Cuba's Santeria priests foresee turmoil in 2010

HAVANA — Cuba's high priests of the Afro-American Santeria religion announced their visions for 2010 Saturday, predicting big social changes and internal conflicts that should be handled with "sincere dialogue" and mutual respect.

"We can reach all we aspire to, but we can also destroy it all. The possibilities in 2010 are greater than last year's. It all rests in our hands," babalawo -- Santeria priest -- Lazaro Cuesta said on presenting his group's "The Letter of the Year" report.

Put together by some 1,000 babalawos in the country, the annual predictions for Cuba and the world include "coup d'etats," "sudden changes in political systems," "betrayal and usurpation" among top government officials, as well as falling farm and livestock production, and the "breakup of agreements... wars and military interventions."

As antidotes to these problems, the babalawos recommend "sincere dialogue," respect for "the decisions of the majority and the opinion of the minorities," and "new reforms" in the political, economic and social orders.

While they make no specific references to Cuba's government, the predictions seem to point to the aging Cuban leadership of President Raul Castro, 78, and his ailing brother and Communist Party head Fidel Castro, 83.


The soothsayers recommended people heed the saying, "the young palm trees grow taller and thicker than the old ones," which Babalawo Victor Betancourt interpreted as meaning: "making an overhaul, which is what's needed at the moment and is not taking place."

The babalawos also forecast "serious environmental pollution problems" on a global scale and "rising sea levels."

And regarding human health, they warned about an increase in cerebral-vascular diseases and in problems of the eyes, lungs and bones.

Santeria was brought to Cuba by African slaves and has many followers among the island's 11 million people.

"We're not critics, We're spiritual counselors," said Betancourt about his brotherhood.

Source:AFP

XV MITM Americas Was Held in Havana, Cuba

The fifteenth edition of MITM Americas, Meetings and Incentive Travel Market, was successfully held in the Melia Cohiba Hotel in Havana, Cuba, November 18th and 19th.

For MITM, held since 15 years ago throughout Europe, North Africa and South, Central and North America, the success of this edition in Havana was not a surprise, attracting important users and buyers of incentive travel, conferences, congresses and events from all Europe and the United States, forcing to close the visitors’ registration 3 months before MITM’s dates, proving that Cuba is an attractive destination for congresses, events and incentive travel.

In MITM in Havana there were congresses, conferences, events and incentive travel organizers from 16 countries: in Europe plus the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

MITM received more than 200 congresses and events organizers’ requests to visit MITM in Havana – so a good number of them could not attend because there was no more space.

Under visitors and exhibitors’ requests, MITM programmed 2,620 one-to-one encounters between all the exhibitors and visitors.

The near 100 Latin American and Caribbean exhibitors present in MITM have shown their vision by putting effort in seeking the profitable MICE niche of business travel, particularly in the moment tourism is in a deep crisis and many countries and companies have suppressed or cut off promotional expenses, exactly at the least appropriate time

Source: etbmice.com/