Cuba Journal 
Tommy Emmanuel’s has announced a Cuban guitar getaway, a five day/four night performing arts retreat in Havana, Cuba, September 15-19, 2016. The event will feature guitar great Tommy Emmanuel, alongside special guests Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo, and Pancho Amat, Cuba’s leading Tresero. Registration for the event will open on March 10 at 9:00am Eastern at … Read more
According to a Reuters report, President Obama will announce additional measures to ease travel and trade restrictions on Cuba on March 17. The announcement will closely precede his historic visit to the Communist-ruled island later this month. Today’s news is the latest in a steady, slow drum beat of actions taken by Obama to leverage … Read more
It was the largest pop concert in Havana in recent memory, with electronic dance music supergroup Major Lazer and Diplo rocking Havana’s Jose Marti Anti-Imperialist Plaform. The concert, called “Peace is the Mission,” reportedly drew almost half a million people to the free concert in the center of Havana. Major Lazer is a supergroup including … Read more
Remittances play an important role in Cuba’s state-controlled economy, with a significant portion (an estimated $2 billion annually) coming primarily from family members in the United States. In January 2015, the United States announced regulatory changes that, among other things, increase purposeful travel to Cuba; raise remittance levels from $500 to $2000 per quarter for … Read more
Will they bear fruit? Will Cuba’s big biotech plans bear fruit? The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIBG) in Havana is promoting more than 50 research and development projects in the areas of health, agriculture, and the environment, Cuba’s government said this week. The projects span across a variety of disciplines, including human and … Read more
The 18th Habanos Festival was held in and around Havana from February 29 to March 4th. It is the most prestigious international event dedicated to premium hand rolled cigars. Hosting 1,200 attendees from more than 60 countries, this year’s festival was dedicated to the most exclusive brand in Habanos S.A.’s portfolio, Cohiba, in honor of … Read more
Isolina Limonta is a Cuban artist working at the Experimental Graphic Art Studio in Havana, Cuba. For more than 40 years the cooperative has housed the country’s top printmakers, like Isolina, who make do with limited resources. (in Spanish “Taller Experimental de la Gráfica” tel. 07/864-7622, tgrafica@cubarte.cult.cu, Mon.– Fri. 9am–4 pm). The workshop is located … Read more
Southwest Airlines filed an application today with the US government requesting approval to serve Cuba. Scheduled commercial flight service between Cuba and the US has been suspended for decades. Charter flights have connected the two countries in the interim, with carriers from JetBlue to American Airlines operating the flights. Southwest is planning daily nonstop flights … Read more
Alaska Airlines today filed an application with the US Department of Transportation seeking approval to fly two daily nonstop flights from its Latin America gateway of Los Angeles to Havana, Cuba. Scheduled commercial flight service between Cuba and the US has been suspended for decades. Charter flights have connected the two countries in the interim, … Read more
Today, Delta Air Lines filed an application with the US government to provide non-stop service to Cuba from four cities in the US. Scheduled commercial flight service between Cuba and the US has been suspended for decades. Charter flights have connected the two countries in the interim, with carriers from JetBlue to American Airlines operating … Read more
