After a week in Havana the 14th Havana International Book Fair then toured 34 cities in Cuba

Book Fairs, fortresses, a treaty, patriotism and modern politics

The San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress was built adjacent to the Morro fortress by the Spanish Authority following the return of Cuba to Spain in exchange for the territory of Florida in America after the end of the Seven Years War.

Britain had captured the Morro fortress because of its lack of strong defence from the landward side.

The ensuing brief occupation by Britain had profound and lasting effects for Cuba and Spain. The 1763 Treaty of Paris permanently removed the Spanish mercantilist pattern of trade and from then onwards British and colonial American ships could trade products from Cuba directly to the British American colonies and Britain. Before the treaty only Spanish ships could exploit this trade - this of course also pleased Cuban creoles who owned merchant ships (a creole being a person born in Cuba but not of native descent) who could then share in the same trade.

The British American patriot scientist Benjamin Franklin subsequently proposed to Britain (in his British patriot mode) that planning should be done for the capture of Cuba. And it seems that that option is now standard United States of America's Department of States policy.

The Annual Havana International Book Fair is a great event which draws exhibitors from all over Latin America and other parts of the world. But most importantly it draws thousands of Cuban families both to see the books and especially to buy some books for their children. It is also a very pleasant and social day out!