Entries by Havana Live

Cuba expects record number of tourists in 2015

HAVANA, Mai 9  (EFE)  Cuba expects to surpass this year the record sum of foreign tourists and revenues it attracted in 2014, a year when the island’s tourism industry took in $2.7 billion, according to figures released this week at the International Tourism Fair, or FitCuba. Last year for the first time Cuba crossed the […]

Netherlands offers to mediate to spur Cuba-EU negotiations

HAVANA, May 8  (EFE) Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said Thursday in Havana that his country is ready to act as a mediator to “stimulate” the negotiations between Cuba and the European Union for a bilateral accord on the basis of the “solid relationship” The Netherlands has with the island. Holland’s top diplomat noted that […]

Cuban Pavilion at Venice: Exploring Reality, Memory, and Dreamscape

The exhibition’s eight artists include four from the island Luis Gómez Armenteros, La Rivoluzione Siamo Noi (detail), 2015 Courtesy venicebiennalecuba.com HAVNA, Mai 7  ( Cuban Art News)  Opening this weekend, the Cuban Pavilion at the Venice Biennale brings the work of four Cuban artists into dialogue with work by artists from Afghanistan, China, Italy, and Russia. […]

Living with garbage

HAVANA, May 7  (By Roberto Miguel Yepe)  Practically no garbage was collected in April and none has been picked up this month of May. This has left behind a veritable banquet for dumpster-divers and the many stray dogs that inhabit the area. In the midst of this dreadful situation, the locals have shown an incredible degree of […]

The sad end for a Havana Tour Horse

HAVANA, May 6   There once was a horse that carried tourists around Havana in a coach every day, making good money for his owner. One day, at around noon, he had enough: the hot sun beating down on Havana’s coast finally defeated him, and he collapsed on the scorching avenue of fatigue. His owner, […]

First Key West-to-Havana sailing race in 50 years set for May 16

HAVANA, May 6  (CBSMiami/FKNB) –May 19, regatta between the U.S. sailors and elite Cuban racers off Havana.According to co-organizer George Bellenger, five to seven 16-foot Hobie Cat catamarans, most skippered by Florida Keys-based sailors, are to participate in the challenge. They are to travel across the Florida Straits to Cuba accompanied by dedicated support boats, […]

Havana to hold symbolic ‘mass gay wedding’

HAVANA, May 6  Gay rights activists in Cuba will hold a mass wedding this weekend, in a country where gay marriage is still not legal.The activists will be led by the daughter of President Raul Castro, Mariela, who is a leading gay and transgender rights campaigner. The symbolic wedding will be part of Cuba’s annual […]

A van for Aniplant Havana!

HAVANA, 5 May  Aniplant in Cuba is in desperate need of a van equipped with medical devices in order to travel around the city and country. The Aniplant Project, located in Osprey, Florida, is Aniplant’s main source of funding. Aniplant’s weekend sterilization clinics move through Havana’s many neighborhoods offering spaying and neutering to cats and […]

Two Florida companies approved for ferry service to Cuba

HAVANA, May 5   At least two companies have received U.S. government approval to operate ferries between Florida and Cuba, their executives confirmed Tuesday. The ferry services would be the first approved to  Cuba since Washington imposed its embargo more than 50 years ago. Havana Ferry Partners of Fort Lauderdale obtained approval five years after […]

Cuba Travel Services announces new agreement with JetBlue airlines

HAVANA, May 5   Cuba Travel Services, the leading authorized carrier service provider with offices in California, New York and Florida, will soonbe offering a second direct flight from New York’s JFK airport to Havana, Cuba. Cuba Travel Services currently arranges flights operated byAmerican Airlines and Sun Country Airlines to popular destinations including Havana, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, […]

Louis reprend Cuba Cruises

HAVANA, May 6   Le groupe chypriote a repris Cuba Cruises, société fondée par le Canadien Dugal Wells et qui faisait l’objet depuis 2013 d’une joint venture avec Louis. Après deux hivers d’exploitation à Cuba, l’essai est transformé pour l’armateur chypriote, qui a donc décidé de prendre les commandes de Cuba Cruises. On ne sait […]

InselAir added Havana as new destination

HAVANA, May 4  InselAir welcomes Havana (Cuba) as its 23rd destination. Starting July 3rd, 2015 the largest Caribbean-based carrier will start 2 flights per week, on Monday and Friday, to Havana. InselAir offers its customers a total of 23 destinations and offers passengers the largest network in the Caribbean. Tickets are on sale now and can […]

Japan eyes ‘large-scale’ cooperation with Cuba

HAVANA, May 3  (AFP)  Visiting Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday that Tokyo wants to launch “large-scale cooperation” with Havana to support the communist island’s reforms. In Cuba’s first visit from a Japanese foreign minister, Kishida met with President Raul Castro to discuss “the positive direction” of their ties, a government statement read out on […]

Havana celebrates May day,call to end U.S. embargo

HAVANA, May 1 Under rain and plenty of umbrellas, residents of Havana participated in the traditional May Day Parade with thousands of people shouting “revolutionary” slogans, showing signs supporting the Cuban revolution and its leaders, and even dancing “conga” or just walking at Plaza de la Revolucion. The parade scenes were repeated around the country. […]

Buena Vista Social Club sequel documentary announced

HAVANA, May 1  Sixteen years after the original Buena Vista Social Club debuted, a sequel highlighting the bandmembers’ journey since the first film is set to go into production. Broad Green Pictures announced that Buena Vista Social Club – Adios will begin principal photography in July with plans for the film to debut theatrically in […]

At least three dead as torrential rains flood Havana

HAVANA, May 1 Three people died after torrential rains and high winds damaged more than two dozen buildings, caused power outages and brought racing floodwaters to parts of Havana, local media reported Thursday. The capital was hit Wednesday afternoon by severe thunderstorms with winds of up to 98 kilometres (61 miles) per hour, the state-run […]

Cuba and UK sign 400 million dollar accords (update)

HAVANA Apr 30  The signing of accords calculated at some 400 million dollars was a major result of a Cuba-UK business forum held in Havana since Tuesday in an effort to identify areas of mutual commercial interest. The announcement was made by Lord John Hutton, co-president of the Cuba Initiative, a British-Cuban project promoting bilateral […]

Unseen Cuba stunning aerial views

HAVANA, April 30  (Raul Reyes)  Photographer Marius Jovaisa has seen Cuba like no one else. After spending five years on his latest project, he has released his large-format book, “Unseen Cuba.” Jovaisa is the first and only photographer granted access by the Cuban government to take aerial pictures of the communist island, from the valleys […]

British company’s want to invest in Cuba

HAVANA ,April 29   (HT- by Pilar Montes)  Over 30 British businessmen don’t want to be left behind by other Europeans who have visited Cuba in recent weeks, including from Spain, Hungary and the Netherlands, to see for themselves the trade and investment opportunities offered by the Cuban government. Cuba Initiative, a Cuban-British project created […]

U.S. lawmakers seek to bar new travel to Cuba

HAVANA, April 29  Republican Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart introduced a bill to Congress on Tuesday that would block new flights and cruise ship travel to Cuba, according to AP. The proposal, which comes just months after President Obama introduced eased restrictions on travel to the Caribbean destination, has been attached to a critical transportation spending […]

Historical Heat Wave Records Registered in Cuba

Havana, April 29   Temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius have been reported for several days in Cuba, with several absolute maximum heat peaks, today said Dr. Jose Rubiera, head of the Center for Weather Forecasts Institute. The sharp rise of temperatures in the Caribbean country is due to the predominance of clear skies, favoring intense […]

Fidel Castro ‘betrayed’ Che Guevara, ‘abandoned’ him in Bolivia, Cuban journalist says

HAVANA, April 29 (EFE)  “No contact with Manila,” Ernesto “Che” Guevara wrote several times in his diary as he marched to his death in Bolivia and, behind the phrase, is Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s betrayal and abandonment of the legendary guerrilla fighter, Cuban journalist Alberto Müller said. “Manila” was the codeword for Cuba, Müller told Efe […]

White House is expected to take steps to return Guantánamo

HAVANA, April 29  Former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roger Noriega says he thinks the United States will renew diplomatic relations with Cuba soon and that the president will take steps to end the lease on the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay before the end of his term. But that doesn’t […]

HAVANA: How much opportunity ?

HAVANA, April 28   In the midst of historic old Havana, the Manzana de Gomez bestrides an entire city block. The 105-year-old landmark was one of the first shopping malls in Cuba, a five-story, European-style shopping arcade with two pedestrian avenues intersecting within. Like so many other once-elegant buildings around the Cuban capital, it decayed […]

5 challenges to doing business in Cuba

HAVANA,  April 28  (By Michael Muckian) The emergence of cooperatives in Cuba and President Obama’sreestablishment of relations with the country has attracted the attention of U.S. cooperatives and credit unions. About the size of California and home to 11.3 million people, the Caribbean island nation could become the next great success for the global cooperative movement. […]

Classic Cuban films to be restored

HAVANA, April 27 (Xinhua) — Luciano Castillo, director of Cuba’s Cinemateca, announced on Sunday that the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will help restore the negatives of two films from the outstanding Cuban filmmaker Tomas “Titon” Gutierrez Alea. Castillo told local newspaper Rebel Youth that the two films, “A Cuban Fight Against […]

Plattsburgh-Havana flights are coming soon

Apr 27, 2015 — New York’s North Country travelers might be able to hop on a plane in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and get off in Havana, sometime soon, according to Garry Douglas, one of the region’s top economic development leaders. “It will happen,” Douglas said. Douglas is co-chair of the North Country’s Regional Economic Development Council […]