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WORLD NEWS Saturday 17 auguSt 2019

In this Jan. 4, 2015 file photo, the computer, modem and intranet
network cabling belonging to Rafael Antonio Broche Moreno
sits on a desk at his home in Havana.
Associated Press
Cuban state to

absorb underground

video-gamers' network Christopher Landau, the new U.S. ambassador to Mexico, delivers a statement to members of the
media at the Benito Juarez International Airport, upon his arrival to Mexico City, Friday, Aug. 16,
2019.
Associated Press
By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ as a way to play multi-play-
Associated er video games in an of- New U.S. Ambassador arrives in
HAVANA (AP) — After fline mode. Talking politics,
weeks of resistance from exchanging pornography Mexico with 'hand extended'
Cuban video gamers, the or insulting is prohibited.
island's state-run computer The network operated in a
organization will absorb gray area in that it was not By PETER ORSI and China. neighbors and friends," he
the services of an offline illegal but was not allowed Associated Press But Landau's arrival comes added. "It is that way to-
underground network that either. But the new regula- MEXICO CITY (AP) — New after months of tensions day, and always will be."
for more than a decade tions allow only lower pow- U.S. Ambassador to Mexico over immigration and Antonio Garza, who was
extended privately in Ha- er networks covering small Christopher Landau arrived trade. U.S. ambassador to Mexi-
vana. areas, leaving SNET now in Mexico City on Friday Mexico has cracked down co from 2002 to 2009, said
The state's Youth Com- outside the law. to take up one of Wash- a wave of mostly Central Landau will be tasked with
puter Club will take con- "SNET is a family," 24-year- ington's most important American migrants and working with Mexico on the
trol of SNET — a merging old user Ernesto de Armas diplomatic posts, which asylum seekers moving same issues that are peren-
of the words Street and told The Associated Press in had been vacant for over through its territory after U.S. nially core to the relation-
Network — thanks to a law a Twitter interview. "Some- a year, amid a tricky time President Donald Trump ship: trade, immigration
that came into force in late one who is not a 'gamer' for relations between the threatened to slap tariffs and security.
July and authorizes Cu- in Cuba won't understand North American neighbors. on imports from its south- "I think to various degrees
bans to have private net- what it feels like to lose not Landau replaces Roberta ern neighbor. The number at different times there's
works, while paradoxically only these fantastic univers- Jacobson, the first woman of migrants encountered more urgency attached to
dismantling the largest of es, but the community." to be the United States' by U.S. authorities in July each of those," Garza said.
them. When the law went into envoy to Mexico, who re- dropped below 100,000 for "With that said, I don't think
"This service will grow with effect July 29, opposition signed and retired in May the first time in five months, that there has ever been a
the increased infrastruc- grew and users requested 2018. according to U.S. govern- more critical time in terms
ture" of the Youth Comput- the law be amended to "I arrive with my hand ex- ment data released last of urgency as relates to
er Club, Pablo Julio Plá Fe- allow SNET to continue op- tended. The United States week. trade, immigration and se-
ria, general director of the erating. In addition to the wins when there is a pros- A September deadline curity."
Communications Ministry, protests, a Twitter cam- perous and stable Mexico, looms when the two coun- Landau is a Harvard-edu-
told local media Thursday paign was launched under and Mexico wins when tries are to evaluate prog- cated lawyer who has ar-
night. His comments were the label #YoSoySnet and there is a prosperous and ress on the issue. gued nine cases before the
a response to protests by #FuerzaSnet. Some young stable United States," Lan- The governments are also Supreme Court and who
SNET users. people like de Armas say dau said in brief remarks to hoping for ratification of a clerked for Justices Antonin
SNET expanded rapidly they have been visited by journalists upon arriving at trade deal with Canada Scalia and Clarence Thom-
over the past decade with- police. Mexico City's airport in the that replaced the North as in the early 1990s, ac-
out the internet, relying Youth Computer Club offi- morning. He did not take American Free Trade cording to a bio provided
instead on wireless con- cials have begun conduct- questions. Agreement. Mexico's Sen- by the U.S. Embassy.
nections and cables strung ing pilot tests for SNET users The United States and ate approved the agree- While he lacks diplomatic
between houses and build- and said they will increase Mexico have deep cultur- ment known as the USMCA experience, he is the son
ings. The system's antennas their infrastructure to com- al, familial and economic in June, but U.S. lawmakers of career diplomat George
are visible on Havana roof- ply with the new law. ties. The United States buys have yet to do so. Landau, who was ambas-
tops. However, many of the about 80% of Mexican ex- "Obviously there are chal- sador to Venezuela, Chile
Observers say it has more gamers distrust the club ports, some $358 billion last lenges in the bilateral rela- and Paraguay. The young-
than 40,000 users in the and have doubts about year, and in the first quarter tionship, but they are the er Landau was born in Ma-
capital, many of whom use its technical abilities. Those of this year Mexico was the challenges ... of any rela- drid, attended the Ameri-
it to play games like World who are not near a club United States' No. 1 com- tionship that is so close," can School in Asuncion,
of Warcraft or Battlefield or tower fear they will lose mercial partner for the first Landau said. Paraguay, and speaks
discuss sports. It emerged their connection to SNET.q time, ahead of Canada "Our countries are partners, Spanish fluently.q