Building Collapse in Havana Kills Three; Cuba reelected to the UN Human Rights Council | October 11, 2023
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This week, we reported on a tragedy that struck La Habana Vieja as a three-story building, housing 13 families, collapsed. This incident resulted in the loss of three lives and injuries to at least two individuals. Notably, two firefighters were among the casualties. Yesterday, Cuba was reelected to the UN Human Rights Council, which sparked celebration and debate. As we reported last week, officials from Mexico’s government announced it may no longer be able to continue donating oil to the island. However, just this Monday, PEMEX CEO, Octavio Romero, denied allegations of previous oil donations to Cuba in the face of potential sanctions against Mexico’s government. On Friday, notable political figures joined President Díaz-Canel in commemorating the 47th anniversary of the bombing of Cubana Airlines Flight 455. In a call against terrorism, President Díaz-Canel restated his opposition against Cuba’s inclusion in the U.S. States Sponsors of Terrorism list (SSOT).
See you next week!
Building Collapse in Havana Kills Three
Last Wednesday, three individuals lost their lives, and at least two were injured following a building collapse in La Habana Vieja. The three-story building which housed 13 families, began collapsing Tuesday night and continued on Wednesday morning. Authorities have confirmed the death of two firefighters and of one of the 54 residents in the building. Officials from Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior, the provincial Communist Party and Government, and the public health system were present at the scene. Efforts were directed toward helping residents evacuate the building and clearing off surrounding rubble to facilitate access and help those who remained trapped.
President Miguel-Díaz-Canel shared his condolences on his X account, formerly known as Twitter. He lamented the death of young firefighters, Yoandra and Luis Alejandro, stating “their heroism, proved on several occasions, deserves [Cuba’s] most heartfelt homage.” On Thursday, rescue efforts culminated upon finding the body of elderly resident Ramón Páez, placing the incident’s death toll at three.
Cuba’s housing crisis has been a long-time concern. According to AP News, in 2020, 40 percent of Cuba’s homes were in poor conditions. Last month, Cuba’s Construction Minister Rene Mesa Villafaña, stated that around 850,000 houses in Cuba require “maintenance and repairs.” Mr. Mesa also shared that officials are working toward ensuring Cuba has adequate housing. Cuba’s Director of Housing Vivian Rodríguez, reinforced the need for adequate housing, stating that Cuba faces “a housing deficit of 800,000 homes.”
Cuba’s government cites the U.S. embargo as a significant obstacle to accessing building materials and delaying restoration, while some observers suggest that the island could do more to address this issue. According to sources published by the National Statistics Office of Cuba (ONEI), in January to September of 2022, Cuba invested 1,218.1 million Cuban Pesos (CUP) in hotels and restaurants, compared to 702.3 million CUP in the construction industry. The recent building collapse joins Havana’s string of catastrophic incidents, among them last year’s Hotel Saratoga explosion which claimed the lives of 43 individuals. For previous reporting on the Hotel Saratoga explosion read here.
U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
U.S. exports to Cuba increase by $10 million: In August alone, U.S. exports to Cuba reached nearly $40 million (Univision). According to data released by the U.S.-Cuba Economic and Trade Council, exports increased by over $10 million in August of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. The most exported food items include frozen chicken, rice, coffee, salt, sugar, among others. Cuba has been historically known for its production of sugar. However, over the past decade, sugar production has seen a decline. For sugar, the production dropped dramatically, yielding only 480,000 tonnes in 2022 compared to 7 million tonnes in the 1980’s.
IN CUBA
Agricultural production in Cuba significantly decreasing: The province of Artemisa, close to Havana, has seen a decline in agricultural production in recent years–a trend mirrored across the island–leading to concerns about food security (AFP ). Cuba’s government, which distributes a portion of food at subsidized prices through rationing mechanisms, now fully imports the basic “family food basket”. Artemisa’s farmers grapple with shortages of fertilizers, seeds, and other essential resources, hampering effective cultivation. Notably, the production of key crops like malanga has dipped, and, from 2019 to 2023, the country’s overall agricultural production has reduced by 35 percent.
Click here to read CDA’s interview with Jorge Piñon, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin Energy Institute, about the current state of Cuba’s energy crisis.
CUBAN MIGRATION
Click here for data on Cuban migration to the United States, including total Cuban migration to the U.S. and the number of Cubans interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard.
CUBA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Cuba reelected to the UN Human Rights Council: Yesterday, 146 UN nations voted to reelect Cuba to the UN Human Rights Council for the sixth time (The Miami Herald). Cuba received 146 votes, with a needed majority of 97, while Russia received only 87 votes. Reelection guarantees the island a three-year term in the council. Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, celebrated the reelection as a “recognition from the international community of the humanitarian work of the Revolution.” President Díaz-Canel stated on X, formerly Twitter, that this was a “place gained by practicing solidarity, cooperation, and respect to dignity and to the right of every nation in the world to live in peace.”
Prior to the vote, a joint report from three non-governmental organizations focused on human rights, namely U.N. Watch, Human Rights Foundation, and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, highlighted concerns that certain governments, including Cuba, have used their positions on the Human Rights Council to protect those accused of human rights abuses and have not actively advocated for victims. Cuba has recently received criticism for its imprisonment of J11 protesters and its lack of stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The report labeled Cuba, along with Russia, China, Burundi, and Kuwait, as “unqualified” for membership in the council. Both Burundi and Kuwait were also reelected yesterday.
The 47th anniversary of the bombing of Cubana Airlines Flight 455: Last Friday, diplomats representing Barbados, North Korea, Guyana, and Trinidad-Tobago gathered in Havana’s Revolutionary Armed Forces cemetery to pay tribute to the victims of the 1976 Cubana Airlines Flight 455 bombing in Barbados (Prensa Latina). President Miguel-Díaz-Canel commemorated the 47th anniversary of the bombing of Cubana Airlines Flight 455, emphasizing the “cynicism” of the U.S. including Cuba in the U.S. States Sponsors of Terrorism list (SSOT) while not holding accountable the terrorists responsible for the attack. Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro issued a solidarity statement with Cuba on the social media platform, X, formerly Twitter. October 6 was designated as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Cuba Day Against Terrorism–during the 2022 CARICOM-Cuba Summit in Barbados–in remembrance of the 73 victims of who were killed in the airline bombing . The victims of the flight included 57 Cubans, among them were members of Cuba’s national fencing team (CARICOM).
PEMEX denies oil donations to Cuba: The CEO of Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), Octavio Romero, stated during a hearing with the Mexican Chamber of Deputies that the country has not donated any energy to Cuba, despite a noticeable increase in oil exports to the island this year (Reuters). This statement follows remarks from Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Barcena, last month suggesting that Mexico’s “financial situation” did not easily permit such donations to the island (Bloomberg). The head of PEMEX denied making fuel donations to any foreign country, but did not specify the financial terms of the 2.8 million barrels of oil that have been previously exported to Cuba from Mexico (Vanguardia).
Cuba’s Foreign Relations Recommended Readings and Viewings:
Cuba collaborates with FOA to prevent and reduce food waste: Cuba is receiving assistance from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA) to work on reducing food waste amidst the island’s ongoing food shortage crisis (Prensa Latina). A draft of the framework’s guidelines was presented during the fourth meeting of the National Committee for the Prevention and Reduction of Food Loss Waste (FAO).
EVENTS
New Directions in Cuban Studies, October 18-22 | Miami, FL
On October 18, the Cuban Heritage Collection of the System of Libraries in the University of Miami will host its fifth edition of the multidisciplinary symposium, New Directions in Cuban Studies. This year’s theme is “The great challenges for Cuba yesterday, today and tomorrow.” The symposium will promote works of postgraduate academics on Cuba, with the purpose of spreading the achievements of the global Cuban diaspora.
Book Presentation: Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange, October 20 | Coral Gables, FL
Books and Books will host an in-person book discussion of “Circulating Culture: Transnational Cuban Networks of Exchange,” by postdoctoral Research Fellow Jennifer Cearns. Her study delves into the meaning of Cuban culture and identity in a transnational context.
Panel Discussion: Revisiting the War of 1898 and its Long-Term Repercussions for Cuba & the U.S., October 25 | Miami, FL
FIU will hold a panel discussion focused on the impact of the War of 1898 on Cuba and the United States. Leading scholars Javior Figueroe, Marial Iglesias Utset, Kate Clarke Lemay and Taína Caragol will delve into how the aftermath of the Spanish-Cuban-American War transformed the United States and its newly acquired territories, how Cuba emerged as a 1902 nascent republic, and the growing ubiquitous presence of the United States.
The views and opinions expressed by authors are their own and articles do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of CDA.