Rasúa Grethell Farinas Covers of Desires, 2008-2013 installation, photography, video (2:13 min.)
The patch has become a common practice in Cuba, a way of dealing with objects that should be be but cannot be replaced. It is an aesthetic of the unstable, an improvisation, a solution of the moment. Rasúa’s project focuses on decorative adornment that city residents use in their homes because they could not repair or solve the structural problems in buildings. Rasúa shows people’s attempts to create a good impression: covering the gaps, hiding the errors, hiding dirt with color, with whatever is at hand. The result is a special visual quality, a precarious image is itself a metaphor.
Site manager: We decided not to subtitle the video itself, given its length and poor sound quality, so a transcript is provided below and can be downloaded here. The video of Eliecer’s encounter with Ricardo Alarcon is available subtitled in English here.
Yoani Sánchez: It’s a pleasure to be with you and share an interview with Eliécer Ávila. Eliécer is an Information Scientist, but in recent years has been best known for his political and social action in Cuba. He is also the producer of the alternative television program “One More Cuban” and in the year 2008, for those who remember it, in the Universidad de Ciencias Informáticas (UCI) (Information Sciences University). Eliécer had a question and answer session with Ricardo Alarcón, President of the National Assembly.
(Excerpt of video between Eliecer and Ricardo Alarcon)
Eliécer Ávila: OK, let me introduce myself, I am Eliécer Ávila, Faculty No. 2, leader of the “Technological and Political Surveillance” Project, which is one of the specialties of Operation Truth). What we are looking at here is the constant monitoring of the internet and our mission of reporting and fighting in this area.
Yoani Sánchez: What is and what has been Operation Truth?
Eliécer Ávila: Operation Truth is a project that stems from an “activity” of the UJC (Young Communist League).An “activity” (for non-Cubans here) is a meeting of the key militants and UJC teams of all the UCI brigades, which they hold periodically, about once or twice a year as I recall, in the Palace of Conventions.
The Minister of Culture, Abel Prieto, was invited to one of these activities and, among other things, he explained that currently they were pursuing another campaign of defamation and that kind of thing, and then a student … (after the announcement Prieto played the university card, to use the students to express the Revolution’s opinion on the theme they were discussing. … a student proposed creating a project organized in the UCI, which was the university most technically able to do it, to send out to the world the truth about Cuba, the truth put forward by the government about Cuba. Also the context of the Five Heroes. The second important objective of the Operation Truth Project was to tell the world about the Cuban vision regarding the Five Heroes.
Roughly in what year was the Operation Truth started?
I think it was 2007-2008
It was exactly in that period, in early 2008, if I’m not mistaken, when the conversation occurred between Ricardo Alarcón and a group of students of the UCI, and you in particular, pretty much in the same time period.
I think the Project had been going some months because it was then fairly well developed and they had gained a lot of experience. There was already a signed document of the Project at that time. It had been in operation for some time. Continue reading →
A beautiful night in Perugia at the #journalismfest, debate, argument, act of repudiation and hugs.
Despite everything I keep smiling, I won’t let them grab from me this small gesture that so annoys the powers-that-be.
A tense totalitarianism knows nothing of equanimity, a system that doesn’t dialog is very fragile in the arena of debate.
I have the impression that the time of the caudillos is ending. Perhaps the era of the citizens is beginning. Hopefully!
Because here they can insult me but at least I have the right to the microphone. In Cuba so many are denigrated and repressed and they are defenseless.
I went with my dog to explore the town of San Cristobal and discovered the Santa Cruz River. Crystalline and drinkable water, a complete marvel. I hope you enjoy it.
15 April 2013, 12:35 PM. La Rampa (23rd Street), in the Vedado Neighborhood of Havana
The woman is shouting things such as: Shameless! Cowards! This is full of injustices! Come and observe the terror of the Cuban government! Terrorism! Military terrorism!
Explanatory text from the end of the video:
This brave woman is protesting because her son was arrested and for a whole week she asked and asked… “We don’t know,” was the answer at every police station. Here we see what the repressive forces of the Castros are capable of, they make you disappear or kill you.
Link to this video from everywhere. DON’T cooperate with the Dictatorship.
Video Presentation of Eliecer Avila’s “Somos +” or “Somos mas” — We Are More.
From Eliecer: This video is just an introduction. In the coming days we will solidify the information about our movement, its ideas, its vision, how to join it, etc.
A big hug
