Cuba Journal 
Last week, the Obama administration announced a new round of executive actions designed to increase trade and travel with Cuba. And this is the one many Americans have been waiting for — no more Cuba-specific import restrictions on the island’s famed rum and cigars for personal use. The changes follow a series of steps taken since President … Read more
In 1990, when the USSR collapsed, Cuba endured a severe curtailment of investment, trade and general political support from a partner that had invested about $100 billion (in 2016 $US) in the preceding 30 years. The so called “Special Period” was defined primarily by the severe shortages of hydrocarbon energy resources in the form of … Read more
Cuba’s relative isolation as a travel destination is one of the many reasons the island nation is today the most interesting place in the world to travel, yet that same isolation means accessing Cuba’s many wonders is best experienced with a capable tour operator. Havana – and its surrounding places of cultural and artistic interest … Read more
The U.S. embassy in Havana re-opened July 20, 2015 following decades of use as a limited special interest section. Between 1977 and 2015, the embassy building housed the U.S. Interests Section in Havana – operated under the auspices of the Swiss Embassy (acting as protecting power). Since Cuba is a relatively new travel destination, it … Read more
For Americans (persons of U.S. jurisdiction), travel to Cuba for “tourist” activities remains prohibited by statute, but there is a lot of flexibility to enjoy Cuba within the boundaries of U.S. rules. You do not have to fly to Cuba through Canada or Mexico as some people did years before the rules changed. There are … Read more
Cuba’s Varadero Golf Club hosted the 8th annual Cuba Golf Grand Tournament earlier this week, and attending this time was Greg Norman, a famous former professional golfer, previously ranked number one for 331 consecutive weeks. Norman officiated the opening remarks and offered photography and filming sessions along with special guests, players and the public. Since … Read more
Cuba is the newest training site for a U.S. National Institute for Health (NIH)-funded program that gives U.S. students the opportunity to conduct research in an international setting. Tulane University student Alejandra Marks spent eight weeks on the island this spring, working with a mentor to study maternity homes and their role in prenatal care. … Read more
The U.S. and Cuba held the fourth Bilateral Commission in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 30. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Mari Carmen Aponte led the U.S. delegation, supported by Chargé d’Affaires Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Deputy Assistant Secretary John Creamer, and Chief of Staff and Director of Policy Planning Jon Finer. The … Read more
José D. Fernández (July 31, 1992 – September 25, 2016) died in a boating accident near a rocky Miami Beach inlet on September 25, 2016. Fernández was a professional baseball pitcher who came to the U.S. from Cuba just years before his baseball career started. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami … Read more
Alaska Airlines will launch new flights to Havana, Cuba on January 5, 2017. The daily nonstop flight from Los Angeles is the only nonstop flight to Cuba from the West Coast. The flights were awarded by the U.S. DOT in August, and remain subject to approval by the Cuban aviation authorities. Schedule of new service: … Read more
