Fidel and Raul Pay Tribute to Cuban Heroes and Martyrs

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) Two flora tributes, on behalf of Revolution leader Fidel Castro and by President Raul Castro, were placed in homage to the combatants of the Frank Pais 2nd Eastern Guerrilla Front on the 56 anniversary of its creation.

According to Granma newspaper, a military ceremony and guard of honor took place at the mausoleum raised in the Second Front Municipality, in eastern Santiago de Cuba, which pays tribute to those killed in action during the guerrilla fight that led to the triumph of the Revolution in 1959.

Special tribute was also paid to Heroine Vilma Espin as a bunch of flowers was led at the monument that treasures her mortal remains in the place.

First Communist Party Secretary in Santiago, Lazaro Exposito; acting government president Beatriz Jhonson, and the Chief of the Military Region, Colonel Ricardo Rigel, headed the homage that also included a political and cultural ceremony in the locality of Mayari Arriba.

The Second Guerrilla Front, created by Raul Castro at the order of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, had six rebel columns that controlled an over-12-thousand-square-kilometer area, where some 250 combat took place, along with political, social and economic actions under the leadership of Raul Castro.

Cuban First Vice President Speaks of Visit to Chile

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) Cuba’s First Vice President Miguel Diaz- Canel spoke of his recent visit to Chile in the framework of the swearing in ceremony of President Michelle Bachelet, assessing there will be closer ties between the two nations.

In an interview with Prensa Latina, Díaz- Canel said the meeting with Bachelet , who just took office for the second time in that country , was " charming and friendly ", and proved there is an interesting potential for collaboration.

Diaz-Canel considered the possibilities for further bilateral approach are supported by different programs that were signed by Bachelet in Cuba in 2009, during her previous term, “and provide all kind of possibilities to boost ties.”

We start from the historical links between the Chilean and Cuban peoples, the friendship between Allende and Fidel, which is always a reference, and the commitment to work together for the integration, as expressed by the president in Havana during the CELAC Summit, he said.

Moreover, he appreciated the recognition received by Cuba to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which highlights the work of the Island in the fight to eradicate malnutrition and hunger in the world.

Also, Diaz-Canel met with Alicia Barcenas, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and her team, he told PL.

He added that during his visit he spoke with representatives of various organizations committed to solidarity with the Caribbean island and the cause of the release of the Five.

On Wednesday, the Cuban delegation paid tribute in the General Cemetery of Santiago to Salvador Allende and Gladys Marín (who was the general secretary of the Communist Party of Chile) , whom he called "two close friends of Cuba , two unforgettable personalities ."

Díaz-Canel also restated the full backing of Cuba to the Government of Venezuela led by Nicolás Maduro, while noting the U.S. masterminding the so-called "soft coup."

I think the leadership of Venezuela has demonstrated ability to dialogue, debate from an honest and principled position, with patience, and also knew how to unravel the origin of the plans, he said.

We support the Bolivarian cause with the legitimacy of its government and we are convinced that the Venezuelan people and their political leadership are able to defeat the plans of destabilization, he concluded.

Michelle Bachelet Holds Talks with Cuban First Vice-president

HAVANA, Cuba, March 12 (acn) Chilean President Michelle Bachelet received Cuban First Vice-president Miguel Diaz-Canel, who headed the island’s delegation to her official swearing-in Ceremony on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Diaz-Canel conveyed greetings from President Raul Castro and expressed Cuba’s willingness to expand relations with Chile, not only in the political and diplomatic field but also in the economic, commercial and cooperation areas.

According to Granma newspaper, the Chilean President acknowledged the role played by Cuba as president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and she also expressed her willingness to strengthen bilateral relations with Cuba.

The meeting was attended by Chile’s foreign minister Haroldo Munoz and by Cuban deputy foreign minister Rogelio Sierra, as well as by Cuban ambassador to Chile Adolfo Curbelo.


Lazo Meets with the President of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) Esteban Lazo. Member of the Politburo of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and President of the National Assembly of the People’s power (Parliament), met on Tuesday with Truong Hoa Binh, President of the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam.

The Asian leader is on a working visit to the island, as part of the bonds of solidarity between the two countries in judicial matters.

During the meeting, the head of the Cuban Parliament praised the deep fraternal relations of friendship and cooperation uniting the Cuban and Vietnamese peoples, which date back to the struggles of that country against the imperial rule.

Likewise, he praised bilateral relations consolidated in different fields of political and economic life, with prospects to spread to other branches.

Lazo offered the visitor and his accompanying delegation a brief update on the perfecting of the Cuban economic model, and praised the performance and achievements of the Vietnamese in that regard.

Meanwhile, Hoa Binh recognized that diplomatic relations between Cuba and Vietnam have strengthened since their establishment in 1960.

He recalled the valuable support of the PCC and the people in general in the defense and consolidation of the sovereignty of the homeland of Ho Chi Minh, and assured that his countrymen have special feelings towards the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.

According to the program of activities, the delegation will pay tribute to Ho Chi Minh in the square that bears the name of the hero, located on 26th Avenue in this city.

In the morning, the delegation visited the headquarters of the Supreme People’s Court, where its members spoke with its President, Ruben Remigio Ferro, and other personalities of the legal field.

Nicolas Maduro Highlights Work of Cuban Medical Personal in Venezuela

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stressed on Monday what he described as the “incalculable assistance that Cuba gives Venezuela in caring for the health of the people in a deeply humanitarian and supportive gesture.”

Maduro announced that the Cuban doctors gave 80 percent of all 647 million medical consultations in the country over the past 11 years, as he presided over the graduation of more than 2 thousand 585 new doctors who received their diplomas at the Miraflores presidential palace.

The head of state also said that the launch of the Barrio Adentro medical mission in 2003, as part of the Cuba-Venezuela bilateral accord, boosted a new health system in the country.

He said that some 18 thousand new Venezuelan doctors have graduated, while another 20 thousand youths are currently studying medicine in an effort to have 60 thousand doctors over the next few years.

Maduro said that Venezuela counts on 590 community health centers, which include integral diagnostic centers, comprehensive rehabilitation rooms, high-tech centers and community doctors’ offices.

Cuba Demands End of Israeli Illegal Actions against Palestine

HAVANA, Cuba, March 10 (acn) Cuba demanded at the Arab League in Cairo the end of illegal practices by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank and ratified its support of the setting up of a Palestinian independent state.

Such actions by Israel violate International Humanitarian Law, the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, which demand the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, said Cuban Charge d’ Affaires in Egypt Alexander Pellicer.

The diplomat spoke at a joint ministerial meeting of the Arab League and the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, at the headquarters of the Arab organization.

The growing building of settlements, the systematic violation of human rights and war crimes constitute big concern for Cuba, said Pillicer who stressed that the island demands the immediate end of all those actions and practices in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, including East Jerusalem. Cuba also demand the end of the Israeli occupation and the unconditional lifting of the cruel blockade against Gaza.

Cuba Calls at the UN to Commitment to Gender Equality

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) Cuba at the United Nations called to the commitment of all States to gender equality and the empowerment of women, in order to overcome centuries of discrimination and open new opportunities for sustainable development.

Only political will can change the current global scenario, marked by inequalities and its particular impact on women and girls, the Cuban experience shows how much progress can be made from the governments’ commitment, said at the forum deputy Surina Acosta cited by the Prensa Latina news agency.

The parliamentarian and member of the National Secretariat of the Federation of Cuban Women represents the island in the 58th Period of Sessions of the Commission on Women Status (CWS), a forum scheduled to run until March 21.

She warned that the CWS has the challenge of continue fighting for gender equality and to place the issue of equity among the priorities of the international community.

The female leader highlighted that nearly half of parliamentary seats in Cuba are occupied by women, who also top 38 percent of ministries and make up 48 percent of the workforce in the civil state sector.

Cuban University to Host World Event on Computing Sciences

HAVANA, Cuba.- (acn) More than 70 foreign scholars have shown interest in participating in the First International Scientific Conference of the University of Informatics Sciences (UCI) , to be held from April 10 through the 14 .

Miriam Nicado, rector of the institution, told reporters that the UCIENCIA event used to be only domestic, but in 2014 will go global, with some of the European speakers generating more expectations, since they will deal with open source software, vital for the technological independence of Cuba.

The invitation is still open, so we hope to continue receiving applications, whereas the UCI is an entity of Level II on the Model International Certificate of Maturity in Software Production, which is a bait to capture the attention worldwide, Nicado pointed out.

The seven workshops the program comprises will include topics of great interest as the social impact of the New Technologies of Information and Communication, applications of Artificial Intelligence and the usefulness of Computer Science in Project Management.

Meanwhile, Beatriz Aragon, director of the Department of International Relations , told ACN that the conference aims to bring together Cuban students with foreign teachers as a way to provide access to postgraduate courses abroad.

We have had the experience of summer and winter schools, to which we attract teachers from different countries who are impressed by the level of Cuban students, and recommended them for internships, provide them with distance tutoring or even ask institutions to cover their expenses, she added.

Aragon said that the UCI is also a productive complex, so this is also an enabling environment for the promotion of its five trademarks, and software for branches of Health, Business – Industry, public Management, Education and Telematics.