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2010-01-14 / José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra / Feature Article

EU – Cuba Relations

Since the European Union (EU) came into existence, its evolution and growth has been connected with the defense and promotion of some values and basic democratic principles. Rule of law, democracy, economic liberty, freedom of speech and social progress have outweighed commercial interests when it came to relations with Latin America. The relation with Latin America has been shaped ... more

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2009-12-28 / Carlos Fonseca / Feature Article

“The Agrarian Reform in Cuba”, a plan to exploit the farmer

The redistribution of lands to Cuban farmers was delineated as a part of the Moncada Program in Fidel Castro’s plea titled “The History Will Absolve Me” in a swift ... more

2009-12-08 / Maria C. Werlau / Feature Article

Raúl as “Reformer”: the Evidence to Date

The demise of Fidel Castro and the ascendancy of his brother, Raúl, to power in Cuba have prompted certain expectations of regime reform.[1] In mid-2007 measures touted as “Raúl’s ... more

2009-11-24 / Scott Hudson (Editor CED) / Feature Article

New Volume of Cuba Europe Dialogues: Catch Threaten Release Repeat

The old expression “the more things change the more they stay the same” could hardly be more apropos to Cuba since Raul Castro took over from his more infamous brother. The hope ... more

2009-11-06 / Joaquin P. Puloj (CED Preview) / Feature Article

The Cuban Economy in a World of Uncertainty

One year after three hurricanes ravaged the island in 2008 and the impact of the global financial and economic crisis, the Cuban economy has continued to deteriorate further due to the lack ... more

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2010-02-09 / Esteban Israel (Reuters)

Cuba travel bill buried in political agenda

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan drive in Congress to end a Cold War-era travel ban on Cuba was buried during the healthcare reform debate but its supporters hope to dig it out this year.

Sponsors of two bills allowing Americans to travel freely to Cuba, introduced last year in the Senate and the House of Representatives, say a flood of dollars from the pro-embargo Cuban-American lobby might also have played a part.

"Support has not waned but it's clear that the debate over healthcare has consumed the first year of the (Obama) administration and has had a similar impact in terms of congressional action," Representative Bill Delahunt, a Democrat and one of the authors of the bill, told Reuters.

Co-sponsor Jeff Flake, a Republican representative, said the votes were there to pass the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act this year but the Democratic majority in the House was divided over whether to take it to the floor for a vote.      ...more


2010-02-09 / AFP - Agence France-Presse

Cuba releases all dissidents arrested last week

HAVANA — Cuba has released the last five of a group of 35 dissidents it arrested last week for demonstrating on behalf of a conscientious objector, a Cuban human rights group said.

"The last three dissidents that were jailed since Wednesday were freed on Sunday" and another two were released Friday and Saturday, Committee for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) director Elizardo Sanchez told AFP.

Cuban police arrested and jailed 35 political dissidents in the eastern city of Camaguey, when they were marching in support of Orlando Zapata, whom Amnesty International has declared a prisoner of conscience. He has been in prison since 2003.

The protesters were briefly jailed, then 30 were released.

The demonstrators were protesting "the cruel and inhuman treatment" of Zapata. The CCDHRN said it was concerned over Zapata's health, and called for his unconditional release.

In its January annual report, the group said that there are 201 political prisoners in Cuba.

Authorities on the communist island insist there are no political prisoners, but rather US-financed "mercenaries" jailed for threatening Cuban national security.


2010-02-08 / Marc Frank (Reuters)

Cuba looks to suburban farms to boost food output

CAMAGUEY, Cuba (Reuters) - Cuba has launched an ambitious project to ring urban areas with thousands of small farms in a bid to reverse the country's long agricultural decline and ease its chronic economic woes.

The five-year plan calls for growing fruits and vegetables and raising livestock in 4-mile-wide (6.5 kilometer) rings around 150 of Cuba's cities and towns, with the exception of the capital Havana.

The island's Communist authorities hope suburban farming will make food cheaper and more abundant, cut transportation costs, be less reliant on machinery and encourage urban dwellers to leave bureaucratic jobs for more productive labor.      ...more


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