Cuba Journal 
The Alabama State Council plans to build statewide support for Congressional action to end the travel ban and trade embargo on Cuba. Engage Cuba today launched the Engage Cuba Alabama State Council to advocate for a change in US policy towards Cuba. The founding members of the State Council include Alabama leaders from a broad range of sectors including agriculture, … Read more
Grand Circle Cruise Line today announced that it will begin operating Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A Coastal Voyage, an 11-night, 89-passenger cruise tour from Miami to Cuba in January 2017. Grand Circle will be one of the first cruise lines to operate in Cuba and the only US cruise line to offer a cruise experience with … Read more
According to a report by Fox News Latino, ATMs in Havana will now accept MasterCard cash advances, including those from Stonegate Bank, the first US bank authorized to provide this service in the island nation, and the Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Cuban Central Bank (BCC) vice president Irma Margarita Martinez confirmed that MasterCard is … Read more
According to a report by Reuters, Sheraton has posted a sign at The Quinta Avenida (Avenida 5ta A 76 – 80, Miramar District, Havana, Cuba): “Four Points by Sheraton.” The company’s website is listing rooms starting at $249 a night. Sheraton is the first in Cuba to operate under a US brand since the 1959 … Read more
The Cuban constitution establishes two types of property rights, those guaranteed to Cuban citizens and those guaranteed to the state. According to Cuba’s constitution, all Cuban citizens are granted the right to own their homes as well as, “other possessions and objects which serve to satisfy one’s material and cultural needs.” Likewise, Cubans are allowed … Read more
The Harlem/Havana Music & Cultural Festival will bring Cuban artists to New York in August for a week of performances and other events – followed by a similar cultural exchange in Havana in February. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Representative Charles Rangel, a longtime Cuban Embargo opponent, have been working for years on … Read more
Hall of famer Shaquille O’Neal, a 15 time National Basketball Association (NBA) all-star, will serve as a US Department of State Sports Envoy to Cuba from June 25–28. Building on the momentum of US President Obama’s historic March trip to Cuba, this people-to-people program taps into the unique strength of sports – including basketball – … Read more
Despite being a major travel attraction for Canadians and Europeans in recent decades, Cuba is relatively new for Americans seeking to discover the once forbidden island nation. The US government maintains travel restrictions to Cuba for persons of US jurisdiction (ie. Americans). The outdated policy is a relic of Cold War politics when Cuba’s relations … Read more
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi departed Cuba yesterday after three day visit in which he toured historic sites and expressed an interest in playing on the island. The vocalist and guitarist, accompanied by his wife and several friends, visited Factory Cuban Art (FAC) where he shared time with fans and musicians and spoke with Alfonso X, … Read more
Copa Airlines has launched a new route to the city of Holguin, Cuba. The flight will operate twice weekly between Holguin and Panama City. It will depart Tocumen International Airport in Panama on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at 9:01 a.m., and the return flight will depart Holguin’s Frank International Airport at 1:21 p.m. on the … Read more
