this one, which during the course offered only vegetation, too much poisonous bushes and thorny plants, to be exact. Those who know say that the beauty is just that, the effort suffered in the attempt. And it's complicated indeed, you can die in that audacity for nothing, or almost nothing because the view and clean air reward everything later: an hour breaking undergrowth only using a sort of cane and looking well where to step because you can slip in the wet ground just like with soap water. Up...

La Puntilla mall, belonging to the CIMEX Corporation retail network, was closed to the public for almost72 hours. Despite being one of the busiest stores in town, they didn’t  warn anybody about this "special situation", so people needing something and shopping lovers kept coming to the building on First Street between A and B, Playa municipality. Newly reopened, but till a few hours ago you could, even a sa mere spectator approach the entrance and even enter and move a few meters before a couple of workers without the minimum preamble report what, once inside the store, was evident: "It's closed." Without any further explanation. Several sources who asked not to be identified, arguing that they are not authorized to facilitate interviews-even when they are public officials, who owe explanations to the public, described the situation as "absurd". As in 2008 when they came to extinguish the fire that occurred at the facility, coincidentally also in the storage area, though not alone in this one- firefighters arrived now, and “didn’t allow us to sell or enter merchandise, because they say that the storage area cannot store anything more.” A worker says the store is fully stocked for the first time:...