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A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 12 November 2019
Havana celebrates 500th anniversary facing dire challenges

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ global destinations, Ha-
MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN vana is a chance to see
Associated Press something unique.
HAVANA (AP) — Havana "In Chile our architectural
has been ruled by Spanish history has been lost, not
colonial governors, Amer- conserved, something
ican-backed strongmen that's really positive to see
and communist revolution- in Havana," said Esteban
aries. Gajardo, a Chilean tourist.
It's an architectural jewel A drive through the city
box where buildings col- today can take you from
lapse from lack of main- 16th century Spanish pla-
tenance. It's a coastal zas in Old Havana to neo-
capital facing a sea nearly Baroque apartment build-
devoid of boats, thanks to ings and Art Deco theaters
U.S. sanctions and Cuban in central Havana to early
prohibitions. 20th century mansions in
Its leaders denounce glob- the shady Vedado neigh-
al capitalism as they build borhood and modernist
new chain hotels for tourists homes in the semi-subur-
arriving from Miami, Mexico ban districts of Miramar
City and Madrid. In this Nov. 10, 2019 photo, tourists take a joy ride along the malecon sea wall in Havana, Cuba. and Siboney.
Havana, a metropolis of The city of Havana will celebrate its 500th anniversary on Nov. 16. "Havana has a very clear
conundrums and contra- Associated Press urban structure that grew
dictions, will celebrate its and was maintained over
500th anniversary Saturday fireworks over the Malecon amoros, a retired state part of me." time, but development
facing some of the tough- seaside promenade. worker, lives in a 19th cen- Most other Spanish capitals practically stopped in the
est challenges in its history, The mood of resignation of- tury town house in Old Ha- in Latin America retain a '60s," said architect Orlan-
from climate change to ten found on the streets of vana that has been carved kernel of colonial center in do Inclán, an urban devel-
U.S. sanctions to the stag- Havana has lifted slightly, up into 20 small apartments. a sea of glass office build- opment specialist at Ha-
nation and brain drain with the city's 2.1 million For decades she shared a ings, concrete towers and vana's Office of the City His-
plaguing one of the world's residents admiring the res- bathroom with neighbors strip malls. Havana largely torian. Cuba allows every
last communist economies. toration work — although and hauled buckets of wa- stopped building after its citizen to own two homes,
Despite the hard times, much appears rushed and ter to her apartment from 1959 socialist revolution, one in the city and one in
the Cuban government is incomplete — and enjoy- the building's single work- and what it did put up were a rural area, and they can
planning a jubilee week, ing street fairs and special ing tap. mostly Soviet-style apart- be freely bought and sold
with hundreds of events at exhibitions that have al- "I wouldn't live anywhere ment blocks on empty land under laws enacted after
restored monuments and ready begun ahead of the else in the world. It's a pro- on the city outskirts. Raul Castro became presi-
historic sites, a visit from the anniversary festivities. found love," she said. "Old For tourists frustrated by the dent in 2008 and launched
Spanish royal family and María de los Ángeles Mat- Havana, where I live, it's homogeneity of so many a series of reforms.q

Opposition rejects plan for new Chilean Constitution

one of a series of measures "Parliamentarians don't and education.
aimed at quelling weeks of have credibility today," While most protests have
protests in Chile over eco- said Sen. Manuel José Os- been peaceful, at least 20
nomic inequality and other sandón, who is part of Pi- people have died in clash-
grievances. ñera's ruling coalition. "The es between protesters and
The new document would parliament doesn't have police.
be drafted by a "constitu- credibility to do something A key demand of demon-
ent congress" and then put without the more active strators has been to throw
to a plebiscite, according participation of the com- out the constitution that
to Blumel. munity." was drafted in 1980 during
But the opposition says Karla Rubilar, the govern- the dictatorship of Augusto
the process is inadequate, ment spokeswoman, on Pinochet. The constitution
partly because it relies on Monday rejected the call is the legal basis for the
current legislators who are for a constituent assembly, market-driven system that
viewed with suspicion by which would involve the protesters say favors Chile's
protesters. They also say election of a group of citi- affluent minority.
the plebiscite should occur zens to draft the new con- The public health care sys-
Chile's President Sebastian Pinera arrives to La Moneda presi- at the beginning of the pro- stitution. tem is bogged down with
dential palace in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019. cess, so that people's views Students in Chile began months-long waiting times,
Associated Press can be considered. protesting nearly a month and those seeking higher
"The citizenry is demanding ago over a subway fare education are often sad-
By EVA VERGARA cized on Monday by the something different," said hike. The demonstrations dled with crushing student
Associated Press opposition and even his opposition Sen. Felipe Har- have morphed into a mas- debt. Protests continued
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A own political ranks. boe. He said people want sive protest movement de- on Monday in the capital
plan by Chilean President Interior Minister Gonzalo a "constituent assembly" or manding improvements in of Santiago, ahead of a
Sebastián Piñera to draft a Blumel unveiled the gov- some other form of direct basic services and benefits, national strike planned for
new constitution was criti- ernment's plan on Sunday, participation. including pensions, health, Tuesday.q