On a temporary and exceptional basis, starting next Monday a new import tariff treatment for grooming products, food and medicine will be applied, as reported on the Mesa Redonda radio television program.

Manuel Marrero Cruz, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and Prime Minister, said that until December 31 of this year the importation, via the passenger and their accompanying luggage, of these products will be allowed without limit of import value and free of duty payment.

The cap will be set by the airline and regulations on how to transport food are maintained, said Marrero Cruz, who also stressed that to make use of this benefit these products must be differentiated from the rest of the luggage.

He also explained that travelers who arrive at the Cayo Coco and Varadero airports, the maximum of their luggage is a suitcase, because it is tourist flights, but for the rest of the country there will be no limits.

He explained that the importation of certain drugs is prohibited, as well as those products regulated by the phytosanitary and veterinary authorities with risks of introducing diseases into the country.

The current regulations establish the importation of hygiene and food within the luggage sundries, up to a total of 1,000 points per passenger, said Marrero Cruz, who also reiterated that the tariff payments of the first import are made in national currency.

He assured that this type of exceptions does not include imports of a commercial nature, which are defined quantities by type of article.

To date, the customs policy of the General Customs of the Republic allowed the entry into the country of up to 10 kilograms of medicines exempt from payment.
 

We call for solidarity and peace so that hatred does not enter the Cuban soul, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, said today in this capital during a television appearance.

We cannot allow those who do not want the best for the country to disband and fracture us, problems are resolved among Cubans in the Revolution, therefore we must defend our tranquility by calling for unity of all families, institutions and developing a resistance creativity and solidarity among compatriots and with the world ”, he added.

The president ratified that at this time there is peace in our cities and towns, the government is working on economic policies, reorienting political work with young people and communities, social tranquility the revolution will sustain and guarantee, it is being vaccinated, and proposals continue to be analyzed and listening.

The President appeared on the national radio and television channel together with Manuel Marrero, member of the Political Bureau of the Party and Prime Minister, and Alejandro Gil Fernández, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Planning, together with whom he presented recent government policies and analyzed the causes of the riots of July 11, from which - he commented - experience must be obtained.

We must make critical analyzes of our problems to be able to overcome them and transform situations, said Díaz-Canel, and insisted that people who respond to a foreign plan have participated in the riots, they are annexationists and do not think like Cubans.

Some were also acting as criminals and others who are dissatisfied people and dealt with their dissatisfactions in other ways and did not receive a timely response, but now they are confused.

The President relied on images to show the non-peaceful demonstrations, and contrasted the behavior of the young people who participated in these events with those who have taken on tasks of impact in the country such as confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We must continue to enhance sensitivity in the care of the population, the humanist vocation of the Revolution concretize it in facts, reactivate and renew the forms of social participation and the ways in which organizations act in the neighborhood, he said.

The riots of July 11 left one dead, dozens injured, many of them from the part of the town that tried to avoid these vandalism and defended citizen security. Material damage was reported in a group of facilities and an attack on the forces of order.

Our society is not a society that generates hatred, but solidarity, and these people acted with hatred, they came armed, announced lynchings, planning to assault public and manipulated places.

They attacked the Constitution and the laws and there will be application of those norms in their proper measure taking into account the context, he said.

He also made a call from the analysis of these facts to continue multiplying feelings of solidarity, responsibility and family, collective and institutional respect. It prompted us to try harder and achieve more results.

"To help each other more with all the potentialities and overcome our disagreements with each other and to promote deep social work from the government under the leadership of the Party that is supported by solidarity and commitment to reach the most vulnerable," he stressed.

Regarding the pandemic peak that Cuba is currently going through, Díaz-Canel ratified that this has been a problem for all the countries that Cuba postponed, and that despite it, the best indicators are exhibited than developed countries such as the United States.

The President questioned why there was no SOS for the United States or Europe where Cuba sent medical brigades when they also went through this situation.

“Who has given SOS for Africa or Latin America, which is the most affected area? They start with SOS Matanzas, riots come and they forget about SOS Matanzas, because what they did was take advantage of a complex situation to provoke riots.

Life has shown who has taken care of Matanzas, a work team that has gone there including the Minister of Public Health and a government work group has visited Matanzas three times already, that group sent medical support brigades, he cleared wood to build beds, made the decision to convert school and tourist facilities into care centers.

They are bothered by the citizen tranquility that exists in Cuba, they are bothered by how we live in the midst of adversity, we live to help each other, they want to alter that tranquility to achieve their purposes and for that they have relied on a huge media campaign, he added.

In turn, Díaz-Canel denied all the fake news that have circulated on the networks which have been irresponsibly reproduced by Western media and added that there is a permanent call for violent acts as posts on social networks circulated about how to build artifacts or weapons to attack.

He also explained that in Cuba the process of computerization of society has been defended but as a humanist conception, to be more cultured, not to serve as an expression of media terrorism.

Cuba faces a complex situation due to COVID-19 these days when the highest numbers of infections are reported. To this we add a strong economic crisis caused by the pressure of the Economic Blockade where the Cuban people are the most affected.

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and members of his government team, appeared on national television and radio to offer statements on the situation that the country is going through in several spheres.

At the press conference, the priorities of the country's leadership were made clear: confronting the pandemic, guaranteeing basic food and fuel support for productive activity and energy generation.

Energy situation: Uninterrupted work is being done to solve the technical problems of the base generation

Currently there are financial and credit limitations to repair breakdowns at various thermo-energy plants. Thermal generation from plants that use domestic crude has produced 422 gw / h less than what was foreseen in the plan.

Therefore, an additional 297 gw / h had to be generated with diesel generators. This option is much more expensive; $ 350 million more has been spent on fuel than anticipated. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Liván Arronte Cruz, reported at the hearing that the work on several plants has been completed and the start-up process will begin.

Cuba vs COVID-19: The health of the people is fundamental

Since December 2020 there has been a trend towards a progressive increase in positive cases for the disease and now the country is going through the highest pandemic peak. At the end of July 12, 63,155 active cases of COVID-19 were reported. In relation to the figures of other nations when they experienced their highest numbers, Cuba's scenario continues to be favorable.

“Cuba has fewer average cases per million inhabitants than the Americas and the world, fewer deaths per million people than the Americas and the world; and the world has a fatality indicator of 2.16 percent and the Americas 2.64 percent. Cuba, I repeat, has 0.64%, ”Díaz-Canel explained at the conference.

Transmission of the virus has increased more rapidly due, in large part, to new strains circulating. The Alpha and Beta variants have a higher probability of transmission since a sick person can infect four and the Delta, more than six. To this we add the violation of health protocols in work centers and the loss of risk perception.

In the case of the province of Matanzas, currently the epicenter of the pandemic, to support the hospitals and isolation centers in the fight against the pandemic, two hotels were prepared, more beds and 510 for serious patients were equipped with all the required equipment. In addition, medical students, nurses, and physicians from the Henry Reeve contingent were brought into the care of patients.

Cuban population vaccinated and the export of vaccines

Along with the battle against the disease, an intense vaccination campaign is being carried out with the immunogen Abdala and four other vaccine candidates. Until the end of the first days of July, 7 million 469 thousand 503 doses of vaccines had been applied, which allowed 27.2 percent of Cubans to be vaccinated with at least one dose, 22.9 percent with two doses, and 16.7 percent. percent with three doses.

The strong Cuban scientific and biotechnological system has been recognized for years due to the reliability of its studies, which is why several countries are interested in acquiring Cuban vaccines against COVID-19. But first, the whole of Cuba will be immunized before starting to export.

“Cecmed is a highly respected institution, certified by the World Health Organization and PAHO. In addition, it has a homologation agreement with similar institutions in other countries, such as Mexico. All of these are strengths that we have for when we export our vaccines, it is in a serious, responsible manner and without epidemiological risk ”, assured Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Intervention.

Nations like Venezuela, Iran, Argentina, Vietnam, Nicaragua, South Africa and Namibia claim to receive our vaccines. The capacities of institutions such as BioCubaFarma are expected to produce enough to immunize the people and export.

Economic resources available to face COVID-19

The consequences of the Economic Blockade act in a scenario where the pandemic has generated high expenses that grow above what is foreseen in the annual plan. We must bear in mind that 2 413 million fewer convertible currencies were entered in 2020 than in 2019, an aspect that further depresses our economy.

They have had to face various impediments such as the lack of providers of medical supplies and the high costs of certain necessary technologies. In the purchase of medicines, reagents, consumable material and medical equipment, 102 million dollars have been used.

From March 2019 to the present, 184 million dollars have been invested in relation to the pandemic and until the first half of 2021, 82 million.

In the appearance, the expenses incurred by a sick person were detailed. For example, an individual confirmed in an isolation center costs the country more than 900 pesos, in a hospital institution more than 4 thousand pesos and a confirmed individual who requires intensive care more than 13 thousand.

In the purchase of medicines for these patients, 1,181 million pesos have been invested and in food, raw materials and other supplies almost 2 million pesos. No person has been charged a penny for their health care.

On humanitarian aid: no to interference

Cuba does allow humanitarian aid, as long as it is not disguised and with bad terms as expressed by the President of the Republic. Since March 2020, more than 500 offers of aid for 45 million dollars have been received from more than 50 countries, including Venezuela, China, Russia, Canada, Spain, India, South Africa, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

They have donated medicines, consumables and medical equipment. In addition, the account authorized by the International Financial Bank has received more than one and a half million dollars.

The main obstacle for aid to reach Cuba is the United States Blockade that affects financial transfers from anywhere in the world.

The Cuban community abroad has sent aid to the country in an organized way, through consulates and embassies. Also, companies that negotiate with Cuba have provided their support such as the mixed firm MCB Comercial, which has already sent a batch of ambulances and another 26 are expected.

Cuba will not accept in any way the humanitarian intervention and the humanitarian corridor that has been positioned in networks by a media laboratory based in Florida. Let's remember that in 1999 there was a humanitarian intervention in Yugoslavia and what happened? Bombings, use of military force, deaths ... In Cuba there is a call to understand the current situation, non-violence and citizen tranquility at a crucial moment where COVID-19 is the main enemy.