Tag:
Cuba
Accidents & Disasters
Hurricane Melissa brings devastation to Jamaica and other Caribbean nations
Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28th, before moving north over eastern Cuba and parts of Haiti, leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. The powerful storm brought catastrophic flooding, landslides, and sustained winds of up to 185 miles per hour, tearing roofs from buildings, uprooting trees, and devastating infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism in its path.
Government
CARICOM Foreign Ministers discuss U.S. position on Cuban medical brigade
A meeting was held virtually on February 28th among the foreign ministers of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to discuss the United States' intentions to revoke visas for foreign government officials whose countries employ Cuban doctors and nurses. This decision stems from reports indicating that the U.S. views these medical brigades as forced labor programs.
Sports
San Pedro footballer, Alysha Reymundo joins Belize U-16 Female National Team at the UNCAF Tournament
Alysha Reymundo, a San Pedrana footballer, will represent her island and country as an Under-16 national football team member. The team is currently in Managua, Nicaragua, competing in the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) championship under the auspices of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for U-16 girls. They will face off against Nicaragua, El Salvador, Cuba, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama teams.
Conservation
Omar Arceo invited to present on fly fishing and sustainable fishing in Cuba
San Pedro’s Omar Arceo, popularly known as the “Dr. of the Flats,” was invited to Cuba as an international expert to share his decades of experience and expertise in fly fishing and sustainable fishing practices. The interactive event, part of a week-long workshop that started on Monday, May 20th, will also promote rural, marine, and aquaculture opportunities and other alternative fishing practices connected to native ecosystems.
Government
Belize Hosts Regional Meeting on Caribbean Wetlands Conservation
The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, in partnership with the Secretariat of Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, hosted a Caribbean regional meeting under the auspices of the project “Wise use of Caribbean Wetlands for Climate Change Mitigation and Conservation of their Ecosystems,” from February 11-22, 2023.
Government
President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez visits Belize
For the first time, a Cuban leader visited Belize on Sunday, February 12th. The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez were officially visiting the Jewel, where he was invited to an extraordinary joint session of the National Assembly. The historic visit was a sign of the strong ties between both countries. The visit was also the opportunity to sign two agreements between Belize and Cuba, and the United States (U.S.) urged to lift sanctions on the island nation.
Government
Government assures that former Guantanamo Bay detainee Majid Khan poses no threat to Belize
It has been a week since the arrival of Majid Khan, a former al-Qaeda courier, to Belize. The 42-year-old Pakistani was held in the high-security United States (U.S.) facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for over 15 years on terrorism-related charges. After completing his prison time, he was relocated to Belize following negotiations between the governments of the U.S. and Belize. Upon his arrival, Foreign Minister Honourable Eamon Courtenay assured the Belizean people that Khan's presence in the country posed no threat to national security.
Weather
Hurricane Ian gaining strength in the Caribbean; Belize spared
A weather disturbance with disorganized showers moving west across the Caribbean Sea had Belizeans on alert when it was forecast to become a major storm, with the possibility of heading towards Belize. The storm has developed into Hurricane Ian. According to the most recent models, its path will take it away from Belize, heading north towards western Cuba and the state of Florida in the United States.