Cuba Journal 
Cuba has prepared Fidel Castro’s final public appearance: a two-day memorial offering at Revolution Square in Havana. Beginning Wednesday, his ashes will be transported eastward across the country, in a three-day procession that follows in reverse the route taken by the young revolutionary and his rebel fighters as they advanced on Havana from the Sierra … Read more
President Barack Obama proudly hailed the opening of U.S. ties with Cuba after 50 years of hostility and reacted diplomatically to the death of former President Fidel Castro, expressing condolences to his family. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Obama’s Cuba policies, and released a toughly worded statement calling Fidel Castro a brutal dictator. The differences … Read more
by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Victor Mendez Today, for the first time in more than fifty years, a scheduled, commercial flight took off from the United States and landed in Havana, Cuba. I had the privilege of joining the passengers and crew on that flight this morning as it left Miami and made the … Read more
JetBlue launched service to Havana’s José Martí International Airport (HAV) from three of the airline’s focus cities, with the first flight taking off this morning shortly after 9 a.m. from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). JetBlue’s service to Havana from Orlando begins November 29 and service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood begins November 30. … Read more
Cuba’s Communist Party has decreed nine days of national mourning for Fidel Castro in a directive that will largely suspend day-to-day life on the island nation until December 4 as Cubans commemorate Castro’s life in a series of memorials and vigils. Announced Saturday by the party’s central committee, the broadcast said the 90-year-old former leader … Read more
A Sensational Cigar From Romeo y Julieta Apart from Montecristo and Cohiba, Romeo y Julieta may be the most recognizable Cuban cigar brand. The famous marque has produced some legendary cigars over the years, particularly in the churchill category it came to redefine. But another cigar is smoking incredibly well right now: the Romeo y … Read more
Aviation is a global enterprise that brings the world together. U.S. civil aviation has a $2.4 trillion dollar impact on the global economy, and accounts for more than 58 million jobs. Growth in travel, new routes, increasing trade and investment, and new technological endeavors underscore the importance of international cooperation. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration … Read more
In 2015, Cuba became the first country in the world to receive validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. A recent in-country assessment of Cuba and Thailand showed that the two countries shared five common features that may have contributed to their success in achieving elimination. Here … Read more
By Sylvia Mathews Burwell, HHS Secretary Earlier this year, President Obama laid out the Administration’s vision for a new relationship with Cuba – one built on cooperation and collaboration on the interests we share. Two weeks ago, I visited Havana to further that vision and lay the groundwork for partnership on specific health priorities. At … Read more
During a recent scuba trip with Avalon Diving Center, the Cuba Journal ran into several Cuban research scientists conducting research by tagging sharks in the Jardines de la Reina area of Cuba. We asked the researchers to take along our camera and shoot some of the action for us. Here’s what we got back. Shark … Read more
