First record of the diving beetle Copelatus chevrolati Aubé, 1838 in Cuba (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae)

We present the first distributional record of Copelatus chevrolati Aubé, 1838 from Cuba. Four specimens were collected in a light trap in August 2016 on the Isla de La Juventud. Ten species of Copelatus are now known from Cuba. We present a modified key to the Cuban species of Copelatus.

Towards 100% Renewables by 2030: Transition Alternatives for a Sustainable Electricity Sector in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba

Renewable Energy Sources (RES) have become increasingly desirable worldwide in the fight against global climate change. The sharp decrease in costs of especially wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) have created opportunities to move from dependency on conventional fossil fuel-based electricity production towards renewable energy sources. Renewables experience around 7% (in 2018) annual growth rate in the electricity production globally and the pace is expected to further increase in the near future. Cuba is no exception in this regard, the government has set an ambitious renewable energy target of 24% RES of electricity production by the year 2030. The article analyses renewable energy trajectories in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, through different future energy scenarios utilizing EnergyPLAN tool. The goal is to identify the best fit and least cost options in transitioning towards 100% electric power systemin Isla de la Juventud, Cuba. The work is divided into analysis of (1) technical possibilities for five scenarios in the electricity production with a 40% increase of electricity consumption by 2030: Business As Usual (BAU 2030, with the current electric power system (EPS) setup), VISION 2030 (according to the Cuban government plan with 24% RES), Advanced Renewables (ARES, with 50% RES), High Renewables (HiRES, with 70% RES), and Fully Renewables (FullRES, with 100% RES based electricity system) scenarios and (2) defining least cost options for the five scenarios in Isla de la Juventud, Cuba. The results show that high penetration of renewables is technically possible even up to 100% RES although the best technological fit versus least cost options may not favor the 100% RES based systems with the current electric power system (EPS) setup. This is due to realities in access to resources, especially importation of state of the art technological equipment and biofuels, financial and investment resources, as well as the high costs of storage systems. The analysis shows the Cuban government vision of reaching 24% of RES in the electricity production by 2030 can be exceeded even up to 70% RES based systems with similar or even lower costs in the near future in Isla de la Juventud. However, overcoming critical challenges in the economic, political, and legal conditions are crucially important; how will the implementation of huge national capital investments and significant involvement of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) actualize to support achievement of the Cuban government’s 2030 vision?

Epidemiological behavior of COVID-19 in the early phase of the pandemic in Cuba

COVID-19 to date has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the world, becoming one of the worst pandemics in history. It all started in the People's Republic of China and quickly spread to the rest of the world. In this article, we seek to characterize the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 in Cuba during the first 80 days. For this article, we used observation and both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data. We relied on statistical methodologies to validate the research. The study covered the days between March 11 and May 29, 2020. We analyzed the daily reports published by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, this ministry's official website, and Cubadebate. Until May 29, the fifteen provinces of our country and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud had confirmed positive cases, while the epicenter of the epidemic was the province of Havana. The coronavirus pandemic is a considerable challenge for the whole of Cuban society. A free health system, an inclusive social regime, and extensive experience in fine-tuning policies were some of Cuba's main strengths in facing the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Personal spend on cigarettes and tobaccos in Cuba from 2013 to 2016.

Introduction: As risk factor smoking means a social opportunity cost because of the whole goods and services didn´t obtained to satisfice the tobacco and cigarettes demand. While the tobacco and cigarettes spend is increasing these opportunity cost will be increasing too. Objective: To describe the tobacco and cigarettes spends in Cuba since 2013 to 2016. Materials and methods: Was made a descriptive and longitudinal research about the tobacco and cigarettes spends in Cuba from 2013 to 2016. Were utilized two rates: monthly per capita sales on cigarettes and tobaccos measured in pesos and monthly per capita sales on cigarettes and tobaccos respect to middle salary measured in percent. Theoric methods: Historic – Logic, Inductive – Deductive, Comparative and Analysis and Synthesis. Empiric methods: documental and bibliographic research and arithmetic calculus. All the statistic processing was in Microsoft Excel 2007. Results: The personal spend on cigarettes and tobaccos from 2013 to 2016 shows a stable and defined structure. Conclusions: Havana, Santiago de Cuba provinces and the Special Municipality Isla de la Juventud were the Cuban regions showed consumption rate higher than the national middle.

Personal spend on cigarettes and tobaccos in Cuba from 2013 to 2016

Introduction: As risk factor smoking means a social opportunity cost because of the whole goods and services didn´t obtained to satisfice the tobacco and cigarettes demand. While the tobacco and cigarettes spend is increasing these opportunity cost will be increasing too. Objective: To describe the tobacco and cigarettes spends in Cuba since 2013 to 2016. Materials and methods: Was made a descriptive and longitudinal research about the tobacco and cigarettes spends in Cuba from 2013 to 2016. Were utilized two rates: monthly per capita sales on cigarettes and tobaccos measured in pesos and monthly per capita sales on cigarettes and tobaccos respect to middle salary measured in percent. Theoric methods: Historic – Logic, Inductive – Deductive, Comparative and Analysis and Synthesis. Empiric methods: documental and bibliographic research and arithmetic calculus. All the statistic processing was in Microsoft Excel 2007. Results: The personal spend on cigarettes and tobaccos from 2013 to 2016 shows a stable and defined structure. Conclusions: Havana, Santiago de Cuba provinces and the Special Municipality Isla de la Juventud were the Cuban regions showed consumption rate higher than the national middle.

Ruta histórica cultural “El Abra” un producto turístico enfocado al turismo interno en la isla de la juventud

El turismo histórico-cultural se ha convertido en una opción que permite la interpretación, conservación, presentación y puesta en valor de los bienes que vinculan la historia y el patrimonio cultural, de ahí la importancia del diseño de ofertas turísticas que garanticen la relación entre la comunidad, los visitantes y el patrimonio en un entorno sostenible. La presente investigación se planteó como objetivo general diseñar la Ruta histórica - cultural “El Abra” que contribuya a la consolidación del turismo interno (conocido en el argot popular como mercado nacional) en la Isla de la Juventud; posibilitando el aprovechamiento de los recursos naturales e histórico – culturales existentes en el área, apoyándose en los objetivos de desarrollo turístico del país y en la demanda creciente de esta modalidad turística. La selección del lugar estuvo fundamentada por las excelentes condiciones que posee para la práctica del turismo sociocultural y natural, distinguiéndose por su elevado valor histórico – patrimonial y la existencia de importantes recursos naturales. En función de los objetivos propuestos fueron revisados varios procedimientos para el diseño de productos turísticos, seleccionándose el procedimiento propuesto por Perelló (2001). El proceso se encuentra alineado con las pautas trazadas por el VII Congreso y los Lineamientos de la Política Económica y Social del Partido Comunista de Cuba, aprobados por la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular en julio de 2016.

Internationalizing the Revolutionary Family

This article argues that Cuban ideas about gender, sexuality, and the family shaped Cuban internationalist collaboration with Nicaragua in the 1970s and 1980s. It demonstrates that collaboration sprang from a gendered political discourse, and in turn the dynamics of gendered relationships between Cubans and Nicaraguans affected the internationalist campaigns. First, the essay argues that state discourse expanded the idea of the New Man to include volunteering abroad, and cast female participants as moral agents of internationalism. Second, it analyzes the idea of revolutionary love and how it related to internationalism. Then, the article demonstrates how internationalism created transnational relationships. Finally, it examines the experiences of Nicaraguan students who went to boarding schools on the Isla de la Juventud. Throughout, the article centers the notion of family and shows how internationalist mobility created space for personal experiences, love within revolution, and new family dynamics.

Propuesta de acciones turísticas para el Sur de la Isla de la Juventud.

El desarrollo de una actividad turística sostenible es de vital importancia para cualquier destino. Pero se debe aplicar una correcta gestión para aprovechar sus recursos y atractivos. No se debe hacer un uso abusivo de sus recursos, tampoco se debe desaprovechar las potencialidades que estos tienen, para que se desarrolle un turismo que beneficie al territorio donde se realiza. La Zona Sur del Municipio Especial Isla de la Juventud, es un sitio de inmensa riqueza natural que no queda exento de esta problemática; por lo que el objetivo de este estudio fue diseñar un plan de acciones turísticas para el aprovechamiento de los recursos del Sur de la Isla. La mayor aportación de esta investigación ha sido la elaboración de un plan de acciones, a fin de poder analizar las posibilidades económicas que este tipo de actividades pueden reportar a la zona, conservando su carácter de economía sostenible sin que se comprometa el medioambiente para las futuras generaciones, de manera que puedan disfrutar y admirar la belleza de los recursos naturales existentes.

Ubre Blanca and the Politics of Milk in Socialist Cuba

In the summer of 1981 the cow named Ubre Blanca (White Udder), born on Isla de la Juventud (formerly Isla de Pinos) in the southern Cuban archipelago, became headline news for her high milk production. After achieving a national record, in the following months she was the focus of the country’s attention for her fast-track to becoming a world record holder, first in four milkings and later, in January 1982, as highest producer in three milkings, collection of milk in one lactation period, and fat content. For the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, and scientists from the cattle industry, it was important to emphasize that it was not only a matter of this incredible cow’s personal achievement but also the fruit of many years of effort to reach a radical transformation of the country’s cattle industry, from an emphasis on beef production toward the priority for milk production and diversification of animal protein sources. These politics required major changes in bovine herds from a genetic perspective, starting with major cross-breeding of Holstein cattle, of Canadian origin, with the Cebú, formerly dominant in Cuba, along with the creation of new infrastructure and other changes toward an intensive model of cattle ranching. Therefore, the history of Ubre Blanca is tied to that of the politics aimed at increased production and consumption of dairy products, presented as an achievement of the socialist Cuban model and with aspirations to bring dairy development to tropical areas and Third World countries. Although the ambitious goals announced in the 1960s were never reached, there was an increase in milk production and a general modernization of cattle ranching that, nevertheless, began a prolonged decline starting with the deep economic crisis of the 1990s.