Havana

Dissident dies, tanks roll

January 20, 2012

Orlando Luis Pardo tweeted there was movement of tanks via rail from Via Blanca (Paso Superior) on the outskirts of Havana. Is this movement in response to yesterday’s death of dissident Wilman Villar Mendoza after his hunger strike? The same occurred when dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo death was announced in 2010.

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Key political risks to watch

January 4, 2012

Reuters‘ near term alert to key politcal risks to monitor in Cuba: Resolution of outstanding short-term debt. Signs of increased interest in foreign investment. U.S. inspection of drilling rig. Results of Repsol’s exploratory well. U.S. pressure to stop the drilling. Furthermore, on international relations: A planned Papal visit in March and improved ties with Brazil are bright [...]

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Female colonel is GAESA VP

January 3, 2012

Juventud Rebelde revealed in this article published last week that a female colonel, Ania Lastre Morera, is first vice-president of the Cuban military’s powerful business holding company, GAESA — Grupo de Administracion Empresarial S.A. (Enterprise Management Group Inc.). (Image: Military rank of Colonel, FAR.)

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Investing in Cuba is highly risky

January 1, 2012

Dun & Bradstreet’s Country Risk Services forecasts plans to modernise the economy [in Cuba] will help to limit firms’ losses and improve performance, however, assesses the country as a high risk associated with the “overall political, economic and commercial performance” for 2012.

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Cuba’s ranking in EIU’s Democracy Index

December 16, 2011

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) just released its report Democracy Index 2011: Democracy Under Stress. Per the report: “The index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and two territories—this covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s independent states (micro states are [...]

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Ammo deal is response to US missile shield

December 1, 2011

Russia Today, the state-run television news network, claims that Russia’s plan to sell ammunition-making technology to Havana is a response to the U.S. missile-defence plans in Europe. Moreover, Pravda chimes in on the Cuban armed forces’ modernization starting point: From 1961 to 1991, the volume of arms shipments from the USSR to Cuba made up [...]

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