Circles Robinson, Author at Havana Times

Legend Pedro Lazo Retires from Cuba Baseball

An important epoch of Cuban baseball history reached its end at Pinar’s Capitán San Luis Stadium on Sunday, December 26, 2010. That balmy afternoon was witness to a heated battle between traditional league rivals Pinar del Río and Havana Industriales that brought to an end the first month’s action for historic National Series #50 (league games now being suspended until after the New Year’s holiday).

But far more significant than any on-the-field Sunday afternoon action—for the packed house on hand as well as for Cuban aficionados around the globe—were the brief pre-game ceremonies marking formal retirement for Cuba’s all-time leader in pitching victories—legendary #99, Pedro Luis Lazo.

Cuba Opposition ‘Needs to Reflect’ after Wikileaks

The internal dissident movement in Cuba faces some big challenges in 2011, after ending the year with low marks from the top U.S. diplomat in Havana, according to confidential cables made public by Wikileaks.

US Dollars Sent to Cuba Worth More

In a year of difficult times for cash strapped Cuba and shortages facing its citizens, an agreement between the US government and Western Union is leading to an increased value of remittances sent to families in the Caribbean country. The new authorization from the US Treasury Dept. took affect at the beginning of last week. Western Union said on its website that the change is “great news for our clients!”

Cuba to Send Humanitarian Aid to Venezuela

Cuba will send in February several shipments of building materials and mattresses as humanitarian aid for the persons affected by the intense rains in Venezuela, Rogelio Polanco, Cuban ambassador to that South American country, announced. The aid consists of 6,900 tons of cement, 500,000 squares meters of roof tiles, 200,000 square meters of floor tiles and 32,000 foam rubber mattresses.

Farmers Association Pleads for Increased Production

The president of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP), Orlando Lugo, called on Cuba’s farmers to meet the production goals established with the government to avoid food imports such as rice, beans and corn, in statements to the National Plenary Meeting of the National Committee of that organization.

President of Peru Criticizes Cuba’s Leaders

Peruvian President Alan García criticized the intention of his Cuban counterpart Raúl Castro of carrying out reforms in Cuba, more than five decades after the start of the Revolution, in statements to that South American country’s press. “Why didn’t they rectify 50 years ago?” asked García, a defender of free market policies and opening to foreign investment.

Informal Market Workers Seek Legalization

Unemployed persons working on the informal market represent 60 per cent of applicants for self-employment licenses, after the recent opening decreed by the government in 178 activities of this type, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.

Guatemalan Women Make Inroads in Positions of Power

Guatemala, it seems, is trying out a new image. As of this month, women are at the helm of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Comptroller General’s Office, winning their posts on merit, in what local activists are calling an important step in women’s access to political power — though “there is a long way to go.”

The Next President

Yesterday they notified all the residents on the block that we would meet that evening with two or three directors from the area to select a new president of our neighborhood Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR).

Cuba’s Vladimir Baños Tosses Milestone No-Hitter

The most attention-grabbing achievement of this season’s opening has been the near-perfect-game no-hitter tossed on December 23 by veteran Pinar del Río right-hander Vladimir Baños. No-hit games are nowhere near as commonplace in Cuban League action as they have lately proven to be on North American professional diamonds.