Cuba Signs Shipping Agreement With Texas

[kskiska]

HAVANA (AP) - Cuba signed an operating agreement with the Port of Corpus Christi, an agreement that an official from the Texas city said could help erode the long-standing U.S. embargo of the island.

``It's another very progressive step toward the ultimate abolition of an embargo whose time has long passed,'' said Ruben Bonilla Jr., the Port of Corpus Christi's commission chairman.

While Cuba has operating agreements with 11 other U.S. ports, the Corpus Christi deal is the first ``agreement on strategic work'' that sets out plans for future activity, said Pedro Alvarez, chairman of Cuba's food import agency, Alimport.

It calls for initial bulk shipments followed by development of refrigerator and container shipping.

Bonilla said that Corpus Christi, America's fifth-largest port, hopes to take some of the business now going through Florida, which has a large population of Cuban exiles, many vehemently opposed to the socialist government here.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2894413,00.html

[I AM SPARTACUS]

1. "...could help erode the long-standing U.S. embargo of the island..."

...so, is this another poll-related 180, or is Deelay currently pitching a major hissy fit?

[Judi Lynn]

2. What a pleasure seeing US/Cuba trade going through Corpus Christi

Hope they do a ton of business.

From Ruben Bolilla, the commission chairman of the Port of Corpus Christi, in your article:

(snip) Criticizing U.S. travel restrictions on Cuba, Bonilla said, ``We have generations of schoolchildren who have been denied the opportunity and cultural richness of visiting this wonderful community, this wonderful city and this wonderful nation.'' (snip)

(snip) Bonilla said Cuba already is among the top 40 export markets for U.S. farm goods.

``It's a mere ripple in what will ultimately be ... a tidal wave of commerce,'' he said. (snip/)

Great news!

[Castilleja]

3. cool!

I had not even heard that.... :)

[the masses against the classes]

4. Cubans may someday see freedom...Americans probably won't

look at the governments...which allows for the average man to have his say and chance to represent his government? i've waded through too many special interests and dollar bills to ever believe the masses will have any real input in the american system

[Mika]

5. Cubans saw freedom's start Jan 1 1959

Jan 1 1959. That was the day that the blood soaked regime of US supported dictator, Fulgencio Batista, left Cuba for Palm Beach Florida (stealing almost all of the money in Cuba's national bank). From that day forward, Cubans have worked on developing a truly representative & accountable government.

-


http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

-


You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.attcanada.ca/~dchris/CubaFAQ.html#Democracy

Or a long and detailed version here,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books