HavanaReporterY O U R S O U R C E O F N E W S & M O R EA Monthly Newspaper of the Prensa Lat ina News Agency

©THE YEAR IXNº 7APR 16 , 2019HAVANA, CUBAISSN 2224-5707Price: 1.00 CUC1.00 USD1.20 CAN

Congressman McGovern: Cuba and U.S. Can Have Normal Relations

Posters Celebrate Havana’s 500 Years

P. 4

P. 11

Photo Feature

Health & Science Culture Economy Sports

P. 5 P. 6P. 14 P. 15

Cuba Offers a Helping Hand to Mozambique

Acosta Danza Honors Cuban and UK Ballet Masters

Cuba Responds to U.S. Blockade by Expanding Markets

A Bridge between Cuba and The United States

THEA Bimonthly Newspaper of the Prensa Latina News Agency

HavanaReporterYOUR SOURCE OF NEWS & MORE SOCIETY.HEALTH & SCIENCE.POLITICS.CULTURE

ENTERTAINMENT.PHOTO FEATURE.ECONOMY SPORTS.AND MORE

President: Luis Enrique González.Information Vice President: Moisés Pérez MokEditorial Vice President: Orlando Oramas Chief Editor: Luis MelianEnglish Editor: Mitra GhaffariTranslation: Dayamí Interian/ Yanely Interián

Art Direction: Anathais RodríguezGraphic Designers: Fernando Fernandez TitoChief Graphic Editor: Francisco GonzálezAssistant Staff: Yaimara PortuondoAdvertising: Nelson Pérez VergaraCirculation: Commercial Department.

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2 TOURISM

HAVANA.- The 39th edition of the International Tourism Fair, FITCUBA 2019, undoubtedly draws the attention of tour guides, travel agents and professionals from the tourist industry, mainly because Cuba stands as an increasingly attractive tourist destination and country in constant movement.

This dynamic is largely appreciated in this sector, which experts identify as the most noteworthy not only in the country but in the rest of the Caribbean as well.

This year’s fair features Havana’s 500th anniversary (November 16th), Spain as the ‘Guest of Honor’ country, and a variety of events and give-away trips, embracing all the elements needed to get people’s attention.

Experts’ assertion that Cuban tourism maintains an increasing trend shows that this industry represents a key sector of the country’s economy.

With the constant restoration of hotel infrastructure, the enhancement of several recreational options and Cuban authorities’ concern over the quality of services, the island aims at occupying a privileged position within the tourist market.

Scheduled for May 7th-11th, the 39th edition of the fair also includes engaging programs such as the underwater photography contest, FOTOSUB, taking place in the central Cuban province of Cienfuegos.

Likewise, the provinces of Matanzas (particularly the Zapata wetlands), Sancti Spíritus and Cienfuegos will cohost

the 12th International Nature Tourism Meeting, TURNAT 2019, from September 23th to 28th.

Shortly before 2018 came to a close, Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said that Havana would be a renewed tourist destination in 2019.

Quality is the main priority, because Cuba has a number of elements that distinguish it from other destinations, such as the places designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Just in the capital, there are 250 National Monuments and several tourist facilities and parks. Moreover, Cuba has 70,000 hotel rooms that meet international standards.

A total of eleven five-star hotels are operating in Havana, while ten others wof the same caliber are expected to be inaugurated by the end of 2023.

According to the tourism development plan, 100,000 rooms will be available nationwide by 2030. While the majority of those projects will rely on limited local resources, foreign investment is also a priority.

Official statistics indicate that Cuba welcomed 4,689,894 foreign visitors in 2017, representing an 11.6 percent increase over the previous year which, compared to the rest of the Caribbean, accounted for a 16.2 percent rise.

Cuba closed 2018 with a new record in tourist arrivals of 4,750,000 registered foreign visitors. This data offers an attractive panorama that puts FITCUBA in a good position this year.

By FranciscoMENENDEZA Golden Age for Cuban TourismPH

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By LiviaRODRIGUEZ

HAVANA.- The recent four-day visit of Prince Charles of Wales and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall, to Cuba– the first official visit paid by members of the British royal family – consolidated the cooperation of interests between the United Kingdom and Cuba.

London and Havana described the presence of the Highnesses in Cuba from March 24th to 27th as an opportunity to strengthen relations, opening a new door in bilateral relations with the realization of projects for the benefit of the Cuban people and economy.

During their visit to Cuba, as part of a Caribbean tour, Charles and Camilla had a tight program of activities, which included official talks between the heir to the United Kingdom throne and Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel.

In this meeting, described as cordial by the Cuban head of State, both officials referred to the good state of affairs in bilateral ties, which are based on cooperation and mutual respect.

They also expressed their willingness to increase such ties, particularly in the fields of education, health, culture and environment.

In the framework of the royal visit, Cuba and the United Kingdom reviewed their diplomatic ties. For this reason, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez welcomed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, State Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations. Both officials ratified their willingness to strengthen and expand ties in different sectors.

Rodríguez also had a phone conversation with UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Jeremy Hunt, who spoke not only about the visit of their Highnesses but also about London’s long-standing policy of approaching Havana in a positive way.

General Director for Bilateral Issues at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign affairs, Emilio Lozada, and Director for the Americas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth, Hugo Shorter, also convened.

A TIGHT AGENDAIn Havana, their Highnesses visited the Center of

Molecular Immunology, one of Cuba’s most important medical research institutions. They also toured the capital’s historical center – declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 – accompanied by the city historian, Eusebio Leal.

The Prince of Wales also inaugurated the construction of the first solar park at the Mariel Special Development Zone, west of Havana, which will supply 50 megawatts to the National Electrical System once finished.

This project is conducted by Mariel Solar S.A., a United Kingdom corporation with solely Cuban affiliates. According to its director, Andrew McDonald, this is the first large-scale project in Cuba in the field of energy supply and the biggest in the region.

UK ambassador to Cuba, Anthony Stokes, praised the progress made in the construction of the first bioelectrical plant in Cuba by the Biopower S.A. Company, a Cuban and British partnership with the objective of generating electricity from vegetable biomass.

During their visit, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall had meetings with specialists of different institutions, such as the Cuban Women’s Federation (FMC), covering topics related to equality and gender violence.

The FMC Secretary General, Teresa Amarelle, explained the social objective of this organization, which plays an essential role in gender equality and unites more than 4 million Cuban women all over the country.

The agenda of Prince Charles of Wales and his wife also included a visit to the John Lennon Park, in Havana, where they talked to representatives of the British community settled in Cuba and members of the English motorcycle and classical car clubs.

They also learned about the Club Submarino Amarillo (Yellow Submarine), one of the places of reference for rock music in Havana. This club pays tribute to the legacy of The Beatles, a famous British band from the 1960s composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Cuba and UK Consolidate Cooperation of Interests

HAVANA.- Cuba, a country used to facing hurricanes and flooding, will apparently have to get ready to tackle other weather phenomena such as tornadoes, like that of January 27th, when different areas of Havana were badly affected by the devastating natural disaster.

Almost 80 years had passed since Cuba had been affected by such a phenomenon, although there are records of lower-impact tornadoes in 1950 and 1961. In December 1940, a tornado hit the town of Bejucal, in the Mayabeque province, which is also in the western part of the island. On that occasion, 20 people were killed, over one hundred were wounded and there was severe infrastructural damage.

The recent tornado left seven people dead, dozens wounded and thousands of homes affected – about 1,000 totally or partially destroyed – in the municipalities of Regla, Guanabacoa and Diez de Octubre, in the capital city.

In a government meeting held to evaluate the relief efforts following the tragic events that Sunday night, president Miguel Díaz-Canel said that this type of phenomenon must be included in the plans for disaster prevention.

The Cuban Civil Defense, an entity acknowledged for its effective prevention in natural disasters, doesn’t currently include tornadoes in its list of potential dangers. This organization, however, has spent decades preparing to face cyclones and other types of natural disasters.

“We must include this type of weather phenomenon in the plans for disaster prevention. This occurrence is something new for us,” the president stated.

Díaz-Canel also commented that in the next Meteoro exercise – which is held annually to get the Cuban population ready to face and prevent disasters – the danger of tornadoes will also be included.

In May, Cubans will participate for two days in this traditional exercise, which mobilizes workers, specialized forces and the population at large to simulate different potential scenarios, either as a result of the forces of nature or accidents.

Head of the Civil Defense Staff, Major General Ramón Pardo, urged to include the risk of tornadoes in the prevention plans in order to improve the national, provincial and municipal surveillance systems.

According to Pardo, the family guide for the protection of the population in the case of tropical cyclones and other severe phenomena must include tornadoes.

Although renowned scientist and meteorologist José Rubiera has warned that this type of phenomena cannot be predicted, especially their path - because they are small and have a short duration – preparation is vital to reduce their consequences.

The tornado of January 27th took thousands of people by surprise in Havana. They never thought they would have to face something like that. For this reason, it’s important to let people know how to act if something similar occurs in the future.

Tornadoes: A New Threat to Cuba?

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CUBA-U.S.

Congressman McGovern: Cuba and U.S. Can Have Normal Relations

HAVANA.- In times when the U.S. government keeps strengthening its hostile policy against Cuba, a U.S. congressman visited Havana and stated that normal relations are possible for the two countries.

“That’s what most of the U.S. public thinks and representatives of congress too,” democratic representative for Massachusetts James McGovern told The Havana Reporter during a visit to Havana in late March.

McGovern, who is also the chairman of the House Rules Committee, said that he is aware of the fact that the administration of president Trump doesn’t share that opinion, as verified by his actions. However, he acknowledged that such a vision doesn’t prevail in the United States.

Washington has imposed new sanctions on Cuba to exacerbate the economic, commercial and financial blockade in force for almost 60 years. Also threatening is the complete activation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, which seeks to prevent foreign investment in Cuba.

“I, and many others, believe that the best option is to have good relations,” he stressed.

According to McGovern, the United States should lift the blockade and the travel restrictions of the U.S. people, who cannot travel to Cuba as tourists because of this siege. He also added that the United States should cancel the Helms-Burton Act, which is aimed at a change of regime by means of the economic asphyxia.

“I am committed to improving our relations; the outlook is favorable at the House of Representatives, where the Democrats are in the majority. However, the same might not be true for the Senate, which is controlled by the Republicans and Trump would surely block any initiative in that direction; but we must keep working until we have the appropriate conditions in the future,” he said.

According to the congressman, normal bilateral relations are part of his country’s objectives.

The opinion of the Massachusetts politician is not difficult to support considering that even in the hostile scenario imposed by Trump, over twenty agreements on topics of common interest are being fully implemented. Those agreements were signed during the administration of Barack Obama, who in 2015 and 2016 – the last two years of his term in office – fostered rapprochement between the two nations.

Another advantage of good relations is the high number of commercial flights and cruise ships belonging to U.S. companies that have earned good income as a result of those operations.

The congressman also noted that he came to Cuba to hold talks and know what it’s really like.

His agenda included meetings with Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including General Deputy Director for U.S. Affairs Johana Tablada, in addition to a meeting with students of the Higher Institute of International Relations.

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WASHINGTON.- While dealing with a low global demand, low prices and President Donald Trump’s policies, U.S. farmers are eyeing Cuba, a geographically close market with great potential but distant to them due to the numerous restrictions imposed by Washington.

Although the current U.S. president has deteriorated a significant amount of the rapprochement process with Cuba that had been started by the Obama administration (2009-2017), producers from several U.S. states are seeking ways to foster trade with the island. U.S. Congress is taking notice, too.

On March 27th, Republican Congressman Rick Crawford and Democrat Cheri Bustos presented what is known as the Cuba Agricultural Exports Act, specifically aimed at facilitating the sale of U.S. agricultural products to Cuba.

Although agricultural exports to the island are legal at the present time, U.S. law obliges Cuba to pay in cash and upfront, denying the use of credit for these types of transactions.

According to the coalition Engage Cuba, which advocates for the end of the blockade imposed by the United States against the Caribbean island for nearly 60 years, the proposal presented

by Crawford and Bustos “would eliminate the arbitrary restrictions on private funding for exports.”

Cuba imports nearly $2 billion annually in food, and stands as a great potential market for U.S. agricultural exports. However, the restrictions on funding limit its ability to compete in the market, the organization mentioned in a release.

The proposed act which, according to the Congressional Budget Office would save U.S. tax payers $690 million in ten years, is one of the latest but not the only effort to bring the two countries together.

At the end of March, the Engage Cuba New Jersey State Council was launched with the objective of supporting “the policies in favor of the rapprochement and urging Congress to lift Cuba trade and travel restrictions.”

Removing these obstacles could permit new opportunities for the major export companies and generate jobs, said Engage Cuba President James Williams, who had told The Havana Reporter in January that New Jersey would be the 19th U.S. state to join the coalition.

Upon the creation of the council, Democrat Congressman for New Jersey Gordon Johnson noted that he has been

supporting the normalization of relations with Cuba for a long time.

The business sector must act freely in order to meet the demand of foreign markets and in doing so, compete in the world market.“The products of Biotechnology, agriculture and manufacturing have the potential to change lives in Cuba and generate jobs,” said Republican Senator Declan O'Scanlon.

Together with New Jersey, the other U.S. states that have joined Engage Cuba are Arkansas, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Still, much is to be done by the people in the United States who are trying to remove the obstacles between the two countries, largely because the Trump administration is tightening the blockade and increasing hostility towards Cuba.

Nevertheless, Williams told The Havana Reporter early this year that their work will continue to focus on increasing agricultural trade, lifting travel restrictions and returning the diplomatic staff to the respective embassies, which have been operating with a much reduced number of officials since the end of 2017.

He noted that the new democratic leadership in the House of Representatives will open the door for legislators in favor of rapprochement with Cuba.

By MarthaANDRESCuba-U.S. Rapprochement Efforts Continue

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HEALTH & SCIENCE 55

HAVANA.- The humanitarian aid Cuba is providing Mozambique in health care after the devastation caused by cyclone Idai – among the worst to have hit Africa – ratifies the historic, friendly relations between the two nations.

On this occasion, Brigade 28 of the Henry Reeve Contingent is providing assistance at the city of Beira, in the Sofala province.

The team, specialized in disasters and serious epidemic situations and composed of 16 doctors, is working at a field hospital equipped with imaging equipment and 20 beds. The Cuban medical staff see patients, perform surgeries and conduct clinical and microbiological tests.

The team includes general practitioners, surgeons, international medicine specialists, pediatricians, gynecologists, orthopedists and epidemiologists.

Cuban Minister of Public Health José Ángel Portal described the epidemiological situation facing this African country as complex. At the farewell ceremony, he urged all 40 members of the brigade to join the Cuban collaborators who are currently providing their services there – over 270 – and to work together as a family.

The official also encouraged them to be extremely careful during their work in order to avoid catching a disease in Beira – Mozambique’s second most populated city after Maputo, the capital. Beira has a population of more than 500,000 inhabitants with a density of 690 people per one square kilometer.

The head of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) noted that the specialists that compose the brigade received detailed information on this South African nation’s health situation. Cholera and malaria are endemic in that region and there are elevated chances of an outbreak as a result of the hurricane.

The head of Brigade 28, Rolando Piloto, highlighted that his colleagues are strongly committed to representing Cuba

with dignity, to work day and night, and conduct prophylactic work in order to mitigate the impact of the disaster and avoid epidemics in the affected areas.

With this deed, we commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the first visit the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, paid to Mozambique from March 21th to 23th, 1977.

We will also remember doctors Enrique Betancourt Neninger and Ulises la Rosa Mesa, who lost their lives alongside patriot Samora Machel, who is considered the father of Mozambique’s independence.

Cyclone Idai left substantial damage and hundreds of people dead and wounded in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique because of the intensity of the winds, heavy rain and flooding.

According to Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, this is another alarming sign of the dangers of climate change.

HENRY REEVE CONTINGENTThe Henry Reeve Contingent, named

after New Yorker Henry Reeve, who fought for the independence of Cuba against Spain, was created in 2005 to provide humanitarian aid at the request of the international community.

In May 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) granted this contingent the Public Health Award –in memory of Dr. Lee Jong-Wook –in recognition for its natural disaster and epidemic relief efforts.

According to official data, since the contingent’s creation, 7,254 Cuban medical collaborators have provided their assistance during emergencies in 19 nations around the world – twice in Haiti and Chile.

The Cuban health professionals, who are trained to conduct these missions, have attended to more than 3.5 million people and have saved about 80,000 patients, according to estimates.

By ReinaMAGDARIAGA

Cuba Offers a Helping Hand to Mozambique

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HAVANA.- The Cuban dance company Acosta Danza is paying tribute to Cuban and UK teachers Ramona de Saá and Ben Stevenson, respectively, during the course of their current season.

Founded and directed by leading dancer Carlos Acosta, this company is presenting the show Tributo (Tribute) at the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana from April 18th to 21st as part of a six-performance program that started on April 13th.

Saá and Stevenson stand out in the international field as a result of decades of work related to the formation of dancers, their contributions to the training of this artistic expression, and their personal performance skills.

The program includes many renowned pieces of the classical ballet repertoire, such as End of Time by Stevenson, the pas de deux Les Sylphides by August Bournonville, and Belles Lettres by U.S. choreographer Justin Peck.

The Dying Swan, based on the version choreographed by Mijaíl Fokin and directed by Michel Descombey, will also be performed.

The premiere in Cuba of select scenes of Carlos Acosta’s Don Quixote – which first premiered in 2014 by the London Royal Ballet – also stands out in this program.

Acosta Danza is considered a space of ‘renovation, exploration and experimentation’ that is influenced by choreographers, musicians, designers, visual artists and audiovisual experts from Cuba and around the world.

According to Acosta, the company’s mission is to explore the contemporary tendencies of ballet performance that transcend the traditional aesthetic. For this reason, its repertoire is nurtured by the talent of important creators from all over the world, such as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Justin Peck, Marianela Boán, and Goyo Montero, among others.

Saá, an outstanding ballet virtuoso, has become one of the most renowned dance teachers in the contemporary world. She is the creator of the current ballet teaching system utilized throughout Cuba.

A director and teacher at the National Ballet School and the Higher Institute of Arts, Saá’s work also includes her role as a repertoire director and a choreographer.

Stevenson, a former member of the Great Britain Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet, has co-directed the Washington National Ballet and served as the artistic director of the Chicago, Houston and Texas Ballet companies. Currently, he is the director of the Texas Ballet Theater.

By AriannaLEON

6 CULTURE

Acosta Danza Honors Cuban and UK Ballet Masters

HAVANA.- The International Danzon Music Festival will be held in Havana from April 18th-28th with the objective of promoting the everyday practice of this musical genre and dance in Cuba and the world, the event’s organizers informed.

The festival’s president, José Loyola, announced that this year’s event will be dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the band Aragón, the 140 thanniversary of the creation of danzon by Miguel Faílde, the 100thanniversary of birth of Benny Moré- known in Cuba as “The Great of the Rhythm”- along with the 500thanniversary of Havana.

The festival gets better each year with the participation of danzon fanatics from all over the world such as Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and the Caribbean, who will take part in dance contests and workshops.

Musicologist Alicia Valdéz, one of the festival’s organizers, explained that an international conference, attended by famous British instrumentalist and

researcher Susan Miller, will take place during the festival of Cuba’s national dance.

Another highlight will be the dance contest that welcomes the participation of people of all ages, who will be dancing to the rhythm of prestigious bands that perform this musical genre in Cuba.

Organized by the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), the program of the international event includes activities in spaces pertinent to danzon, such as Cuba’s Caribbean Association, the Marti Theater, the America Theater, the Salón Rosado Benny Moré at La Tropical, and the Spanish-American Center of Culture.

The Cuban musicians and bands that will perform during the festival include the orchestras Miguel Faílde, Charanga de Oro, Piquete Típico Cubano, Estrellas Cubanas, Cuba Clamé, Sensación, Enrique Jorrín, and chamber music bands of the Barbarito Diez Higher Institute of Arts, among others.

By Liz BOBADILLA

International Festival Brings Danzon Back to the Cuban Stage

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7CULTURE

HAVANA.- The chairman of the Latin Music Institute (ILM), Daniel Martín, is convinced that music has a healing power and brings people together.

He made this clear in remarks to The Havana Reporter, when he came to Cuba to name legendary Cuban dancer Alicia Alonso “Star of the Century,” for highlighting Latin rhythms in the classical dance form.

“You see her doing these classical ballet movements but can feel the rumba; you can feel this rhythm, which is different than that of the Bolshoi or the Boston Ballet. The difference is clear. Just remove the background and the movements illustrate a Latin elegance,” Martín proudly stated.

After he presented the award to Alonso, Martín stayed in Havana to coordinate, together with the Cuban Music Institute and the Ministry of Culture, granting the Star of the Century award to the relatives of Benny Moré, in recognition of the Cuban genius of rhythm.

The ILM is a self-financed institution headquartered in Mexico that accepts donations under the maxim: “any donations are welcome, be it an idea or 1 USD, always for the benefit of culture.”

The institute designated the Cuban musicians Frank Fernández, Leo Brouwer, Adalberto Álvarez and the band Los Van Van as ILM Ambassadors, and will give the same designation to Paul Williams, the national president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in Los Angeles, U.S.

The director of the ASCAP Latin Department in New York, Jorge Fernando Rodríguez, will receive the award as well.

Martín explained that they are forming groups of experts by country, and Cuba is represented by famous stars such as Brouwer, Fernández and Álvarez. “There are many things that can be done in terms of Latin music and the joint efforts among artists,” he said.

On April 5th, the Mexican Universities of Morelos and Xalapa celebrated several personalities with the Doctorate Honoris Causa, including Cuban Fernández, Puerto Rican Danny Rivera, Dominican Johnny Ventura and U.S. Charles Fox, the composer of the famous song “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” among others.

Fox was the president of the music department at the Hollywood Film Academy for nine years, and Fernández a beacon for contemporary pianists of the continent. “Bringing them together at the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico is a luxury for the public,” he commented.

During that ceremony, the ILM also granted the Star of the Century award to the Mexican artists Marco Antonio Muñiz, Pedro Infante, José Alfredo Jiménez, Javier Solís and relatives of Jorge Negrete.

The young chairman plans to celebrate the ILM 100th anniversary in 2021 in style, and is already working on a documentary about the anniversary, directed by Edesio Alejandro, a Cuban musician and an active member of the Hollywood Film Academy.

Martín noted that they want to bring together the best of Latin music, from pieces composed for films to those of pop culture.

“We want to be fair by recognizing the greatest musicians in each genre, so that their legacy can be passed down to the new generations, because that legacy is a jewel of art world as well,” he said.

Latin Music Institute Praises Cultural UnityBy MarthaSANCHEZ

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT(THR is not responsible for any changes made by sponsoring organizations)thr@prensa-latina.cu

UPCOMING EVENTS

XIV Chamber Music Festival,

Havana, (Apr 23-27)

International Circus

Festival(CIRCUBA , Jun

26-30)

8 CULTURE

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTSAN JUAN.- Over the past 50 years, the eighty-year-old Popular Democratic Party (PPD), symbol of the Free Associated State established in 1952, and the annexationist New Progressive Party (PNP) founded in 1968, have taken turns within the Puerto Rican government.

The two political factions operated under the bipartisan structure that the United States has exerted over the Caribbean island of 3.5 million inhabitants for more than 120 years, proscribing any movements for independence.

Although it is still early to predict the impact that the emerging Victory Citizen Movement (MVC) will have, it has already proved itself a threat both to the PPD and the PNP.

The leader of the grassroots party is Alexandra Lúgaro, the former independent candidate for governor. The 37-year-old lawyer’s performance during the November 2016 elections was incredible, as she won 175,831 votes (11.13 percent) through social media campaigns and direct contact with young Puerto Ricans.

This figure is significant considering Governor Ricardo Rosselló Nevares of the PNP obtained 41.80 percent of the votes cast in the bankrupt country with more than $70 billion in public debt.

Another leading member of the MVC is Professor Rafael Bernabe, who was the main candidate for the Working People’s Party (PPT) in the past elections, but he won only 0.34 percent of 1,580,184 votes cast at the polls.

In terms of ideology, the emerging movement unites a wide variety of members, from left-wingers such as Bernabe himself, to pro-independent and even annexationists. Its objective is to break through the two-party system and establish a government that can rescue the country from the economic abyss that has resulted from U.S. imperialist and colonial domination.

The Victory Citizen Movement has three pressing objectives aimed at the restoration of public institutions,

social, economic and fiscal reconstruction, and the decolonization of Puerto Rico.

On March 11th, Lúgaro said that the organization’s main priority currently is official registration, which needs 47,405 signatures for its approval. Once registered, it could participate in the November 2020 general elections as a third party.

The young lawyer announced that the names of the potential MVC candidates to the upcoming elections will be disclosed in a future assembly.

The MVC has already been the object of harsh attacks by right-winged politicians and analysts because its emblem bears resemblance to that of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV): a white V on a black background and a gold star on the upper-left hand corner.

In the meantime, Lúgaro stated that investing in education is unnegotiable, as they aim for true education reform from the grassroots level.

In addition to advocating for universal health insurance and using a health approach for drug addiction, they aim at establishing regulations on foreign investment and embracing public companies, trusteeships and cooperatives.

It cannot be anticipated what will happen during the November 2020 elections in Puerto Rico, when Governor Rosselló Nevares aspires to be reelected. But the truth is that the scenario will be different as the traditional parties teeter for the first time, judging by their loud reaction to the emergence of the Victory Citizen Movement.

By NéstorROSA-MARBRELL

New Political Movement Emerges in Puerto Rico

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HAVANA.- “Oro 500” is the name of the cocktail that won the first of four bartender contests organized by Hotel Nacional, that will come to a close in November with the selection of the “Habana 500” drink in tribute to the 500th anniversary of the Cuban capital.

The cocktail was presented by Sergio Luis Serrano, a young bartender who was one of the 11 participants – including six women – in this event. The competition, which called the attention of guests and visitors alike, took place in the gardens of Hotel Nacional – a building founded 89 years ago and a symbol of the Cuban cocktail.

Like father like son, it so happens that young Serrano is the son of World Cocktail Champion Sergio Serrano, the only bartender from Cuba and the greater Latin American region who has ever won that title and who was invited to the event as a special guest.

Serrano senior was proclaimed the World’s Best Barman at the 52nd edition of the International

Bartenders Association (IBA) World Classic Cocktail Championship, held on October 22nd, 2003.

“We will hold four cocktail contests to choose the cocktail that best represents the city; this is the way that Hotel Nacional wants to pay tribute to the 500th anniversary of Havana,” Juan Alberto Isassi, the hotel’s head of Bars and Cafeterias, told The Havana Reporter.

Isassi explained that in the first contest of this unique initiative, only the hotel’s bartenders participated, though bartenders from other tourist centers will be invited to take part in the other three. He added that a jury composed of four bartending experts will select the “Habana 500” cocktail.

Havana, declared one of the World’s Seven Wonder Cities in 2016 and Capital of the World Cocktail in 2017, will celebrate its 500th anniversary on November 16th of this year.

Isassi also noted that the Havana Club company sponsored the first contest, while Spanish producer

Freixenet – a cava world leader – will sponsor the second and Pukará the third.

Young barman Serrano explained in his gold medal creation “Oro 500”, he wanted to represent Havana at dawn and dusk: the soft rays of light that color the city during those times of day.

Yuleidy Arrieta, a young Cuban bartender new to Hotel Nacional proposed the drink ‘Seducción’ which she considers, “a tribute to Havana, a city that will celebrate 500 years but still preserves the charm that continues to attract Cuban and foreign visitors alike.”

“Oro 500” Takes Gold

10 CULTURE

HAVANA.- Cuban theater is enjoying remarkable international recognition at present thanks to experienced national figures and plays that have great universal significance.

Proof of this statement is the invitation stage director Carlos Celdrán received to deliver the opening speech at the 2019 World Theater Day, held on March 27th.

Serving as the first occasion a Cuban dramatist gave the speech, this demonstrated great recognition of the renowned playwright and the commitment that the community of artists have to the development of theater on the island.

The focal point of the acclaimed director’s speech was on creating a culture of peace through theater. For Celdrán, his relationship with the stage and audience is the meaning of his life.

“My theater world is fulfilled by the moments I spend with the audience that visit our space every night, coming together from all over the city,” said the founder of the Argos Teatros Company.

“Theater is a country woven together by those moments in which we leave behind our masks, our rhetoric, our fear to be who we are, when we grasp hands in the dark…and travel to that instant, to the ephemeral unification with our peers…heart to heart,” he added.

The words Celdrán delivered that day are the testimony of other playwrights, actors and critics who carry the hard work of preserving the essence of this artistic expression.

The last edition of the National Theater Festival (2018) – the country’s most important theater event – highlighted the prestige of this artistic form, that holds great ethical and aesthetic value in each performance.

As always, important aspects of this event included acclaimed critics’ analyses of plays and director-audience open dialogues.

The impact of each play extends past the local audience, as they are shared and enriched by colleagues from all latitudes, especially representing Latin America, who visit Cuba to witness theatrical productions or welcome Cuban directors in different parts of the world.

Actors, playwrights, stage companies and other artists annually attend Mayo Teatral - Latin America and the Caribbean’s month dedicated to theater –for renewed inspiration and intercultural exchange about theater throughout the continent.

Many local businesses play a part in supporting the production of the dramatic arts, fueled by the value of its original essence and adapted to new forms of production and consumption.

The companies Hubert de Blanck, El Público, Argos Teatro and Teatro de las Estaciones are some of the theater groups that compose the long list of promoters of playwright genres that range from classical to experimental and avant-garde.

The Teatro Guiñol Company is one of the groups that best incorporates and appeals to kids, as it is considered the franchise of the Cuban puppeteers, giving a voice and life to unique fabric or papier-mâché puppets.

The Children and Youth Theater Festival, held in the city of Cienfuegos in March, presented over 30 productions that illustrated the capacity of this artistic expression to mobilize an audience.

The Guantánamo-Baracoa Stage Crusade, held annually in the east of Cuba, is another example of the comprehensive work developed by passionate artists who reach the most remote parts of the island to spread their artistic message.

A dynamic range of characters and talented actors who play these roles are deeply rooted in the audience’s memory, remembered due to their particular gestures or funny remarks, many of which then transcend into current cultural norms.

For example, the popular TV program ‘Vivir del Cuento’ is the perfect fusion of theater and cinema; a space that, through humor, offers a platform for polemic, social critic, the exchange of ideas and reflection, and topics of great importance for the society.

The wisdom of the most experienced stage actors is acknowledged every year. For that reason, the National Theater Award is granted annually in Cuba, this year awarded to the outstanding Cuban actress Herminia Sánchez.

Sánchez, 95, personifies the wisdom of Cuban theater and is a living example of a versatile artist able to take on the challenges of acting, writing and teaching.

She heads the avant-garde movement of stage actors: a group of talented artists who carry their teachers’ legacies, educated upon the basis of honesty, academic rigor, diversity of criteria, love and friendship.

The World Theater Day has been celebrated since 1961 as an initiative of the International Theater

By YelenaRODRIGUEZ

The Promising Future of Cuban Theater

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PHOTO FEATURE 11

HAVANA.- Declared one of the seven Marvel Cities in the World, Havana well deserves that recognition, not only for its beauty and movement but also for the tradition of its people.These days, posters celebrating the city’s 500 years can be spotted and appreciated just about everywhere.

The spirit of celebration reigns among locals and is reflected in these posters, which can be seen at bus stops, billboards, on building facades and tourist sites.

Officially founded in 1519 under the shade of a leafy ceiba

tree, the Cuban capital soon became a cosmopolitan city visited by travelers from around the world.

One can take in the wonderful atmosphere of the city streets, full of visitors from near and far who, although with language barriers sometimes, share with locals in the best way possible: cordiality.

This is the spirit portrayed in the posters that allude to Havana’s birthday on November 16th, illustrated amidst a unique and colorful ambience.

By RobertoF.CAMPOS

HAVANA, THE GREATEST

Posters Celebrate Havana’s 500 Years

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12 LATIN AMERICA

By ManuelCABIESESPro-South or Pro-Trump?SANTIAGO DE CHILE.- Leaders of the “new” right-wing wave met in Chile to create a forum for Latin America’s progress and development. What might have been the real intentions behind this initiative?

Let’s start at the beginning.Colombian president Iván Duque announced the creation of Prosur (Pro-South)

in January and immediately after, Chilean president Sebastián Piñera, a political sleepwalker, joined in.

Both presidents are soon to become experts of propaganda used as a smokescreen to attack Venezuela.

It’s enough just knowing who the Prosur organizers were to guess where the so-called forum is headed. The invited guests were also a proof of this, all crème de la crème of Yankee supporters.

Such guests included Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who proclaimed himself Trump’s compliance at the White House; Argentinean president Macri, who is hounded by social demonstrations and the IMF debt; Paraguayan president Abdo, who is trying to stick his head in all of the anti-Venezuelan meetings; Peruvian president Vizcarra, who is suffering a decline in support; and Ecuadorian president Lenín Moreno, whose trajectory places him on par with Judas Almagro, one of the worst renegades in the history of Latin America.

They are the leaders of almost identical governments that make up the Lima Group, a mechanism that is constantly working to strangle Venezuela´s Bolivarian revolution.

It goes without saying that Prosur is useless. OAS (Organization of American States) and financial bodies such as the Inter-American Development Bank have already met Trump’s wishes.

However, Piñera is making efforts to stand out within the Empire in search of an international presence that regional politics don’t give him. By doing so, he further jeopardizes his plan to establish a prolonged period of right-wing governments in Chile.

Repression against the Mapuche people, police threats against adolescents, misogynist policies, denial of migrants’ rights, discrimination in education and healthcare, and a foreign policy that lacks independence and dignity, increasingly push Piñeira’s model towards those of the Brazilian and Colombian regimes.

That oligarchic, repressive and authoritarian model has no future in Latin America. The current reactionary hegemony is a parenthesis in our history.

The social tendency prevailing under the neoliberal wave rejects authoritarianism and all forms of injustice. The anti-capitalist, left-wing groups will regain strength under new paradigms to prevent the public from being fooled again in elections that are a complete farce.

The astonishing women’s demonstration summoned by the 8M Feminist Organization is an irrefutable sign of the malaise prevailing in the Chilean society. The concert ‘For the right to live in peace,’ held on Sunday, March 24th at the Bulnes Avenue – in solidarity with Venezuela´s Bolivarian revolution – is also proof of resistance.

ASUNCION.- The number of orphan kids in Paraguay is increasing at an alarming rate today as a result of the femicide — gender-based killings of women. According to data provided by the Women Observatory, nine kids were orphaned last March as a result.

Established as a violence prevention organization, the Women Observatory indicated that from January 2th to March 18th, 28 out of the 78 children observed this year lost their mothers in just 75 days.

The femicide has had devastating consequences for families and the society at large, driven by men’s self-attributed “right” to decide on the life and destiny of their female partners.

“The cases of femicide in Paraguay are increasing at an alarming rate. From January to March, 11 victims were registered, nine of which were women and two young girls,” the Observatory indicated.

The entity also registered another 24 cases of attempted murder, and the victims lived to tell the tale.

It was known that 15 minors were orphaned following the murder of their

mothers, and 18 murder attempts were registered from January to February.

According to reports, 15 women were killed in the first two months of 2017, a year in which 53 murders and 42 attempts were registered.

That very year, six Paraguayan women were murdered abroad. January

and December were the months in which the most deaths occurred.

In 2018, 11 cases were registered from January to February. That year, 59 females died as a result of femicide, while an additional 147 attempted murder cases were recorded. The number of cases increased in October and November.

The Observatory General Director, Dr. Raquel Iglesias, explained that the rates are more alarming every year.

“In the femicide cases, the kids of murdered mothers suffer from maternal absence, greatly impacting their lives,” the official noted.

She added that in 2018, the number of kids orphaned due to femicide rose to 40, and during the course of this year, that figure has reached 28 – a number that increases alongside a number of other crimes.

The “Zero Violence” campaign, aimed at raising awareness about the femicide in Paraguay, was launched on International Women’s Day and will last 8 months.

Minister Nilda Romero explained that this campaign, sponsored by her ministry and UN-Women, will place special emphasis on femicide to educate the public on the social issue and promote article 50 of Act 5777/16.

Highlighting the importance of this crusade, Romero stated, “it is our obligation to call the public´s attention to the seriousness of this scourge, which many Paraguayan women are suffering.”

By CotoWONG

Children Suffer from Femicide in Paraguay

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inaHAVANA.- Intense debates and

announcements of new projects marked the International Cubagua 2019 Convention held in Havana recently, with the slogan “Water in Harmony with a Sustainable World.”

In remarks to The Havana Reporter, the Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba, Inés María Chapman, commented that it is necessary to work together to save water and protect the planet from all the injustice that results from the overconsumption of resources and, consequently, the negative impact on economies and people in need.

The convention is an example of what can be achieved by strengthening collaboration among different countries around the world, she stated during the

inauguration of the conference, where topics such as climate change and the importance of reducing water use were debated.

On the closing day, Vladimir Matos, first Vice President of the National Hydraulic Resources Institute of Cuba (INRH), said that one of the new projects resulting from the conference will work to restore the water supply, water treatment and rain drainage systems in eastern Havana.

A total of five letters of intent were signed during the meeting, which also served to improve international relations and negotiations of expanding investments and exports in the Cuban hydraulic sector.

According to Matos, the convention was a great opportunity for students,

researchers, designers, investors, constructors, suppliers and many other specialists involved in the water sector to broaden their experience and collaboration.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION As a gift to World Water Day (March

22nd), 20 countries met in Havana, well surpassing past numbers of accredited people, both Cubans and foreigners, where over 60 companies exhibited their products at the fair that accompanied the International Cubagua 2019 Convention. INRH President Antonio Rodríguez announced that in total, 747 products and technological devices were showcased during the fair.

Mauro De Tommasi, director of the Cuban office of the Italian Foreign Trade Agency(ICE La Habana), told The Havana Reporter that his country’s companies are interested in the Cuban market.

The products made by China Water Resources Beifang Investigation Design and Research Co. were also exhibited at the Pabexpo exhibition space, where the fair was held. As one of the first Chinese companies that entered the international

market, it has led some 100 projects in more than 40 countries.

Serving as a pioneer of the Strip and Route project, the Chinese company designed hydroelectric plants in countries such as Argentina, Pakistan and Cameroon.

Spain’s Tramasa Company, which specializes in water treatment, maintenance and supplementary services, presented, “a new technology that Cuba has been using for several years, which is an ultrafiltration purification system.”

Tramasa’s technical director Antonio Bernal explained that this technology replaces old purification processes and is able to treat water with high mud content, such as water from rivers, lakes, dams or wells.

“We have been working in the different spheres of the Cuban hydraulic field for several years now in the housing sector, hospitals, rum factories, as well as research centers,” he added.

Like other events around the world that address water as a finite resource, Cubagua serves a very important role, noted Bernal.

Cubagua 2019: A Starting Point for Water Preservation

New RulesConsolidate Self-Employment in Cuba

13ECONOMY

By IvetteFERNANDEZ

HAVANA.- The introduction of new norms that regulate the interaction of Cuban or foreign juridical figures with self-employed workers will fortify the integration of self-employed Cubans into the national economic field, an official Cuban source commented.

In statements to The Havana Reporter, the director of self-employment attention and control at the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), Idalmis Álvarez, said that the recent rules, in addition to those already enforced, are crucial to stabilize and improve that sector.

Less than three months after several regulations were implemented to update the self-employment legal system, it was prudent to approve other regulations to comply with requests made by self-employed workers or entities, the official explained.

Accordingly, it was announced that once the corresponding rules are enacted, the productive surplus of state-run entities can be sold to the non-state sector using bank accounts in either of the two Cuban currencies.

This initiative, which accompanies others such as the ‘Zones +shops’, has the objective of providing self-employed workers with additional access to raw materials.

After it takes effect, the legal entities, both state-run Cuban institutions and foreign ones, will be able to deal with non-state businesses using either official currencies.

Similarly, and with the objective of attaining

territorial autonomy, Municipal Administration Councils now have the power to authorize certain activities currently approved by provincial governments.

The municipal councils are also entitled to regulate prices and set fixed or maximum tariffs when the conditions and characteristics of the territory require it.

Although the number of self-employment activities are now grouped in 123 options rather than the previous 201possibilities, five new jobs have been approved in order to increase the opportunities for those interested in this sector, such as the certified interpreter/translator category.

About four months ago, the corresponding authorities also approved the opportunity for one person to be involved in more than one self-employed job at a time as long as the activities do not interfere with one another.

Similarly, the limit of 50 employees per restaurant, bar or recreational center was eliminated and will be now determined by each location’s size and needs.

The objective of the recent regulations on the self-employment sector is to ensure that it is carried out in an organized and legal way, commented Alvarez.

According to MTSS statistics, a total of 580,828 Cubans were self-employed at the end of 2018, representing 13 percent of the country’s workforce.

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PANAMA CITY.- Expanding markets, identifying new niches and diversifying exports amidst the ongoing U.S. blockade is a priority for Cuba at present, stated Vice-President of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce Rubén Ramos.

In the framework of the 37th edition of EXPOCOMER, a trade fair held in Panama from March 27th to 30th, the official spoke to The Havana Reporter about the current situation in the region and the U.S. government’s intention to intensify the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba.

“In sight of this reality, we must look for new opportunities and markets to incorporate our products and increase our country´s profits to guarantee its economic development; thus the presence of Cuban enterprises at this event,” he said.

He also commented that the application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act is not only aimed at making the country surrender due to asphyxia and economic persecution, but also at intimidating the international market that wants to invest in the island, that is why ¨we must create new opportunities,¨ he added.

“In this unfortunate scenario, we cannot adopt a passive stance; on the contrary, we must show the world that we have the conditions to foster our economic development through foreign investment, trade and exports,” he stressed.

Ramos highlighted that in spite of the U.S. government´s aggressions, “Cuba is a safe market for investment, as no extraterritorial measure will be permitted, especially against the businesses present in our country.”

The vice president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce also provided details about the meetings with Panamanian authorities, which he described as positive. In those meetings, both sides discussed topics of common

interest and the role of the Entrepreneurial Committee—created in 2018—in Havana’s International Trade Fair.

The countries also discussed the promotion of the Economic Implementation Agreement, which permits the reduction of import-related taxes and the possibility to increase investments, among other topics related to bilateral economic collaboration.

Ramos explained that the Cuba-Panama Entrepreneurial Committee, whose first meeting took place in the Panamanian capital, will allow for exchange, trade and investment between both countries.

“In the framework of EXPOCOMER, Cuban executives and their counterparts held negotiations in which they

agreed to bilateral meetings following the identification of real possibilities that can lead to other agreements,” the official noted.

He recalled that at present, Cuba places special emphasis on the export of goods and services; for that reason, the country’s delegation was composed of 30 companies from different sectors, the most important related to the production, processing and export of food.

Over 600 companies from Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa attended this trade event, which is Panama and Central America’s most important fair. Agreements in food production, textile and high-tech industries were signed.

By NubiaPIQUERAS

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Cuba Responds to U.S. Blockade by Expanding Markets

15SPORTS

HAVANA.- Over the past few years, nautical sports have served as a bridge between the United States and Cuba, two countries that have been divided by the U.S. government’s hostile policy imposed on Havana.

This year, the Ernest Hemingway International Yacht Club of Havana has organized a number of activities to mark the 500th anniversary of Havana.

Events began on March 21st with the arrival of yachts registered in the race from Saint Petersburg to Havana, which was first held in 1930.

After sailing the Strait of Florida, the boat Fresh Pineapple was the first of the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club to dock at the Ernest Hemingway Marina in Havana.

“This is the oldest yacht race in the world and not only acts to promote nautical activities in the area but also to strengthen bonds between Cuba and the United States,” said José Miguel Díaz Escrich, commodore of the Hemingway Club.

The Torreon de la Chorrera race was held later on, with the participation of more than 40 boats—mainly with U.S. flags—setting off from Havana’s Morro Fort.

The program of activities for Havana’s 500th anniversary also includes the Conch Republic Yacht Race (April 28th-May 5th), the Key West-Havana Rally (May

5th-8th) and a visit to the 29th International Tourism Fair (May 6th).

A candle light sailing regatta is scheduled for May 11thand a seaside procession of Our Lady of Regla will be held on September 7th.

Richard Winning, the former commodore of the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club in southern Florida, commented, “it is a challenge for all of the yachts; this regatta enables the ongoing strengthening of ties among all of the yacht clubs in Cuba, the United States and the rest of the world.”

The event’s focal point this year is the city of Havana, which was founded after the first mass and city council were held on November 16th, 1519 under the shade of a Ceiba tree, very close to the bay.

The rest is history, as the development of nautical activities between Cuba and the United States continues to increase, so much so that a busy agenda of annual competitions is underway.

A Bridge between Cuba and The United States

NAUTICAL SPORTS

HAVANA.- Working towards polishing the final training phase to improve performance from that in Toronto 2015, Cuba already has 350 athletes qualified for the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, from July 26th to August 11th.

A report by the High Performance Department of the National Institute of Sports confirmed that figure, aiming to ensure 400 slots for the continental event.

So far, field hockey is heading the list of sports with the greatest number of athletes, totaling 32, followed by athletics (30), handball (28) and baseball and rowing, each with 24.

Also included on that list are open water races (4), diving (1), swimming (3), synchronized swimming (9), water polo (22), badminton (6), canoeing (12), cycling (12), fencing (14), artistic gymnastics (10), rhythmic gymnastics (6) and springboard (1).

The list is completed with karate (3), weightlifting (8), men’s freestyle wrestling (6), women’s freestyle wrestling (6), Greco-Roman wrestling (6), jai alai (11), skating (3), pentathlon (5), softball (15), taekwondo (7),table tennis (6), shooting (15), archery (4), sailing (5) and volleyball (12).

The Cuban delegation so far consisting of 200 men and 150 women could welcome up to 87 additional athletes, mainly from athletics, swimming, boxing and judo.

Cuba will not participate in over 140 of the 422 events to be held in the Peruvian capital; therefore athletes will have to deliver their best performances in order to attain the set goals.

However, the biggest challenge is to surpass the results attained in Toronto 2015, where Cuba won 97 medals: 36 gold, 27 silver and 34 bronze, ranking fourth on the medal count.

The Caribbean island was preceded by the United States with 103 gold medals, 82 silver and 80 bronze, Canada (78-70-71) and Brazil (42-39-60).

The strategy will be to qualify as many athletes as possible for the 19 sports that this event grants preliminary qualification for the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020.

During the last regional sporting event, the Central American and Caribbean Games of Barranquilla 2018, the Cuban delegation was displaced from the first position it had held since Panama 1970, due to the outstanding performances of countries such as Mexico and Colombia, which will prove to be tough rivals in the Peruvian capital, together with the United States, Canada and Brazil.

The president of the Mexican Olympic Committee, Carlos Padilla, announced that his country aims to place in the top five countries during the games in Peru.

Almost four years ago, at the Toronto games, Mexico won 22 gold medals, 30 silver and 43 bronze, ranking sixth on the medal table.

"We will not be satisfied with the sixth place obtained in Toronto. The experiences in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla and the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires 2018 prove to us that we can aspire for better results,” he said.

Mexico has already qualified 427 athletes for the forthcoming Lima games and hopes to bring that number up to nearly 600.

By YasielCANCIO

By AdriánMENGANA

Cuba Sets Sights on Pan-Am Games

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