2020 in Cuba

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 Timeline of Cuban history

Events in the year 2020 in Cuba.

Incumbents

• First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba: Raúl Castro
  • Second Secretary: José Ramón Machado Ventura
• President of the Council of State: Miguel Díaz-Canel
  • First Vice President: Salvador Valdés Mesa

Events

• 11 March – The first three cases of COVID-19 in Cuba were confirmed, all of whom were Italian tourists.[1]
• 16 March – The cruise ship MS Braemar, with over 1,000 passengers and crew on board, is given permission to berth in Cuba after being rejected by the Bahamas. At least five passengers have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). British citizens were able to take flights home after both governments reached an agreement on their repatriation.[2]
• 30 July – The government announces economic reforms giving more freedom to private businesses.[3]
• 1 September
  • COVID-19 pandemic: Cuba establishes a curfew and other strict measures to deal with the spread of the virus.[4]
  • U.S. President Donald Trump orders Marriott Hotels & Resorts to close its operations in Cuba.[5]
• 14 September – COVID-19 pandemic: With the addition of 12 health workers in Togo, Cuba has sent 4,000 health workers to 40 countries during the pandemic. Human Rights Watch and the government of the United States have complained because the workers involved have received only a small part of the money paid by the host countries; Cuba sees this as a type of tax to finance its universal health care. Cuba reports 4,684 cases and 108 deaths related to the virus.[6]
• November – Hurricane Eta
• 10 December – President Miguel Diaz-Canel says Cuba will eliminate its dual-exchange rate in January and have a fixed exchange rate of 24 pesos/US dollar. This is the first devaluation since 1959.[7]

Deaths

• 25 August – Pedro de Oraá, painter (b. 1931).[8]
• 2 September – Paco Prats, 76, animation producer.[9]
• 26 September – José Antonio Arbesú, 80, diplomat; cancer.[10]
• 16 October – Tomás Herrera Martínez, 69, basketball player, Olympic bronze medallist (1972).[11]
• 1 November Julio Bécquer, 88, baseball player (Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins).[12]
• 3 November – Taymi Chappe, 52, Cuban-Spanish Olympic fencer (1996).[13]
• 7 November – Cándido Camero, 99, jazz percussionist.[14]
• 16 November – Dairon Blanco, 28, footballer (Las Tunas, national team); traffic collision.[15]
• 18 November – Broselianda Hernández, 56, actress (The Companion); drowned.[16]
• 24 November – Julio César Gandarilla Bermejo, 77, vice admiral, Minister of the Interior (since 2017).[17]

See also

• 2020 in the Caribbean
• COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
• 2020 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2020 Cuban protests

References

1. "Cuba reports the first three cases of coronavirus on the island".
2. Emma Reynolds; Patrick Oppmann. "Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock". CNN. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
3. RODRÍGUEZ, ANDREA. "Economy tanking, Cuba launches some long-delayed reforms". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
4. "Cuba impone toque de queda y fuertes restricciones para frenar el COVID-19". www.msn.com (in Spanish). Reuters. 1 Sep 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
5. Gonzalez, Iran (September 1, 2020). "¡No más! Cadena hotelera Marriot desaparecerá de Cuba por orden de Trump". www.msn.com (in Spanish). UNO TV. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
6. "'Ejército de batas blancas' de Cuba ayuda en lucha contra el coronavirus en el mundo". www.msn.com (in Spanish). Reuters. September 14, 2020. Retrieved Sep 14, 2020.
7. "Cuba devalues peso for first time since 1959 revolution in bid to save collapsing economy". news.yahoo.com. The Telegraph. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
8. Lamentan en Cuba deceso de Pedro de Oraá, Premio de Artes Plásticas 2015 (in Spanish)
9. Falleció Paco Prats, Premio Nacional de Cine 2020 en Cuba (in Spanish)
10. Falleció en La Habana diplomático cubano José Antonio Arbesú Fraga
11. Luto en el deporte cubano: falleció Tomás Herrera Martínez (+tuits) (in Spanish)
12. Julio Becquer, member of Twins' first team in 1961, dies at 88
13. Taymi Chappé, 1990 world champion, dies
14. Cándido Camero, A Father Of Latin Jazz, Dies At 99
15. Fallece en accidente de tránsito el futbolista cubano Dairon Blanco (in Spanish)
16. La actriz cubana Broselianda Hernández muere ahogada "sin signos de violencia" en una playa de Miami (in Spanish)
17. Falleció el Vicealmirante Julio Cesar Gandarilla Bermejo (in Spanish)