Foreign Relations

ACN, a state affiliated press outlets reported that a delegation of Cuban journalists travleed to the United States in the past week to report on the negotiation proceedings between Cuba and the United States to restore diplomatic relations. Journalists from other state affiliated media sources including Granma, Juventude Rebelde, and Cubadebate were represented in the delegation.

Radio Rebelde announced that the opentable conversations were occuring in a respectful environment. The Department of State has made it clear that there is a particular concern about the question of human right violations in Cuba. Cubadebate provided live updates during the sessions and a detailed transcript. A major topic of contention was whether or not Cuba would be removed from the United States’ terror watch list for sponsoring international terrorism. U.S Secretary of State John Kerry has been outspoken about his apprehensiveness to remove Cuba from the list, especially in regards to restoring and reopening embassies and the appointment process.

Fidel Castro’s son Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart was photographed with reality television heiress Paris Hilton in Havana. The story was published in Cubanet which included a “selfie” with the heiress at the XVII Festival de Habano. Festival de Habano, is the festival held in celebration of Cuban cigars and the cigar making process. It is a tourist attraction that recives a significant amount of international attention.

Education 

María Victoria Villaviencio, the Director of International Relations at the Ministry of Higher Education signed 10 additional agreements with the Mexican group ANUIES (The National Association of Universities and Higher Education Instiutions) that will allow for the continutation of collaboration between Cuban and Mexican universities. This is in hopes to increase academic services and career oppoturnities for Cuban and Mexicans.  ACN reports that implementation of this strengethened collaboration will be completed through the installment of computerized systems. Jamie Valls, the ANUIES representative expressed significant interest in the potential for international organizations and buisnesses to become involved in projects and intiatives that stem as a result of this cooperation.

The article on ACN referenced that the cause for this agreement was rooted in the decline of degree candidates in Mexico during the past academic year.Upon further investigation, I found that the ANUIES represents 152 public and private higher education institutions in Mexico.This was not reflected in the ANUIES reflection on the coverage of the educational summit. It does seem apparent that both countries have been able to develop more elaborate programs and increase the size of their academic populations as a result of this partnership.

 

 

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/cuba/2552-cuban-journalists-travel-to-us-to-cover-talks 

http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2015/02/27/abre-ronda-de-conversaciones-cuba-eeuu-en-el-departamento-de-estado/#.VPTDB1PF9J0

http://www.radiorebelde.cu/noticia/dialogo-cuba-estados-unidos-transcurre-clima-respetuoso-20150227

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/science/2546-cuba-and-mexico-sign-university-cooperation-agreements

http://www.anuies.mx/content.php?varSectionID=163&varIDNoticia=226