GUATEMALA/TOURISM
Guatemala Reaches a Million Visitors in 2004 despite Violence
Guatemala, Nov 29 (Prensa Latina) Guatemalan authorities revealed Monday this country fulfilled in anticipation its goal to receive a million foreign tourists in 2004, despite growing foreign warnings on the violence wave affecting this Central American nation.
Independent experts have warned that a tourist is not the same as a visitor, but the Guatemalan General Migration Direction (DGM) reported entry of 1.045 million foreign people to Guatemalan territory until November 17, 2004.
The goal to receive a million visitors or tourists, fixed as a great challenge by the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INIGUAT) was fulfilled on November 4, informed by Willi Kaltschmitt, Presidential Commissioner for Tourism, who assured Guatemalan hotels are happy, though November was not a good month, because of insecurity problems, such as hold-ups, murders and robbery.
Consulates and embassies from Mexico, US, Europe, Asia and Latin America recommended their citizens not to visit Guatemala, and sources of the tourist sector admitted 3 cruisers which scheduled their coming to the Caribbean zone cancelled their trips.
The Bank of Guatemala (BANGUAT) received 657.44 million dollars from January 1 to November 18 by concept of tourism and travels, going over the income reached in 2003, which was 600 million dollars.
However, Julio Santizo, president of the National Tourist Self Management Committees Coordinating Office (CONCATUR) questioned the data offered by DGM, and said the million visitors was not equivalent to the number of tourists.
Kaltschmitt, for his part, pointed out that the arrival of Central Americans to Guatemala was vital to reach such a number, especially coming from El Salvador, which represented between 45 and 50 percent of the total.
Paradoxically, local news media published a campaign made by Salvadorans, in which people assured they have been robbed during their stay in Guatemala discourage the flux of visitors, which posters and messages in streets and roads.
The group is formed by commercial, entertainment leaders with influence in different topics of the Salvadoran life.
tac/Ucl
CUBA-CARIBE
En Cuba concierto con música del "Mozart negro"
Santiago de Cuba, 5 jul (PL) El primer concierto en Cuba con la música de Joseph Boulogne, el Caballero de San Jorge, considerado el Mozart negro del siglo XVIII, se ofreció aquí como parte del XXVI Festival del Caribe.
En la Sala Dolores, los integrantes de la Camerata Esteban Salas interpretaron obras del insigne compositor en un programa patrocinado por la Compañía Antillana de Distribución Marcel-André Clement, la embajada de Francia y la Asociación Guadalupe-Cuba.
Con una vida de leyenda, Boulogne nació en 1739 en Baillif, Guadalupe, de una esclava de Senegal y un noble francés, y por sus aptitudes excepcionales como esgrimista, violinista y compositor, lo adoptó la aristocracia parisiense, en la cual brilló con luz propia.
Músico favorito de la reina María Antonieta, fue el primer masón de piel oscura y, durante la Revolución Francesa, creo una sociedad de negros y mulatos, la Legión de Saint Georges, al frente de la cual -como primer coronel negro del ejército galo-, se llenó de gloria en la batalla de Lille.
Esta propuesta musical devino un hito dentro de la Fiesta del Fuego y particularmente en el X Taller Francia y el Caribe, consagrado a profundizar en la impronta que esa nación europea dejó en las culturas de la región, así como a revelar facetas novedosas en ella.
Este descubrimiento del también apodado Voltaire y Watteau de la música o El Negro de las Luces fue acompañado por el filme El Mozart negro en Cuba, sobre facetas de su vida y obra, en un empeño por reinsertarlo en la música y la historia.
mgt mc ag/ tac
