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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 18th 2024 - 22:59 UTC

Tag: Raúl Castro

  • Thursday, September 24th 2015 - 08:27 UTC

    Colombia and FARC put a date to end Latam's deadliest conflict, 23 March 2016

    President Santos and Timochenko greeted each other with a handshake. Cuban President Raul Castro, who hosted the meeting, joined his hands to theirs.

    Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the top FARC rebel commander pledged on Wednesday to end Latin America's longest war within six months and sealed their pact with a handshake likely to stand as a lasting image.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 08:07 UTC

    Francis meets Fidel Castro and warns Cubans of the dangers of ideology

    Spokesperson Father Lombardi said the meeting, which included Castro's wife and other family members, was “very relaxed, fraternal and friendly.”

    Pope Francis met Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Sunday hours after warning Cubans to beware the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as the island enters a new era of closer ties with the United States. Latin America's first pope and Castro, the region's last surviving revolutionary icon of the 20th century, discussed religion and world affairs at the home of the 89-year-old retired president for about 40 minutes.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 07:38 UTC

    Cristina Fernandez attends Havana mass and meets with Pope Francis

    This time, the seventh was mostly a protocol meeting, but Cristina Fernandez takes every opportunity possible to join the Argentine born Pope

    Argentine president Cristina Fernández took part in Pope Francis' Sunday's mass from Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion, as she watched the pontiff in the company of her Cuban counterpart Raul Castro. Sitting next to the Cuban president, CFK followed Francis' services as he called for society to “protect the most fragile,” in a service witnessed by more than 100,000 worshippers at the Havana landmark.

  • Saturday, September 19th 2015 - 08:36 UTC

    Pope Francis arrives in Cuba, but dissidents are skeptical about any changes

    Rights groups and dissidents opposed to the regime have called on the pope to urge Raul Castro to put an end to crackdowns and curbs on civil liberties.

    Pope Francis praised Cubans' “spirit” in the face of adversity in a message broadcast ahead of his trip to the impoverished island. “It does me a lot of good and helps me to think of your faith in the Lord, of the spirit with which you confront the difficulties of each day,” the pope said in a message played on state television.

  • Saturday, September 12th 2015 - 10:26 UTC

    Cuba plans to release 3.522 prisoners ahead of Pope's visit this month

    Raul Castro agreed to the releases on the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis as “when the previous pontiffs John Paul II and Benedict XVI visits”

    State-run newspaper “Granma” reported that Cuba would release 3,522 prisoners three days ahead of the September 19-22 visit by Pope Francis. However Cuban officials, who officially deny that the country has political prisoners, said they would not release inmates convict of crimes against state security.

  • Saturday, August 15th 2015 - 08:33 UTC

    Kerry calls for a new era in relations with Cuba, but also urged political change

    The first US secretary of state to visit the Caribbean island in 70 years, Kerry presided over a ceremony raising the US flag over the newly reopened embassy.

    US Secretary of State John Kerry declared a new era in relations as he celebrated restored diplomatic ties in Havana on Friday, but he also urged political change in Cuba, telling Cubans they should be free to choose their own leaders.

  • Thursday, July 23rd 2015 - 06:40 UTC

    Scioli meets Raul Castro in Havana and praises political and economic opening of Cuba

    “I admire and respect Raul's influence for having defended the Cuban people and his ideals, and for the updating of the socialist economic model” said Scioli

    Argentina's presidential hopeful and Buenos Aires governor Daniel Scioli was received on Wednesday by President of Cuba Raul Castro for an official audience in Havana, making the incumbent candidate the first foreign politician to meet the head of state since the normalising of relations with the United States.

  • Friday, July 3rd 2015 - 07:45 UTC

    Republicans anticipate they will not approve a US ambassador to Cuba

    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described Cuba as “a police state”, “a thuggish regime” and “a haven for criminals” wanted in the U.S.

    United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that his chamber is unlikely to approve a US ambassador to Cuba, sending a quick rebuff to President Barack Obama and his drive to normalize relations with the U.S. neighbor and longtime Cold War foe.

  • Wednesday, July 1st 2015 - 03:51 UTC

    US and Cuba ready to announce embassies opening in Havana and Washington

    The White House announced that Obama would deliver a statement, presumably the formal announcement, in the Rose Garden on Wednesday.

    President Obama will announce on Wednesday that the U.S. and Cuba have reached an agreement to open embassies in Havana and Washington, an administration official has confirmed. The announcement marks a major step in ending hostilities between the longtime foes and an opportunity to re-establish formal diplomatic relations and apparently will be simultaneous from Havana.

  • Tuesday, May 12th 2015 - 06:18 UTC

    Hollande in Havana ratifies support for Cuba and an end to the US embargo

    The French president met with his peer Raul Castro and also with Fidel Castro, the emblematic leader of the Cuban 1959 revolution

    French President Francois Hollande has urged an end to the US trade embargo of Cuba and envisioned a larger French role in Cuba's engagement with the West during the first visit by a French head of state to Cuba. Havana is in foreign policy talks with both the European Union and the United States amid intense world interest in Cuba following detente with Washington in December.