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Cuban Revolution

Young Cubans call for the return of the territory illegally occupied by the U.S. in Guantánamo

Young Cubans call for the return of the territory illegally occupied by the U.S. in Guantánamo
During the 39th edition of the Festival of Political Song, young Cuban artists once again called for the return of our territory, occupied by the U.S. at the illegal Guantanamo Naval Base

Author: Prensa Latina | internet@granma.cu
august 3, 2015 09:08:2

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Foto: Juventud Rebelde

CAIMANERA, Guantánamo.—Young Cuban artists participating in the Jornada de la Canción Política (Festival of Political Song) once again called for the return of our territory, occupied by the U.S. at the illegal Guantanamo Naval Base.

During a tour of the communities of Caimanera and Boquerón, bordering the military enclave, participants performed and exchanged with residents, while stating their position calling for the return of this portion of Cuban soil which for more than a century has been occupied by the United States.

The Festival of Political Song, celebrating its 39th edition this year, is the oldest event sponsored by the Hermanos Saíz Association in the country. This year the festival is dedicated to the 55 years of the Casa de las Américas magazine and the local group Frontera, precursors of the professional trovador movement in this area.

The Sunday program also included a performance of the longest trova, starring guest musicians and anyone interested in joining them in this eastern Cuban city.

Cuba / US Relations

The blockade continues intact, assures Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez

The blockade continues intact, assures Bruno Rodríguez
Speaking during a press conference offered to national and international media in Havana, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez referred to the recent amendments announced by the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Commerce and the upcoming visit by President Barack Obama
Author: Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla | internet@granma.cu
march 17, 2016 16:03:28

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Photo: Cubaminrex
On March 15, the Departments of the Treasury and of Commerce issued new regulations that modify the implementation of some aspects of the US blockade against Cuba.
This is the fourth announcement of this sort made by the Government of the United States since December 17, 2014, when the presidents of both countries made public their decision to re-establish diplomatic relations.
We are currently analyzing their scope and practical effects in order to confirm their feasibility.
After a preliminary consideration of these measures, it can be affirmed that they are positive.
Some of them expand the scope of those which had been adopted before; so is the case for the one authorizing now individual “people-to-people” educational travels. However, it should be recalled that the legal prohibition that prevents US citizens from freely traveling to Cuba is still in force. This prohibition should be lifted by the US Congress.

Continue reading The blockade continues intact, assures Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez →

Cuba / US Relations

Josefina Vidal: Blockade Against Cuba is Still Rigorously Applied

Josefina Vidal: Blockade Against Cuba is Still Rigorously Applied

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Havana, Feb 26 (Prensa Latina) The Director General of the Department of the United States at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Josefina Vidal denounced today that the United States economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba continues to be applied rigorously.

In her profile of the social network Twitter (@JosefinaVidalF), Vidal reported a new fine by the US executive to a company for doing business with Cuban counterparts, an action that confirms the permanence of that policy, imposed for more than half a century.

The message shared in Spanish and English, leads to an official note of the Cuban Ministry, explaining the details of the latest sanction, the third one so far this year.

This time, the penalized company is Halliburton, a company dedicated to providing services in oilfields.

The penalty amounts to $304.706 USD and according to the report of the Office for Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Treasury Department, it is a consequence of the trade relations between Halliburton and its subsidiaries in Cayman Islands and the Cuban company Cuba Petroleo (Cupet) from Fenruary to April that between February and April 2011.

During Obama administration (2009-2016) the fines for the violation of sanctions against Cuba and other countries is 49, higher than during any other presidential term. They total more than $14 billion US.

GRANMA: The latest victim of the blockade: U.S. fines another French company
French company CGG Services S.A. received a fine of $614,250 for the use of spare parts and equipment of U.S. origin on oil and gas exploration vessels operating in Cuban territorial waters
Author: Redacción Internacional
February 23, 2016 09:02:54

WASHINGTON.—The U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed a fine on French company CGG Services S.A. for violations of U.S. sanctions on Cuba.
The company is the latest victim of the economic, commercial and financial persecution of Cuban transactions.
According to a report from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. imposed the fine totaling $614,250 dollars on CGG Services S.A. and its affiliated companies for exporting spare parts and other equipment from the United States to a vessel operating in Cuba’s territorial waters.
The fine is yet another example of the extraterritorial scope of the blockade and its deterrent effect on foreign and even U.S. companies, who even within the limited context of the regulations might be interested in doing business with Cuba.
According to the OFAC report, the French company’s activities in Cuban waters “caused significant harm to U.S. sanctions program objectives by providing a substantial economic benefit to Cuba.”
The fine, imposed just a few days before the visit by Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, to Washington, is inconsistent with the current context of relations between the two countries and demonstrates that in order to make real progress towards the normalization of bilateral ties, the blockade must be lifted.
Since the announcements of December 17, 2014, the U.S. government has imposed fines on seven companies (four from the U.S. and three others) totaling $2,835,622,225 USD.
To date48fines have been imposedunder PresidentObama(2009-2016) due to violations of sanctions onCubaand other countries.The accumulated valueof the penaltiesis $14,397, 112,121 USD.

Cuban Revolution

José Antonio Echeverría, the assault on the Presidential Palace, on March 13, 1957

Tribute from a grateful homeland
March 13, 1957, will continue to be a historic date that resonates with Cubans

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Author: Mauricio Escuela | informacion@granma.cu
march 11, 2016 09:03:54

The former Presidential Palace is now the Museum of the Revolution. Photo: Jose M. Correa
March 13, 1957 will continue to be a historic date that resonates with Cubans.
Over the coming days, Cuban university students, members of the Revolutionary Directorate of the time and patriots in general, will commemorate, as they do every year, the assault on the Presidential Palace, on March 13, 1957. José Antonio Echeverría, president of the Federation of University Students at the time, led a group of students from the University of Havana that day, in an attempt to bring down the tyranny of Batista. This feat would clear the way for those who would later, from the Sierra Maestra, eventually bring freedom to the country.

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José Antonio Echeverría

Beyond the program of activities, the tribute will speak to the very essence of those members of the Directorate who, as Martí would say, carried within them the shame of many, facing the beast in its own lair and attacking one of the most important and wide reaching radio stations, Radio Reloj.
Scheduled to take place are moments of silence and reflection, announcements, and the playing of the National Anthem. Cuban classrooms will be the perfect space to recall an unforgettable moment in the island’s history. The function rooms of the Museum of the Revolution (former Presidential Palace), will receive those who participated in the assault, who instead of weapons will bring ideas, dreams, concrete plans for the nation and much respect for José Antonio Echeverría, martyr, leader and a man who, together with so many others, never feared retribution and embodied the maxim: “To die for the homeland is to live.”
In the early days of January 1959, following the triumph of the Revolution, Fidel spoke from the balcony of the Presidential Palace, which from that moment ceased to be a space for evil and became the site of many positive actions, benefiting the Cuban people. This was a promise encompassing the essence of Martí’s thought, made reality. March 13 is the day that the grateful Cuban people pay tribute to these martyrs. A white rose symbolizing purity and appreciation will be placed at the statue of the brave José Antonio Echeverria