Honduran President trying to return

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After 27 days since the coup d'Etat in Honduras, legitimate President Manuel Zelaya Rosales is in the Nicaraguan border trying to return today to his country.

According to TV live broadcasting by TeleMundo, CNN and Telesur, President Zelaya said that he returns in peace, without weapons, as a democrat to make respect for the people’s decision expressed in the urns. If the democracy is suppressed the human rights don't have any value. An economic and media oligarchy has taken control of Honduras illegally, and we can not accept this, said Zelaya, who asked the people to join and surround him to make the soldiers putting rifles down.

During the TV broadcasting after a press conference, President Zelaya talked by telephone with Presidents Lula and Lagos. The coup has been widely condemned by international community, and the moves by Nobel Prize Oscar Arias of Costa Rica failed, while Mercosur Summit last night was categorical against the coup.

Zelaya reminded to the soldiers and officials that he is the real General Commander, according to the Constitution, so they must obey his instructions and not harm the people or limit the public circulation. State of siege valid for 27 days in Honduras was set today earlier, at 12:00 hours local time.

I don't have fear, said finally Zelaya, who reminded that a government as Micheletti’s which have taken the power using the force is null, so he ask the people not to surrender until Reports from the town of Paradise, near Zelaya’s press conference, informed that the Army have taken the roads and placed obstacles, same as they did in the Toncontin airport to avoid the legitimate President’s return to the country.

Book Fever is Coming

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Fans of reading, thousands in Cuba, get ready for the next International Book Fair which  transforms an old colonial fortress in Havana into a great bookstore and open showroom for ten days.  Later, the Fair will travel  to other 17 cities this time, with similar schedules.  
    

Children, eldery and young people will be able to feel the pasion of walking into the San Carlos de La Cabaña Fortress to attend book presentations and all long day sales, besides poetry, theather and other performances. It is a real cultural party for a people well educated and avid of knowledge.

It's a great challenge for Cuban families, because although book prices are not so high compared to international standars, one can spend almost a month salary buying books printed in the country and also imported. A good Cuban edition of a book may be on sale for 50.00 to 80.00 Cuban pesos, aproximately 2.00-4.00 USD according to exchange rates.

Nevertheless, this fever is very welcome, and many people is satisfied to spend money adquiring what is basic for freedom: knowledge and literacy.

Meeting Cristina

For those interested, on January 22th, 2009, in his "Reflections", a column published in Cuban website www.cubadebate.cu and printed media, Fidel Castro wrote :

MEETING CRISTINA

We talked for 40 minutes. It was an intense and interesting dialogue; just as I expected. She is a person of deep convictions. There was no debate. When she spoke at the Auditorium of the University of Havana, she was quick to answer the students’ questions showing her talent and her capacity. The meeting at the Latin American Medical School [ELAM] was moving. The songs played by the peasant students of Guarani descent, with the typical instruments and tunes of that ethnic group, added a special note. She was presented with a doctor’s white coat, which she immediately put on the orange jacket and slacks she was wearing. She left the ELAM to come meet with me. As we discussed the United States, I indicated the historical significance it has for Cuba that by noon yesterday we could count 10 Presidents who have led that country through 50 years in which the immense power of that country could not destroy the Cuban Revolution. I said that I personally do not doubt the honesty of Obama, --the 11th President since January 1st, 1959— as he expresses his ideas, but that his noble intentions notwithstanding there are still many questions to be answered. By way of an example I wondered: How could a wasteful and consumerist system par excellence preserve the environment? We also discussed many other issues related to international and national politics concerning Cuba and Argentina. Argentina’s capacity to produce food and industrial products with advanced technology are decisive elements for that country’s development. She mentioned the informatics engineering capacity of countries like India to trade in the world market, which she finds particularly interesting, as it is especially strong in software production. Cristina is a devoted President who likes to work on a full time basis. However, when she travels to other countries, she protects her right to have a number of hours to adapt and to exercise; and this everyone respects.

Fidel Castro is Alive and Well

Fidel Castro is Alive, very well, says Argentinean President  
 
For those who were asking, NP and me included, Fidel Castro is alive, and very well. This  Wednesday, Jan. 21, the former Cuban President received to the Argentinean president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who carried out a visit of three days to Cuba.   
 
Few hours before leaving Havana, Cristina gathered with  Fidel. Acoording to press reports she informed that both had a dialogue about many topics. I saw him  "very well."  
 
She added that they talked about relationships between Cuba and Argentina, and shared impressions about Barack  Obama's first speech as US President.  
 
"I am very happy with this visit, it could not finish better",  said the Head of State.  
 
Till the moment, there is no photo or video record about the meeting between Cristina and Fidel, but her comments are very welcome because they vanish the rumors about Fidel's health condition. So, the answer to the question Is Fidel Castro alive or death have now an answer.

Sexy Politicians Contest

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Foreign Affairs have been very active in the last weeks. Several Heads of State have visited Havana, and an amount of 15 Presidents attended a Caribbean Community-Cuba Summit  in Santiago de Cuba, last December. 

The UNESCO General Director, Koichiro Matsuura also paid a visit. All have been received by Cuban President Raúl Castro. None have met Fidel.

On Cuban streets, beyond official agenda and statements, there is a spontaneous survey: who is the sexiest of these distinguished visitors? Women bet for Rafael Correa, a young economist who is ruling Ecuador. Men are fascinated by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, from Argentina. I can assure that so beautiful legs never before crossed in front of the Presidential Ceremony Guard at the Palace of the Revolution.

Welcome to these presidents who gather advanced and progressive thinking and commitment in the route of the Latin American integration. Cuba's isolation is a myth.

The best answer for a good question

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Fidel Castro and Hu Hintao, Nov 2008-Photo-01

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For these days many people inside of and outside Cuba wonder what happens with Fidel Castro. Nowpublic also raises the question and wants to know.   
 
 
It is certain that the Cuban leader has not been seen in IN PUBLIC since the end of July  2006, when he got a severe illness.  Between surgeries and treatments het has deployed an intense intellectual activity. He has received presidents and other personalities : his close  friend and near admirer Hugo Chávez (Venezuela),  the Chinese president Hu Hintao, the number two of the Ortodox Russian Church,  president Dos Santos of Angola and the journalists and writers Miguel Bonasso, Stella Calloni and Gabriel García Márquez, among others.   
 
His Reflections, a column published in the local newspaper Granma and later in the website  www.cubadebate.cu has been demostrations of his sharp analyses and projections on international and  domestic matters.   
 
In a Proclaim to the Cuban People, July 31, 2006, 31 Fidel explained the reasons of his retirement from the main positions in Cuba (Party and Government).   In one of his columns, he also explained that due to the complexities of this country, his health condition would become a secret of State.     
 
In different moments we have seen Fidel in videos and pictures, walking, reading, leaving an elevator, or greeting to personalities. Once he affirmed that he didn't always have time to condition his image to make a public appearance. Also, in interviews and declarations he has reminded us that human life has a limit and that when he disappears fìsicamente the Revolution it won't disappear in Cuba.   
 
Fidel will always be Fidel, but we want to see him again. I think the best answer for that question is : "Fidel is well.". I'm sure that millions of Cubans and many others over the World agree with me, because he is a great buddy.

Nature landscape

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Scape to a nature landscape. Only a few hours worth a lot. Fishing, climbing, reading or just meditation. A good medicine, indeed, and it's free.

Turism everywhere

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Tourism bus at Havana's Cemetery-Photo-01

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Despite hurricanes,  oil prices peaks and the world economic crisis,  tourism in Cuba had good times in 2008, with an increase of 2.0 per cent compared to the previous year.  In the last five years the Island receive more than two million foreign tourists and in 2008 there is an important record: 2  350 000 visitors.

An inmediate reaction in touristic centres, international airports and other facilities, mainly in  Holguín, Camagüey y Pinar del Río, let possible the recovery.  Among the outstanding, more than 40 000 Russians visited Cuba during 2008 as tourist (Canada remains first) and ALL Cuban nationals were allowed to book reservations in hotels.

As a sign of the interest give to international turism as an importan economic source for the country, even at the Colon Cemetery in Havana, funerals are mixed with images like this.

El ministro estimó que el crecimiento proseguirá pese a la actual crisis financiera mundial.