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Cuba surpasses 2017 tourist arrival estimates

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Weekly on Cuba and Latin America

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Speech by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguezat the United Nations

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Raúl receives seniorCommunist Party ofVietnam official

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Foreign investmentopportunities in Cuba

Yisel Martínez García

• CUBA has received four million inter-nationalvisitors thus far this 2017, and is set to end theyear with 4.7 million. These figures representclients and tour operators’ con-fidence inCuba as a safe and healthy destination,according to Ivis Fernández, Ministry ofTourism (Mintur) representative in Matanzas.

The four millionth tourist arrived toVaradero’s Juan Gualberto Gómez Inter-national Airport on November 6, two monthsbefore the same figure was reached in 2016.

“I have visited five times and I love Cuba,above all its cities. I also like the fact that it’ssafe and peaceful,” stated French visitorAntonio on arrival to the island.

“For us at the airport, it’s an honor thatclients choose to spend their vacations in the

province of Matanzas, and of course in theVaradero resort,” stated María Elena Oviedo,head of the Juan Gualberto Gómez airport’sbusiness department.

“Varadero has shown its ability to recoverfollowing recent weather events whichseverely affected the country’s northern zone.Since Hurricane Irma, the number of travelersto this tourist resort has gradually grown,averaging at about 20,000 clients a day,” IvisFernández added.

Work is currently underway to prepare forthe start of the upcoming 2017-2018 winterseason, with an estimated 1.6 million visitorsexpected to visit the resort by the end of theyear.

“We have worked to try and prepare thecountry for the high season, and will be readyto meet the demands of the expected growth

when the period begins on November 15.Today, all the facilities affected by Irma havebeen restored and we are working on otherswhich are key to the development of thistourist destination.

“These include an international hotel,groundworks on a plot of land called theOasis, where two new big hotels will be built,and the opening, at the end of this year, of abrewery, which will be one of our most at-tractive and novel offers for clients who decideto choose to visit a destination like Varadero,”explained, the Mintur representative inMatanzas.

Meanwhile, the Varadero InternationalAirport has been undergoing repair andrefurbishment works since May in prepar-ation for the winter season; with paint-works, maintenance, restoration and repairs

undertaken across the entire terminal, statedthe head of its business department, MaríaElena Oviedo.

The airport, which opened in 1989, receivesan average of half a million passengers everyyear, while its efficient and high qualityservice, means that it only takes around 18-25 minutes between visitors landing andleaving the airport.

Although Canada continues to be the main emissary market of tourists to Varadero,Cuba’s most important beach resort, signi-ficant growth has also been seen among theGerman, French, British, Russian, Spanish,and Italian markets.

There are currently 67,769 hotel rooms in Cuba, a figure which should increase to68,200 by the end of this year, with plans to build 100,000 more by 2030. •

Cuba surpasses 2017 tourist arrival estimates

The country has received four million visitors thus far this year

Beach resorts are one of the most popular modalities in Cuba.

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Firearmdemocracy in the United States

Weekly on Cuba and Latin America

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FRENCH PORTUGUESE ITALIAN GERMAN www.granma.cuSPANISH ENGLISH

HAVANANOVEMBER 10, 2017Year 52 / Number 45

Price in Cuba $0.50 CUC

YEAR 59 OF THE REVOLUTION

NATIONAL2 GRANMA INTERNATIONALNOV.10.2017 |

Raúl receives senior official ofthe CommunistParty of Vietnam • ON the afternoon of November 6, ArmyGeneral Raúl Castro Ruz, first secretaryof the Communist Party of Cuba CentralCommittee, received compañero Vo Van Thoung, a member of the PoliticalBureau and Communist Party of VietnamCentral Committee Secretariat and pres-ident of its Propaganda and EducationCommittee, on an official visit to theisland.

During the meeting, the two officialsdiscussed the excellent state of relationswhich unite the two peoples, parties andgovernments, and their willingness tocontinue strengthening these.

Participating on the Vietnamese sidewere compañeros Nguyen Trung Thanh,the country’s ambassador in Havana;Nguyen Tuan Phong, vice president ofthe department of Foreign Affairs of theCommunist Party of Vietnam CentralCommittee; and Phan Hai, the depart-ment’s director general for the MiddleEast, Africa and Latin America.

Also in attendance were José RamónMachado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPP)Central Committee, and Jorge Arias,deputy director of the CPP InternationalRelations Department. •

ESTUDIOS REVOLUCIÓN

Elections corresponding to our timesJesús Jank Curbelo

• ON November 26, the municipal as-sembly elections will see a strong turnoutfrom our people, especially since the dayis preceded by the first anniversary of thedeath of Comandante en Jefe Fidel CastroRuz, the greatest architect of the Cubanelectoral system.

This, according to Alina Balseiro Gut-iérrez, president of the National ElectoralCommission (CEN), during a press con-ference to detail the steps underway aspart of the general election process ac-ross the country, and the following mea-sures to be implemented once the resultsof the nomination process for candidatesto delegates of Municipal Assemblies ofPeople’s Power (AMPP) are known.

In this sense, Balseiro stressed thatsince November 1st, photos and bio-graphies of the candidates nominated ineach of the municipalities of the countryhave been displayed, while electoraltraining processes will continue throughNovember 17.

She noted that following the first roundof elections for municipal assembly dele-gates on November 26, a second roundwill take place December 3 in thoseconstituencies where no candidate re-ceives more than 50% of the valid votescast. The AMPPs will be constituted 21days following the election of all dele-gates.

Regarding the conclusion of the nom-ination process, the CEN president high-lighted the enthusiasm and commitmentwith which people attended constituencyassemblies, despite the destruction cau-sed by Hurricane Irma, while she des-cribed the results obtained as favorable,adequate and corresponding to our times.

Moreover, she emphasized a number ofpoints that voters should bear in mind onthe day of the vote, most notably the needto know the location of the polling stationwhere they can exercise their right to thevote, as well as verifying their details onthe electoral register, which will be dis-played in visible and highly frequentedplaces in each community. •

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NATIONAL 3NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Speech by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, on the "Necessity of ending theeconomic, commercial, and financialblockade imposed by the United Statesagainst Cuba," in United Nations head-quarters, New York, November 1, 2017.

(Council of State transcript / GI translation)

• Mr. President;Your Excellencies permanent repre-sentatives;Distinguished delegates;U.S. citizens and Cubans resident in the

United States who are present in this hall:I would like to express to the people and

government of the United States; MayorBill De Blasio; Governor Andrew Cuomo;and other authorities in New York; as wellas its citizens and especially families ofthe victims, our most heartfelt condol-ences, in the name of the Cuban peopleand government, for the terrorist attackwhich occurred yesterday afternoon.

I also express our sincere condolencesto the peoples and government of Ar-gentina and Belgium.

Mr. President:I express the most energetic con-

demnation of the disrespectful, offensive,and interventionist statements made bythe United States Ambassador to theUnited Nations against Cuba and againstthe Cuban government, a few minutes ago.

I recall that the United States, whereflagrant violations of human rights arecommitted, of deep concern to the inter-national community, does not have theslightest moral authority to criticize Cuba,a small, solidary country, with an ex-tensive, recognized international record;an honorable, hard-working, and friendlypeople.

She spoke in the name of the head of anempire that is responsible for most of thewars in progress on the planet today, andwhich murders innocent people, and isthe decisive factor in instability worldwideand the very serious threats to peace andinternational security, trampling inter-national law and the United NationsCharter, which she has just cynicallyevoked.

It has not been 55 years, MadamAmbassador, you erred in your firstsentence; it has been 26 of these ses-sions, and more than half a century sincethe events being discussed today or-iginated.

She lies, uses the same style thatpredominates in U.S. politics today. Thisall began before the Cuban nation evenexisted. When the Cuban people, for thefirst time rose up in arms in 1868, theappetite for annexation and domination,of what was and is today U.S. imperialism,had already been unleashed.

In 1898, using a pretext - as ischaracteristic of the modern history of theUnited States: the explosion of the ship,the Maine, in a Cuban port, they enteredas allies of Cuban independence forcesand then occupied the country asinvaders, and imposed the Platt Amend-

ment, cutting short the independence andsovereignty of Cuba; they conductedthree military occupations, imposed 60years of total domination that endedJanuary 1, 1959, with the entry of theRebel Army to Havana and the triumph ofthe Cuban Revolution, that continues tothis day carrying on the same strugglesthat have inspired our people for over 100years. (Applause)

She lies, she used a phrase, attributinga statement on the so-called October orMissile Crisis to a supposedly Cubansource. I invite her to state the source, tostate its author, to present evidence. Itsounds like one of the tweets proliferatingin this country, in these times of hate,division, and dirty politics. (Applause)

When the Cuban Revolution triumphed,the United States set regime change asits objective. The policy announced byPresident Trump on June 16 is not new; itis the same policy, it is an old policyanchored in the past.

She mentioned the illustrious U.S.Ambassador Adlai Stevenson. She forgotto say that he was the person who,deceived by his own government, had theunfortunate duty during a session of theSecurity Council, to show photos ofsupposed Cuban aircraft, actually of U.S.origin, bearing the emblem of the CubanAir Force, that on April 15 bombed the cityof Havana, caused numerous casualties,and was the prelude to the attack, theinvasion, at Playa Girón or the Bay ofPigs.

These bombings and the involuntary lieof Ambassador Stevenson, who had beendeceived by his government, occurredeven before the declaration of the social-

ist character of the Cuban Revolution.These bombings took place prior to thedeclaration of the socialist character ofour Revolution.

She has spoken of the October Crisis.She has spoken of the days of President

Kennedy's assassination, and the declas-sification of documents. They have reallybeen hidden from the U.S. people toolong. Declassify them all.

But if she wants to talk about these is-sues, I suggest she read the book

Trained to Kill: The Inside Story of CIAPlots against Castro, Kennedy, and Che,by CIA agent Veciana, in which he re-counts his meeting with CIA agent DavidPhillips and with Lee Harvey Oswald, inDallas, during the third week of Septem-ber, 1963.

It has been a history of lies and aggres-sion: Operation Northwoods, OperationMongoose. Information was just declas-sified showing that at that time the UnitedStates had prepared 261,000 soldiers,ready for a direct invasion of Cuba.Functioning in Florida was the CIA'slargest base in history, until that time, withmore than 700 agents, until the creationof the even bigger CIA base in Saigon.

She uses a style reminiscent of the trialof Alice in Wonderland: sentence first, triallater.

I speak for my people, and I also speakfor those who cannot call President Trumpor the U.S. Ambassador by their name,but feel and think like me.

At least she has recognized the totalisolation of the United States in this halland in the world. You are alone on theissue of the blockade of Cuba! (Applause)She ignores the power of the truth,

underestimates the strength of an idea at the bottom of a cave, which is morepowerful than an army, as José Martísaid, who wrote, carrying it on his chest,in an unfinished letter with the followingphrase: "Everyday I am in danger of giv-ing my life for my country, for my duty… toprevent in time, with the independence ofCuba, that the United States extends itselfinto the Antilles and falls, with this addedstrength, upon the lands of our America."

Ambassador, everything began muchmore than 26 years ago, much more than55 years ago. Along with the military ag-gression, the fabrication of pretexts, plansfor a direct invasion, measures taken tostrangle our economy, state terrorism,destabilization, and subversion, theyproposed - and I quote the infamous letterby Undersecretary of State Lester Mallory,signed April 6, 1960 - promoting "… dis-enchantment and disaffection based oneconomic dissatisfaction and hardship…all possible means should be undertakenpromptly to weaken the economic life ofCuba … denying money and supplies toCuba, to decrease monetary and realwages…" The blockade of Cuba was cre-ated "to bring about hunger, desperationand overthrow of government.”

Nonetheless, when President RaúlCastro Ruz and President Barack Obamamade those surprising, hopeful an-nouncements, December 17, 2014, Pres-ident Obama described the blockade asfailed and obsolete, ineffective in ach-ieving its objectives, causing harm to theCuban people and the isolation of theU.S. government. Later he described it asuseless in advancing U.S. interests, failed,senseless, not viable, and a burden for

"We will persevere, with the consensus of our people and especially the patriotic

commitment of the youngest Cubans, in theanti-imperialist struggle and in defense

of our independence"

Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez.

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citizens.But the blockade was never recognized

as a flagrant, massive, and systematicviolation of the human rights of Cubans,which the United States Ambassadorcynically omitted a few hours ago, nor wasit recognized as inconsistent with inter-national law or as an act of genocide, asdefined by the Geneva Convention, norwas its goal of subjugating our peoplerenounced.

Nonetheless, the President of the UnitedStates at that time repeatedly stated hisintention to use his executive powers, andwork with Congress, to lift the blockade.

A concrete reflection of this intentionwas the U.S abstention, in 2016, duringthe vote on this resolution, which theUnited States Ambassador has justmocked.

During this period, substantive progresswas made in terms of diplomatic relations,dialogue, and cooperation in areas ofmutual interest and benefit; but duringthese last two years, the blockade wasmaintained, in all fundamental aspects,although some executive decisions weremade to modify its implementation in avery limited fashion, but moving in apositive direction. The way in which theuse of travel licenses was expanded wassignificant, given the legislative pro-hibition on travel to Cuba, that constitutesa violation of the rights and civil libertiesof U.S. citizens, which she also failed tomention. Tangible results were alsoachieved in bilateral cooperation, to ourmutual benefit, in such important arenasas confronting terrorism, drug trafficking,and digital crime.

Mr. President:This past June16, President Donald

Trump proclaimed the blockade the fun-damental axis of his anti-Cuban policy,and announced a series of measuresmeant to reinforce it.

In an antiquated, hostile anti-Cubanspeech, reminiscent of the Cold War, andbefore an auditorium composed, amongothers, of rancid Batista henchmen, an-nexationists, and terrorists, the U.S.government returned to worn-out alleg-ations of supposed human rights vio-lations in Cuba to justify the tightening ofthe blockade. From this podium, heardthis morning was his echo, his echochamber.

President Trump does not have theslightest moral authority to question Cuba.

He leads a government of millionaireswho intend to implement brutal measuresagainst the poor and low income familiesof this country, minorities and immigrants.He follows a program which encourageshate and division, and promotes a dan-gerous idea of exceptionalism and su-premacy disguised as patriotism, andwhich will lead to more violence. Heignores the will of voters: two thirds ofU.S. citizens and Cuban residents in theUnited States, as well, support an end tothe blockade.

Current U.S. policies harm citizens; cor-ruption reigns in politics which have beenhijacked by so-called special interests,that is, by the interests and the money ofcorporations: no support for education,health, or social security; restrictions onunion organizing; and terrible gender-based discrimination.

Deserving of condemnation are the useof torture; police murders of African-Americans; civilian deaths caused by itstroops; the indiscriminate, racially motiv-ated death penalty; the murders, repres-sion, and police surveillance of immi-grants; the separation of families; thedetention and deportation of minors; andthe brutal measures threatening thechildren of undocumented immigrantswho grew up and were educated in theUnited States.

This is the government that lost the

popular vote.The United States Ambassador has ex-

pressed her dream. I prefer to repeat thatof Martin Luther King, when he said, "Ihave a dream that one day this nation willrise up and live out the true meaning of itscreed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."Let freedom ring. (Applause)

She has come to tell us that sherecognizes that the future of the islandrests in the hands of the Cuban people.She is telling an absolute lie. It was neverthis way, throughout history. It has been ahistory of domination and hegemony overCuba.

The announced policy proposes turningback relations to a past of confrontation,to satisfy the spurious interests of ex-tremist circles within the U.S. right and afrustrated, aging, minority of Cuban originin Florida. The Presidential Memorandumestablishing the policy toward Cubaincludes, among other measures, newprohibitions on economic, commercial,and financial relations between U.S.companies and Cuban enterprises.

It additionally restricts the freedom totravel of U.S. citizens with the elimin-ation of individual trips under the so-called category of “people-to-people” ex-changes, and increased surveillance forthe rest of visitors from that country.

In recent weeks, President DonaldTrump has reiterated on four separateoccasions, (including before this Assem-bly this past September), that his govern-ment will not lift the blockade on Cubaunless it makes changes to its internalorder.

Today I reiterate that Cuba will neveraccept preconditions or impositions andwe remind the President and his Am-bassador that this approach, applied by adozen of his predecessors, has never andwill never work. It will be just one moreexample of a policy anchored in the past.

More recently, under the pretext of thehealth conditions of some diplomats inHavana, without the slightest evidence oftheir cause and origin - because they liewhen they speak of attacks or incidents -

or the results of ongoing investigations,the government of the United States ad-opted new measures of a political natureagainst Cuba, which intensify the block-ade and affect bilateral relations in theirentirety.

Among them, it suspended the issue ofvisas for Cuban travelers and emigrantsat its consulate in Havana, which under-mines the right of citizens to travel freelyand visit that country for short periods, asmore than 163,000 Cubans have donethis year, and seriously hinders the familyreunification of others, under the bilateralagreement to grant no less than 20,000immigrant visas per year. The requirementof an in-person interview with Cubantravelers in U.S. consulates in thirdcountries, and with emigrants in the U.S.consular section in Bogotá, will greatlyincrease the cost of the procedure andmake them unfeasible for a large numberof them. Where are their rights in theUnited States’ discourse?

There is no way to justify harmingpeople and families to try to achieve pol-itical objectives against the constitutionalorder in Cuba.

The U.S. government, with the politicalpurpose of limiting travel and damaginginternational tourism to Cuba, also issuedan unfounded and utterly dishonest warn-ing to U.S. citizens to avoid visiting ourcountry.

Through the unjustified expulsion ofpersonnel at our Consulate General inWashington, the only one in the UnitedStates, the capacity to provide services toU.S. travelers and especially to Cubanresidents here, who have the absoluteright to visit and interact normally withtheir nation, has been severely limited.

Equally, the U.S. arbitrarily and ground-lessly reduced the personnel of ourEmbassy, which has caused, among otherconsequences, the dismantling of itsEconomic-Commercial Office, with themalicious political aim of eliminatingdialogue with the U.S. business sector,genuinely interested in exploring exist-ing business opportunities, even withinthe restrictive framework of blockade

regulations.Nor is it surprising, considering what the

Ambassador has said here, or her leaderspreviously, that the President of theUnited States ignores the unanimousinternational support for the progress thathe is now reversing, or the similar de-mand for an immediate, total, and un-conditional end to the blockade.

Mr. President:As President Raúl Castro Ruz ex-

pressed, on July 14, “We reaffirm that any attempt to destroy the Revolution,whether through coercion and pressure,or the use of more subtle methods, willfail… Cuba is willing to continue dis-cussing pending bilateral issues with theUnited States, on the basis of equalityand respect for the sovereignty andindependence of our country, and tocontinue respectful dialogue and co-operation in issues of common interestwith the U.S. government.

“Cuba and the United States cancooperate and coexist, respecting ourdifferences and promoting everything thatbenefits both countries and peoples, but itshould not be expected that, in order to doso, Cuba will make concessions essentialto its sovereignty and independence…nor will it negotiate its principles or acceptconditions of any kind, just as we havenever done throughout the history of theRevolution.” End of quote. (Applause).

Mr. President:Cuba presents today, for the 26th con-

secutive time before the United NationsGeneral Assembly, the draft resolution(entitled) “Necessity of ending the eco-nomic, commercial and financial blockadeimposed by the United States of Americaagainst Cuba.”

In the current situation, this text acquiresspecial relevance in the face of the set-back that the actions of the new gover-nment of the United States against Cubasignal.

The blockade constitutes the greatestobstacle to the country’s economic andsocial development and the implement-

CUBAMINREX

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ation of the National Plan, in line with theUnited Nations 2030 Agenda. It is themain obstacle to the development of eco-nomic, commercial. and financial relationsbetween Cuba and the United States andthe rest of the world.

According to calculations rigorously con-ducted by Cuban institutions, the block-ade caused, in the year from April 2016 toApril 2017, losses to the Cuban economyon the order of 4.305 billion dollars.

This figure is about double what wouldbe needed as annual direct foreign in-vestment for the Cuban economy to ad-vance substantially toward development.

The accumulated damages reached theenormous figure of 822.280 billion dollars,calculated considering the devaluation ofthe U.S. dollar vis-à-vis the price of gold.At current prices, this is the equivalent of130.178 billion dollars.

Dozens of banks in third countries havebeen affected in the last period by theextreme and tenacious persecution ofCuban financial transactions.

The blockade is contrary to InternationalLaw and its aggressively extraterritorialapplication damages the sovereignty ofall states. It also harms economic andbusiness interests in all latitudes.

Mr. President:The Ambassador of the United States

failed to mention that the blockade is aflagrant, massive, and systematic vio-lation of the human rights of Cubans, andconstitutes an act of genocide under the1948 Convention on the Prevention andPunishment of the Crime of Genocide. Itis also an obstacle to the internationalcooperation that Cuba provides in human-itarian areas to 81 countries of the South.

The human damages caused by theapplication of this policy are incalculable.There is not a Cuban family or socialservice in Cuba that does not suffer the

deprivations and consequences of theblockade. Cuban émigrés also sufferdiscrimination and prejudices.

Over the last year, the Cuban importerand exporter of medical products, Medi-cuba S.A., made requests to purchasesupplies from 18 U.S. companies that re-fused or never responded.

Others, such as the U.S. corporationPromega, recognized for the production ofdiagnostic kits to determine viral load inpatients with HIV-AIDS, hepatitis C, orkidney diseases, refused in June 2017 tosell its products to Medicuba S.A., al-leging that the Treasury Departmentmaintains commercial sanctions that pro-hibit the sale of its products to the island.

On that same date, and with the sameargument, the refusal to supply to Cubawas received from the company NewEngland Biolabs Inc., which markets awide range of enzymes, such as Pro-teinase K, which is a reagent that permitsdiagnosis of viral diseases such as den-gue, zika, and chikungunya, as well asother enzymes with multiple uses for thediagnosis of congenital malformations offetuses. and to determine compatibilitybetween organ donors and patients whoare to undergo kidney, bone marrow, orliver transplants, among others.

Using the same argument, this companyrefused to provide supplies of a totallyhumanitarian nature to Cuba.

In April 2017, the German supplierEckert & Ziegler Radiopharma Gmbh, re-fused to supply to the same Cubanmedical enterprise the Ge-68/Ga-68 Gen-erator, or its components, which is adevice used to diagnose prostate cancer.According to the company, it was notpossible to directly supply the product toCuba, or through a third country, becausethe blockade prevented it from doing so.

The cardiology service of the HermanosAmeijeiras Clinical and Surgical Hospital

urgently requires a circulatory assistdevice to treat cardiogenic shock, forinterventional cardiology and electro-physiology, allowing for the recovery ofpatients suffering from heart failure andprolonging their lives.

The U.S. company Abiomed, globalleader in this market, supplies the Impellasystem, ideal for treating these con-ditions. In September 2016 and February2017, Medicuba S.A. contacted the com-pany in order to study the possibility ofincorporating the product into the Cubanhealth system, which to date has refusedto respond.

Mr. President:We are deeply grateful to all the gov-

ernments and peoples, parliaments, pol-itical forces and social movements, civilsociety representatives, international andregional organizations that have con-tributed with their voice and their vote,year after year, to support the justice andurgency of the abolition of the blockade.

We also extend our gratitude to the vastmajority of the American people for theirsupport of this commendable goal.

It offends humanity’s conscience thatthe Ambassador of the United States hasreferred to the Bolivarian government ofVenezuela in an unacceptable and inter-ventionist way. She offends the heroicVenezuelan people, their civic-militaryunion, and the Bolivarian Chavista gov-ernment, led by President Nicolás MaduroMoros.

The government of the United Stateslies when it declares Venezuela a threat toits national security, which has, curiously,the largest certified hydrocarbon reserveson the planet.

As the Liberator Simón Bolívar wrote,“… the United States appear destined byProvidence to plague America with miseryin the name of liberty.” I respond to the

Ambassador with Bolívar’s words.We are in the midst of a clean, consti-

tutional electoral process in Cuba, whereseats are not bought, nor do specialinterests prevail, where there are nodeceptive campaigns where money rules;elections in which the will of voters is notmanipulated; elections in which divisionand hatred are not incited.

Mr. President:We especially commend all those who

have expressed concern and their rejec-tion of the coercive measures announcedby the current U.S. government.

The Cuban people will never give upbuilding a sovereign, independent, social-ist, democratic, prosperous and sustain-able nation. (Applause).

We will persevere, with the consensus ofour people and especially the patrioticcommitment of the youngest Cubans, inthe anti-imperialist struggle and in de-fense of our independence, for which tensof thousands of Cubans have alreadyfallen and we have run the greatest risks,as we demonstrated in Playa Girón and inthe face of all threats.

We will maintain eternal loyalty to thelegacy of José Martí and Fidel CastroRuz. (Applause).

Mr. President:Distinguished permanent representatives;Esteemed delegates:Our people are following this debate with

hope. On their behalf, I request that youvote in favor of draft resolution A/72/L.30,“Necessity of ending the economic,commercial and financial blockade im-posed by the United States of Americaagainst Cuba.”

Many thanks. (Prolonged applause).Exclamations of: "Viva Cuba!" "Cuba sí,

bloqueo no!" •

NATIONAL6 GRANMA INTERNATIONALNOV.10.2017 |

Polemic and innovative topics discussed in Cuban

medical congressesNuria Barbosa León (Text and photos)

• HAVANA recently hosted several medical conferences,providing spaces to discuss psychology in the healthsector, urological and endocrinological diseases, andpromote the exchange of knowledge about scientific de-velopments in these specialties.

The Health Psychology event (Psicosalud 2017) washeld from November 1-3 in Havana’s International Con-ference Center and addressed issues such as: well-being and quality of life; family health; psychotherapeu-tic models; maternal, child and adolescent health; psy-cho-oncology, and human resources training, amongothers.

Dr. Alberto Cobian Mena, president of the CubanHealth Psychology Society explained to Granma Interna-tional that the main themes of the event responded to thecurrent situation and the dynamism of scientific knowl-edge. In addition, theoretical and methodological as-pects of this branch of knowledge inside and outside ofCuba were debated, noting the role of several leadingcountries in the discipline.

Regarding this academic exchange, Cobian, who isalso a senior and emeritus professor of the University ofSantiago de Cuba, noted that positive psychology shouldbe used to empower and promote optimism in patients,as loving, hopeful and determined thoughts can benefitthe immune system and help prevent illness.

“Our great social aspiration is to have a healthy socie-ty, for that we must eliminate the hostility, the aggres-siveness, the violence between individuals.

“In this context, where society is in crisis due to manyanti-values present in today’s world, because selfishness,

commercialism, looting and impudence predominate, ittakes a lot of psychological intervention for people to findharmony,” explained Cobian, a specialist in therapeutichypnosis and psychoneuroimmunology.

Meanwhile, the 9th edition of Endocrinología 2017 washeld November 8-10, to discuss immunology, geneticsand endocrinology, diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases,obesity, pituitary gland disorders, metabolic disordersand other issues; alongside the 3rd Congress on repro-ductive health in diabetic women, Seredia 2017.

In this regard, Dr. Silvia Turcio Tristán, a secondarylevel endocrinology specialist and professor and assis-tant researcher, stressed that the event aimed to discussthe most important issues in this medical field, and inte-grate the knowledge of different medical institutions, tak-ing as a starting point the encouraging results obtainedin recent years.

The president of the Cuban Endocrinology Societynoted: “Today we are putting together the national reg-istry of type 1 diabetic patients, to have accurate dataon the prevalence of the disease within society. We cur-rently estimate around one million patients with dia-betes, of which we have only accounted for about700,000. Hence assuming this control involves diagnos-ing one hundred percent of the population suffering fromthe disease including those who do not know that theyare sick.”

She also referred to thyroid gland diseases and thosethat cause infertility, topics discussed in scientific ses-sions held at the municipal and provincial levels, whichdue to their importance deserve to be addressed in alarger event to promote uniformity in their treatmentbased on global experiences.

With similar criteria, November 6-9 saw the 21st ses-sion of the Urology Congress, which brought togetherworld experts dedicated to promoting the health andquality of life of patients with genitourinary tract disor-ders. The discussion space also served to hold the 3rdPediatric Urology Event; the 5th Ibero-American En-counter on Endourology, Shock Wave and LaparoscopicSurgery in Urology, and the 3rd International Event onUrological Nursing. Also running in parallel was the NewYork Section of the American Urological Association(AUA) Annual Meeting.

Speaking prior to the event, D.Sc. Tania GonzálezLeón, senior professor and researcher, pointed out thatmorning sessions would feature keynote speeches, whilethe afternoons would see academic discussions in differ-ent commissions. “Cuba will present innovative experi-ences in the use of lasers for the treatment of kidney dis-eases. We will discuss traditional and laparoscopic sur-geries to remove malignant lesions, on the basis of pre-serving renal function in the patient, avoiding future dial-ysis or kidney transplantation.”

Members of the Cuban Urology Society decided to ded-icate a keynote lecture to the life and work of Dr. JoaquínAlbarrán, a Cuban urologist who made important contri-butions to the field. They also wanted to highlight thework of each hospital with services in the specialty, andprovided electronic posters with information on develop-ments throughout the country.

The purpose of these different events is to provide at-tendees with a space to develop a broad exchange ofideas on methodological, theoretical and practical as-pects in each specific discipline, and their links with otherhuman health specialties and fields of knowledge. •

From left to right: psychologist Alberto Cobian Mena, endocrinologist SilviaTurcio Tristán, and urologist Tania González León.

FR

AN

KP

AIS

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ER

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IFIC

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MP

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X

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CubaTel: (537) 271 8646/ 271 9055/ 273 6480Fax: (537) 273 6480/ 273 1422/ 273 6444

E-mail: cambras@fpais.sld.cuccfpais@fpais.sld.cu

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The Frank País International Orthopedic Scientific Complex is the world's largest and mostcomplete medical complex dedicated to orthopedic, traumatological and reconstructive

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NATIONAL 7NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Yisel Martínez García

• OVER the last 10 years Latin America has made significant progress in the field of connectivity, with the most developedcountries in the region gradually bridgingthe digital divide; providing more peoplewith access to Internet. This has resulted in faster, cheaper connections and thegrowing presence of Latin Americansonline. Although this sounds like goodnews, today half of all people living in theregion are still unconnected, while the gap between those with access to theInternet of Things, for example, and thosewithout, continues to widen.

Pablo Bello, executive director of the Inter-American Association of Telecommun-ications Companies (ASIET), which bringstogether the most important sector entities,both public and private, in Latin America,agreed to talk with Granma Internationalabout the challenges of technological de-velopment for the region, one of the mostpressing of which, according to the regionalexpert, is closing the digital divide:

“This process requires a lot more in-vestment. We’re talking about building themost advanced networks, installing fiberoptics, setting up fourth and fifth generationwireless. In order to do this and have world-class connectivity infrastructure,Latin American countries still need to takean important step to bridge the digitaldivide,” he explained.

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Talking about closing the digital dividealso means talking about investments and infrastructure at the level of those indeveloped countries, and knowing how tobest use such resources.

“We need to know how to create valuewith connectivity, so that being connectedbasically means a better quality of life,creating sources of wealth, greater equalityand opportunities for all.

“This is a field in which Latin America is still lacking. Efforts are being made toclose the digital divide, but in terms of theefficient, productive and social use ofinformation technologies as a key elementfor our development, we are very far behindthe most developed countries,” added Bello.

According to the ASIET director, anotherof the region’s challenges includes trying to ensure that public policies focus onincorporating information technologies intoall of their productive process, even themost rudimentary.

The idea is to do this in all Latin Americancountries and their productive sectors, and at the same time develop digitalservices, content, and applications whichwill enable us to bring about this tech-nological transformation, while also

creating other types of productive activi-ties based on, and making better use of, our own cultural resources. Of the 100 most popular websites in Latin America, 26are Latin American, while three out of everyfour are foreign, noted Bello.

“Today, we are using the internet totransfer our cultural wealth to developedcountries rather than within the region. We must take advantage of all that relatedto innovation, music, the arts, projectslinked to our cultural attributes, languages,and use information technologies to do so,” added Bello.

WHY PRIORITIZE TECHNOLOGY?

On a continent such as Latin America,marked by disappointing economic growthand pressing social, healthcare, and edu-cational needs, among others, why invest in technology and the internet when thereare so many other urgent matters toaddress?

“It’s about investing in the future, breakingthe cycle of poverty and building a path to-ward growth and progress. It’s a complexdecision but when you look at the evidenceand international studies, it’s irrefutable,”stated Pablo Bello.

According to reports on the region, if Latin America does not make significantheadway in raising its productive comp-etitiveness on a global level, its economicgrowth over the next 15 years will bebetween 40 to 50% lower than it has beenduring in the last 15 years.

“This means that if we don’t make thechanges to our productive infrastructurenow, by incorporating the Internet andinformation technologies in order to createmore value, what we are going to see is a lost decade. Ten, 15 years of very lowgrowth during which poverty and misery will increase and problems will continue toget bigger.

“In order to break this vicious circle ofpoverty and meet the needs of citizens in terms of their quality of life, changesmust be made to the region’s productiveinfrastructure through the exhaustive use of technology. If we want to becomedeveloped countries, we have to do thingsdifferently and in order to do things dif-ferently we have to invest in technologicalchange,” explained Pablo Bello.

PROGRESS IN LATIN AMERICA & CUBA

Several countries across Latin Americahave been making successful efforts toclose the digital divide, most notably Chile,Uruguay, Colombia, and Costa Rica.However, according to Bello, despite thefact that all have very different policies andsolutions, there are still sectors of thepopulation in each of those countries,

which are still unconnected. These areusually the poorest people, or those wholive in remote areas, where connectionseither don’t exist or are deficient.

“There are challenges in every country,but it's not about saying, that country has done well, we’re going to copy them.Every nation is different and has its owncharacteristics. In some cases companiesare public, in others they are private, orthere’s only one. Meanwhile, the evidenceshows that positive results can be achievedwith different models,” stated Bello.

Regarding the region, the ASIET exe-cutive director noted that Cuba’s indicatorsgenerally seem to be improving, beforesharing his thoughts on the island’s Plan for the Computerization of Cuban society,currently being implemented across thecountry.

“I think it’s a well-defined plan and isprogressing. Etecsa (national telecom-munications entity) is undertakingimportant work in this sense with theexpansion of wifi hotspots and homeinternet. This is all moving in the rightdirection; the problem is, of course, thatCuba has economic limitations, just likeevery other Latin American country. It’sdifficult for low-income families, which iswhy community models must be used, like the wifi hotspots in public areas. All this is moving in the right direction, but the issue now is how to speed up theprocess, something we have to work ontogether,” insisted Pablo Bello.

What is happening in Cuba is verydifferent from what’s going on in other parts of the region, where although manycountries are closing the digital gap andincreasing internet access, there stillremains much to be done in terms of theeffective use, knowledge, skills, and prac-tices associated with these informationtechnologies.

In Cuba however, the situation seems to be the reverse; although it may havegreater creative capacities, a significantlyhigher number of engineers and computerspecialists working on developing digitalsolutions, applications for telemedicine,cultural pages, and projects, it is behind interms of connectivity.

In this respect, Bello highlighted theenthusiasm and drive of young universitystudents to maximize the potential ofinformation technologies.

He went on to note how impressed hewas with the country’s development ofhealthcare applications linked to tele-medicine, medical records, and hospitaladministration; while also praising Cubanengineers and computer specialists for their efficient and productive use ofinformation technologies, as well as theirability to create solutions and developapplications, which has seen the islandbecome a leader in this field, according to Bello.

“It’s worth noting the extremely high levelof Cuba’s computer specialists, and spe-cifically the role of women in the sector,which is far greater than that of other LatinAmerican countries, where there is a cleardifference, given that it is a male-dominatedindustry. I don’t know how Cuba has beenable to close the gender gap, but it’s bothexciting and fantastic to see women inleadership positions.

“I think Cuba’s efforts to give universitiesthe task of looking for solutions and creat-ing working groups within the universitycontext, in order to develop solutions for e-governance, and sectors like health,culture, and education, are without a doubt,a key element to the country’s develop-ment.

“If I had to say anything it would be that Cuba needs to sell its skills and know-how abroad. Latin America needs toknow about the work Cuba is doing, making the region a natural space wherethese solutions can even be sold. It’s amarket in which all this skill and know-ledge can be used to generate more wealthfor Cubans,” stated ASIET’s executivedirector.

Infrastructure, closing the digital divide,achieving world-class connectivity, tele-communications, and regional developmentin the field of technology is more than agood idea, it’s a necessity; and doing sorequires well-defined public policies able to generate the socio-economic changesneeded to achieve this goal.

"Cuba is a leader in this regard. It is also a country from which Latin Americahas much to learn, and with great exportpotential, not only in terms of know-ledge, but also solutions and software,applications and systems that could beused in other parts of Latin America.” •

Pablo Bello Arellano, ASIET executive director.

Technology: an investment in developmentLatin America faces the challenge of building a digital economy based on innovation, growth, and productive efficiency

ARIEL MONTENEGRO

Latin America: Composition of the 100 most popular websites

66% ofhomes do

not have anInternet

connection

53% of people do

not use theInternet

Local websites Adapted international websites International websites

Source:

LatinAmerica

100

80

60

40

20

0Argentina Brazil Colombia Chile Mexico Peru Uruguay Venezuela

46

25

29

45

12

43

53

24

23

41

21

38

47

27

26

45

29

26

43

34

23

43

25

32

COLOR DE LA 8 INGLES

Foreign investment opportunitiesin Cuba

SPECIAL8 GRANMA INTERNATIONALNOV.10.2017 |

COLOR DE LA 8 INGLES

Yisel Martínez García

• TRANSFORMING the economy andachieving a prosperous, efficient andsustainable society is Cuba’s aim. Inorder to do so, foreign investment is afundamental source of development andan essential part of the country’s currentstrategy, stated Minister of Foreign Trade

and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz,during the presentation of the latest ed-ition of the country’s Portfolio of ForeignInvestment Opportunities 2017-2018, aspart of the 35th Havana International Fair.

This year the Cuban Parliament ap-proved the bases to elaborate the Na-tional Economic and Social DevelopmentPlan through 2030. The minister noted

that this portfolio is more comprehensivethan previous editions, divided accordingto sectors on the basis of the National Plan.

“Today foreign investment ceases to bea complement and has become an essen-tial issue for the country. Work is centeredon increasing the diversity of previous port-folios, in line with the general and sectoralpolicies that have been approved.

“We are transforming our economy,updating our model; we have defined thecore ideas and the strategic sectors, andall this must be taken into account in thecase of foreign capital investment. Thisportfolio is a reflection of the prioritiesidentified in the bases for the elaborationof the (National) Plan,” the Minister ofForeign Trade and Investment insisted.

A total of 156 new projects have beenincorporated into this edition of the Por-tfolio, representing investment of aroundthree billion dollars, of which 29 arelocated in the Mariel Special Develop-ment Zone (ZEDM). Meanwhile, the in-vestment amounts required for 22 pro-jects have been adjusted, and othershave been removed as they have alreadymaterialized, or are in the advancedstages of negotiations.

In the financial banking sector, projectsaimed at insurance activities have beenexpanded and the sectoral policy hasbeen updated with the aim of developingnew products and services for the benefit

of the Cuban market, which in turn can beexported. Likewise, the hydraulic sectorpolicy has been broadened in response tothe country’s drought situation.

Below we provide a summary of thedifferent sectors and main projects to bedeveloped:

Industrial sector - 33 projects:Production and commercialization ofelectrical conductors and metalstructures. Production of LED lighting anddisposable material for medical use.Production and manufacture of flat glass.Management of a comprehensive SolidWaste Management system in the ZEDM.

Agricultural, Forestry and Foodssector - 104 projects: Pork productionfor the commercialization of finished porkproducts. Development and production offresh vegetables in protected cropsdestined for export and the hard currencydomestic market. The creation of a centerfor the elaboration of foods and a cateringservice in the ZEDM. Comprehensiveproject to raise beef cattle in stables withcapacity for 5,000 heads. Production andcommercialization of high quality coffee.

Sugar industry sector - 7 projects:Management of sugar mills with bioelec-trical power. The creation of an alcoholdistillery with capacity to produce 200,000liters per day. Expansion and moderniz-ation of rum distilleries. Modernization

Foreign investment opportunitiesin Cuba

Cuba is lookingto attract foreign

investment inthe Mariel

SpecialDevelopment

Zone (ZEDM).

A total of 156 new projects, representing investment of three billion dollars, were added to the new foreign investment portfolio

The latest edition of the country’s Portfolio of Foreign Investment Opportunities 2017-2018 was presented during the 35th Havana International Trade Fair.

RICARDO LÓPEZ HEVIA

SPECIAL 9GRANMA INTERNATIONALNOV.10.2017 |

and increased scope of boiler factories.Tourism sector - 152 projects:

Building and marketing top-quality villasand hotels in various regions. Hotel man-agement and commercialization con-tracts. Marina management agreements.Creation of a network of fishing and div-ing centers in protected areas, a waterpark, the Abra de Canasí nature andadventure park, and the establishment ofan international equestrian club.

Energy sector - 13 projects: These arepriorities and based on the developmentof renewable energy sources. Amongthem are wind farms, 11 bioelectrical plants,and 100MW photovoltaic solar farms, with50MW accumulation.

Mining sector - 10 projects: Geologicalrecognizance or investigation (prospect-ing/exploration) for precious metals (gold,silver), base metals (copper, lead, zinc)and other minerals of interest in variousregions.

Transportation sector - 8 projects:Repair and maintenance services of navalvessels. Operation and management ofCasa Blanca shipyards. Remodeling ofthe Bahía de Cabañas shipyard. Lightvehicle rental services for ZEDM users.

Pharmaceutical industry and bio-technology sector - 15 projects:Production of vaccines for cancer treat-ment. Plants for blood-based products,biomaterials, cytostatics, oral contraceptivepills and hormones, and avian vaccines.

Health sector - 2 projects: Quality oflife services. The creation of an inter-national clinic for sports medicine, anti-doping control and education.

Construction sector - 14 projects:Modernization of engineering systems forconstruction and assembly. Capital repairsservice for construction equipment. Rental,maintenance and repairs of constructionand hauling equipment. Increasing the

potential of marble. The last two projectsare located in the ZEDM.

Business sector - 4 projects:Logistical operator to manage chains ofrefrigerated foods suppliers. Wholesaletextiles, dry goods and accessories.

Hydraulic sector - 7 projects:Modernization of the production of spareparts, accessories and other plastic ele-ments. Deep well drilling services. Pro-duction management of smooth or cor-rugated pipes. Hydro-geological servicesapplied to the control of the water table.

Cultural sector - 2 projects: Linked tothe promotion and commercialization ofproducts and services in this field.

Audiovisual sector - 3 projects:Building and setting up of a forum forhigh-definition audiovisual productionsand co-productions. Establishing a sys-tem of pay-per-view channels for CubanTV. Informatics and educational audio-visual productions.

Oil sector - 78 projects: Risk oil ex-ploration and shared production contractsin blocs of the Cuban Exclusive EconomicZone in the Gulf of Mexico. Secondaryrecovery contracts for deposits beingexploited.

Real estate sector - 1 project: Buildingand management of standard warehousefacilities in the ZEDM.

Logistics sector - 1 project: Buildingand operating comprehensive logisticalfacilities and services in the ZEDM.

“In total this portfolio has 456 projectsfor a capital amount of 10.7 billion dollars.The projects are distributed throughout thecountry and reflect the bases of the Na-tional Development Plan through 2030,”Malmierca Díaz reported.

“Right now, there are 80 projects in thenegotiation phase with real possibilities ofmaterializing, of them, 15 are in a very

advanced stage of negotiation and couldbe approved before the end of the year,for an investment amount of over onebillion dollars,” he added.

Since the passing of the Foreign Invest-ment Law in 2014, 22 reinvestments, 25new businesses in the Mariel SpecialDevelopment Zone, and 85 more outsideit, have been approved, with companiesfrom more than 20 countries.

The Minister for Foreign Trade and Invest-ment explained the advantages of invest-ing in Cuba. He noted the importance ofhaving a well-defined general and sectoralpolicy, as well as a safe and transparentbody of law, that fosters a stable climatefor foreign personnel.

He also highlighted the relevance ofCuba’s strategic position, a governmentpolicy that prioritizes innovation andresearch, and the maintenance of basicinfrastructure that allows any investor todevelop in the Cuban market.

In order for the Cuban economy todynamically grow, capital accumulationrates of over 20% are required, represent-ing foreign investment inflows of about 2billion dollars a year. This will not beachieved overnight, and it is necessary tocreate a business and commercial en-vironment attractive to foreign investment,which is only possible by ensuring thissector is recognized as an essentialsource in Cuba’s future plans. •

Twenty nine of the 156 new foreign investment projects are located in the Mariel SpecialDevelopment Zone (ZEDM).

RICARDO LÓPEZ HEVIA

CULTURE10 NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Mireya Castañeda

• THERE are more than 120 recorded ver-sions of the immortal Symphony No.2 inD minor by Gustav Mahler, under thebaton of renowned conductors includingLeonard Bernstein, Leopold Stokowski,Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado, and PierreBoulez. One thing is for sure, hearing thesymphony in the privacy of one's home isnothing like a live performance. Seeingthe conductor, musicians, the singers, isan unforgettable experience.

Music lovers in Havana had the goodfortune to hear the marvelous SymphonyNo.2, also known as the Resurrection,one of the most acclaimed worldwide, during one of the National Symphony Orchestra's customary Sunday perfor-mances (October 29).

The orchestra, lead by Maestro EnriquePérez Mesa, performed on this occasionunder the direction of distinguished German conductor Thomas Gabrisch,professor at the Robert Schumann Scho-ol of Music and Media in Düsseldorf, whohas been invited over the last five years tonot only conduct the Symphony Orchestra,but the Havana Chamber Orchestra, as well.In 2013, he conducted the Symphony's performance of Mahler's Symphony No.3.

For the Havana performance of theenormous work, Gabrisch invited Germansoprano Sabine Schneider who, alongwith Cuban contralto María Felicia Pérez,assumed the solo vocal roles.

The work requires a large orchestra anda mixed choir - more than 100 voices forthis performance, from the German choirRatingen; and several Cuban groups in-cluding the Schola Cantorum Coralina (directed by Alina Orraca); the ExaudiChamber Choir (director María FeliciaPérez); the Camerata Vocal Sine Nomine(director Leonor Suárez); and the ICRTchoir (director Liagne Reyna).

Within the world of classical music,Symphony No.2 by Mahler (Austria 1860-1911) is considered one of the most elaborate ever written for a symphonic orchestra and choir. Its dimensions areimpressive, born of the composer’s re-flections on life, death, and resurrection.

Cuban composer and conductor GuidoLópez-Gavilán was, on this occasion, aspectator in the National Theater's

Avellaneda Hall, and commented for ourreaders, "It took Mahler years to write thiswork (1888-1894) and he did so in inter-vals. It is evidence of his talent for workingthe orchestra, the great sonorities, the impressive durations, and it is one of thepieces most performed on the world'sgreat stages. It is a great stroke of luck tohave the opportunity to hear it. Tomas Gabrisch has done an admirable job. Thisis the first time it has been performed inCuba, at least that I know of."

Mahler, considered one of the greatestand most original symphonic composers,produced nine works in this genre, andsketched out a tenth before his death.No.2 was well received when it was pre-miered in Berlin under his direction, onDecember 13, 1895.

One of his most popular, the work iscomposed of five movements, duringwhich the listener is presented with mul-tiple atmospheres, ideas, and moods,thanks to the wonderful orchestration.

The spectacular finale, the canto to resurrection, ascends little by little frompianissimo to the grandiose climax, anode to faith. This last movement is the longest, lasting more than half an hour.

María Felicia Pérez, who in addition toproviding the contralto voice was respon-sible for preparation and rehearsals withthe five choirs, commented for Granma International on the great significance ofthe performance in Havana.

"This is something we have not had theopportunity to do; it is a gigantic work, asyou heard, an extraordinary work with orchestration of profound harmonic, tonal,and rhythmic richness. It is one of thegreat works from the turn of the century,between the 19th and 20th, and re-creating a piece in German with such aphilosophical text, was not easy."

The director of Exaudi added, "I hadnever sung it in all the my years of my musical career, so I am very happy, andalso because young singers have beenable to sing it and show that we are deve-loping. Playing this extraordinary workhelps develop the National Symphony Orchestra, too, in which there are alsomany young players, and they've had thisopportunity. And I'll add something else.It's magnificent for the orchestra, thechoirs, the public to have contact with this

score, that is not performed every day, be-cause its huge and requires a great deal oftime to stage. Having the opportunity to hearit in the theater is something marvelous."

Austrian composer Gustav Mahler’s immortal Symphony No.2, Resurrection,

was experienced in Havana's NationalTheater and participants came to under-stand what the composer was thinkingabout symphonies when he said, "Theymust be like the world, they must en-compass it all." •

Guido López Gavilán conducts the National Symphony Orchestra in the Amadeo Roldan Theater.

German Thomas Gabrisch has conducted some 200 operas, 40 different concert programs and hisown compositions in the theaters across his country, including the Deutsche Opera am Rhein, inFreiburg, Nuremberg, Colonia, and Essen.

INTERNET

Mahler's monumental Symphony No.2German conductor Thomas Gabrisch leads Cuba's National Symphonic Orchestra and a choir of more than 100 voices

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SPORTS 11NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

• SANTIAGO DE CUBA.- Thenotable progress made by Cuba inkey disciplines, above all the tripleand long jump, will be decisive asthe country looks toward theTokyo 2020 Olympic Games, ac-cording to Alberto Juantorena,President of the Cuban AthleticsFederation, speaking in this city.

Also Vice President of the Inter-national Association of AthleticsFederations (IAAF), Juantorenapraised the level of young athletessuch as Maikel Massó and JuanMiguel Hechevarría, both longjumpers, as well as the more ex-perienced, including discus throw-er Denia Caballero and pole vaulterYarisley Silva.

We have to look after our youngathletes and the give them thenecessary confidence to achieveOlympic success, the winner of

the 400 and 800 meters in the1976 Montreal Games added.

Meanwhile, the Central Americanand Caribbean Games in Barran-quilla, Colombia, next year, will bea big challenge for the Cubanteam, according to Juantorena.

Most countries want to win everyevent, but it’s impossible for onenation to dominate in throwingdisciplines as well as sprint andlong distance races, jumpingevents and multi-sport competi-tions. However, we do haveathletes that can help to placeCuba at the top of the countrymedal chart, and I'm sure that’sjust what we will do, he stated.

”We are working hard every day,revising training plans, athletesmust be in top form, from the qual-ifying rounds right through to thefinal,” stressed Juantorena.

Meanwhile, the sporting officialalso noted that although the cityhas a new gymnasium and twonew race tracks, which are soonset to be completed, the mostimportant thing is the technicalaspect and the work of coaches.

Likewise, Juantorena highlightedthe high costs associated withathletics: for example a single jav-elin costs about 700 USD, a polevault 1,500 USD, and accompany-ing mat 46,000 USD; while theprice of the synthetic materialused for a six lane race track isabout half a million dollars.

Finally, around 30 Cuban ath-letes have qualified for the 2018Barranquilla competition, reportedthe former sprinter, currently tour-ing universities in the east of theisland.

(ACN) •

Juantorena has high hopes for Cuban athletes

Juantorena highlighted the importance of the work of coaches with youngathletes.

PRENSA LATINA

BASKETBALL IN EL SALVADOR

Jorge Carlos de la Paz

• CUBAN basketball playersOrestes Torres and LisvánValdés finished second in thelast round of El Salvador’sbasketball league, after theirteam Santa Tecla BC lostagainst Halcones de Sonza-cate in the final.

The title was decided in thefourth and final round of thisseries, with a score of 74-83,depriving the pair from Havanaof a repeat of their past winagainst the Halcones de Son-zacate in the last champion-ship.

Led by Captain Jared Ruiz,from Puerto Rico, top scorerwith 32 points, 11 rebounds andseven set ups, Sonzacate dom-inated the competition with

three wins and one loss tosecure their first title in thehistory of the tournament.

During the final, Torres scored20 points, while a penaltyincurred after a clash betweenValdés and Sonzacate’s MarcoTejeda on Saturday, November4, which Santa Tecla BC im-mediately appealed, saw theCuban benched for the entirematch.

The series final of the Salva-doran competition was markedby hostile and offensive be-havior from the Sonzacate fanstoward the Tecla BC team andmatch referees. According to areport from Charly Morales,Prensa Latina correspondent inEl Salvador, a photojournalistdocumenting the actions of theSonzacate fans against the

Santa Tecla players was as-saulted by the president of thewinning team’s entourage, afterfans stormed the pitch, causingthe local police to intervene.

Santa Tecla called on theSalvadoran Basketball Federa-tion and national Major Leagueto sanction to the Sonzacateteam, however, no action hasbeen taken to date.

A total of six Cuban playersare currently on loan to Salva-doran teams, which as well asTorres and Valdés, include,point guard Osmel Oliva fromArtemisa, center Yoel Cubillasfrom Villa Clara, with the ElRápido team; in addition to twofemale players: Arlenis Romeroand the recently acquiredLeydis Oquendo, both withSanta Tecla. • Torres during a decisive game.

Torres and Valdés win silver

Alfonso Nacianceno

• WITH the African qualifier for the 2018Volleyball Men’s World Championshipover, only the North, Central America andCaribbean Volleyball Confederation (NOR-CECA) qualifier, to be held November 10-12 in Pinar del Río, remains to completethe 24 teams to compete in the Champion-ship to be co-hosted for the first time.

Italy and Bulgaria will host the com-petition, held every four years, a noveltythat will see the tournament take placeacross the cities of Bari, Bologna, Florence,

Milan, Rome and Turin in the Italian pen-insula; while the Bulgarian capital of Sofiaand the resort of Varna and Ruse will alsohost world volleyball players, September10-30, 2018.

Both nations have their place at the tour-nament secured, while the other 20 teamsto have qualified are: Poland, current WorldChampion, which hosted the 2014 edition;France, Holland, Slovenia, Russia, Serbia,Finland and Belgium, from the Europeancontinent.

Meanwhile, Japan, Iran, China and Aus-tralia make up the Asian teams, Brazil and

Argentina will represent South America,whilst Tunisia, Egypt and Cameroon willrepresent the African continent.

The United States, the Dominican Re-public (returning to the competition after a44-year absence), and Canada were thethree teams to qualify in the NORCECAevent previously held in Colorado Springs,the U.S., which Cuba and Puerto Ricowere unable to attend given the passage ofHurricanes Irma and Maria, respectively.

The U.S. city, considered the heart of the country’s volleyball movement, was setto decide five teams for the 2018 World

Championships, but as the Cuban andPuerto Rican teams were unable to par-ticipate, it was decided that the top threeteams would qualify, with the remainingtwo to be decided in Pinar del Río.

The Cuban city’s 19 de Noviembrevolleyball court will see the two Caribbeanteams compete alongside Mexico andGuatemala, who came fourth and fifth inColorado Springs. The hosts and PuertoRico are expected to have the bestchances of qualifying in this single round-robin tournament to secure a place at the World competition. •

2018 VOLLEYBALL MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Last of the 24 qualifying teams to be decided in Pinar del Río

PRENSA LATINA

OUR AMERICA12 NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

pagina 12 color ingles

Sergio Alejandro Gómez Gallo, Special correspondent (Text & photos)

• ROSEAU.–Dominica has been withoutpower since September 18. HurricaneMaria brought down thousands of elec-tricity poles, destroyed kilometers of powerlines and left the majority of transmissioninfrastructure practically inoperable.

So far, Dominica Electricity Services(Domlec) has been working to reestablishpower across vital facilities, such ashospitals, banks and government offices.

But six weeks after the storm, electricityhas only been restored to a few areasacross main cities, while the rest of thecountry is still without power.

There are barely 30 electricity specialistson the island, which also lacks the tech-nical means to undertake such an enor-mous task.

According to estimates from Domlec,90% of the 8,000 poles from the primarysystem and 19,000 from the secondary,which supply homes, suffered some sort of damage.

Neighboring countries like Jamaica andBarbados have sent reinforcements fromtheir own power companies, but reports onthe ground estimate that it will be severalmonths before power is fully restored.

CUBA’S CONTRIBUTION

As part of Cuba’s efforts to help andsupport Dominica, the country sent a shipcarrying 300 tons of vital resources, tenforestry specialists, a group of young dip-lomats and two brigades composed of five linemen each, from Pinar del Río andSancti Spíritus, to the island on October20.

Meanwhile, three electricians responsiblefor evaluating the situation in the country

and supervising work on the ground, aswell as four support workers, a mechanic,power plant specialist and two cooks, alsotravelled to the island.

Each brigade brought with it a multi-purpose vehicle featuring a crane mech-anism for work on electricity lines and dig-ging tool to set new posts, to add to theonly three other such vehicles in thecountry.

But before they could get to work on the streets of the island, Cuban specialistshad to overcome an initial obstacle: thetrucks were too heavy for the crane atRoseau port to unload from the ship.

So, technicians decided to disassemblethem onboard and unload them piece bypiece; starting with the operating boothand then the rest of the vehicle, includingwheels and other heavy parts.

Once unloaded, they were quickly reas-sembled, in an operation which at onepoint seemed impossible, but was com-pleted in just three hours.

FIRST STEPS

According to specialists, the priority in a situation like that affecting Dominica is to restore the power system and primarylines in order to supply consumers withelectricity.

As such, for the past week the Cubanshave been working to reestablish a primarynetwork between Roseau and the hydro-electric plant in Trafalgar, some eight kilo-meters away and which was cut off afterthe hurricane.

“When it’s up and running, and we’veconnected the capital’s diesel plant to thehydroelectric facility located close by, we’ll have more power,” stated EdelfínFalcón Guerra, head of the ElectricalUnion of Cuba brigade in Dominica,

speaking to Granma. Falcón, who works as technical director

of the entity in Artemisa, added that thepower supply should be further stabilizedafter the substation located in the Paduhydroelectric plant, close to Trafalgar, ishooked up.

As well as the state of the network, thetopography of the area has complicatedthe work. The line stretches from the

city over several neighboring hills andthen descends down an over 300 footgorge. The final part of the line, before itreaches the hydroelectric plant, is builtalong a river which winds through moun-tains, measuring over 1,500 feet.

The tropical climate doesn’t help either,with heavy downpours interrupting work.

Ramiro Frías Leiva, one of the linemenand operator of the multi-purpose vehi-cles, described the risks and difficulties of installing new posts in the rocky terrainalong the river.

“The chain can break and even the drillitself,” he noted, adding: “We have to workbit by bit.”

Frías, who has been operating thesevehicles for over 30 years, also had toquickly adapt to driving on the left-handside of the road, as they do in Dominica.

Lisbanet Rodríguez Hernández, head of the Sancti Spíritus brigade, stated thathis specialists have had to deal withsimilarly difficult jobs on the Topes de Col-lantes hills, in the municipality of Trinidad.

“Nonetheless we were given training toexplain the conditions on the ground andcharacteristics of the country,” he stated,adding that “we hold daily meetings toreview the work and risks we could face.”

THE GOLDEN RULES OF SAFETY

The number of damaged posts, broken

cables, fallen trees and unstable groundaround power lines, represent an addeddanger for the Cuban brigades.

Diego La Rosa, head of the ElectricalUnion’s Health and Safety team, was oneof the first specialists to arrive in Dominica,three days after Hurricane Maria hit.

According to La Rosa, risks increase with time, noting that many people havealready started to set up their own gen-erators which, if installed incorrectly, couldaffect the networks the linemen arecurrently working on.

“As long as you obey the five goldenrules, there shouldn’t be any problems,”explained Rosa, reciting them from mem-ory: “disconnect the power; ensure that allother possible connections are blocked;check that there is absolutely no powercirculating; connect the lines to the ground;and in short-circuits, connect lines to eachother; and lastly, signpost the work area.”

He also highlighted the importance ofusing protective gear and complying withthe correct procedures when working onpower lines and with cranes.

“The risks are more or less the samewhen working up posts anywhere,” ac-cording to Dachel Jiménez Bernal, alineman from group 8, trained to work onlive lines.

The most important thing, he noted, is to check that the posts aren’t broken.

Working at a height of 48 feet to restorethe connection between Trafalgar and thecapital, Jiménez noted that this is lowerthan the 110Kv lines they are used to inCuba.

“Cuban electricians have developedgreat skill in dealing with adverse weatherevents over the years,” stated EdelfínFalcón. “Now, we are sharing our ex-periences with the sister nation ofDominica.” •

Dominica working to restore powerafter Maria

The first obstacle Cuban specialists had to overcome was unloading the trucks at Roseau port. Cuban specialists are working on a primary line linking the capital with the hydroelectric plant inTrafalgar, eight kilometers away.

PAGINA 13 COLOR INGLES

Working to ensure patient happiness

OUR AMERICA 13NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

PAGINA 13 COLOR INGLES

Working to ensure patient happiness Alina Perera Robbio, special for Granma International (Text & photos)

• BARINAS, Venezuela.-Traces of theviolence unleashed in April, which lastedover 100 days, and with which some hopedto paralyze the country, are still visible inmain areas of the capital of this State.

The scenes of burning tire and medicalwarehouses are remembered with sadness,as well as the arrival of outsiders preparingto mount protests against the government inthe main squares.

Residents became exhausted with thedistribution to their usual peace and dailyroutine, as they told the Cuban collaboratorswho live and work alongside them, and whoalso witnessed the nightmare situationwhich only drew to a close following thepopular vote of July 30 to elect the NationalConstituent Assembly (ANC).

“I remained strong throughout, I nevercried,” states Lázara Polledo Cuní, a 35-year-old Cuban from the province ofMatanzas, in the La Pozones de BarinasOpticians. With a degree in Optometry andOptics, she has been working in Venezuelafor almost two years, her second inter-nationalist mission.

She can hardly forget the day in May when,amid street riots, she felt she might die.

“That day there were guarimbas (violentstreet barricades) and I, as usual, went towork. That was the worst day of my life.Around noon shots were heard, a 19-year-old boy was killed; three women arrived tothe outpatient center in front of the opticiansseriously affected by the tear gas grenades.”

The collaborator recalls that the relativesof the deceased, who spoke openly againstChavistas, were masked and armed andcalling for revenge. Lázara thought that theopticians would be burned down, as an-other one had already been set alight andthreats were heard against the Cubans here.

It was gone 5.00pm and she couldn’t leaveher workplace; it seemed impossible thatanyone would come and rescue her.Fortunately, a young soldier who knew herfrom the town where she lived went to meether. Very discreetly he managed to get tothe clinic and asked her not to say a word -so she wouldn’t be identified as Cuban; thusthey managed to leave in the midst of theshooting. They covered a distance of morethan three kilometers in record time. Lázaracould not stop thinking about her lovedones, especially her 15-year-old daughterand her five-year-old son.

As she concludes her story about thoseterrible hours, Lázara shares an expressionthat sums up the courage and commitmentof the Cuban collaborators: “Here we are...”She adds that “There are oppositionmembers who have come here for con-sultations. Many do not know why they areopposed (to the government). They almostalways respond and say I’m right when Iexplain that thanks to Chávez and theRevolution they can receive care: ‘Doctor,they tell me you are right.’ This is theimmense battle. And we have to help andmove forward.”

On the day of our visit we were alsowelcomed by the Cubans Isandra RevillaRodríguez, a 26-year-old from the provinceof Santiago de Cuba (Optometry and Opticsgraduate), María Zamora Acosta, a 48-year-old from Bayamo (who assembles theeyeglasses), and Luis Benítez Álvarez, a30-year-old from Camagüey (Optometryand Optics graduate). Peaceful times havereturned here, but even in the most adversecircumstances, these collaborators did notstop offering their very best to the Ven-ezuelan people.

ENDLESS COMPASSION

Facing the opticians is the León FoortulSaavedra Outpatient Center, where we met

three specialists who work to heal thepainful injuries of those who, if not treated,would have to have their lower extremitiesamputated.

Dr. Odalys Pagés Gómez, a plasticsurgeon and diabetic foot specialist, hasbeen working in Barinas since May. Fromthe province of Santiago de Cuba, she tellsus while preparing a set of dressings that inthe “patient/doctor relationship we have totake great care, because those who arrivehere suffer from a chronic disease, andimmense pain.”

In Venezuela before 2008, of the totalnumber of patients who arrived at hospitalcenters suffering from diabetic foot ulcers,the amputation figures ranged from be-tween 60 and 80%, according to data fromthe country’s Metabolic Endocrine ProgramOffice of the Ministry of People’s Power forHealth.

Today, thanks to the Buen vivir (GoodLiving) program for diabetic patients, whichcelebrated its 9th anniversary on August 18,amputation figures have been reduced to3%. The program, founded a year after theinitiative was implemented in Cuba, isdesigned to treat patients with diabetic footulcers through the use of the Cuban medi-cine Heberprot-P, a recombinant humanepidermal growth factor.

The Buen vivir program came aboutthanks to the Venezuelan Health Ministryand the Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neigh-borhood) Mission, which has the uncon-ditional support of Cuban health profes-sionals and technicians. Covering a largepart of the national territory, the Mission hasallowed for more efficient identification ofpatients in need of Heberprot-P.

“The people who come here are those withfewer resources,” Dr. Odalys notes, “Thosewho have more purchasing power often goto private clinics, and when they come to usit is because they need to undergo someminor amputation, because in those private

clinics what they do is “patch” them up, butwhen it comes to the crunch those affect-ed come to us. This way we often avoidcomplications such as major amputa-tions.”

Working alongside Odalys is generalpractitioner Dr. Jesús Rivas Fajardo. He isVenezuelan, but has a strong connectionwith the island: he received his professionaltraining in the Cuban province of Matanzasand is now happy to be teamed up with a Cuban colleague. “I have seen patientswho have come here very depressed andwho have left with a smile,” he says, “That iswhat gives us satisfaction because what weseek is to help, to seek people’s happi-ness.”

Jesús studied for a diploma in diabetic footcare, and has not stopped his furthertraining as a doctor. He is very grateful to aCuban angiologist named Juan, who taughthim much of what he knows today. “Thetreatment in a private clinic for this type ofpatient is very expensive; involving angi-ologists, traumatologists, and internists. It isa difficult path that few patients want to gothrough.”

Nursing graduate Sara Tovar, a Ven-ezuelan who specializes in diabetic footcare, is the third member of this dedicatedteam, trained to understand the immensepain of their patients, demonstrating end-less compassion.

“This is a school,” Sara stresses, “foranyone who enters as a student or as aprofessional. Every day you learn, fromMonday to Friday. We work together, bothpatients and relatives and the health team.”

Sara looks at us as another patient arrivesand states: “God gave me these hands forthis.”

The “this” she refers to encapsulates afundamental purpose and all the efforts thatour health collaborators, alongside those ofVenezuela, make to bring joy and happi-ness to so many others. •

VENEZUELA

Three protagonists of this compassionate work, from left to right: Dr. Jesús Rivas, Nurse Sara Tovar,and Dr. Odalys Pagés.

The Buen vivir (Good Living) program for diabetic patients was created thanks to the Ministry ofPeople’s Power for Health of Venezuela, and the Barrio Adentro (Inside the Neighborhood) Mission,which has the unconditional support of Cuban health professionals and technicians.

Jeiddy Martínez Arma

• “GUNS don’t kill people -Americans kill people,” notedfilmmaker Michael Moore oncesaid.

On November 5, about amonth after the Las Vegasmassacre, described as thelargest in the United States’recent history, another similarevent occurred, this time inTexas, when a man opened firekilling at least 27 people andinjuring dozens more, whowere congregated in the FirstBaptist Church in SutherlandSprings.

After so many deaths in theUnited States due to shoot-ings, the same question re-peatedly arises: is the free saleof firearms democracy? In afree and democratic country,people are not afraid to go outinto the streets. In the face ofso much violence, the pos-session of guns does not seemto be the solution for U.S.citizens to feel safe.

The use of firearms is per-mitted by the Second Amend-ment of the U.S. Constitutionadopted December 15, 1791.Since then, just how manymassacres have taken place inthe name of this so-called“freedom?” Despite the num-erous fatalities and constantcriticism, the U.S. Senate con-tinues to refuse to pass leg-islation restricting the sale anduse of firearms.

Arms sales in the most power-ful country in the world are amulti-million dollar business

and the National Rifle Associ-ation (NRA) works to protectthis “right.”

Following the shooting inTexas, described as the fourthdeadliest in the history of theUnited States, President Don-ald Trump stated in a pressconference during his tour offive Asian countries that it was the result of a “mental

health problem” and not a“guns situation.”

Such a statement, like somany of his administration,reveals a huge contradiction,because as part of his goodrelations with the National RifleAssociation, according to thenews agency EFE, “U.S. Pres-ident Donald Trump approvedin March the suspension of a

regulation promoted by formerPresident Barack Obama toprevent people with mentalillness from purchasing guns,mark-ing a victory for pro-gungroups such as the afore-mentioned NRA.”

According to the same source,“the norm, which was esti-mated to affect 75,000 people,required the Social Security

Administration to notify the fed-eral government of the namesof people with a history ofmental illness to prevent themfrom buying weapons.”

In addition, within the seriesof executive orders on guncontrol approved by Obama,vendors must have licenses tosell and conduct backgroundchecks, and the sale of military-style assault weapons is banned.

As Donald Trump works toreverse such regulations sig-ned by his predecessor, manyfamilies, like those that wereaffected in the small town ofSutherland Springs, Texas, willface the possibility of one daymourning a loved one. Eachyear the lives of more than30,000 Americans are cut shortby guns, according to officialfigures.

Weapons do not make a per-son feel better. Knowing that agun or a rifle can end the life ofanother human being shouldbe reason enough not to freelypurchase them.

According to a study conduct-ed by U.S. researcher MichaelSiegel, some 300 million fire-arms are in circulation in theUnited States, that’s almost oneper person. The conclusion ofthis study emphasizes that “foreach percentage point increasein gun ownership, the firearmhomicide rate increased by0.9%.” These are not very en-couraging figures for a societyexperiencing decisive moments,while it continues to promoteand impose its bloodstainedideal of “democracy.” •

GENERAL NEWS14 NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

Sandinismo victorious in municipal elections

President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillostressed that greater security and peace of mind for all wasachieved during the electoral process.

EL 19 DIGITAL

THE UNITED STATES

Firearm democracy

The Texas church shooting gunman, identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, posted photos of the firearms he used onhis social media.

TWITTER

• MANAGUA.– The Alliance of the ruling SandinistaNational Liberation Front (FSLN) won Nicaragua’smunicipal elections with 75.88% of the votes counted,according to the last report issued by the Supreme Elec-toral Council.

With a turnout of around 53% of the electorate, the FSLNobtained 1,820,134 votes, to take the lead in at least 148of the 153 municipalities of the country.

The Constitutionalist Liberal Party took second place,with 200,627 votes, followed by Citizens for Liberty(10,038 votes), the Conservative Party (22,367), and theYatama regional party (12,188).

In the capital of Managua, the FSLN Alliance securedthe nine municipalities of the department, to consolidateitself as the country’s leading political force.

President of the Conservative Party, Alfredo César,recognized in a statement the results of the municipalelections, in which the Alliance led by the FSLN secured acomfortable victory, as El 19 Digital reported.

César noted that the majority of the people had sent amessage, through the polls, to solve the country’s prob-lems through peaceful elections.

On Sunday, November 5, more than 3.8 million Nic-araguans were registered to elect mayors, deputy mayors,councilors and their deputies, who will form municipalgovernments throughout the country, including those lo-cated in the autonomous regions of the Caribbean coast.

Both the Electoral Observatory of the National Council ofUniversities and the electoral accompaniment mission ofthe Organization of American States (OAS) agreed thatthe electoral process was conducted in peace and tran-quility.

A mission of international experts, composed of special-ists from Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic,Bolivia and Chile, also endorsed the transparency andsmooth development of the elections, as well as the broadrepresentation of different political groups and thepresence of party tellers. (PL) •

Gabriela Avila & Dayron Rodríguez

• CUBA and the European Union opened a newchapter in bilateral relations after the PoliticalDialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA)between the two parties provisionally entered intoforce, this November 1.

In a press release, Cuba’s Ministry of ForeignAffairs noted that “the ties between Brussels andHavana have reached a level more in line withrelations between Cuba and the member stateswhich make up the community bloc, which haveexperienced significant progress over recentyears.”

Meanwhile, in a statement by the EU, theorganization noted that the agreement shows thatthe bloc is moving closer to Cuba, a nation that iscurrently undergoing a process of “economic,political and social modernization,” according tothe document.

Negotiations to establish a Political Dialogueand Cooperation Agreement began in April 2014and concluded in March 2016; with the documentsigned in Brussels, on December 12, 2016, by EUHigh Representative for Foreign Affairs andSecurity Policy Federica Mogherini and CubanForeign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez.

The signing also marked the end of the EUCommon Position, in force since 1996, duringwhich time relations between the two partiespractically froze.

Regarding the provisional implementation of thePDCA and what it means for both Cuba and theEuropean Union, Granma spoke exclusively withthe Head of the EU Delegation to Cuba, AlbertoNavarro.

The official began by recalling that relationsbetween Cuba and the EU were established in1988, but were restricted for over 20 years (1996-2016) due to the so-called Common Position.

Nonetheless, he noted that in 2008, politicaldialogue was re-launched, as well as bilateralcooperation with the island, which received asignificant boost after the Agreement wasofficially signed on December 12, 2016.

Now, with the provisional application of theagreement, both parties have a legal frame-workto formalize political dialogue and stren-gthencooperation in various spheres.

In short, the agreement represents the start ofa new and beneficial chapter for Cubans andEuropeans, as the agreement will allow us toestablish a more serious and mature relationship,stated the EU official.

Navarro went on to explain that the document isbeing applied on a provisional basis and will bedefinitively implemented once it is approved bythe Parliaments of the bloc’s 28 member-states.

So far the document has been ratified byGermany, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia,and the Czech Republic, while the remaining 22nations are expected to do so over the comingmonths, although this kind of process usuallytakes about two years, he noted.

THE AGREEMENT

The provisional application of the PDCA marksthe beginning of new processes and the con-tinuation of others. According to the EU rep-resentative, as part of political dialogue initi-atives, an EU-Cuba Council will start to be held atleast every two years, presided by BrunoRodríguez and Federica Mogherini, with thebloc’s 28 member-states acting as observers.

These meetings will discuss the state ofrelations between Cuba and the European bloc,their respective regional contexts, as well asshared challenges, including multilateral-ism,international law, climate change, and conflictprevention, among others.

Cooperation efforts meanwhile will includecontinuation of the process which was re-sumedin 2008.

In this regard, from 2008 to 2017, the EU hasprovided some 120 million euros in funding for projects in the Caribbean nation, acrosssectors such as food security, renewable en-ergy,specialist exchanges, and disaster prep-arationand response; all toward supporting Cuba’sdevelopment.

As for commercial exchanges, the EU is one of

Cuba’s top trading partners, and although PDCAdoesn’t establish free trade, it does feature animportant commercial component, highlightedNavarro.

Regarding current projects, he mentioned arenewable energy initiative and another linked tosustainable agriculture and food security.

Meanwhile, he also mentioned the upcominginauguration of the Reference Center for Ado-lescents in Old Havana; a collaborative projectbetween Cuba, the EU, UNICEF and the Hav-anaCity Historian’s Office.

Also in the cultural sphere, Navarro noted theopening of the Center for the Interpretation ofCultural Relations between Cuba and Europe, inHavana’s Palacio del Segundo Cabo.

A SERIOUS AND MATURE RELATIONSHIP

The head of the EU delegation on the islandhighlighted Cuba’s achievements in sectors suchas health and education and stressed theimportance of maintaining such accomplish-ments by incorporating new technologies in theseareas.

He also noted the growing presence of theisland at an international level, which despite its

small size, is continuing to gain recognition. Meanwhile, Navarro noted that the EU has

been supporting Cuba in recovery effortsfollowing different natural disasters which haveaffected the country.

He also mentioned the annual UN vote ag-ainstthe economic, commercial and financial blockadeimposed by the U.S. on Cuba, and whichcoincided with the implementation of theagreement between the island and the EU.

The community’s 28 member-states haverepeatedly condemned this policy as a vio-lationof the fundamental human rights of the Cubanpeople, stated Navarro, who went on to note thatthe blockade is an illegal and immoral policy,which goes against international law. “More canbe achieved through dialogue than isolation… theEuropean Union believes in building bridges, noterecting walls,” he stated.

GROWTH IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS

The European Union is a unique organization inthe world, which represents a legal com-munitycentered on the importance of com-munity lawand its direct application, stated Navarro.

Founded just 60 years ago, the bloc hasachieved a great deal including the estab-lishment of a common market founded on theprinciple of “four freedoms”: the free movement ofgoods, services, capital and persons within theEU; it has its own currency (the Euro) andagreements with other countries worldwide.

However, as Navarro highlighted, the bloc iscurrently facing many internal challenges,including the negotiation of the United King-dom’s withdrawal (Brexit), which despite thenegative impact it will have on both parties,should be able to be resolved amicably.

Meanwhile, reforms presented by FrenchPresident, Emmanuel Macron, represent yetanother challenge for the bloc. The Europeanleader is proposing to establish a commonbudget for the Euro Zone and defense policy forthe region, in what some analysts are de-scribingas the re-founding of the EU.

However, despite these challenges and otherglobal issues linked to achieving peace andstability, Navarro noted that “We have con-tinuedto grow in times of crisis.” •

INTERNATIONAL 15NOV.10.2017 | GRANMA INTERNATIONAL

GABRIELA AVILA

A new chapter of relations between Cuba and the EU

The Head of the European Union Delegation to Cuba talked about the provisional application of thePolitical Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the island and the EU.

• UNITED NATIONS.-Cuba expressed itssupport for the two-state solution of theIsraeli- Palestinian conflict, recognizing theright of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

In a debate by the Special Political andDecolonization Committee (Fourth Com-mittee) of the UN General Assembly, Cubanrepresentative Humberto Rivero reiterated theisland’s support for the Palestinian strugglefor a free, independent and sovereign State of Palestine.

Rivero also defended the call for the capitalof the Palestinian state to be East Jerusalem,corresponding to the boundaries existing

prior to the Israeli occupation of 1967, and thereturn of refugees.

“We reiterate our firm support and solidarityfor the just cause of the Palestinian people,and the need to redouble efforts to resolve theplight of its refugees, in accordance with thenorms and principles of international law andthe relevant UN resolutions,” he stressed.

The Cuban diplomat acknowledged thework of the United Nations Relief and WorksAgency for Palestine Refugees in the NearEast (UNRWA), despite its lack of financialresources.

According to Rivero, the report discussed in the Fourth Committee on this matter

accurately reflects the services provided bythe agency to Palestinians in key sectors suchas health and education.

“As mentioned in the report, despite theoperational deficit that it (the UNRWA) facedonce again to meet the requirements of itsmandate, it was able to provide humandevelopment services and humanitarian aidquickly and efficiently,” he insisted.

The Cuban representative called for greatersupport for this agency, responsible forassisting Palestinian refugees, and criticizedthose who for political reasons threaten tofurther reduce financial contributions to itsoperations. (PL). •

Cuba supports Palestinian self-determination at the UN To subscribe contact the Agencia Soycubanovia email: ventas@soycubano.com or

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COLOR DE LA 16 INGLES

U.S. organization supportsCuba’s struggles

When altruism is more than just a word

COLOR DE LA 16 INGLES

Nuria Barbosa León Photo: Orlando Perera (Courtesy of ICAP)

• IN defiance of the U.S. government’s attempts to spreadfear and discredit Cuba’s reputation as a safe country,members of the U.S. Non-governmental organizationCODEPINK, visited the Caribbean island to show theiropposition to the White House’s hostile policy.

Speaking before national press outlets at the Havanaheadquarters of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with thePeoples (ICAP), the activists condemned the criminaleconomic, commercial and financial blockade imposed bythe U.S. on Cuba, called for the closure of the illegal NavalBase in Guantánamo, and for the normalization of diplomaticrelations between the two countries.

CODEPINK, founded on November 17, 2002, is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars andmilitarism, support peace, environmental protection, andhuman rights initiatives; as well as redirect taxpayer’s moneydestined for the military sector into areas linked to socialdevelopment.

Co-founder of the organization, Medea Benjamin, high-lighted the irony of the U.S. State Department’s attempt tocreate fear by issuing travel warnings on Cuba, when it is oneof the safest countries in the region, and given the level ofviolence and death in the U.S. as a result of the right to beararms.

When we get back we will talk about our experience here inCuba and recommend that people visit the island, not only tomeet with solidary people but also to get to know a countrywith a very interesting culture and way of life, she noted,going on to emphasize the high level of safety on the island.

The CODEPINK co-founder went on to note that much workremains to be done to raise awareness around the issue ofwar; especially at such a complicated time for the country,with many domestic matters to resolve. In this sense shenoted that the organization is working to build alliances withother progressive groups, above all those struggling to endpolice violence against African-Americans and people ofcolor, immigrant rights move-ments, and environmentalists.

Madea stated that 50 years after the unjust blockade wasimposed on Cuba, she never imagined she would still bestruggling to bring an end to the immoral and irrational policy,which has been condemned by international organizationssuch as the UN and the Vatican.

Only the U.S. oligarchy and Cuban-American mafia groupsare interested in maintaining the policy; and President Trumpannounced a reversal in bilateral dip-lomatic relations toappease these individuals, but firm opposition from the U.S.public, who condemn this hostility, has prevented him fromimplementing new laws, she ex-plained.

The activist also noted that the results of surveysconducted by renowned U.S. institutions show that the vastmajority of citizens support normal relations with Cuba andwant to be able to freely visit the Caribbean island.

It’s our job to continue educating people by showing themthat the blockade remains in effect, and negatively impactsboth Cuban and U.S. citizens, she noted.

Meanwhile, young journalist Eleonor Goldfield, visitingCuba for the first time, stated that she wanted to gather andshare information about the island, noting that the massmedia in the U.S. hide and distort information about theCaribbean island to create a negative image of the countryamong the general public.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old high school student CharlotteGuyot had a similar experience whilst walking around OldHavana one evening. She explained that on being ap-proached by a restaurant promoter, she was frightened atfirst as ever since she was a young girl, she had been taughtnot to trust strangers. Today, I think that this idea is wrongand believe that you should trust in people until they give youa reason not to, she explained.

The young student also noted that most of her friends knowlittle about Cuba and tried to dissuade her from visiting theisland. However, she decided to travel to the island to get toknow the country and intends to tell her classmates abouther experience when she returns.

Meanwhile her mother, Jadie Sarda, noted that she washappy her daughter wanted to join the trip as a member ofCODEPINK, stating that the last time she visited the islandCubans were excited and pleased about the opening up ofdiplomatic relations with the U.S. I’m for the normalization ofrelations between the two countries and it’s down to me tomotivate other U.S. citizens to demand ongoing ad-equateexchanges, she noted. •

U.S. organization supportsCuba’s struggles

When altruism is more than just a wordNuria Barbosa León Photos: Courtesy of the interviewee

• CUBAN neurosurgeon Norbery JorgeRodríguez de La Paz is currently providingmedical care to the population of theMexican state of Oaxaca, severely affectedby an earthquake in the Isthmus of Tehuan-tepec region September 7, leaving more than300 dead.

The Cuban doctor is working in the fieldhospital located in the Che-Nita sportscenter, as part of a brigade of the HenryReeve International Contingent of DoctorsSpecializing in Disasters and Serious Epi-demics, with experience working in twentycountries.

The brigade is composed of 40 doctors,nurses, technicians and service personnel,including cooks and maintenance workersfor the hospital’s power plant, all living intents. The medical personnel provide con-sultations from eight in the morning untilthere are no more patients waiting to beseen. They also receive emergency cases24 hours a day.

Dr. Rodríguez previously traveled to helpearthquake victims in Nepal, in May 2015.Working there for three months, he notedthat the task was particularly difficult giventhe language barrier. “There we operatedboth on those wounded due to the disaster,and others who had not been treated due toa lack of professionals dedicated to thisspecialty in the country. Dr. Orestes Lópezand I operated on more than 30 patients withspinal and cranial disorders,” he explained inan exclusive interview with Granma Inter-national.

Rodríguez, who works at the Institute ofNeurology and Neurosurgery in Havana,

noted: “In the case of Mexico, we havealready diagnosed five pituitary tumors,malignant lesions of the head, and othertraumatic lesions of the spine. We havecoordinated with nearby hospitals to operateon these patients and treat their conditions.”

The doctor described the local people asbeing of very scarce means, and noted thatthey constantly express their gratitude forthe Cuban medical aid.

He recalled the surgery conducted on asoldier who had been rescuing earthquakevictims, who arrived with a depressed skullfracture. The presence of the medicalbrigade prevented the patient from having totravel for 13 hours to the Mexican capital,which would have presented a high risk tohis life due to infection of the central nervoussystem. The operation was performed withthe few tools they had available and limitedtechnical resources.

Likewise, they operated on a woman with adeforming cystic tumor. Doctors believe that

it grew gradually inside the patient’s head forsome 30 years, without receiving anyspecialized professional follow-up care. Thepatient is currently very well and her rel-atives have expressed their gratitude forsuch a feat.

Despite the fact that aftershocks continueto occur in the area, the most difficult part ofthese internationalist missions for Dr. Rod-ríguez is being separated from his family,especially his sons Diego and David, aged14 and three, respectively.

In a visit to his home in Havana, his wifeDiana Fernández Calderón noted that herhusband has a difficult profession; he leavesthe house very early and returns late atnight. Meanwhile, Diana is assistant directorof the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba company,meaning she too has frequent internationalcommitments. As such, the children’s mat-ernal grandparents have become surrogateparents: “I have to really thank my parentswho help me all the time,” she stressed.

She added, “The departure of a member ofthe family is very difficult, because thosewho remain in Cuba worry about the absentperson. We are a close-knit family, the twochildren have different mothers but they loveeach other with devotion. The youngestloves playing with his older brother andmisses his dad very much. Father and babymake a game of daily tasks such as bathing,eating, sleeping and walking.”

For Diana, living with a neurosurgeon is a great sacrifice but at the same time asource of pride, as he cures illnesses andsaves lives. “It is very comforting to seepeople’s affection toward him. Patients andtheir relatives always think of him onDoctor’s Day or on Father’s Day. They callhim and congratulate him on important

dates,” she noted.Diego explained that he intends to study

medicine and wants to become a neuro-surgeon just like his father. He is aware ofthe rigor of the career and aims to obtainhigh academic results to fulfill his dream. Henoted: “My dad is my idol and my source ofinspiration to study; I want to imitate him inhis profession. I have seen how peopleprofess a lot of affection for the work hedoes. I would also like to be in a place whereI could help others and feel that I have doneimportant work.”

“My dad’s departure to Mexico,” Diegoexplained, “occurred at the end of Septem-ber, he didn’t have time for a farewell and weonly speak by phone. He tells me that hefeels a great sadness to see the devastationcaused by the earthquake and to learn of thenumber of deaths that have occurred. Theylive in tents put up in the grounds of a sportscenter, and feel the earth shake as a resultof the aftershocks. They have also sufferedstrong winds that almost destroyed theirtents. Very early in the morning there arepatients to attend to and he has had toperform several complex surgeries withoutoptimal conditions.”

Such testimonies remind one of the wordsof the historic leader of the Revolution FidelCastro when the Henry Reeve Contingentwas founded on September 19, 2005: “Ourconcepts about the human condition of otherpeoples and the duty of brotherhood andsolidarity have never been nor will bebetrayed. Tens of thousands of Cuban do-ctors and health professionals scatteredaround the world are irrefutable proof ofwhat I say. For them there will never be lan-guage barriers, sacrifice, dangers orobstacles.” •

Members of the CODEPINK delegation during an encounter withthe Cuban press.

Dr. Norbery Jorge Rodríguez de La Paz (left)performing complex surgery on a Mexicanpatient.

This weekly is published in English,French, Spanish and Portuguese.Monthly in German and Italian.Updates daily on the Internet.

A WEEKLY ON CUBA AND LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS | NOVEMBER.10.2017 | ENGLISH EDITION

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