International Fair of Havana Successful Despite US Blockade

The 34th International Fair of Havana (FIHAV 2016 by its Spanish acronym), opened in its traditional venue of Expocuba fairgrounds, is another strong show of international rejection to the US genocidal siege

Just like their governments recently did at United Nations when condemning the US blockade against Cuba, entrepreneurs and businessmen from 73 countries challenged in Havana the laws and outrages of that criminal policy when betting on foreign trade and foreign investment with the Caribbean island.

The 34th International Fair of Havana (FIHAV 2016 by its Spanish acronym), opened in its traditional venue of Expocuba fairgrounds, thus becoming another strong show of international rejection to the genocidal siege, with a record of participants of over 3 500 exhibitors, including nine nations coming for the first time.

In the opening, Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, especially thanked foreign visitors their presence in this commercial meeting, the largest in the
Caribbean, and ratified Cuba´s willingness to comply with payment to its creditors.

On the first day of FIHAV 2016, both Malmierca as Ricardo Cabrisas, Minister of Economy and Planning, toured the Central Pavilion, where 125 Cuban companies exhibit their products
and services on behalf of some 325 firms with export and trading capacity.

Both officials attended the celebration of the National Day of the Russian Federation in the pavilion occupied by dozens of companies or firms from that country, and there, Georgy Kalamanov,
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of that European nation, recalled that his country contributes to the modernization ofCuban
rail transport, sugar industry and civil aviation.

Before Cabrisas and Japanese entrepreneurs, Iliana Nuñez, Cuban deputy minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, stressed the possibility of Japan to have greater participation in the development of the Caribbean island, on the basis of mutually
advantageous relations in areas such as construction, tourism, infrastructure and industry.

The presentation of Havana Club Seven, a mixture of exceptional rums aged for seven years each at least, which by their outstanding quality will have a favorable reception in the domestic and international markets, took place yesterday at Cuba Pavilion of the
fair.

FIHAV 2016 will run until next Friday, and in addition to the many business contacts to initiate business, arrange projects and sign memorandums, letters of intent and other legal texts, it will also meet the First Investment Forum and will be presented the third Portfolio of Projects Opportunities with foreign capital.