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 tested positive for 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]
• 27 August – The governor of Havana announces a curfew and travel ban to curb the spread of COVID-19.[4]
• 1 September
  • Cuba establishes a curfew and other strict measures to deal with the spread of the virus.[5]
  • U.S. President Donald Trump orders Marriott Hotels & Resorts to close its operations in Cuba.[6]
• 14 September – 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.[7]
• 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.[8]

Deaths

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

See also

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

References

1. Gámez Torres, Nora (12 March 2020). "Cuba reports the first three cases of coronavirus on the island". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
2. Reynolds, Emma; Oppmann, Patrick (16 March 2020). "Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
3. Rodríguez, Andrea (6 August 2020). "Economy tanking, Cuba launches some long-delayed reforms". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
4. Marsh, Sarah; Acosta, Nelson (27 August 2020). "Havana announces curfew to curb new coronavirus peak". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
5. "Cuba impone toque de queda y fuertes restricciones para frenar el COVID-19". www.msn.com (in Spanish). Reuters. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
6. Gonzalez, Iran (1 September 2020). "¡No más! Cadena hotelera Marriot desaparecerá de Cuba por orden de Trump". www.msn.com (in Spanish). UNO TV. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
7. "'Ejército de batas blancas' de Cuba ayuda en lucha contra el coronavirus en el mundo" [Cuba's "army of white coats" helps fight coronavirus worldwide]. www.msn.com (in Spanish). Reuters. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
8. "Cuba devalues peso for first time since 1959 revolution in bid to save collapsing economy". The Daily Telegraph. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
9. Lamentan en Cuba deceso de Pedro de Oraá, Premio de Artes Plásticas 2015 (in Spanish)
10. Falleció Paco Prats, Premio Nacional de Cine 2020 en Cuba (in Spanish)
11. Falleció en La Habana diplomático cubano José Antonio Arbesú Fraga
12. Luto en el deporte cubano: falleció Tomás Herrera Martínez (+tuits) (in Spanish)
13. Julio Becquer, member of Twins' first team in 1961, dies at 88
14. "Taymi Chappé, 1990 world champion, dies". Archived from the original on 4 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
15. Cándido Camero, A Father Of Latin Jazz, Dies At 99
16. Fallece en accidente de tránsito el futbolista cubano Dairon Blanco (in Spanish)
17. La actriz cubana Broselianda Hernández muere ahogada "sin signos de violencia" en una playa de Miami (in Spanish)
18. Falleció el Vicealmirante Julio Cesar Gandarilla Bermejo (in Spanish)