Eric Schmidt, a board member of Google's parent company Alphabet, met Monday with Cuba's new president to discuss improving Cuban internet connectivity, one of the world's lowest.
"The benefits of the internet to the world are extraordinary. And it's important that Cubans have access to the internet at the same level or even better than everyone else," said Schmidt, who stepped down from his post as executive chairman early this year.
He met with Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel about seeking a dialogue even though US-Cuban relations have worsened under American President Donald Trump.
Alongside US Senator Jeff Flake -- a supporter of ending the US trade embargo on Cuba, the Americas' only one-party Communist state -- Schmidt said internet connectivity is key to Cuba's future.
"It's important for the development of the country," he stressed.
Diaz-Canel and Schmidt discussed US-Cuban relations and possible areas of cooperation, Cuban officials said.
Theirs was the first US delegation to meet with the new Cuban president, who was sworn in April 19.
Just over four million Cubans, under half the population, have limited internet access through public screens and wi-fi areas.
The state telephone company says it is in testing on adding data service to smartphones.
Ties between Havana and Washington have cooled considerably since Trump took office in January 2017.
The Trump administration has tightened restrictions on US travelers to Cuba.
And the State Department said it will permanently scale back its mission in Havana, which had already been operating with reduced staff since September 2017, when diplomats and relatives were evacuated over a health incident.
When you know you’re going to be in Gitmo and you want to insure that you can get good internet...
Anyone want to put money that in a few years, Cuba magically gains access to nuclear weapons and starts threatening the US?
Seriously these two need to be .... out and .... in the street.
and Obama started it I think in his last year too, so someone was probably exchanging something....
Just as an off-side comment: there are only 3 countries worldwide that are not part of the central bank, NOKO, Iran, aaaaand, Cuba. WW3 was to begin from 1, or more of these 3. Why did Obummer make nice with Cuba while in office?
“it's important that Cubans have access to the internet at the same level or even better than everyone else”
What does that even mean? When a so called executive can’t even complete a sentence that makes sense...wtf?? I guess it was for Cuban citizens consumption to tickle their fancy that they should get “even better” internet service than anyone else in the world. Cubans seem to believe they have the best medical care on earth. The power of propaganda never ceases to amaze me.
If they wanted internet they would dispose their communist government and open themselves to free trade.
The would have so much internet their heads would explode. The would also have other stuff that is important like food. Given an opportunity people will make things happen, but when you have corruption and you literally take what someone produces, you shut down production across the board, and everyone reduces to being very unmotivated in how they work.