Fidel Castro
Five decades on, the embargo continues
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El Capitolio Havana, the former seat of the Government in Cuba.
Led by the United States in 1962 the US-Cuba trade embargo has limited virtually all American companies from any trade connections with Cuba.
On Tuesday 13th September, President Obama once more renewed the US imposed sanctions on Cuba stating “I hereby determine that the continuation for 1 year of the exercise of those authorities with respect to Cuba is in the national interest of the United States.”
Cuba’s 'balseros' risk their lives to set foot on US soil
A recent video of stranded Cuban boat people that were rescued by the crew of a luxury cruise ship is a stark reminder of the risks illegal immigrants are willing to take to take to set foot on American soil. Read more and watch the video…
Burn your president for New Year’s Eve
Travel by car in Colombia, Ecuador or Venezuela during the Christmas holidays and you'll find yourself being stared at by scarecrows holding empty liquor bottles and dummies of world leaders. Stuffed with sawdust and gunpowder, the human-sized creatures known as "Año viejos" (Old years) meet a burning end as the centrepieces of New Year's Eve celebrations. Read more...
Cuba by billboards
Our Observer in Cuba, blogger Yoani Sanchez takes us on a tour of the propaganda billboards of Havana. Read more and see the photos.
Castro retires: Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez “relieved”
Granma, Cuba's official news site, has just announced that Fidel Castro has given up his presidency of the country. On hearing the news we immediately called our Observer in Havana, blogger Yoani Sanchez, to get her reaction. As the news had not yet been broadcast on Cuban TV or radio, Sanchez was unaware of the declaration and gave an initial reaction of "a sense of relief". She said she believes that the Cuban system could now evolve into something similar to the Chinese regime. Read more...
Granma's front page on Tuesday morning.
