The general secretary of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), Ernesto Samper, said that the lifting of US sanctions on Cuba and the evacuation of the shutting down of the US naval based in the Cuban territory of Guantanamo are issues to consider for a normalization of relations between Washington and Havana.

Venezuelan foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez stressed the strong bilateral cooperation relations uniting her country and Cuba during a meeting with the island´s ambassador to Caracas Rogelio Polanco.

During a hearing Tuesday morning in Washington, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio who has described President Obama´s decision to move towards the normalization of relations with Cuba disgraceful, showed his the real face about the most recent statements by the island on the US funding of internal subversion.

US democratic representative for Minnesota, Betty McCollum, this week submitted draft legislation to eliminate the funding by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) of US anti-Cuba radio and TV Marti transmissions.

Cuban foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policies, Federica Mogherini, met January 27 in San Jose, Costa Rica, where they are attending the 3rd Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, CELAC.

Canadian citizens and spouses Brian and Jan Ficht, two gardeners in the province of Alberta, were punished with the freezing of their Paypal account after they used it to finance a three-week trip to Cuba, as direct consequence of US economic, commercial and financial blockade of the island.

US companies like American Airlines and American Express have expressed their expectations about operating in Cuba following the reestablishment of relations between Washington and Havana.

Cuban president Raul Castro arrived in the early hours of this Tuesday in Costa Rica to participate in the Third Summit of the Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC)

The Minneapolis-based StarTribune newspaper published a report on a recent visit by US City Council members to Cuba to look at urban agriculture efforts on the island, here are excerpts of the article:

Ecuardor has drawn up its working strategy for its pro-tempore presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which the South American country will assume on January 28.

The Vice-president of the Council of State and Politburo member Mercedes Lopez Acea heads the Cuban delegation that will participate in the ceremonies of inauguration of the President of the Multi-national State of Bolivia, Evo Morales, on January 21 and 22.

The Cuban Health Ministry announced the death from malaria on Saturday of Cuban nurse Reinaldo Villafranca, who was working with the internationalist medical brigade that is fighting the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.

United Airlines announced its plans to fly to Cuba from Houston, Texas, and Newark, New Jersey if it receives authorization by the US administration.

Cuba called for efforts at the UN Security Council to achieve fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.