Business & Economy

The European Union (EU) reiterated its disapproval of the US blockade against Cuba and said that in the coming EU-CELAC summit it will call for the elimination of the barriers to free trade, reported the Prensa Latina.

Chile’s PAL Airlines started direct flights to Cuba’s Varadero beach resort this weekend on one of its 388-seat aircraft, reported the Prensa Latina.

Tampa International Airport will see two of its five weekly flights to Cuba cancelled starting in February, reported the Café Fuerte website.

The Cuban telephone company (ETECSA) will lower the rates on its cellphone service starting tomorrow (Wednesday January 16), according to an EFE report. Daytime cellphone service will drop to 0.35 CUC per minute from the current 0.45. (1.00 CUC = 1.15 USD)

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo began an official visit to the island on Wednesday in order to sign a cooperation agreement to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, reported the Prensa Latina news agency.

The Telecommunications Company of Cuba SA (ETECSA) reported today that, starting next January 10, all calls received from any mobile phone in Cuba will be free of cost.

Achilles Curt Theodor Friedrich officially presented his credentials as the new representative of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO) in Cuba.

New windmills have been produced by Cuban specialists at the Center for Integrated Water Technologies in the Cuban city of Camagüey after their having adapted a Canadian-made model.

Issues around Florida House Bill 959 could be resolved in 2013, reported Notimex. The bill, which was signed but will not be enforced by Governor Rick Scott, would prohibit state and local governments from doing business or contracting with companies that have commercial ties with Cuba.

A new community of 49 homes was inaugurated on Tuesday in the eastern province of Holguin for families that had fallen victim to Hurricane Sandy, reports the official Juventud Rebelde newspaper.