HAVANA (Reuters) – Priests offering New Year’s prophecies from Cuba’s Afro-Cuban religion urged old Cold War foes Havana and Washington to continue rebuilding relations, and forecast that detente would bring economic benefits in 2015.
US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced last month they would move to renew diplomatic ties, potentially paving a way to end decades of hostility.
Many on the Caribbean island eagerly await the annual forecast from the Santeria religion, which is practised by 3 million Cubans and uses animal sacrifices to contact Yoruba deities originally worshipped by slaves brought over from Africa.
This year the priests, known as babalawos, predicted more conflicts between nations worldwide, the deaths of religious and political leaders, ecological strife and storm surges, as well as fatalities from inter-generational struggles.
One of the priests, Lazaro Cuesta, said building bridges for dialogue was key for the coming 12 months.
