Cuba-Massachusetts relations — the journey continues
By James P. McGovern and José Ramón Cabañas November 09, 2018
This weekend, JetBlue began a new direct flight between Boston Logan Airport and Havana’s José Martí Airport.
The new route brings with it new opportunities for increased collaboration and cooperation between the people of Massachusetts and Cuba — but it also serves as a reminder that relations between our two nations are still hamstrung by a decades-old embargo which has outlived its original purpose and impedes progress in both our homelands.
Cuba hands over to the United States an American citizen wanted on Interpol notice
On November 6, 2018, the government of Cuba proceeded to hand over to authorities of the United States government, an American citizen wanted by the justice system of that country for serious crimes committed in the United States and who was also wanted on an Interpol Red Notice. Said citizen entered Cuba’s national territory on October 28th, 2018.
Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance S.A. is established, the first U.S. - Cuba biotechnological company
This morning, Grupo de las Industrias Biotecnológica y Farmacéutica, Biocubafarma (a Group from the Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industry) announced the establishment of the first U.S.-Cuba biotechnological company under the name of Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance S.A., which will be based in Mariel Special Development Zone.
Cuban Foreign Minister met with the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla met, on September 19 at noon, with Republican Senator for the State of Tennessee Robert Corker, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, who is visiting Cuba accompanied by two of his legislative staffers.
This is the Senator’s second trip to Cuba, as part of his interest in exchanging on the relationship between the United States and Cuba. During the meeting, they talked about issues relating to the current state of bilateral affairs and topics of common interest.
Specialists from Cuba reject notion of health attacks and brain damage in U.S. diplomats
On September 13, 2018 a meeting took place in Washington D.C. between U.S. and Cuban expert scientists to exchange on the health symptoms reported by U.S. diplomats accredited in Havana. The Cuban multidisciplinary group of experts, made up of 9 scientists and physicians, all members of a panel at the Cuban Academy of Science, was led by Ambassador Johana Tablada, Deputy Director General for U.S. Affairs, at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of Cuba in Washington D.C., José R. Cabañas. The U.S.