News

The US Congress put off until next week a vote on the new national budget which includes a bill tacked on that would lift some restrictions on sales of food and medicines to Cuba as well as allow Cuban-Americans to travel more frequently to the island than the once every three years allowed under President Bush, reported IPS.

Two of Cuba’s younger top leaders, not long ago both considered possible presidential material, admitted to errors that led to their destitution on Monday. In letters to President Raul Castro, ex-VP Carlos Lage, 57, and ex-Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, 43, both admitted to having made mistakes and resigned their seats in the Cuban parliament and on the Council of State. No details about the errors were revealed by either of the former officials.

World Baseball Classic II got under way on Thursday with the first game in the Asian group with Japan shutting out China 4-0. The other two teams in Group A are South Korea and Chinese Taipei who play on Friday. Cuba is in Group B along with host Mexico, Australia and South Africa. It plays its opener on Sunday against South Africa at 2:00 p.m. Cuban time. For an insider look at Cuba in the Classic see Peter Bjarkman’s WBC Diary at: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=5062

The US government is watching “closely” the Cuba cabinet reshuffle, pointed out Robert Duguid, State Department spokesman, reported IPS. Cuban President Raul Castro has made several overtures to President Obama to establish a dialogue based on mutual respect and free of pre-conditions to resolve the 50-year conflict between the two countries.

The Dominican Republic and Cuba will sign new cooperation agreements in the areas of agriculture, information technology and education, announced Dominican President Leonel Fernández, who is on an official visit to the island.

The US Congress began debate Tuesday on the draft budget for 2009, which includes a measure that would allow Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba once a year instead of every three years as established by the legislation signed by George W. Bush in 2004.

President Raul Castro announced major changes in the Cuban government on Monday after a year of evaluating his cabinet members.
—Numerous top Cuban government officials were removed from the posts on Monday including Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, Finance and Planning Minister Jorge Luis Rodriguez, and Carlos Lage Davila the Executive Secretary of the Council of Ministers.

President Raul Castro announced major changes in the Cuban government on Monday after a year of evaluating his cabinet members. Numerous top officials were removed from their key posts including Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, Finance and Planning Minister Jorge Luis Rodriguez, and Carlos Lage Davila the Executive Secretary of the Council of Ministers.

Presidents of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, and Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, arrive in Cuba on Monday. Both leaders are expected to meet with their Cuban host Raul Castro as well as attend the 11th International Economists Meeting on Globalization and Development Problems. Zelaya will also be revising his country’s bilateral health cooperation agreement and advance on a commercial accord and others.

While it may seem contradictory to some, Cuba’s healthcare system will benefit with over 1.2 million USD collected by the auction Friday of beautifully hand crafted wooden humidors with Cuban Premium cigars. The sale took place during the closing day of the 11th Havana Cigar Festival in the Cuban capital on Friday.