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Prince Charles and his wife Camilla landed Sunday in Havana for the first official trip of the British royal family to Cuba, led by communists, even as the United States, Britain's supreme ally, seek to isolate the island nation.
Shortly after arrival. in a Royal Air Force plane, the heir to the British throne laid a wreath on the Independence Hero's memorial, Jose Marti, on the Revolution Square in Havana, dominated by Huge portraits of guerrilla fighters, including Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
A one-day historic tour, which is part of a larger tour in the Caribbean, the 70-year-old Prince of Wales has to dine with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, visit the Havana's restored colonial district, visit community and green energy projects and review a British vintage cars parade.
The royal visit, which falls within the framework of a broader normalization of relations between the West and Cuba, takes place three years after that of the former US President Barack Obama begins new chapter for links between former enemies of the Cold War
Since Donald Trump became President of the United States, the United States has resumed its long-standing strategy of lobbying on Cuba for it to change, especially by tightening its crippling trade. An embargo on the island.
The Trump government has increased pressure on Venezuela, Cuba's socialist ally.
"It is always good that Cuba strengthens its relations with important international actors, especially when the States have a president who responds to the interests of the right-wing people who want to harm Cuba. "said Arian Rubio, 26, a historian in Havana.
William LeoGrande, a professor of government at the American university, said The visits of high-level delegations of major powers "confer legitimacy on the Cuban government and constitute an implicit warning to the United States that hostile actions against Cuba may entail diplomatic costs. " Important allies. "
The British government had asked the royal couple to add Cuba to its tour of the British and former British territories in the hope of strengthening its commercial and cultural ties as well as its political influence.
Cuban-Cuba trade was less than $ 100 million last year, with only a few reputable British companies investing through subsidiaries such as Imperial Brands Plc and British-American Tobacco Plc and Unilever.
Business opportunities, however, are likely to grow in the future as the largest island in the Caribbean continues to open up its beleaguered and state-dominated economy, including opportunities in its expanding tourism sector, which already attracts some 200 000 British tourists each year.
In addition, Britain sought to increase its Business angels with alternative partners since the referendum held three years ago to get out of the European Union.
Senior officials who accompanied the Prince of Wales were sabotaged by the political drama being played in London on the best way to leave the European Union before the March 29 deadline.
Understanding the thawing of relations between British and Cubans when Diaz-Canel receives Charles will visit the Presidential Palace of the Revolution on Monday night for the second time in a year.
The 58-year-old Cuban president paid a visit to the prince last November in London for his first visit to several countries since his replacement. Raul Castro last April
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019.
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