Weekly Cuba News Roundup: December 3rd, 2021
Cuba, whose economy depends on tourism revenue, had recently eased restrictions to allow more tourists to visit the island. This week they made some quick policy changes courtesy of the Omicron variant. Now travelers from eight African countries will have to submit to three PCR tests, vaccination proof and a seven day quarantine. Travelers from other sub-saharan African nations and Belgium, Israel, Egypt, Hong Kong and Turkey will be required to take two PCR tests.
Here at home, a Biden admin source claims that the administration’s Cuba policy review was put on hold after the historic protests of July, 11th. It sounds like there’s a clear delineation between before and after, July 11th, 2021. So right now, even policies like travel and remittances, which many Cuban-Americans were hoping to have addressed early in the Biden administration, appear to be on hold. Oh, and Greece just became a popular landing spot for hundreds of Cubans seeking refuge. All this y más, in this week’s News Roundup.
By the way, none of the opinions in any of the stories shared on this page represent ours; we’re just sharing them with you. If you are a journalist or you have seen a story that you’d like us to consider for future weekly news roundups, please send us a note and a link to the story here.
Reuters: Cuba to upgrade homegrown COVID-19 vaccine to confront Omicron
Cuban health authorities said that researchers in the communist-run country are upgrading its homegrown COVID vaccines to ensure protection against the new Omicron variant. Read more at reuters.com.
NBC News: After historic protests, Biden ‘hit the pause button’ on Cuba policy, senior official says
Washington’s policy toward Cuba, which has been under review for close to a year, “hit the pause button” after the historic protests that rocked the communist-run island July 11, a senior U.S. official said. Read more at nbcnews.com.
FL Keys News: 18 migrants from Cuba arrive in the Florida Keys on a small wooden boat
The significant rise in migration from Cuba to South Florida over the past 12 months shows no sign of slowing, with the arrival of 18 people from the island in the Keys on Monday morning, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. Read more at flkeysnews.com.
10 Curious Creatures Endemic to Cuba
The status of these wonderful native Cuban animals ranges from vulnerable to critically endangered.
Reuters: Cuba tightens restrictions on eight African countries over Omicron concerns
Cuba will ratchet up restrictions from Dec. 4 on passengers from certain African countries over concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant, the country’s Communist-run government said on Monday. Read more at news.yahoo.com.
Here’s How You Can Support Art Brut Cuba: Cuba’s Outsider Artists
Samuel Riera’s Art Brut Cuba opens channels for Outsider Artists to sell their art when they otherwise couldn’t earn a living from their work.
Al Jazeera: ‘This is a new wave’: Hundreds of Cubans seek refuge in Greece
Greece has become a European port of call for refugees from Africa and Asia. But in recent months, authorities have been surprised to find large numbers of Cubans seeking shelter far from home. Read more at aljazeera.com.
The Latest From Startup Cuba
El Equipo
Hola todo el mundo. Sometimes our stories are sourced from multiple people on our team. Or, we like to keep you guessing... You know... anonymous. And, for that, soy el escritora; "El Equipo." We exist to amplify the voices of writers, photographers, and content creators in the space between the United States and Cuba, and we also feature stories from Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the Latinx community in the US. Topics of interest are personality-driven and include pop culture and music, featured current events, climate and the environment, and travel and tastemakers. Oh, and of course we're always 100% independent. No governments, businesses or other influencing factors play a role in our work.
Juan Gonzalez and Senator Menendez are the most destructive voices in US policy on Cuba. They put US policy on hold from January 20th, Inauguration day, and by denying Cubans family remittances and hope of restoration of travel contributed to the violent confrontation that emerged on July 11th.