The tightening of the economic, commercial, financial and energy blockade by the United States government against the people of Cuba, aggravated by the executive orders of 29 January and 1 May 2026 by President Donald Trump, has led to a drastic reduction in fuel supplies.

In recent months, the siege has intensified through threats and coercion to prevent ships from docking or suppliers from selling, in an international context made more expensive by wars and geopolitical tensions. Faced with this complex reality, the scarce fuel supplies that arrive come at high costs, making it impossible to maintain a single, fixed price for dollar sales across the country.

The gradual process of social and economic transformations that Cuba has been undertaking, in the exercise of its legitimate and sovereign right, has enabled the existence of multiple actors capable of importing and marketing fuel in foreign currency.

Given this context, from next Friday, 15 May, at 00:00 hours, the sale prices in foreign currency of fuels will be updated, either upwards or downwards, according to the actual costs of each specific operation.

Therefore, going forward, different retail fuel prices will coexist, displayed at service stations, reflecting the actual import cost of each economic actor; this will be influenced by the supplier, the cost of freight, the supply route, insurance, risks and fluctuations in the international market.

Until now, a fixed price for fuel sales has been maintained as a protection policy against the changes and instabilities of a volatile market, a situation which cannot be economically sustained under current conditions.

Cuba asserts its inalienable right to import fuel to guarantee the country's economic and social development and the well-being of its people.

The historian, writer and cultural promoter from Morón, Larry Morales Rodríguez, has just received the 2026 International Prize in History, awarded by three academic institutions of continental reach: the World Academy of Literature, History, Art and Culture (AMLHAC), the Latin American Academy of Modern Literature (ALJM) and the Academic Society of Historians, all members of the Global Federation of Leadership and High Intelligence.

The award was granted in recognition of his career in service to future generations, and his biographical entry will be included in the Great Encyclopaedia of Universal Culture.

The diploma was signed by Dr Francisco Xavier Ramírez S., president of the federation, and Dr José Roque Quintero, vice-president.

Born in Morón on 20 August 1957, Morales Rodríguez has spent decades building a body of work that does not fit easily into a single label. He is a historian, but also a poet, narrator, editor and essayist.

He presides over the Provincial Branch of the Nicolás Guillén Foundation in Ciego de Ávila and is the national coordinator of that institution for the central provinces.

From this dual role, he has sustained a non-profit cultural practice, connecting historical research with community work, in a province that has found in him one of its most persistent chroniclers.

His historiographical output is extensive and, in several instances, difficult to ignore. Half a Millennium for Morón, his 1998 novelised monograph, earned public praise from Fidel Castro, who described it as a literary gem.

The Leader of the Suicide Squad, dedicated to local hero Roberto Rodríguez, "El Vaquerito", was jointly published in Cuba and Spain in 2008. Enrique Varona: The Leader of a Thousand Strikes won the 26 July Prize in 1989 and was adapted for radio in one hundred episodes broadcast by Radio Progreso.

To these titles are added Throwing Stones at the Sea and Memories for a Reunion: Conversation with Santiago Álvarez, among others.

The 2026 prize arrives after a chain of international recognitions that have intensified over the last decade. In 2015, the Academic Society of Latin American Historians awarded him the Walter Rela Prize and invested him as a Doctor Honoris Causa alongside the Academy of Modern Literature of Mexico, in a ceremony held at the Auditorium of the Guanajuato Normal School.

In 2021, that same academic tradition awarded him the Latin American Prize in Historiographical Research Dr Francisco R. Escudero, awarded by the Academic Society of Ibero-American Historians based in Mexico.

In 2023, he added the César Vallejo World Prize, awarded by the Hispanic World Union of Writers from Lima, in the History category, endorsed by intellectuals and academics from 140 countries.

He was the first president of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba in the City of the Porticos and initiator of the vanguard activity that characterises it.

What distinguishes Larry Morales from the office-bound intellectual is that his research has always had a clear direction: to give a name and a body to those whom official history sometimes leaves on the margins.

His books on "El Vaquerito", on Evelio Capote and on Enrique Varona are long-term works that seek the ordinary reader, not just the specialist. Furthermore, as president of the Nicolás Guillén Foundation, he has ensured that the Avilanian community feels part of a cultural process with a high educational responsibility, without commercial interests intervening. That, in the current context of Cuban culture, is no small achievement.

With this new laurel, Larry Morales Rodríguez's name will be included in the Great Encyclopaedia of Universal Culture, a recognition that goes beyond the symbolic: it places the work of a researcher from Morón in the same catalogue where figures from history, arts and letters from across the globe converge.

For Ciego de Ávila, it is also a confirmation of what the territory possesses and, at times, does not quite see with sufficient clarity: its own intellectual class, with deep roots and a far-reaching projection.

The best baseball players from Ciego de Ávila, from the youth, under-23 and senior categories, will be involved in the Cup for Fidel's Centenary, which will kick off this Friday at the José Ramón Cepero stadium from 10:00 in the morning.

There will be four teams in contention: Northern Selection, Southern Lumberjacks, and the youth and under-23 squads, the latter directed by Mario Vega.

In Monday's technical meeting, Licenciado Pedro Ramón Gallón, who is in charge of the organisational aspects of the competition, clarified that games will be seven innings and that the IBAF Rule will be applied, but with the variation that a runner will be placed on second base from the eighth inning onwards in the event of a tie on the scoreboard.

It was also revealed that the system will be a double round-robin, so each team will play six games, and the top two places will contest the title on the 30th of this month.

From a technical standpoint, this Cup aims to keep players in shape and to compensate for the absence, this year, of the Provincial Championship.

Once the competition ends, a preliminary squad will be selected to begin training in June, as it is possible that the 65th National Baseball Series will start at the end of August.

The new manager of the Tigres has yet to be named. The provincial sports directorate is working hard to find someone to lead the pack, following the sudden death of Dany Miranda.

In a fraternal meeting marked by remembrance and solidarity, the province of Ciego de Ávila received the visit of a delegation from Namibia, headed by His Excellency Mr Lebbius Tangeni Tobias, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia in Cuba.

The gathering brought together provincial government officials, representatives of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution, project coordinators, directors of cultural institutions, Communist Party leaders and Namibian delegates.

The main objectives were to strengthen institutional collaboration, report on the progress of ongoing projects, and honour the memory of the citizens of Ciego de Ávila who lost their lives during the attack on Cassinga while supporting Namibia.

The meeting, which was attended by figures from the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution and political authorities, took place in commemoration of the 48th anniversary of the Cassinga massacre, which occurred on 4 May 1978, to reaffirm the historic brotherhood between the two peoples.

During the day, and using multimedia, a characterisation of the territory was offered to those present, as for several members of the delegation, it was their first visit to the province.

The exchange also addressed the so-called Cuban-Namibian Project, an investigation lasting more than ten years into the Cassinga massacre.

The project coordinator is Doctor of Sciences Yeniska Martínez Díaz, author of several books resulting from this research, such as Cassinga: The Truth of a Massacre, published by Verde Olivo Editorial, and Guardians of Cassinga: The Epic of the Avilanians, published by Ediciones Ávila, which is currently in the process of translation.

The governor of the territory, Alfred Menéndez, stressed that the Cuban revolutionary experience is distinguished by having gone through three major crises: the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Missile Crisis and the current period of intensification of US sanctions, each of which entails significant challenges.

In his remarks, the Governor emphasised the enduring solidarity between Cuba and Namibia, recognising the Island's unwavering support during the African nation's struggle for independence and in the decades following.

Cuba provided military, technical and humanitarian assistance to Namibia during and after its independence struggle, including the sending of engineers, doctors and trainers, while survivors of the Cassinga massacre received professional training and psychological support on the Island.

Namibian officials expressed their deep gratitude for Cuban support, highlighting the unbreakable bond between both nations, forged through shared struggle and sacrifice.

In this regard, Namibia reaffirmed its solidarity with Cuba, especially in the face of the tightening of economic sanctions, and assured that it will continue to mobilise resources to support the Island, maintaining in all international forums a consistent official stance of support for the Cuban Revolution.

The Namibian delegation, on behalf of its leadership, extended a greeting and reiterated its continuing solidarity with the Cuban people. The meeting concluded with a call to continue the legacy of leaders such as Fidel Castro and Sam Nujoma.

On the cultural front, Ediciones Ávila will be responsible for the translation, reproduction and publication of the related research work, guaranteeing editorial continuity. The director of the Provincial Centre for Books and Literature, Roberto Jiménez, gave the delegation a tour of its work areas.

The platform Cuba Solidarity Now (CSN), created in South Africa in February, is mobilising medical supplies, food and solar panels for Cuba, which has been affected by the economic crisis intensified by United States restrictions.

The platform emerged in response to the worsening conditions in Cuba resulting from President Donald Trump's January executive order, which tightened restrictions on access to oil and international trade. This worsened the economic crisis, marked by blackouts, shortages of fuel, food, medicines and inflation.

"There are many platforms for political debate, but what is refreshing is the practical approach," said Cameron Dugmore, a member of parliament for the African National Congress.

The network brings together around 800 participants from South Africa, Namibia and other countries, including activists and solidarity organisations. Brian Williams, a specialist in labour law and mediation, heads the initiative.

"Cuba needs practical solidarity right now: medicines, food, energy solutions and humanitarian support," he stated.

Contributions have funded two solar energy installations in Cuba: one in a care home for the elderly and another in a rural medical clinic. CSN operates as a legal non-profit entity, with funds managed by an independent law firm and accountants.

Calvyn Gilfellan, Executive Director of the Castle of Good Hope, stated: "We run a very tight ship."

The solidarity is grounded in Cuba's role in the liberation of southern Africa. From the 1960s onwards, the island offered support to anti-colonial struggles. Thousands of African students received scholarships to study in Cuba.

Clever Banganayi, National Secretary of the Friends of Cuba Society in South Africa, studied engineering in Cuba thanks to the Fidel Castro Solidarity Education Programme.

"Those of us who received that education come from poor backgrounds; it had a life-changing impact," he said.

Norah Appolus, a Namibian communicator and administrator of CSN, linked her support to her family's experience of exile.

"Cuba and the Russians shared trenches with our fighters and sacrificed their lives for our cause," she noted.

"Having an enormous moral debt to Cuba made it natural to help those who supported us in our hour of need."

Cameron Dugmore recalled his visit to Cuba as Education advisor for the Western Cape province, where he saw monuments to Cubans who fell in Angola.

"Seeing that gave me a concrete understanding of the role of their soldiers and doctors," he expressed.

"There are many other groups for debating Marxism-Leninism, postcolonialism and decolonialism. All the theoretical debates do not provide immediate relief," said Gilfellan.

As a prelude to May Day, World Proletariat Day, Ciego de Ávila held an event recognising outstanding collectives and workers with a significant track record within the trade union movement.

Before the 22nd Congress of the Cuban Workers' Federation (CTC), the theatre of the Provincial Party Committee was the venue for the presentation of the Lázaro Peña 3rd Degree Order to the Construction Materials Company (AVILMAT).

Earlier, to honour extraordinary work merits, this high distinction was received by Mirtha González Fernández and Amado Recio Jiménez, from the Civil Defence Workers' Union, together with Nelio Hernández Naranjo, representing the Commerce, Gastronomy and Services sector.

The day of Wednesday, 29 April, was also an occasion for the presentation of the Jesús Menéndez Medal to workers with a notable career in the agricultural, forestry and tobacco sectors, as well as to those from the Sugar Workers' Union.

At the end of the gathering, the "Labour Productivity" Medal was awarded to Biorges Quiñones López and Lázaro Mantilla Díaz, work execution group leaders from the Ciego de Ávila Construction and Assembly Company, and to Reinier Díaz Castillo, director of the Authorised Business Base Unit "Constructora Brigade No. 2 for Miscellaneous Works".

After presenting the recognitions, the general secretary of the CTC in Ciego de Ávila, Niurka Ferrer Castillo, told this media outlet that all 15 trade unions in the province had held their respective plenaries.

The Cuban Workers' Federation (CTC) in Ciego de Ávila detailed this Monday, at a press conference, the schedule of organisational, political and trade union actions leading up to the May Day parade.

The day will be driven by three central themes: the 22nd CTC Congress, the tribute to the centenary of the birth of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, and the persistent denunciation of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government.

Niurka Ferrer Castillo, CTC secretary general in the province, highlighted that the territory has deployed multiple initiatives to mark International Workers' Day, with the active participation of work collectives, political and mass organisations, youth and communities.

Among the most symbolic actions is the presentation of a baby layette to the first boy or girl born on 1 May at the Antonio Luaces Iraola (Ciego de Ávila) and Roberto Rodríguez (Morón) hospitals. According to the leader, this gesture embodies the hope, continuity and social commitment of the Cuban working class.

The leader of the workers' movement reported that 33 events are planned across the ten municipalities, and although exact figures are not available, the CTC estimates that popular mobilisation will surpass that of previous stages, based on the enthusiasm reflected in plenaries, community events, voluntary work days and trade union meetings.

As part of the preparatory activities, readings of the May Day call have been held in more than 2,000 work collectives, along with municipal plenaries, revolutionary reaffirmation rallies, productive mobilisations in organoponic gardens, communities and workplaces, as well as actions denouncing the blockade.

Ferrer Castillo recalled that Ciego de Ávila has been preparing for this date for months, especially after having hosted the national event for the 87th anniversary of the CTC. "Since then, Avilian workers have maintained an intense political, productive and social agenda," she underlined.

At the press meeting, a political movement was also announced that will recognise work collectives outstanding for their economic results, trade union functioning, labour discipline, contribution to the Homeland, community work, innovation, rationalisation, occupational health and safety, as well as for their cultural and communications mobilisation in honour of the date.

In this first stage, 100 collectives will be recognised, in tribute to Fidel's centenary. Of these, 30 will receive commemorative plaques and 70 will be acknowledged at the level of provincial trade unions, in recognition of the results achieved amidst the country's complex economic situation.

The CTC secretary general stressed that many of these collectives, despite fuel, resource and supply limitations, have managed to meet their economic plans and sustain essential services for the population, a merit that the trade union movement recognises in its proper dimension.

During the press conference, it was also specified that the Construction Workers' Union will lead the provincial parade in the Avilian capital, as recognition of its comprehensive results, its contribution to the Homeland and the vanguard status achieved by several of its collectives. This union was also the first to fulfil the contribution to the Homeland in the territory.

Youth participation will play an essential role. The CTC, together with the Young Communist League, has promoted plenaries in universities, workplaces and communities to strengthen youth protagonism in trade union, productive and revolutionary tasks.

The impact of the "Cuba Solutions" initiative against the blockade was also highlighted, taken this year to communities with the participation of innovators, rationalisers, companies, mass organisations, popular councils and residents. The experience made it possible to showcase solutions created by work collectives themselves to confront material limitations, substitute imports, recover spare parts, maintain services and contribute to the local economy.

"Every innovation, every voluntary work day and every revolutionary reaffirmation rally demonstrates the capacity of the working people to resist, create and overcome amidst adversity," emphasised the Avilian trade union leadership.

May Day in Ciego de Ávila will be, according to the CTC, a day of unity, working-class joy and revolutionary commitment. Workers will once again take to the squares and streets to defend their achievements, condemn the blockade and ratify that, from every workplace, the nation's future is also built.

Non-state management enterprises in Ciego de Ávila account for the majority of services offered by the Territorial Division of the Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) via Transfermóvil, an electronic payment gateway that demonstrates its advantages in daily life.

According to statistics from 14 April, provided to Invasor by Reinel Luna Pérez, head of the Commercial Department at the entity, "more than 4,200 state-owned enterprises and non-state management businesses benefit from online payment through Transfermóvil, of which 78 per cent correspond to the latter."

This figure reveals an increase compared to September last year, when Invasor reported advances in the bankingisation and technological sovereignty process in the province, then with "more than 3,800 businesses, mostly non-state, enabled with QR codes for electronic commerce", which at that time amounted to 71 per cent of the total.

Back then, it was acknowledged that full implementation was clashing with — and today continues to clash with — "evasive practices and myths that persist among the population and some businesses".

Etecsa managers and specialists consider that both state entities and the rest of the management forms can grow even further and contribute to the bankingisation process.

In this regard, insufficient user knowledge remains an obstacle. A report from www.jovenclub.cu noted in February of this year that, in the context of the eleventh anniversary of the Transfermóvil application, the Joven Club de Computación y Electrónica continued to provide advisory and training services to publicise the multiple advantages that this electronic payment platform offers in daily life.

The report itself highlighted that Transfermóvil constitutes "the country's main payment gateway. It currently has more than 5,720,000 users and exceeds 130 million monthly transactions, according to official data released on the Cuban Television Midday News."

In addition to security in management, when using Transfermóvil, "no cash is involved in the presentation of monetary assets, everything is done electronically", an advantage taken by self-employed workers, MSMEs, cooperatives and individual farmers in the territory, specifies the head of the Commercial Department at the Etecsa Territorial Division.

Irregularities in the electricity service impact most economic and social activities, but the use of the aforementioned payment gateway does not depend on access to the mobile data network; "with a minimum of cellular coverage, payments can be managed," adds the manager.

Luna Pérez adds that "nor does the person need to come to us; through our institutional website www.etecsa.cu, they manage their contract Annex 1, and once it is ready, they can track the status of their QR code creation via that channel."

According to Dr Dianelys González Gallego, head of Primary Health Care at the Provincial Health Directorate, confirmed to Invasor, all 19 polyclinics in the province now have photovoltaic kits installed and operational.

"Not only those located in the municipal capitals, but also those providing services in some towns have their photovoltaic systems active," the specialist specified.

Each of these centres has 2 KW panels, a capacity that, while not addressing all healthcare needs, has brought about a qualitative change in daily service.

"It has allowed us to attend to the population without darkness. We no longer depend on torches or mobile phone lights. We have fixed electric lighting to attend to patients in our consultations," explained González Gallego.

However, the official clarified that the 2 KW equipment cannot power services such as ultrasounds, X-rays or clinical laboratory equipment simultaneously or continuously.

Faced with this reality, each polyclinic has designed alternative strategies: patients are attended to, samples are taken and processed when conventional electricity returns, or higher-energy-consumption studies are rescheduled.

Among the 19 centres, there is one notable exception: the Norte Polyclinic, located in the municipal capital of Ciego de Ávila. This centre has a 10 KW photovoltaic system, which allows it to offer a wider range of services.

"That polyclinic does have enough capacity to provide vital services such as X-rays, ultrasounds and laboratory analyses. That is why it has become a natural concentration point for a large part of the population of the capital," said the doctor.

Nevertheless, she recalled that these services require air conditioning and sometimes cannot be used simultaneously. But, in relative terms, the Norte Polyclinic today represents the reference facility for care with solar backup in the province.

Dr González Gallego called for patients' understanding: "We continue working to improve. The panels have given us stability for essentials, and at the Norte Polyclinic, we can concentrate on more complex services. The entire system is reorganising to ensure no one is left without care."

With this initiative, Ciego de Ávila continues to integrate renewable energy into the health system, although the challenge remains to expand installed capacity to achieve full service coverage.

Less than 100 days from the opening of the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games, the representation from Ciego de Ávila that will swell the ranks of the Cuban delegation for the event is still unknown, although it could be around a figure similar to that contributed in the immediate previous edition.

Let us remember that three years ago, 19 exponents of local sport were present on the fields of the oldest regional multi-sport competition on the planet, but equalling or approaching that figure depends more on non-sporting factors than on the real quality of our home aces.

The complex situation the nation is going through, in which the impacts of the tightened imperial blockade are evident, also affects the calculations of Cuban sports strategists, who are forced to integrate a contingent that stands out for its efficiency in each competition, or in other words, with a real capacity to reach the award podiums.

If in 2023 Cuba's medal haul was reduced compared to previous appearances, the current forecast confirms the trend towards a decrease both in the number of athletes attending the traditional event and in the total number of medals won.

Despite this, Ciego de Ávila should have about eight exponents in field hockey, if the Cuban teams in that sport attend, called upon to try for revenge against the Mexican teams that, in both sexes, dethroned Cuba from the top spot in the last competition.

Another discipline in which this central province holds a winning tradition at the national level is men's softball. Our best athletes, led by veteran pitcher Alain Román, may well pack their bags for Santo Domingo.

And when it comes to aspirations, it is to be expected that other ball sports will also feature Avilanian talent. This is the case for indoor volleyball in both sexes (Yensy de la Caridad Kindelán Iznaga and Carlos Yoandrys Charles Santana), handball through experienced goalkeeper Magnol Suárez Fis, and 3x3 basketball, with Rachel Contreras Díaz.

The probable list also includes Yandy Espinosa Marrero (racquetball), cyclist Randol Izquierdo Rodríguez in the road and mountain bike events, and goalkeeper Yurixander Zayas Carrillo, captain of the national under-20 football team, among the three goalkeepers of the probable under-23 squad in that discipline.

Options to join the delegation also exist for Elizabeth Buchillón Lorenzo in the windsurfing - iQFoil event, as well as wrestling referee Yunior Sosa Naranjo and softball coach Jesús Echarte Leiva.

Finally, in the case of the sport of balls and strikes, the largest island's roster may include Yunier Batista Ramírez on its pitching staff, if he proves himself in the 4th Elite League.

Three players from the Tigres of Ciego de Ávila were selected as reinforcements for other teams for the 4th Cuban Baseball Elite League, which will begin on 2 May and run until early July.

Naturally, when addressing the issue of attendance at the upcoming games, specialists and provincial sports officials are cautious, awaiting the official list of delegation members who will defend national honour in neighbouring Quisqueya.

The Principal Theatre in the provincial capital has this year accumulated a double national recognition: it received an honourable mention in the Restoration category of the 24th edition of the National Monument Conservation and Restoration Award, and was also selected for the UNAICC Special Award in its 21st edition, convened under the motto "For the protection of Cuba's built heritage".

With the start of the "My Signature for the Homeland" process, the province of Ciego de Ávila offered another powerful demonstration this Sunday morning of the people's determination to support the Revolution, to build and preserve peace through truth, and to mobilise to thwart any attempt at aggression.

There are dates that are not measured by calendars, but by the pulse of dignity. The days of 17, 18 and 19 April 1961 belong to that lineage: they are the lightning bolt that split the history of ignominy in the Americas in two.

Two months after the announcement of measures approved at the national level to confront the acute current energy crisis, Higher Education in the municipality of Florencia continues to develop, largely, through virtual means.

As the opening of the School Recess Week and approaching the 65th anniversary of the Victory of Girón, a large turnout of children, young people and the general public gathered in the vicinity of Ignacio Agramonte Park in Morón, where a Community Outreach activity took place.

The Council of Ministers approved Decree 143/2025 on the marketing of agricultural and forestry products, accompanied by Resolution 16/2026 of the Ministry of Agriculture, regulations that update the legal framework and repeal previous provisions.

In a context marked by fuel and energy limitations, the province of Ciego de Ávila is undertaking a complex logistical operation to guarantee the distribution of basic food basket products and other priority food items.

The Credit and Commerce Bank (Bandec) in Matanzas has issued an alert via social media to the population about the increase in digital scams that use the WhatsApp messaging platform as their main attack vector.

The Failde Orchestra arrived from the city of Matanzas to savour the last drop of the twenty-third edition of the Piña Colada Festival in Ciego de Ávila. With Ethiel Failde entering from the back of the Principal Theatre, a show began that suffered delays due to bad weather.

As part of the process of granting prison benefits established by law and in accordance with Article 90, paragraph II of the Constitution of the Republic, a decision has been made to release two thousand and ten sanctioned individuals through a pardon approved by the Cuban Government.

The Government Economic and Social Programme 2026 defines the planning and implementation for crisis management, the what, how and when to act, in order to boost the economy. It is the compass, the roadmap, the guiding thread for achieving the necessary transformations in the complex landscape in which the economy operates.

The Construction Materials Company in Ciego de Ávila (Avilmat) is diversifying its horizons by integrating the Yisan complex into its productive and service structure.

Just days before the close of the Campaign for the declaration and payment of the profits tax, which involves legal entities, Ciego de Ávila is showing a pace that jeopardises compliance. Consequently, the provincial and municipal offices of the National Tax Administration Office (ONAT) are intensifying actions to change this situation.

An allocation of up to $16,031,447 to respond to HIV and build resilient and sustainable health systems in Cuba for the period 2027-2029 was approved by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), as reported on Thursday at the meeting of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) for this type of financing.

A contingent made up of more than a hundred activists, representing around 50 solidarity and political organisations, as well as trade union and workers' collectives from 17 countries, arrived at José Martí International Airport in Havana on Tuesday evening with an approximate cargo of five tonnes of medical supplies and other essential items.

A Week of Action in Defence of Cuba began this Sunday in the United States, organised by the National Network on Cuba (NNOC), made up of more than 70 organisations from the northern country that condemn the tightened blockade and the threats against the Caribbean nation.

"We must focus, immediately, on implementing the urgent transformations, the most necessary ones, that need to be made to the economic and social model," stated the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, during his speech at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

In recent years, Cuba has had a legislative package that regulates and seeks to sustain communication, but has progress been made? Are sources now more accessible? Has the quality of communicative products increased? Do communication processes respond to information flows and interaction between the different parties?

The letter, addressed to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and to the head of the oil company, Magda Chambriard, is prompted by the worsening of the energy and humanitarian crisis affecting the island following the recent measures tightening the blockade imposed by the United States.

This Sunday, workers from the Provincial Government of People's Power in Ciego de Ávila, and members of its Provincial Council, carried out voluntary work on the farm belonging to the Las Palmas local development project, which supplies the canteen for workers of the aforementioned government structure and vulnerable families in the popular councils of the north of the city.

Faced with the current energy contingency and the fuel shortage confronting the nation, the Territorial Division of the Telecommunications Company of Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) in Ciego de Ávila has implemented a plan of measures to guarantee, as far as possible, the continuity of communications services, whilst simultaneously readjusting its channels for public attention.

Notwithstanding the limitations, Avilanian sport will try to maintain its vitality, following the measures — amidst the energy crisis — taken by the leadership of the National Institute of Sports and Recreation (Inder) and the cancellation of most national tournaments.

The scarcity of fossil fuels and electrical energy cannot mean the collapse of food production. Each municipality is responsible for designing and applying a "tailor-made suit."

Several mandate holders of the UN Human Rights Council today issued a joint public statement condemning the executive order issued last 29 January by the United States government, which authorises the imposition of trade tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba.

Protecting the worker, amidst a complex scenario that forces a readjustment of life routines and work dynamics, is an immovable principle of the Cuban State. This was ratified by Orlando Díaz Rodríguez, head of the Provincial Directorate of Labour and Social Security, in statements made to the press in Ciego de Ávila.

Every sinew is being strained. It is logical. The David of these times calmly faces a Goliath with pretensions of planetary domination wielding a fascist discourse. The harassment has reached extremely dangerous proportions.

During the year 2025, 41 criminal incidents affecting 84 transformers were recorded in the province of Ciego de Ávila, resulting in the loss of 14,440 litres of dielectric oil and causing service disruption for several communities.

All hepatitis cases detected in Ciego de Ávila have evolved favourably without complications, informed Dr. José Luis López González, deputy director of Epidemiology at the Provincial Centre for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology in this province.

To put thought into the service of solving problems; to remove from modes of thinking every ballast that hinders work and the possibilities of achieving results; to know that, even in difficulty, there are opportunities to identify and to know how to seize.

He has been at sea for twelve days. At this point, he no longer smells the salt air nor notices the constant sway of the vessel. Ever since the Felicia set sail from New York, plans have not stopped in his head: settle, save some money, find a decent house... and of course, send for his wife and child.

Although it is always opportune to critically evaluate how much more remains to be done and in the face of an economic situation that complicates certain advances, the province of Ciego de Ávila figures among the outstanding in Cuban science.

An entire nation paused today to honour those fallen on Venezuelan soil, while the words of an improvising Avilanian poet give voice to the collective pain.

Venezuela ratified in an official statement its "historic stance within the framework of relations with the Republic of Cuba, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and in International Law, regarding the free exercise of self-determination and national sovereignty."

The United States President acknowledged this Thursday that his Government has applied all possible measures of pressure and harm against Cuba, except the military option.

The province of Ciego de Ávila registered an infant mortality rate of 10.7 per thousand live births as of the close of the year 2025, a result that did not meet the goals of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) and which occurred in a context of a notable decline in births, with 2556 births, 143 fewer than in the previous period.

The National Electrical Union reports that yesterday the service was disrupted for 24 hours. The maximum disruption due to generation capacity deficit yesterday was 1710 MW at 18:20 hours; at 01:54 hours this morning the service was restored and at 04:54 the service began to be disrupted again due to generation capacity deficit.

In the face of the declaration of national mourning for the loss of 32 Cubans in the recent United States attack on Venezuela, the passage of the Victory Caravan through the province of Ciego de Ávila was suspended, without overlooking the historic date and with demonstrations of support for the Republic of Bolívar.

As a result of the criminal attack perpetrated by the government of the United States against the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, carried out in the early hours of the 3rd of January 2026, 32 Cubans lost their lives in combat actions, who were carrying out missions representing the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, at the request of counterpart organs of the South American country.

The province of Ciego de Ávila shows a 33.9 percent reduction in febrile cases as of the close of week 50, although specialists maintain vigilance and control actions in several municipalities where focal points persist.

A fundamental pillar of the updating of our economic model is the monetary exchange transformation, which is embedded in the Macroeconomic Stabilisation Programme and the Government Programme to correct distortions and reinvigorate the economy.

The XI Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, held via videoconference on the past 13th of December, adopted far-reaching agreements in the face of the country's challenging economic, political and social situation, within a context of intensified blockade and permanent media warfare.

Amidst complexities in the Education sector and in society in general, Ciego de Ávila will hold its event for Educator's Day, as a way to commemorate the important work carried out by professionals of that branch in the province.

Omar Ramírez Mendoza, deputy director of the National Electrical Union, described the energy situation presented in the country over the weekend as "very complex", because the lack of fuel—which has kept between 900 and 1000 MW unavailable for days—was compounded by the outage of several thermoelectric generation plants.

The Supreme People's Court (SPC) issued a statement today to inform about the notification of sentences to Alejandro Miguel Gil Fernández, which due to its importance, we transmit in its entirety.

With the objective of evaluating the actions the country is undertaking in the face of the immense challenges we confront, the supreme leadership body of the Party between Congresses convenes, for the 12th and 13th of December, its XI Plenary Session, in which important matters of the nation's socioeconomic and political life will be analysed.

“The pledged word was kept,” said Misael Rodríguez Llanes, General Secretary of the National Union of Construction Workers (SNTC), acknowledging that the commitment to hold the central event for Builders' Day in 2025 in Ciego de Ávila was materialised.

The men and women, wearing white helmets in Ciego de Ávila, worked with greater skill in the emulation to win the venue for the national event on the occasion of 5 December, Builders' Day.

The 2025–2026 tobacco planting campaign is proceeding with delays in the province of Ciego de Ávila, a situation due mainly to rainfall over the traditional seedbeds, all concentrated in the municipality of Florencia.

It would be impossible to relive the baseball fervour of the 1960s in Cuba without acknowledging a protagonism that transcended the strictly political and governmental. The leader of the Revolution, who had ascended to power on 1 January 1959, was also the principal conductor of changes aimed at making sport a mass phenomenon, free from mercenaries and compromises, a healthy activity, a right of the people and a breeding ground for champions.

The province of Ciego de Ávila is showing a trend towards a decrease in febrile cases, according to statements from Dr. José Luis López González, Deputy Director of Epidemiology at the Provincial Centre for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology.

In Cuba, the 2019 Constitution is not a decorative document nor an ornament to be cited on notable dates. It is the axis that supports economic stability, social cohesion and the daily tranquillity of the population. Each of its principles serves as a barrier against practices that could distort national life. And yes: even against seemingly "digital" phenomena, such as the dissemination of informal exchange rates that attempt to set the value of the dollar without controls, without method and without responsibility.

The municipality of Bolivia, in the province of Ciego de Ávila, shows development potential despite limitations such as its small population and its geographical remoteness, as noted by the working commissions on Local Organs and Economic Affairs of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP), as part of their current visit to the territory.

The XI Plenum will evaluate the implementation of the Government Programme to correct distortions and reinvigorate the economy, which has been submitted for study and debate from 15 November to 30 December. It will also analyse the economic objectives and goals for 2026 and the proposed State Budget for the coming year.

Under the common suggestion to invigorate the economy in those scenarios and links of the productive chain where weaknesses are still apparent, the visit of the Agrifood Commission of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP) to the Avilanian municipality of Ciro Redondo, headed by its president, Ramón Aguilar Betancourt, took place.

A digital platform, under the supposition of providing "informative services," has erected itself as a noxious actor for the economy and the stability of Cuban families. Its name is El Toque, and its most well-known product—the informal exchange rate—has become an instrument of economic manipulation, far from being a faithful reflection of reality.

"We are going to work on this epidemic in the same way as the COVID-19 was worked on," said this Tuesday afternoon the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, during the meeting of experts and scientists for health topics.

Listening in the voices of the Avilanian people how the principal problems are being attended and what remains to be resolved, will be an essential outcome of the visit to the territory by the permanent work commissions of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP), facing the accountability of the provincial government to that instance in the last month of the current year.

A traffic accident between a Girón bus and a cart, which occurred in the early hours of today in the locality of La Caoba, belonging to the Simón Reyes Popular Council, in the municipality of Venezuela, left a preliminary toll of 27 workers injured.

Just listening to the directors of the Red and Blue factions speak, one can realise the emotion in their experiences when they recount that, since 8th October, they began rehearsing the varied ways of demonstrating their artistic skills in what results in the richest and most traditional popular festival of Majagua.

While walking through the wide streets of this town famous for a preserves factory and for having the poet Gilfredo Boan Pina, to mention just two of its landmarks, one can verify that from eight in the morning, and at various times, children, young people and adults from both factions rehearse.

In the social fabric of the province of Ciego de Ávila, the Family Support System (SAF) operates as a crucial mechanism to alleviate the food needs of "elderly adults, persons with disabilities, vulnerable persons, that is, critical and insolvent cases," who have no family network to turn to, according to Orlando Díaz Rodríguez, Provincial Director of Labour and Social Security.

That day, the dawn in Ciego de Ávila smelled of distant damp and around the headquarters of the Electric Company a scene was repeating itself that is, at once, intimate and collective. Wives, girlfriends, children, relatives who arrived with the deodorant or the toothpaste inside the bag, forgotten amidst so much urgency.

With discussion panels and conferences, which will address cutting-edge themes such as artificial intelligence, robotic surgery, localised cancer treatment, bladder cancer and minimally invasive surgery, the National Urology Conference is being held today in Ciego de Ávila.

The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) delivered this Wednesday to Cuban authorities, a series of resources destined for the population of the eastern region, affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The Electrical Union informs that for the peak period this Wednesday, the entry of 40 MW from engines that are out due to fuel is estimated, unit 3 of the Renté CTE with 55 MW, the entry of unit 4 of Energás Jaruco with 30 MW and the completion of 20 MW in the combined cycle of Energás Jaruco.

He specified that the possibility of extending these actions to other localities in the province and of also working intra-domicile is being analysed, with the creation of work teams that allow covering a greater number of homes in the strata identified as highest risk through epidemiological analysis.

The National Defence Council, headed by President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, met this afternoon, as has occurred in recent days, starting, first, with the threat of Hurricane Melissa, then with its devastating passage and at this time with the recovery.

Yesterday, the service was affected for 24 hours and remained affected throughout the early hours of today. The maximum impact due to a generation capacity deficit yesterday was 1205 MW at 18:20 hours. A further 527 MW were affected in the provinces from Tunas to Guantánamo due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The ARC Victoria ship of the Colombian Navy will set sail today from the northern port of Cartagena with 246 tonnes of food, toiletries, shelter sheets, milk, water and fuel to transport them to Cuba, to support the recovery after the recent battering by Hurricane Melissa.

Research results that favour decision-making aimed at disaster risk reduction were presented at the end of this week during the Innovation Forum for Development at the Centre for Environmental Engineering and Biodiversity (Ciba) of Ciego de Ávila.

Cuba celebrates today the Day of Cuban Culture with a programme of activities across the entire country, in remembrance of 20 October 1868, when the National Anthem was intoned for the first time in Bayamo, an event which marked the beginning of the commemoration.

If the rains allow it, this Tuesday should begin, at the José Ramón Cepero stadium, the particular clash between the teams of Santiago de Cuba and Ciego de Ávila, at a time when the 64th National Baseball Series is already about to complete its first half.

Cuba is advancing in the preparations for the implementation of the Population and Housing Census planned for next year, a statistical exercise considered crucial for national planning in a complex demographic context.

The hall of the Alejo Carpentier house of culture in the municipality of Chambas served as the setting for the scientific and technological potential of the territory to present their works at an Expo-Fair, to be assessed by a jury.

Yesterday, the service was affected for 24 hours and remained affected throughout the early hours of today. The maximum impact due to a generation capacity deficit yesterday was 1384 MW at 19:30 hours.

I bring you two pieces of news about The Tigers in this 64th National Baseball Series, after visiting this Friday the José Ramón Cepero stadium, the “possible” setting for the clash between the Tigers and the Leopards, which is supposed to conclude this Sunday, but which at the time of writing these lines has not yet been able to play the first of the five games that appear on the calendar.

Although the production records do not yet satisfy the high public demand, more than 30 tonnes of viands and vegetables are sold daily at the La Cuba agricultural market located in the area known as «El hueco», in the city of Ciego de Ávila, which unit belongs to the La Cuba agro-industrial enterprise in the Baraguá municipality.

The planting of hybrid maize through the Cuba-Michoacán cooperation agreement is among the projects of the Arnaldo Ramírez Agricultural Enterprise, in the Avilanian municipality of Primero de Enero, for the second half of the current year.

Always with the clarification that what has been achieved is insufficient given the population's demand, the members of the Provincial Committee of the Party learned about the current situation of various crops in the territory, affected, like the rest of Agriculture, by the economic limitations the country is undergoing.

The Avilanian branch of the José Martí Cultural Society has designed a broad and diverse programme of activities within the framework of the Day of Cuban Culture, with the aim of promoting the thought and values that define the national identity.

Yesterday the service was affected for 24 hours and remained affected throughout the early morning of today. The maximum outage due to a generation capacity deficit on Thursday was 1722 MW at 19:50 hours, higher than planned due to an increase in demand and the failure of unit 6 of the Mariel TPS and unit 5 of the Renté TPS to come online on time.

Luis Alberto Pérez Olivares, director of the sector in the territory, reported that the 'El Vaquerito' contingent has been working systematically for several days in all popular councils, with emphasis on the south of the head city.

Without satisfying the population's demands and with results inferior to the previous year, the La Candelaria mini-industry will close 2025, the subject of a visit this Wednesday, 8 October, by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (CC PCC) and President of the Republic.