Cuba News Roundup: December 3rd, 2021 – Startup Cuba TV
And, 5,789 miles away, Greece is seeing a new wave of Cubans seeking refuge in the country. 
Cuba, whose economy depends on tourism revenue, had recently eased restrictions to allow more tourists to visit the island. This week they made some quick policy changes courtesy of the Omicron variant. Now travelers from eight African countries will have to submit to three PCR tests, vaccination proof and a seven day quarantine. Travelers from other sub-saharan African nations and Belgium, Israel, Egypt, Hong Kong and Turkey will be required to take two PCR tests.
Here at home, a Biden admin source claims that the administration’s Cuba policy review was put on hold after the historic protests of July, 11th. It sounds like there’s a clear delineation between before and after, July 11th, 2021. So right now, even policies like travel and remittances, which many Cuban-Americans were hoping to have addressed early in the Biden administration, appear to be on hold. Oh, and Greece just became a popular landing spot for hundreds of Cubans seeking refuge. All this y más, in this week’s News Roundup.
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Cuban health authorities said that researchers in the communist-run country are upgrading its homegrown COVID vaccines to ensure protection against the new Omicron variant. Read more at reuters.com.
Protesters shout slogans against the government in Havana on July 11, 2021. Photo: Alexandre Meneghini / Reuters
Washington’s policy toward Cuba, which has been under review for close to a year, “hit the pause button” after the historic protests that rocked the communist-run island July 11, a senior U.S. official said. Read more at nbcnews.com.
A wooden boat is beached on the shores of the Middle Florida Keys city of Marathon Monday, Nov. 29, 2021. U.S. Border Patrol agents say the vessel carried 18 people from Cuba. Photo: U.S. BORDER PATROL
The significant rise in migration from Cuba to South Florida over the past 12 months shows no sign of slowing, with the arrival of 18 people from the island in the Keys on Monday morning, according to the U.S. Border Patrol. Read more at flkeysnews.com.
March 29, 2022
The status of these wonderful native Cuban animals ranges from vulnerable to critically endangered.
Cuba will ratchet up restrictions from Dec. 4 on passengers from certain African countries over concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant, the country’s Communist-run government said on Monday. Read more at news.yahoo.com.
February 10, 2023
Samuel Riera’s Art Brut Cuba opens channels for Outsider Artists to sell their art when they otherwise couldn’t earn a living from their work.
Greece has become a European port of call for refugees from Africa and Asia. But in recent months, authorities have been surprised to find large numbers of Cubans seeking shelter far from home. Read more at aljazeera.com.