During the inauguration of the 38th Havana International Fair (FIHAV), the President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, reaffirmed his government’s will to maintain dialogues with the United States that lead to a rapprochement between the two countries, based on the “equal playing field”.
“We are proposing the will, with all due respect and with all the ability to be on an equal footing, to be able to have dialogues that bring both countries closer together.”
“The important thing is to find the paths and business modalities by which we can move forward in this direction,” he said.
He pointed out that Cuba has been “insisting for some time that foreign investment is also open to North American companies and Cuban-Americans.”
He insisted that “the restrictions of the blockade prevent many of these negotiations,” both on the US and Cuban sides, and even that “companies from other countries can participate.”
Regarding the immigration talks held by officials of the two countries the previous week in Havana, he said that “much progress has been made, steps are being taken.”
The US Government has gradually increased its consular services on the island, restored the family reunification program, suspended since 2017, and has allowed the resumption of commercial flights and the authorization of educational and professional trips.
The 38th edition of the Havana Fair – the first after the pause forced by the pandemic – brings together businessmen from 62 countries in the island’s capital until next Friday, including a group of Cuban-Americans and Americans.
Jay Brickman, one of the North American businessmen present at FIHAV, told EFE that he sees “a radical approach on the part of the Government of Cuba regarding the private sector and we have seen in this a demand for our service.”
The vice president of the Crowley firm -a company that has been doing business with Cuba for 21 years- described the experience of his service with the island as “unique”, above all for “having learned a lot in the process of how to work in the environment that exists between the two countries.”
OnCuba/EFE
