Cuba plays host

Something to tide you over on what seems to be a slow LatAm news day...

Cuba will soon host a variety of visitors, including Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, who wants to meet with Raul Castro in February, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will speak with Raul Castro this week during his visit to the country.

Bertone is the Vatican's most senior member after the Pope. Reuters reports his trip is partially related to the timing: It's the tenth anniversary of the late Pope John Paul II's 1998 trip to Cuba.

The Brazilian president will "sign important agreements in areas of shared interest," according to the article on Granma International's Web site.

Brazil is Cuba's second-largest trading partner.

Sources: Reuters, Granma International

Photo: Reuters, Raul Castro