As we’ve reported, since taking his post as U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Havana, Mike Hammer has fashioned himself a social media influencer, posting selfie-style videos of himself touring the island and meeting with Cubans.
Hammer’s most recent offering mocks the high number of Russians staying at the Varadero beach resort. But he doesn’t mention how Russian tourism to Cuba has become increasingly noticeable in large part because his government’s policies have stifled tourism from the U.S. and Europe. Belly of the Beast journalist Yohan Rodríguez breaks it down:
Havana, July 15 (Prensa Latina) The 15th International Meeting of Tales for an Old City opened today amid bees from the children’s company Los Meñiquitos, verses by José Martí, and an amalgamation of colors and stories.
The Rubén Martínez Villena Public Library, located in Old Havana’s Plaza de Armas, hosted the opening of this event, which will take place from July 15 to 21 in plazas and parks throughout the capital, with Mexico as the country to which the event will be dedicated.
In the Zapotec dialect of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, a region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a traditional tale from that territory was narrated, while the little ones from Los Meñiquitos performed La Guantanamera.
The children’s group concluded their performance with a song dedicated to Cuba, and as they themselves expressed, they are on each of their stages “out of passion, love, and feeling, because having talent means having a good heart.”
The invited Cuban artists will come from the provinces of Holguín, Matanzas, Pinar del Río, Camagüey, and Havana.
As every year, the International Award “The Art of Storytelling” will be presented to outstanding storytellers who create magic with their oral traditions.
For six days, Havana’s Historic Center will be the chosen meeting point for this event dedicated to the art of storytelling, sponsored by the Havana Theater Center, the National Council for the Performing Arts, the Office of the City Historian, and the Teatro de la Palabra Company.
After the start, participants and organizers headed to a Café de Conviviality at the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center.
July 14 (Cuba Si) In yet another display of his obsession with subverting Cuba’s constitutional order, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed, as he claimed with honor, his mercenaries on the island to reaffirm his “support” for the Cuba they seek to impose on the nation.
This figure shared on X the same hashtags that served as a rallying cry for those who incited violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to call for chaos while Cuba fought to save lives, a time when even oxygen was denied to the island by those who now pretend to care deeply about the Cuban people and their future.
Such behavior was condemned on X by Cuban Foreign Minister and Politburo member Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, who stated that the Secretary of State “urges his paid agents” in Cuba “to subvert the constitutional order and carry out the orders of those who inflict suffering on the Cuban people. While he uses federal funds to enrich his corrupt operatives, millions of U.S. citizens are denied access to healthcare,” he argued.
Former Senator Rubio has a long history of attacks and aggression against the land where his parents were born. He is largely responsible for Donald Trump’s decision, on his first day in the White House, to reverse the limited steps taken by his predecessor, Joe Biden, and reinstate Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Days later, driven by his delusional desire to destroy the Cuban Revolution and reinstate a hardline policy toward the island, Rubio reactivated the so-called Restricted List on January 31, prohibiting transactions with companies linked to the Revolutionary Armed Forces’ business group.
To make matters worse, he also included the remittance processing company Orbit S.A. on that list, cutting off a vital channel through which Cuban emigrants sent money to their families on the island.
In response to these arbitrary measures, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez wrote on X that he was not surprised by “the criminal measures announced to threaten Cuba, a country that has not a single active measure against the U.S.” He questioned, “How can anyone claim to care about the well-being of Cubans while imposing new suffocating measures?”
It is worth recalling that in 2017 and beyond, the current Secretary of State was the main instigator in Congress regarding the alleged health incidents reported by U.S. diplomats in Havana. Rubio championed the narrative of what Washington and the U.S. press called “sonic attacks,” despite persistent skepticism among lawmakers from both parties regarding the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and State Department’s claims.
As further proof of the hostile U.S. policy toward Cuba, Rubio has recently sought to discredit Cuba’s international medical missions, as seen during his Caribbean tour, where he pushed to restrict visas for officials associated with these missions, baselessly accusing them of “human trafficking.”
Cuban Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío explained that the recently announced U.S. memorandum against Cuba bears the influence of Rubio and anti-Cuban factions.
Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translated Staff
Rio de Janeiro, July 15 (Prensa Latina) Cuba and China agreed today to strengthen cooperation in the communications field, as part of the preamble to the BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum, which will meet in this Brazilian city.
In a bilateral meeting held the day before the event, Fu Hua, president of the Chinese news agency Xinhua, emphasized that the close ties between the two countries make it easier for both to contribute to the joint effort to give a voice to the Global South.
He stated that among the main objectives of the new initiative are to strengthen cooperation in news production, promote professional exchange, and enhance technology training.
“The story continues. I am convinced that the traditional friendship between Cuba and China will continue to strengthen, as will the relationship between our media outlets,” Hua said.
For her part, Maridé Fernández, deputy head of the Ideological Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, thanked China for choosing Cuba for this project, following its accession to the BRICS as an associate member last January.
He pointed out that breaking the information blackout and neutralizing the media manipulation wielded today against various countries in the Global South is an urgent challenge.
He also emphasized that, as this year marks the 65th anniversary of bilateral ties between Beijing and Havana, Cuba is committed to establishing a community with a shared future with the Asian giant, in addition to maintaining its firm and unwavering support for the “one China” principle.
During the meeting, both delegations signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in the information sector and strengthen mutual support through the dissemination of content on social media and participation in forums and activities organized in their respective countries.
As a first step, they will speak this Wednesday at the BRICS Media and Think Tank Forum, which brings together directors, experts, and representatives of the main media organizations from the BRICS countries, as well as from other states that have expressed interest in expanding cooperation with the bloc.
Havana, July 15 (Prensa Latina) Cuba reiterated its commitment to health today at the United Nations and denounced the effects of the blockade and the smear campaigns against Cuban medical cooperation.
The island’s Alternate Representative to the UN, Yuri Gala, noted on the social network X that “health cannot be a commodity or an instrument of political blackmail.”
The coercive measures constitute a violation of international law and the principles that underpin multilateralism. The island has repeatedly reiterated its firm rejection of their application and urges the international community to continue demanding their immediate lifting.
Washington, July 14 (Prensa Latina) For the second consecutive year, Cuba showcased the culinary talent emanating from the largest island in the Caribbean during a culinary event attended by representatives from more than 40 embassies accredited in the U.S. capital.
In this edition of the Embassy Chef Challenge, the colors of the Caribbean nation were defended by the Soul de Cuba restaurant, which stood out with its most recognized and historically and culturally significant dish: the Cuban sandwich.
While some 800 people enjoyed the Cuban stand, adorned with typical Cuban decorations, one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of contemporary Cuban art in the United States was inaugurated on the other side of the country.
The exhibition, titled “Cuban Download,” will be open to the public at the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art in Napa, California, until September 28.
There are names like Nelson Domínguez, Roberto Fabelo, Ever Fonseca, Alberto Lescay, Alexis Leyva Machado (Kcho), Rigoberto Mena, Manuel Mendive, José Villa Soberón, among others, whose works appear in this collection, which also includes photos by Rick Swig, one of the promoters of the initiative.
Iran strongly condemns these inhumane measures, which contravene the fundamental principles of international law, said a spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: File / Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Iran is optimistic about the Cuban people’s determination to resist the US imperialist measures.
July 13 (teleSUR) This Sunday, July 13, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a strong condemnation of the United States economic and commercial blockade against Cuba , which it describes as “criminal” and in violation of international law.
“Once again, America’s addiction to coercion and intimidation has targeted a sovereign nation determined to exercise its right to self-determination and preserve its independence and dignity ,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei shared in a post on X, in a message that reinforces the Islamic Revolution’s historic stance against US sanctions on sovereign nations, something the Persian people are suffering from firsthand.
The diplomat criticized the United States for issuing a new set of sanctions against the Cuban people in the midst of a crisis caused precisely by the systematic application of economic persecution measures such as those recently announced.
The Iranian message is categorical: ” Iran strongly condemns these inhumane measures that contravene the fundamental principles of international law and negatively affect the fundamental human rights of the Cuban people.”
In turn, the Persian nation is optimistic about the values of Cubans , such as their resistance and determination in the face of the northern empire: “Such unilateral and unjust coercive measures would never affect the determination of the Cuban people, nor of their leaders, to resist the authoritarian whims of the United States.”
After decades of illegal sanctions imposed by successive U.S. administrations on Iran, his government stands in solidarity with the Cuban people and leadership , “and wishes them continued strength and resilience,” the foreign minister said in his forceful statement.
On Friday, July 11, the U.S. State Department announced visa restrictions against Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez , as well as against the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, and the Minister of the Interior, Major General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas; measures that extend to the officials’ immediate family members.
To justify its unilateral measures, the US government resorted to alleged human rights violations by the Cuban state, which are part of a smear campaign they are fueling alongside right-wing media outlets around the world.
In addition, the Trump administration announced an update to the Cuban Restricted Properties and Prohibited Accommodations in Cuba lists , which include 11 more government-linked properties , including the new “Torre K” hotel, a measure aimed at preventing the collection of hard currency that the Cuban people need.
Panama City, July 13 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban ambassador to Panama, Víctor Cairo, denounced terrorist actions against his country sponsored and organized from the United States, according to local press reports here today.
In an interview with the Bayano Digital newspaper, Cairo also condemned the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by Washington on the island for more than 66 years.
Regarding the publication of the June 30 U.S. presidential memorandum, which reiterates hostile actions dictated by President Donald Trump, the diplomat explained that bilateral relations between Cuba and the United States are characterized by the recently reported aggressiveness.
He specified that the situation is marked by a strong stance by “anti-Cuban” political figures in the White House, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, an instigator bent on destroying the Cuban Revolution.
Cairo also noted that the economic, political, and diplomatic pressures exerted by the United States have been accompanied by terrorist and subversive plots within the Caribbean country, primarily targeting electrical power facilities, fuel depots, and attacks targeting hospitals and schools.
He added that these actions involve the transmission of messages of hate and violence on social media in an attempt to undermine the Cuban constitutional order.
Since mercenaries are ineffective in their internal work and fail to fulfill their vile purposes due to the strength of the people, he asserted, they then decide to hire people to commit acts of sabotage and terrorism to generate panic, fear, and instability.
He added that the list of individuals and organizations being prosecuted or wanted for involvement in terrorist acts against Cuba has been updated, thereby fulfilling the commitment to the norms of international law, the Cuban internal legal system, and the conventions to which we are party.
That list includes a group of people residing abroad, the vast majority in the United States. This list has been submitted to the United Nations, as well as to the Panamanian authorities, so that they may be aware of, contribute to, and cooperate with Cuba in the commitment and obligation assumed as States, he clarified.
On this topic, in his statements to the newscast, the ambassador recalled that the Cuban State is a party to the 19 international agreements related to terrorism and strictly complies with the United Nations Security Council resolutions related to combating this scourge.
UN Resolution 1373 requires all States to take measures to prevent and suppress terrorism, including criminalizing terrorist financing and promoting international cooperation in this area.
In this regard, he stated that “Cuba does not have a double standard on the issue of terrorism. Our position is clear: we oppose terrorism in all its forms and we cannot accept the United States’ inclusion of us on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, which is immoral and ethically false,” he emphasized.
The head of the Cuban diplomatic mission also appealed for international solidarity and the support of Cubans around the world to reject the inhumane blockade, which is the main obstacle to the development of his country, which resists unjust harassment and the violation of the principles of free trade among nations.
Havana, July 13 (Prensa Latina) A bureaucratic decision, alien to the spirit of sport, prevented a Cuban children’s team from traveling to Puerto Rico today, after Washington denied visas to the players’ coaches.
The La Palma team from Pinar del Río, the national champion in the 9-10 age group of the Little League girls’ softball team, was scheduled to participate in the Caribbean regional tournament leading up to the World Series starting July 14.
However, although the 14 girls received visas, the seven adults who were supposed to accompany them were excluded without valid justification by the US Embassy in Havana.
This refusal turns a sporting event into a collateral victim of the long-standing dispute between Cuba and the United States, a political rift that ignores age or purpose. Not even the educational and symbolic nature of the event was enough to stop a measure that, far from protecting anyone, exposes minors to defenselessness and deprives an entire community of a collective aspiration.
The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation denounced the incident as part of a sustained pattern of obstruction, which this year has prevented other Cuban teams from participating or fully participating in international events, including some held on U.S. soil.
This episode is not only an affront to sport, but also to international commitments that imply respect, inclusion, and minimum guarantees for those who only aspire to compete on equal terms. There are no values at stake beyond the desire of a few to make sport a hostage to their policies.
Cuba has reiterated its concern about the future implications of such actions, which could even jeopardize the Caribbean country’s presence at events such as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games or the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
San José, July 12 (Prensa Latina) “We confirm to Donald Trump that Cuba is not alone,” friends in Costa Rica who support the island told the U.S. president today, reacting to a memorandum from Washington that toughens sanctions against Havana.
“This is another escalation of arbitrary restrictions and economic, commercial, and political measures that are a clear attack on the sovereignty and dignity of the Caribbean nation,” added the solidarity movement Amor por Cuba-Costa Rica, in a statement obtained by Prensa Latina.
The organization criticized the aggressive nature of the White House’s decisions, “with its violent and arrogant tone of prohibiting American citizens and the Cuban people from maintaining daily relations according to the universal custom of civilized coexistence among nations.”
“Given its narrative and intent,” the text states, “the dictates of Trump’s memorandum constitute an act of outrage against the integrity of Cuba as an independent and legitimate state, adding to the countless outrages perpetrated by the impious despotism of the United States administrations.”
The Costa Rican solidarity movement recalled that, in the more than sixty years “since the triumph of freedom won by the Cuban people, the United States has violated multilateral conventions, international law, and the Charter of the United Nations in all its scope.”
The counterrevolutionary decrees issued by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he asserts, express “the interests of voracious imperialist corporations, the recolonization strategy of the neocolonial deep power oligarchies, in their futile obsession with subjugating the Cuban people and occupying their territory with impunity.”
“These acts,” Amor por Cuba-Costa Rica asserts, “also reflect the hatred, revenge, and criminal hostility of the “Cuban-American” lobby, as well as of the Washington tyranny, whether in “democratic” or “republican” form and colors, in their vain attempt to crush the Revolutionary Government.”
This new wave of illegitimate and insane prohibitions by Washington demonstrates the disproportionate continuation of the failed and fruitless genocidal blockade against Cuba, through a policy of interventionism, desperate pressure, and anachronistic threats of amendments and unilateral and extraterritorial laws, the statement emphasizes.
“We condemn outright,” Amor por Cuba-Costa Rica emphasized, “the hostile and hateful strategy perpetuated by the United States with the repugnant, ignominious, and unacceptable purpose of plunging the gallant Cuban people into the hell of suffering, helplessness, and absolute precariousness.”
