A total of 259 patients are currently hospitalized in Cuba for epidemiological surveillance in the face of the COVID-19 threat. Of them, 90 are foreigners and 169 Cubans. Since last January 25, 272 persons have been hospitalized, according to José Ángel Portal Miranda, the island’s Minister of Public Health. Portal Miranda points out that no new cases are reported and that 15,793 people are being monitored by the primary health care system, as part of the preventive and control measures, given the spread of the new coronavirus, which is already affecting a total of 125 countries from where more than 156,000 cases are reported. Of the four confirmed cases on the island, three are Italian citizens. The other case is a Cuban resident in the province of Villa Clara. All are maintaining a favorable evolution. Regarding the two direct contacts of the Cuban patient, including a one-year-old girl, both tested negative for the COVID-19. Among the hospitalized was the case of Adrián Fleites Zapata, the patient who may have been case zero in Cuba, as he was in direct contact with an infected woman from Panama in recent days. The architecture student at Cujae had published on social networks about...

All international sports events in Cuba are suspended until April 30, as part of the prevention measures against the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, according to the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER). The events that would take place between the rest of March and the month of April are the Giraldilla badminton tournament (March 13-17), the 2nd Cuba-Australia Rugby Friendship Cup (March 20-27), a match dated by FIFA against the Nicaraguan soccer team (March 25), the Varadero Half Marathon (March 29) and the Caribbean Table Tennis Tournament (April 2-8). Regarding the 3rd Half Marathon, it was reported that it will be held on September 27, keeping in force the already official registrations, with a confirmed participation of about 200 foreign athletes and 2,000 from the island. Another of the measures taken by the INDER is the greatest possible restriction on travel abroad by delegations, with priority for events directly linked to the Olympic and Paralympic classification processes, provided that the epidemiological situation of the host countries of the competitions allow. https://oncubanews.com/mundo/japon-descarta-idea-de-posponer-los-juegos-olimpicos-de-tokio/ In the international sports field, several qualifying events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have already been suspended: the Boxing Pre-Olympic, in Buenos Aires, Argentina and...

The Ministry of Culture (MINCULT) has postponed massive artistic events as a measure to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in the country, when 4 cases have already been officially reported and there are more than 100 people hospitalized and under observation. “The Cuban Ministry of Culture reports that as part of the prevention and confrontation measures in our country against the new coronavirus, the decision has been made to postpone massive national and international artistic events that involve large crowds,” said a MINCULT press release. The note added that “artistic shows are suspended in the main theaters, movie and music houses, among other cultural centers, as well as concerts and dances, until the current situation is overcome, which will be reported in due course.” Among the next great cultural events that would take place in the country in the coming weeks was the Havana World Music Festival and the Drum Festival, which would be held in March, as well as the Piña Colada, scheduled for April. https://www.facebook.com/HavanaWorld/posts/2542667745947092:0 *Caption: 7th edition of the Havana World Music 2020 Festival postponed • The Recordings and Musical Editions Company, EGREM… Posted by Havana World Music on Friday, March 13, 2020 In the same...

Cuba is keeping its borders open to visitors from all countries, including those who have declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease, Prensa Latina news agency reported this Friday. Dr. Francisco Durán, national director of hygiene and epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), assured that “reinforced surveillance” is carried out in the airports of the island, mainly of travelers from the countries with the highest number of affected persons: China, Italy, Iran, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and the United States. The specialist affirmed in a press conference that logistics and medicines to treat the disease are guaranteed in Cuba, as part of the government’s plan against the coronavirus, and that measures have been taken for prevention and control at the border and in the interior of the country, particularly around suspected and confirmed cases. https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/cuba-has-medicines-for-thousands-of-possible-cases-of-covid-19/ Durán indicated that the four people detected with the disease so far on the island “are progressing favorably,” while a group of people suspected of suffering from the disease remain isolated, awaiting the results of the tests. The first positive cases of COVID-19 on the Island were reported this week. Three of them are...

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba reported today that the holding of the 4th The Nation and Emigration Conference, scheduled to take place between April 8 and 10, is postponed for the time being. As explained in a note published today on the portal of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, “given the entry into the country of the new coronavirus, as has been reported to national and international public opinion, our government is adopting the necessary measures with the aim of dealing with this situation as effectively as possible.” The note reports that “paying special attention to the criteria and concerns by guests to the event, the vast majority of whom reside in 39 countries where cases of the new coronavirus have been detected to date, it has been decided to postpone the holding of the 4th The Nation and Emigration Conference.” OnCuba learned a few weeks ago that invitations to attend the event had already been issued to some members of the diaspora. People from different countries and continents would participate. “The Cuban government thanks all Cuban citizens, and their descendants, who confirmed their attendance, as well as the support received from them for the successful holding of this...

The Cuban pharmaceutical industry is ready to treat thousands of potential COVID-19 patients on the island, according to Eduardo Martínez, president of the BioCubaFarma Business Group. Martínez explained this Friday at a press conference that 22 drugs produced in Cuba are part of the protocol envisaged on the island to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, of which, he said, “we have for the treatment of thousands of people and we are preparing to significantly increase the production of those with less coverage.” The executive assured OnCuba that “the vast majority of products that appear in the Cuban protocol are domestically manufactured” ―although some imported ones are also included― and among them he highlighted the antiviral recombinant Interferon alfa 2B (IFNrec), which already has been used successfully in China to cope with the disease. This is the flagship product of the set of Cuban medicines, which is manufactured both on the island and in a joint venture in the Asian nation, and is highly recommended by medical specialists for its ability to fight the virus. “All the capacities” exist to supply the national health system and even other nations, according to Martínez. Eduardo Martínez, president of the BioCubaFarma Business Group, at...

After an “experiment” carried out since last December in two stores in Havana, the Cuban authorities decided to extend to other establishments on the island the measure of giving customers their change exclusively in Cuban pesos (CUP) instead of convertible pesos (CUC). The trial had begun in the Almendares and 5ta and 42 shopping centers, both in the Havana municipality of Playa, as part of “the monetary organization measures” being carried out by the Cuban government. At that time, it had been reported that “depending on its results, its progressive extension to other commercial establishments in Havana and the rest of the provinces” would be assessed. Three months later, the authorities affirm that “the experience has been favorable and has flowed smoothly in terms of the restocking and availability of cash,” Beatriz Moreno, economic director of the state corporation Cimex, commented to the newspaper Granma. This is why, according to the publication, “in correspondence with these positive results, the Cimex Corporation has already begun its expansion to other stores in the country” and expects that, by the end of March, 23 shopping centers will give all their change in CUP, seven of them in the capital and the rest distributed...

According to the Cuban TV National Newscast, in its night edition, three Italian tourists tested positive for the new coronavirus in tests carried out at the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK). A note from the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) published in the newspaper Granma, specifies that on March 10, four tourists from that country with respiratory symptoms were identified who were staying in a hostel in the city of Trinidad, having entered the island the day before by José Martí International Airport. Once located, they were immediately transferred to the IPK, in Havana. On March 11, the National Reference Laboratory of the aforementioned institute reported that three of the four tourists isolated since the 10th were positive for the new coronavirus SARS CoV-2. The note concludes by saying that in Cuba epidemiological surveillance and control actions are carried out on people identified as contacts, so far asymptomatic, and that the evolution of the three confirmed patients is favorable. The Italian tourists arrived in Cuba on Monday, March 9 through Havana's José Martí International Airport. The government has set up a National Plan for the prevention and control of the new coronavirus, and has reinforced surveillance measures for...

As part of the measures to face a possible Covid-19 outbreak in Cuba, masks, a means of protection aimed at preventing the spread of the disease in high-risk environments, have already begun to be made on the island. The Carlos Simón factory, in the municipality of Cabaiguán –in the province of Sancti Spíritus–, is one of the textile entities that produces these pieces made of fabric, destined for health institutions. The Sancti Spíritus factory will produce in the first stage about 20,000 masks, a figure that could be increased “as the process goes along,” according to its director, Gerson Cerquera. The official said that the operators are working overtime on that assignment and explained that the design of these pieces “is totally different from other masks made for surgical procedures,” according to statements cited by the newspaper Juventud Rebelde. The publication reports that “to take on this priority task,” the Carlos Simón factory interrupted the making of school uniforms for junior high education that it was carrying out “in order to speed up production.” The masks made in the Cabaiguán factory “have as a special feature three layers of fabric that help protect against respiratory infections existing in the environment,”...

The network of stores selling in dollars and other freely convertible currencies (FCC) has continued to grow in Cuba since the opening of the first stores in late October, Cuban media confirmed this Tuesday. After starting with just a few stores in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, 76 currently operate throughout the island, as well as 10 virtual stores. In addition, the opening of new shopping centers and the incorporation of hardware, computer, high standard furniture and professional gastronomic equipment lines are planned, the official Granma newspaper reported. However, officials of the state chains that make up the network ―Cimex, Tiendas Caribe and Empresa de Servicios Automotores s.a. (Sasa)― acknowledged that it has not been possible to stabilize the offers of “certain high-demand products,” such as splits, freezers and electric motorcycles; although, they said, “there is already a greater presence of these assortments.” Rosario Ferrer San Emeterio, commercial vice president of the Cimex Corporation, explained that these “shortfalls in supply” were due to “sales being much higher” than initially planned, despite which, and “in general,” “the planned objectives have been met” and “the collection of income has been satisfactory.” The official affirmed that “measures have been taken to expand the...

The cancellation of charter flights from the United States to Cuba, except for the Havana airport, comes into effect as of this Tuesday, according to a resolution announced in January by the State Department. The measure completely eliminates direct flights between the United States and nine airports on the island, already affected since December 10 by the suspension of commercial flights that forced companies such as American Airline, Delta and JetBlue to suspend those itineraries. https://oncubanews.com/cuba-ee-uu/entra-en-vigor-la-prohibicion-de-vuelos-entre-eeuu-y-el-interior-de-cuba/ Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez reacted to the U.S. government’s ban on the grounds that it “severely damages Cuban families and their ties.” He said this through a publication on his official Twitter account. The Cuban foreign minister wrote that the measure of the Donald Trump government against the island “violates the human rights of Cubans and the freedom to travel of the Americans.” https://twitter.com/BrunoRguezP/status/1237336830686760960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1237336830686760960&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba-ee-uu%2Ffinalizan-los-vuelos-charter-entre-estados-unidos-y-casi-todos-sus-destinos-en-cuba%2F For his part, the director of the Frank País International Airport, Miguel Peña, declared that 14 weekly charter flights from the Swiftair airline, with more than 1,460 passengers, arrived at that terminal, located in the province of Holguín province, reported Prensa Latina news agency. Peña regretted that as of the entry into force of the resolution, passengers are forced to...

Cuba will begin to train higher technicians in water management and rationalization in a short-cycle career aimed at diversifying water management solutions in the country. “It is essential to prepare human resources to implement the National Water Policy recently approved in our country. This career arrives at an appropriate time and will especially allow us to raise the level of those who work in the municipalities,” said Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman Waugh when defending this study program at the University of Havana. The subject will begin to be taught initially in five universities with the aim of preparing qualified specialists who can solve the complexities of this sector in the Cuban economy, said Granma newspaper. “This is a great step forward. It is very positive for the country's economy,” said Chapman, who said that Cuba has the necessary “human capital” to support the economic measures that are being promoted by the country's political spheres. Antonio Rodríguez Rodríguez, president of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, explained that this study program is aimed at achieving “greater efficiency in the exploitation of the hydraulic infrastructure we have.” The note published by Granma doesn’t specify what subjects will be taught...

The second edition of the International Festival of Spanish Dance and Flamenco, Cuba-Flamenco 2020, will be held in Havana in the framework of the 33rd anniversary of the Spanish Ballet of Cuba (BEC). On this occasion it will be dedicated to the centenary of the founder of the National Ballet of Cuba, Alicia Alonso. The event, from March 10 to 15, will be held in the Avellaneda Hall of the National Theater and the García Lorca Hall of the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana. Photo: Segundo Enfoque. Companies and artists from Spain, Mexico and Cuba will participate. There will be master classes with guest artists and the Spanish Ballet of Cuba. As of Friday, March 13, and until Sunday the doors of the theaters will open for the functions. https://youtu.be/CGa_sLW3lnI Previewed for March 13, 14 and 15 in the Avellaneda Hall of the National Theater is Carmen, with script and choreography by Eduardo Veitía, featuring the Spanish Ballet of Cuba (BEC). In the García Lorca Hall of the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana, the Lecuona Gala and Impronta Flamenco will be presented on Friday the 13th; on Saturday 14 the Gala of Stars, and on Sunday 15 the...

The Cuban Ministry of Transportation (MITRANS) clarified that only vehicles belonging to state agencies have the obligation to stop to pick up passengers at public bus stops, after a religious institution complained about its inclusion in a list of offending entities. Through a note published this Friday in Cubadebate, MITRANS referred to the list published by the General Department of Provincial Transportation of Havana, which included institutions sanctioned for breaching government measures to alleviate the crisis in that sector, affected by the fuel deficit on the island. Vehicles belonging to religious and fraternal institutions, as well as to companies with foreign participation, that did not stop when signaled by the inspectors to pick up passengers, without having the obligation to do so, were “incorrectly” included in the list, said the note. https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/cuba-sanctions-state-enterprises-for-not-helping-with-public-transportation/ The clarification is published after executives of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church (IPRC) in Cuba sent a letter to the minister of MITRANS, Eduardo Rodríguez, in which they consider it inappropriate to have been included in that list. The IPRC sent a letter “to the minister of transportation and corresponding offices” requesting clarification on the appearance of religious institutions in “the list published by Cubadebate and the newspaper Tribuna de...

Around 70 Cuban enterprises are exhibiting their products in Mexico since this Wednesday, in an Expofair considered the largest of its kind the island has organized abroad. The event, whose scenario is the Cuban diplomatic headquarters in that nation, seeks to boost bilateral trade and promote exports to Mexico, at a time when political ties are going through a good moment after the arrival of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The exhibition, named Cuba in Mexico 2020 and which will last until this Friday, is exhibiting Cuban export products, produced by enterprises from various sectors such as agribusiness, construction and biotechnology. During the event, “meetings are being held between businesspeople where possible exports are identified,” said on Twitter Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmierca, who participated in the opening. https://twitter.com/R_Malmierca/status/1235345730027610113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1235345730027610113&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fcuba-muestra-sus-productos-en-mexico-en-busca-de-mas-comercio-y-exportaciones%2F Malmierca told reporters that there are potentials to continue strengthening economic relations between the two countries and said that Cuba has “excellent conditions” to grow in exports and “attract Mexican capital investment in different branches of industry and the economy,” according to statements cited by the Agencia Cubana de Noticias news agency. On the opening day, attended by authorities of both countries, the Cuba-Mexico Business Committee’s 2020-2021 Action Plan was signed...

A note published this Thursday in the official newspaper Granma reiterates that “so far” there are no cases of Covid-19 in Cuba. Meanwhile, it is reported that “the national health system of the largest of the Caribbean islands is taking its precautions,” although not specifying the measures. The note recalls the existence of “preventive medicine” at the primary level in Cuba with the capacity, it affirms, to “act in the educational and prophylactic order.” https://oncubanews.com/en/cuba/cuban-press-denies-rumors-about-cases-of-coronavirus-on-island/ Granma ratified that “no one is left unprotected in this country.” The newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba states that there are “specialized hospital centers and diagnostic methods to deal with this situation,” in addition to the experience and professionalism of doctors, who, it recalled “have acted in emergency conditions in different countries.” After mentioning prevention as “a quality with which Cuba has faced different challenges,” the newspaper warns that “no one should act irresponsibly in the face of this pandemic.” https://oncubanews.com/cuba/crean-en-cuba-aplicacion-movil-sobre-el-coronavirus/ A little less than a week ago, the Cuban press denied rumors about the existence of three cases of Covid-19 coronavirus in Cuba, which have circulated in social networks and in the media abroad. The head of the Department of International Health...

The elimination of sales in convertible pesos (CUC) in state-run commerce and gastronomy establishments is not related to monetary unification in Cuba, affirmed one of the deputy ministers of the Cuban Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN), cited by the Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN) news agency. According to Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade Miriam Pérez, the measure made public days ago seeks “greater control” in the network of state-run gastronomic centers through the use of a single accounting record of the marketed products. For his part, Yosvany Pupo, MINCIN general director of services, clarified to the press that the network that sold products in CUC was very limited in relation to the rest, which is why the scope of the measure is not as wide-ranging as some Internet users have commented on social networks. Of the more than 7,000 bars, restaurants and other state-run establishments that provide gastronomic services, only 10% were authorized to sell in the two local currencies, says Granma newspaper. https://twitter.com/MincinCuba/status/1235216779556933633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1235216779556933633&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fviceministra-no-hay-relacion-entre-unificacion-monetaria-y-eliminacion-del-cuc-en-establecimientos-estatales%2F Francisco Silva, MINCIN general director of sales, explained that the measure of authorizing a group of gastronomic and retail trade centers to sell products in CUC was due to the need, at that time, to generate...

The Cuban Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) announced that the sale of construction materials will begin exclusively through electronic payments starting this month, the Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN) reported. An official statement, published by the agency, explains that “debit cards or another electronic channel” will be the “only payment instruments” to purchase products in stores selling construction materials. In an “exceptional” way, people affected by weather events and those subsidized and benefited by bank loans approved from 2012 to 2019 will be authorized by the Central Bank of Cuba to use other means of payment. The note does not explain how those who don’t have debit cards are going to pay, although it affirms that at the moment the measure will begin only in the municipal capitals of the provinces of Mayabeque, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud. As of May, the norm will be applied in the capitals of the rest of the provinces, and in Havana it will begin in April, the statement, cited by the ACN, adds. The measure is endorsed by MINCIN Resolution No. 25 of 2020, which regulates this process, and is aimed at achieving greater...

A total of 14 groups of cave painting art were discovered by Cuban speleologists in a cave in the Sierra del Infierno, in the province of Pinar del Río, where black geometric drawings on the walls of the site stand out. The pictographs surprised members of the Pedro Borrás Group, of the Cuban Society of Speleology, who found the space by chance while they were looking for the access point to an alleged cave, according to a report published in the official Granma newspaper. The find was located in the municipality of Minas de Matahambre during a first expedition carried out on January 15, in a cave that the inhabitants of the area apparently knew of. Three weeks later another expedition confirmed that it was a new cave painting art site on the island, registering 14 sets of pictographs, two of them in on three- to four-meter long murals, all painted black. Geometric drawings stand out among the patterns found. Photo: granma.cu Most of the drawings found have geometric designs, are composed of parallel lines, points, triangles and quadrangular figures. Likewise, the presence of several petroglyphs made by fine incision on a previously smoked surface was confirmed. The president of...

The closing gala of the 22nd Habano Festival hosted the usual auction of humidors, which this time reached a record in terms of collection, with a total of 4.270 million euros that will go to the Cuban public health system. London’s Christie’s auction house was in charge of auctioning off the artisanal pieces at the Pabexpo fairgrounds, where six beautiful humidors were exhibited that paid tribute to the most recognized Havana cigar brands worldwide. The auctioned works also presented a careful selection of emblematic cigar vitolas, which represent various exclusive brands of the renowned Cuban cigars. The first humidor auctioned off was the one dedicated to the Habano Man in communications in 1998, the Englishman Simon Chase, luxury auctioneer of these meetings, a piece made by Cuban artist Raúl Valladares, who was also in charge of making the Cohiba humidor, auctioned for 2.4 million euros. The H. Upmann, Partagás, Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo brands humidors were also auctioned during the gala, pieces made and created by renowned sculptors, artisans and painters of the country, such as José Carlos Rafat, Zaida del Río, Milton Bernal and José Ernesto Aguilera. Artisan artist Alfredo Gómez (r), with one of his humidors, a...

Birth, marriage and death certificates will no longer have an expiry date in Cuba, according to a Ministry of Justice resolution published this Thursday in the Gaceta Oficial de la República de Cuba. Resolution 115 of 2020 repeals previous provisions that established a legal limit for these documents, and bases the decision on the fact that in recent years “the request and issuance of certifications has increased,” and the “inconvenience, unnecessary procedures and excessive delays for the population in the solution, still cumbersome, of error correction processes.” Only the document certifying a person is single remained valid for 180 days. In addition, the new regulation informs about the elimination of data that until now appeared in the certificates. Among these changes are that the death certificate will not record the place of birth or the marital status of the deceased, while the surnames of the parents of the parties will not appear in the marriage certificate, the Cubadebate digital site says. https://www.facebook.com/MinisterioJusticiaCuba/photos/a.730534777083235/1765030180300351/?type=3 *Caption: New Resolution of the Minister of Justice establishes that birth, marriage and death certificates do not… Posted by Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Cuba on Friday, February 28, 2020 Other necessary data in these cases and...

The Cuban press denied this Friday rumors about the existence of three Covid-19 coronavirus cases in Cuba, which have circulated in social networks and in media outside the island. The rumors, which have become viral, state that three Cubans who returned from Italy with symptoms of respiratory disease had been admitted to the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) in Havana. However, Juventud Técnica reported having contacted the communication team of the medical institution, which assured the magazine that this information is false and that the center was already aware of the comments. For his part, Cuban Minister of Health José Ángel Portal published this Friday afternoon that Cuba still hadn’t reported cases of coronavirus and maintained a “strict epidemiological surveillance and border health control to minimize the risk of the virus’ entry.” https://twitter.com/japortalmiranda/status/1233476331893149696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1233476331893149696&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fprensa-cubana-desmiente-rumores-sobre-casos-de-coronavirus-en-la-isla%2F This is not the first time such rumors have circulated. Previously, there had also been comments on possible patients with Covid-19 admitted to the IPK and one in the city of Santa Clara, the latter apparently the result of a mistake after the report of a case in the county of Santa Clara, in California, United States. Meanwhile, the island’s medical authorities have repeatedly insisted...

Cuban scientists are working on several new drugs against cancer and other diseases, such as cardiovascular ailments and rheumatoid arthritis, Granma newspaper reported. The BioCubaFarma group is currently carrying out 102 projects, of which 75 have a Cuban patent, explained Rolando Pérez, director of Science and Innovation of this state conglomerate dedicated to the production of medicines, medical equipment and high-tech services. The HerberSavax therapeutic vaccine―one of the leading products in the oncology area―is in phase III clinical trials in ovarian tumors and hepatocarcinoma, which is the most common type of liver cancer. Developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), a leading entity in this field on the island, the vaccine reduces the formation of blood vessels in the tumor, thereby limiting the supply of nutrients and oxygen and inhibiting its growth and shows “encouraging results” in some patients. https://oncubanews.com/informe/cuba-prueba-una-nueva-vacuna-tumores-solidos/ For its part, a biopharmaceutical created at the Molecular Immunology Center is about to begin a phase I clinical trial in patients with solid tumors. According to Pérez, it is a product of the field of cancer immunotherapy, in which intensive research is being carried out. “We have five other products in development in the initial stages...

As if the difficulties of the Cuban economy and the impact of U.S. sanctions weren’t enough, Cubans’ table has a new threat in 2020: a pest in bean crops that is already affecting a large part of the island. It’s an insect named Megalurothrips usitatus and known as bean flower thrips, which causes damage to the flowering of plants and the premature fall before they bear fruit. Those that manage to grow end up producing deformed pods, with less quantity and quality of the grains. Yojan García, head of the Department of Various Crops of the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG), told the press that the presence of the insect was confirmed last December by Cuban specialists of Plant Health, and said it had not been reported before as a pest “because it did not exceed the economic damage threshold.” The official explained that “as a result of a detection and delimitation survey,” the presence of the pest in bean crops in the western provinces and central Cuba has been diagnosed, between Pinar del Río and Ciego de Ávila, according to the information published on the Cubadebate site. In addition, its presence is reported in other crops, although with a lower...

At the close of 2019, 7.1 million Cubans had access to the Internet, which represents 63 percent of the population of approximately 11.3 million. Of these, mobile data customers reached 3.4 million and more than 650,000 have the service with 4G speed one year after the launch of the activation of the mobile internet network. The data was provided by Minister of Communications Jorge Luis Perdomo, in a report at a review meeting on the work of the sector. Currently active cell phone lines total more than 6 million and almost 650,000 subscribers joined in the period. The public areas of Wi-Fi connection reach 1,500, of which 229 were installed in 2019. The minister’s report states that the country increased its capacity by 30 percent in terms of international connectivity. He said that cybersecurity, the television digitalization program, the diversification of Internet access, are pending areas where foreign investment projects must be completed and medium and long-term financing must be achieved. Cuba activated the mobile data network in December 2018 and extended the commercialization of the Internet connection. The president of the Cuban Telecommunications Enterprise (ETECSA), Mayra Arevich, acknowledged that there is dissatisfaction regarding the cost of services provided by...