Cuban authorities began releasing prisoners Wednesday after Tuesday's decision by the outgoing US Government of President Joseph Biden to remove the Caribbean islands from the list of terrorism-sponsoring nations. Havana also said that, as per a deal brokered by the Vatican, it would be freeing up to 553 detainees, including some of those jailed for participating in anti-government rallies. However, leading Republican politicians in Washington hope to restore Cuba to that infamous category after Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.
Add your comment!The Cuban energy crisis situation with its frequent blackouts and fuel shortages means increased economic hardship leading to social unrest, according to international news agencies reports. Blaming the US embargo is the common reaction from the government, but also are an aging infrastructure, lack of investment, plus insufficient supply of fuel add to the people’s misery, living in darkness and uncertainty.
Cuban authorities received this weekend a shipment from Brazil of US$ 86,000 worth of humanitarian help in the wake of hurricanes hitting the Caribbean island in recent days. A similar package was sent from the South American country during the Covid-19 crisis, it was also explained, representing Brazil's commitment to cooperation and friendship between both nations.
While Cuba and Bolivia were accepted into the BRICS bloc as associate states, the Bolivarian regimen of President Nicolás Maduro blamed Brazil for Venezuela's exclusion.
In addition to the current electricity supply crisis, Cuba's eastern province of Guantanamo, near Baracoa, was hit by Category I Hurricane Oscar late Sunday with maximum sustained winds of nearly 80 mph (130km/h). Oscar later waned to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds, the US National Hurricane Center said but it could still cause significant flash flooding and mudslides.
Cuba was gradually and slowly returning to normalcy late Friday after a power outage that hit most of the country, the National Electroenergetic System (SEN) pointed out in its latest update.
US authorities have ruled out that the presence of the nuclear-powered USS Helena submarine at the Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba had anything to do with the presence of a Russian flotilla in Havana.
A Russian nuclear submarine and three other warships will be participating alongside Cuban forces in a drill in the Caribbean Sea between June 12 and 17 to further deepen the friendly ties between the two countries, according to Havanna's Foreign Ministry.
Colombian-born Victor Manuel Rocha, who served as a former US Ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for spying for Cuba for 40 years.
The Cuban government has asked the UN's food program for help as food shortages on the Communist-run island worsen. The World Food Program (WFP) said it had received an unprecedented official request from the Cuban government for help providing powdered milk to children under seven years of age.