martes, 11 de enero de 2011

Cuba and Djibouti Strengthen Bilateral Ties

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 11 - The Cuban ambassador in Djibouti, Clara Pulido, was received on Monday by Idriss Aranoud, president of the National Assembly of this African country, with whom she spoke of the state ofbilateral relations. According to the website of the Cuban Foreign Ministry (www.cubaminrex.cu), Aranoud showed interest in strengthening ties between Cuba and Djibouti, where there are currently many professionals from the Caribbean island making their contribution, mainly in the public health sector but also in the sports and water resources fields.

The parliamentarian thanked the Cuban people and the professionals working in his country for their contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and for their work in favor of the people of Djibouti.

They also spoke of topics of international interest and they agreed on the importance of creating parliamentary groups of friendship between the nationals assemblies of both nations.(acn)

Cuban Children Theater Company Acclaimed in Yucatan

HAVANA, Cuba - The Cuban children theater company La Colmenita was warmly welcomed on two recent performances in Yucatan, Mexico, where they staged “La cucarachita Martina.”

“Director Carlos Alberto Cremata’s industrious bees showed with flying colors why they were named UNICEF’s cultural good-will ambassadors,” says a Prensa Latina report.

On Sunday, the children boasted their virtuosity before families from the community of San Jose Tecoh, southeast Merida. The show ended with the young artists dancing along to the beat of Cuban music with children and adults on the audience.

One day earlier, the company performed at Las Americas Park in Merida on the occasion of the 469th anniversary of the city. This was the first performance of the company in Mexico, said Granma newspaper.

Culture director of Merida’s City Hall Roger Metri Duarte told the media it was a high honor for the city to receive La Colmenita in the city and described the Cuban company as a very important Cuban cultural project.

Local and regional authorities in Yucatan gave Cremata several recognitions. On behalf of the company, Cremata said to be honored for having been invited to participate in the Festival de la Ciudad 2011 which gave them the opportunity to perform for the first time in Mexico.(acn)

Villa Clara’s International Airport Increases Operations

SANTA CLARA, Cuba - The Abel Santamaria International Airport has increased its operations, with the arrival this month, and for the first time, of a flight of the Principal de Chile airline coming from Córdoba, Argentina.

Jesús Diaz-Canel, director of the National Office for Tourist Information (INFOTUR) in Villa Clara, told ACN that the airport is also receiving flights from Buenos Aires, which are the beginning of the direct arrival of Argentinean tourists to the province’s northeastern cays. He added that airplanes from eight airliners established in Europe, North and South America land in the air terminal, with more than 40 flights a week during the current tourist winter season, which represents an excess of almost ten as compared to the same period of 2010.

He highlighted that statistics reflect a three percent increase in the arrival of travelers to the province’s territory in 2010, having the cays of Santa Maria, Ensenachos and Las Brujas -with beautiful beaches and recreational attractions in spots of great biodiversity- as tourist destinations.

Mario Ricardo Mir, director of the “Abel Santamaria”, explained that the staff of this center was trained for the increase of 160 flights during the present high tourist season.

He underlined that Canada is the main country sending passengers to this airport, Cuba’s fifth in terms of the movement of airplanes and travelers, closely linked to the development of the tourist area of the northeast cays of Villa Clara province.(acn)

Posada Carriles: 11 charges, none for terrorism

HAVANA, Cuba - Criminal Luis Posada Carriles should answer to 11 charges, none of them for terrorism, in the trial that began today in El Paso, Texas, as pointed out in the Round Table aired by Cuban radio and television on Monday.

Two accusations are for perjury, one for obstruction of justice, another one for fraud in naturalization procedures, and seven for false statements in relation to migratory proceedings, clarified presenter Randy Alonso.

The selection of the jury was the objective of the trial this Monday against Posada Carriles, who entered US territory illegally in April, 2005, after being pardoned by Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, five days before leaving office.

For analyst Reinaldo Taladrid, the real intention of the US district attorney’s office, on behalf of that country’s government, continues to be the protection of Posada Carriles, with the purpose of hiding his bonds and tasks fulfilled for the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA), which he served for many years.

The analyst recalled that the judges that have participated in the case in the US have insisted in that the US government has not presented evidence of terrorism against Posada Carriles and have described it as “a hot potato,” although, in this regard, Cuba has given the district attorneys substantial certified proof from the beginning..

Journalist Jean-Guy Allard recalled that Posada Carriles was serving a sentence in Panama – along with other terrorists- for conceiving a plan for an assassination attempt on Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro, during the Iberian-American Summit of the year 2000, and cited illicit methods used by the criminal to enter the US later.

Over the telephone, Jose Pertierra, Venezuela’s lawyer in the extradition request against Posada Carriles –pending an answer by the US government-, explained that the trial will begin on Tuesday, January 12, and that it last a few weeks, with the presentation of evidence by the district attorney’s office.

Pertierra explained that Judge Katerine Cardone has not decided yet whether she will accept for the first time evidence presented by Cuba on the terrorist nature of the actions of Posada Carriles, and said that, if she does, the District Attorney’s Office would have to decide if it will present specific charges in this regard.

It has emerged that 22 representatives of the Miami-based anti-Cuban mafia are in El Paso, in an attempt to defend Posada Carriles, a local newspaper reported.

The publication also cited the large number of US demonstrators that –in front of the law court- demand real justice against the criminal , carrying images of the 73 people killed in the sabotage of the Cuban airliner on October 6, 1976, one of the confessed masterminds of which was Posada Carriles.(acn)