The announcement that the OAS will count on the Argentine lawyer Luis Moreno Ocampo, former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) of The Hague, to investigate crimes against humanity in Venezuela, is very bad news for the criminals and drug traffickers who rule in Venezuela, and for Raul Castro and his military junta.
It is internationally known that the Castro regime is the true author of barbarism in Venezuela, as The Wall Street Journal put it. But not only the presence of Cubans, but also that crimes against humanity, including the execution in the streets of more than 150 Venezuelan demonstrators since 2014, are derived from the instructions of Castro II, his team, and the CCP, which move the chains of power in Venezuela. In other words, the investigations of the former CPI prosecutor also point to Havana.
Meanwhile, this week it was known that US remittances to the island in 2016 increased to 3,444 million dollars, and that in the first 7 months of the year reached 3 million tourists. However, the remittances were not reported by the regime but by Miami consultancy, Havana Consulting Group. The new record of tourists divulged by the government, but manipulating the statistics. He highlighted as the main emitters of tourism to Cuba, after Canada, to several European countries and concealed that, by wide margin, the second tourist emitter of the island is United States.
The silence and distortion of the truth was due to the fact that Cubans living in the US sent the island a high sum of money, a figure that the regime did not achieve in 2016 with all its exports of goods. It should be remembered that of the 614,433 tourists who traveled to Cuba from the US, 329,496 were Cubans, or 53% of the total, according to official figures.
On the other hand, perhaps the best homage ever received by those who lost their lives in the ill-conceived and worst-run assault on the Moncada barracks on July 26, 1953, there was another 26 of July, 64 years later, in the own city of Santiago de Cuba. Four courageous opponents in the main square of Santiago, Parque Céspedes, deployed from the cathedral very eloquent posters: “The people demand freedom, justice and democracy”, and “58 years of deceit, hunger and misery. Long live the right of expression, opinion and the press “.
As an expression of the meaning of the communist system in which that first military adventure of Fidel Castro derived, in Guantanamo 5.7 million pounds of mango (2,600 tons) were lost due to lack of packaging and breakage in the processing plants. On top of that, the government has just announced that it will again force private farmers to deliver almost everything they produce to the state collection system. This explains the astounding data revealed by a study by the Mundubat Foundation, Spain: 57% of food produced in Cuba is lost before reaching the consumer. Incredible but true.
In Cuba, the statist economy ended the production of sugar; In Venezuela with oil production. They had a high place among the prosperous countries of the region and today they are ruined. Both destroyed their economies. Both continue to kill citizens.
Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC)
WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY
POLITICAL AND CIVIL RIGHTS
OAS expert will investigate crimes against humanity in Venezuela
The OAS will count on Argentine lawyer Luis Moreno Ocampo, former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) of The Hague, to investigate crimes against humanity in Venezuela, largely instigated from Havana. As prosecutor for the ICC, Moreno Ocampo prosecuted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and former leader Muammar Gaddafi for their crimes.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/in
Cuban opponents protest on July 26 in Santiago de Cuba
From one of the busiest places in Santiago de Cuba, four Cubans challenged the regime on the symbolic date of Castroism and protested on July 26th in front of Parque Céspedes and the seat of the municipal government. The three brave opponents deployed large fabrics with slogans against the regime and shouted for democracy and an end to repression, before being detained.
Http://www.cubaenmiami.com/opo
Https://cubanosporelmundo.com/
‘I will remain being free’, says journalist in house arrest
“I will continue to exercise my freedom of expression, my freedom of speech and my freedom of the press. Even when they want to stop me, I will remain being free, because freedom is a state of mind, it is an attitude towards life, “said independent journalist Sol García Basulto on Facebook. The activist shared with her followers in social networks her mood on her second day of house arrest.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/de
At least 70 opponents arrested to prevent Sunday march
At least 70 opponents were detained in MININT operations, which for several months have been repressing the “We All March” campaign to push for the release of political prisoners on the island. Some 55 Ladies in White were arrested. Berta Soler was beaten by several police officers, denounced her husband, activist Angel Moya.
Secretary General of the OAS asks to investigate the death of Oswaldo Payá
“On this new anniversary of the death of Oswaldo Payá, I join the claim of the families of the victims and of all those who demand justice so that a professional and impartial investigation is allowed,” said Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the OAS, who stressed that “serious and well-founded doubts remain on the case”.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Cuba denies being in international mediation because of crisis in Venezuela
The Castro regime has denied that it is mediating to seek a solution to the crisis in Venezuela, in response to a report by the British newspaper Financial Times on the subject. At the ceremony of July 26, José R. Machado Ventura also criticized “the interventionist and destabilizing actions” against the Maduro government and reiterated “the invariable solidarity” of the Cuban dictatorship with the Chavista.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Electoral candidates’ satisfaction with candidacies of opponents stands out
“The people are happy that we are going to stand as candidates in the 2018 elections, the neighbors approach us and tell us that they will vote for us,” said activist José Díaz Silva, who noted that MININT has already been Led prisoners to three independent candidates. So far, the regime has managed to prevent the entry of opponents to the elections.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/de
The Bacardi Foundation will support CubaDecide and the plebiscite
The Bacardi Family Foundation chose the CubaDecide project, led by Rosa María Payá, as its flagship program until 2018. The Foundation stated that the plebiscite in Cuba requires Cuban and world support. CubaDecide has the support of 12 representatives, two parliaments (Chile and Paraguay), 65 groups of Cuban civil society and many international entities.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/de
Funds will be cut off to embassy if Cuba does not return US fugitives
The 2018 draft budget to be voted by the House of Representatives would prevent funds from being used to expand the US diplomatic presence in Cuba, or facilitate Cuban diplomatic operations in Washington. This facilitation of Cuban diplomatic operations would go beyond what existed prior to the “thaw” announced on December 17, 2014, until Cuba delivered to the United States the fugitives of the justice it protects.
Authorities break into a Masonic lodge’s house and arrest him
Armando Antonio Perez, suffering from severe kidney failure and leader of the Masonic lodge “Urania” in Caibarién, was detained at a police station without access to medical care, which was denounced by the Patmos organization as a violation of religious freedom. Minions confiscated documents and magazines about civil liberties and human rights.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND LABOR RIGHTS
Remittances from the US to Cuba totaled $ 3,444 million in 2016
Sending remittances to Cuba from the US in 2016 amounted to 3.444 million dollars, a new record, according to Havana Consulting Group (THCG). The Miami-based entity attributed the figure to the increase in Cuban migration, in a year in which 80,082 Cubans left the island, 50,082 of whom arrived in the United States. The shipment of remittances in 2011 was $ 2,294 million.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
2,600 tons of mango are lost in Cuba because of the State
More than 2,600 tons of mango (5.7 million pounds) were lost in the Guantánamo fields due to lack of packaging and breakage of all types in the processing plants. The figure represents 38% of the 6,794 tons of mango contracted by the state in that province. 57% of food produced in Cuba is lost before reaching the consumer, according to a study by Mundubat, Spain.
Http://oncubamagazine.com/econ
Regime aggravates food shortage by insisting on a collection system
In their quest to close space for supply-demand markets – just in Havana 5 have been closed -, the Raúl Castro government has decided to reverse the little freedom that private farmers had and will force them to sell almost everything that they produce to the Stalinist system of state collection, that every year causes the loss of thousands of tons of food.
Https://www.cubanet.org/actual
Mesa-Lago: Cuba is experiencing a ‘stagnation process of all kinds’
Cuban economist Carmelo Mesa-Lago presented a socioeconomic panorama of the island in Miami that he called a “stagnation process of all kinds,” including education and health. Professor Mesa-Lago referred to the unsustainability of social services, and that in the short time left for Castro as president is not going to reunite the currency and give more freedom to the self-employed.
Http://www.14ymedio.com/nacion
Frequent blackouts make summer in Cuba more difficult
The frequent blackouts hit the Cubans in a season of high temperatures, with oil shortages due to the crisis in Venezuela. The electricity cuts during this summer do not cease and affect the residential and state sector. “When they produce a power outage, they do not take into account that there are children and sick people, who suffer the affectations,” said Arsenio López, a Matanzas pedagogue.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Three million tourists arrived in Cuba until July 25, 2017
The Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) reported that on Tuesday, July 25, there were three million tourists received so far this year in Cuba, which means an increase of 24% over the same period of the year 2016. The MINTUR revealed that in the first semester of the year the gross revenue by the tourism amounted to 1,500 million dollars
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu
The hospital is like a ‘war zone’, denounces Canadian tourist
“The Holguín hospital where my son was operated urgently was like a war zone,” Canadian Nicole Antinello told CBC News. Cole Antinello, who’s 7 years old, had to be operated on there for appendicitis. The Canadian mother of the child said that “the water ran on the walls, the toilets overflowed.” She expressed doubts about the diagnosis, because “they did not do to an ultrasound nor a computed tomography”
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu
New Trump policy will affect categories of educational travel
The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury (OFAC) issued clarifications on Washington’s provisional policy towards Havana and stated that “the new policy will also affect certain categories of educational travel.” The agency also reported that people legally traveling to the island under the permitted categories would not have to apply for licenses.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Managers take responsibility for factory blast in Bayamo
Officials at dairy company of Abihail Gonzalez of Bayamo, are responsible, for the blast on July 21, with a total of nine injured and one with head trauma, factory sources said. “They knew they were putting a piece in poor condition, they knew they were putting on a piece with wear and tear,” they said.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Desertions and love affairs affect medical services abroad
A report by the Cuban government revealed that in the first half of 2017, revenues from the export of medical services fell by 27% compared to 2016. A meeting in Havana with the heads of missions revealed that among the causes of the decline of income are the desertions, affairs between collaborators and foreigners and political crises in the receiving countries.
Missing medicine to combat epidemic of conjunctivitis
The epidemic of conjunctivitis in Havana and other Cuban cities has created a great alarm in the population because there are no medicines available to treat those who suffer the most dangerous, which is the hemorrhagic type. Dozens of sick people come every day to hospitals, especially children aged 1 to 8, said independent journalist Steve Maikel Pardo to Radio Martí
Breakdowns in aqueducts affect hospitals in Havana
Ruptures in the Cuenca Sur water conduit cause serious problems of shortages in Havana medical centers, while in Güira de Melena, Artemisa, residents blamed the delay to solve the problem to the lack of management of public officials. The water crisis came this week to major hospitals in the Cuban capital.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Blackouts aggravate lack of water in areas of the capital
The storms of the past few days have caused interruptions in the electrical service of Havana and have affected the water supply in el Cerro and La Plaza de la Revolución. In view of the lack of water, hotels and hospitals have to resort to tankers, which triggered the price of water in the informal market, reported “14ymedio.”
Http://www.14ymedio.com/nacion
Cuba was not included in list of best universities of Latin America
Cuba was left out in the list of the 81 best universities in Latin America in 2017 by the English publication Times Higher Education. The best ones show a strong performance in the field of research. Cuban teachers complain that today predominates “revolutionary integration” and not the academic ability to become a university professor.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Disabled people organize themselves due to irresponsibility of the State
The Cuban Association of Limited Physical Engines (ACLIFIM), an official entity with some 74,000 associates, demands ideological requirements to accept them. Complaints about their political bias led a group of activists to create a support group for disabled people without any conditions, the Inclusive Culture Network Cuba, which has a difficult but admirable challenge.
Http://www.14ymedio.com/nacion
US law is proposed to reinforce security in Cuban airports
A subcommittee of the US House of Representatives passed a bill to strengthen security at Cuban airports that would not disrupt flights to the island. The initiative seeks to prevent Cubans involved in ground operations from having access to privileged information and for airlines to make public their contracts with the regime.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu
Some 15,000 Cubans have tried to enter the US from Mexico
The US declared 14,592 Cubans unacceptable to its territory from October 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017, according to the US Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Of these, 13,520 attempted to enter Laredo, 570 by San Diego, 338 by El Paso and 160 by Tucson. In the same period of 2015-2016, 41,523 Cubans entered the southern border.
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu
Alarming figures of deaths due to traffic accidents in Cuba
The 56,605 traffic accidents in Cuba since 2012 caused 3,696 deaths, 43,100 injuries, and losses of 2,500 million pesos (5% of GDP). The poor state of the vehicles and roads, loose animals on the roads, speeding, and drunkenness of drivers were the main causes of accidents, fifth cause of death on the island.
Https://www.martinoticias.com/
Che’s image promotes luxury apartments in Britain
An image of Che Guevara is being used in Bristol, UK, to promote the sale and rental of offices and luxury apartments, reports Adweek newspaper. The company Cigar Factory uses the famous photo of Che, but with a tobacco and sunglasses added, with the slogan: “A revolutionary place to live and work.”
Http://www.diariodecuba.com/cu