Students, workers, farmers, the general public and some paramilitary elements beat a group of two opposition members in a Havana park. American Summit taking place in Havana met with certain groups of counter-revolutionaries, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez stayed back to play ball with Castro. Those ahead can't go very far if those behind run well. As protests take place across from the U.S. Interests' Section office in Havana and the days turn into weeks and the weeks into months, the boy's father argues that the child must be returned to him but can't decide whether to go get him. The minister of Finance and Prices announces that the Cuban economy had increased by 6 percent in 1999,leading some to believe that poultry meat distribution will also become greater in the coming century.
Prices skyrocket in the farm markets.
The uniformed population once again lashes out against groups at the service of the CIA and the Cuban American National Foundation. In other words, Cuba's State Security agents beat and kick four opposition members who had chained themselves together and were marching towards El Rincon in Havana's Santiago de las Vegas neighborhood. Several thousand people marched on Dec. 25 through Old Havana to celebrate the birth of the child Jesus. Since Cubans are now allowed to celebrate the nativity in Cuba, many employees of the state-controlled commerce network have placed tip boxes at their job sites so that the people will give them some tokens. State-owned trucks delivered frying plantains, pumpkins, garlic and other vegetables and to some avenues in the capital for sale to the general public so the people could enjoy a happy sendoff to the year as they await the return of Elian Gonzalez.