news briefs from the Caribbean

Article published May 28, 2007
A package of news briefs from the Caribbean

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Five U.S. lawmakers made an unannounced visit to Havana on Monday to explore agricultural trade opportunities at a gathering officials hope will lead to contracts to sell up to US$150 million (euro112 million) in American goods to Cuba.

The U.S. delegation headed by Connecticut Democrat Rosa De Lauro plans to meet with at least one top Cuban official before returning to the United States, said Sarah Stephens, director of the Washington-based Center for Democracy in the Americas, which opposes the U.S. embargo toward Cuba and helped organize the trip.

"We are a diverse group geographically and in our politics toward Cuba," DeLauro said. "But we view this as an opportunity to learn, to create dialogue about issues of mutual concern."

Also in Cuba were Democratic Reps. Marion Berry of Arkansas and Bob Etheridge of North Carolina, as well as Republican lawmakers Rodney Alexander of Louisiana and Jack Kingston of Georgia. All were making their first trips to the island, except Berry who was here in 2000.

DeLauro, Berry and Etheridge have all supported legislation to ease U.S. trade restrictions toward Cuba in the past, while Kingston has supported the embargo.

The lawmakers said agriculture trade opportunities were a key reason they came and their visit coincided with a trade fair on the communist-run island bringing together 114 food and agricultural companies from 22 U.S. states.