Translating Cuba – English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island

Canary Islands Government Says It Cannot Send “Even One Container of Food” to Cuba

The Deputy Minister for External Action regrets that contact with the Casa Canaria has been lost due to a “lack of generational renewal”

A group of descendants of Canary Islanders play dominoes at the ‘Leonor Pérez’ Canarian Association of Cuba in Old Havana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Madrid, October 7, 2026 / Approximately 70,000 Canary Islanders currently live in Cuba and are a matter of the utmost concern for politicians in the Parliament of the Canary Islands, which this Wednesday addressed their situation in the Committee on European Affairs and External Action. According to the deputy minister for this area, their situation is “very complicated” and the regional government is having great difficulty acquiring aid and sending it.

“At this time we cannot send even one container of food, as we were able to in recent months, or of medicines, because there is a total blockade and we have nowhere we can buy them, or any way to get them to Havana and from there to other places,” said José Luis Perestelo, of Coalición Canaria, the conservative nationalist party that governs the region together with the PP [People’s Party] and another regional party.

The deputy minister was responding to a question put by his party colleague, José Manuel Bermúdez, aimed at following up on the efforts the government is making to bring relief to the thousands of Canary Islanders who live on the island.

The citizens “are not to blame for the political regime they live under, they are not to blame for the situation they are in, they are not even to blame for geopolitics”

“The Cuban people, unfortunately, have been surviving in very difficult conditions for a long time, but it seems that the seriousness of this precarious situation has now increased, and we cannot forget that behind the hardships there are elderly people, there are children, there are families with few resources, and sick people who need to continue their treatments,” he stated. continue reading

Bermúdez indicated that the citizens “are not to blame for the political regime they live under, they are not to blame for the situation they are in, they are not even to blame for geopolitics, for blockades, for all these matters that play out in a sphere where there is surely no shortage of the necessary resources, but which very seriously affect the people and the families who live every day and who survive every day.”

Perestelo confirmed that small amounts of up to 200 euros are being sent through a Cuban bank to the most vulnerable members of the population. This contribution complements other aid from the Spanish State, which is managed by the Spanish Embassy and the Consulate, he added.

The deputy minister explained that over the past two years the Canary Islands government has allocated 1.2 million euros to cooperation funds in the country, which has made it possible to ship containers of food or medicines that have been distributed among the population “without discriminatory criteria” but with the certainty that they benefit the Canarian community.

In this regard, Perestelo regretted the loss of contact with the Canarian associations that worked on the ground, although he thanked the Director General for External Action, Miossoty de la Caridad, for her efforts to coordinate with the island, identify the population most in need, and contact businesses – both those present in the port, he specified, and mipymes [small and medium-sized private enterprises] that might be able to help.

However, the lack of generational renewal is complicating matters, he argued, in explicit reference to the Casa Canaria Leonor Pérez Cabrera. “Once those directors who drove it forward are no longer there, they gradually disappear, those ties have been lost, and it is increasingly complicated, despite the efforts made by the Emigration department, to send them some resources,” he said, which has resulted in the “loss” of the medical clinic, the day center, the activities for the elderly, and the Renacer support group.

In 2023, sources at the Casa Canaria in Havana told ’14ymedio’ that the Cuban government had taken control of the organization

In 2023, sources at the Casa Canaria in Havana told 14ymedio that the Cuban government had taken control of the organization. The origin of those events had been the death in 2018 of Carmelo González, president of the association since its founding and leader of the Cuban community since his arrival in Havana in 1959. He was succeeded in the post by his former right-hand man, Lázaro Rivero, who was in turn vice president of Cuba’s National Bank and its Bank for Agricultural and Industrial Development.

Accusations of corruption and poor justification of expenses were circulating at the time, when Fernando Rojas, then deputy minister and minister of Culture – and also a descendant of Canary Islanders – took charge, initially on a transitional basis – with a management committee – until elections could determine the new board. However, no other presidency has ever come to light, which is consistent with Perestelo’s assertion about the lack of generational renewal.

Translated by GH.
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One in Four Cuban Workers Has an Informal Job

Opportunities to access decent work, whose international day is celebrated this Wednesday, are shrinking in a Cuba facing a polycrisis.

Pensioners who have no family support or other means of livelihood engage in informal and precarious work to make ends meet. / IPS

IPS Cuba (via 14ymedio), Havana, October 7, 2026 – Magalys, 63, sells coffee from a thermos that she prepares at home every weekday outside the Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical-Surgical Hospital, in the center of the capital, one of the informal and precarious jobs performed by elderly people in Cuban cities.

“Even though I receive a pension, I have to go out and hustle, because the money isn’t enough,” she tells a customer to whom she also sells a cigarette. In the face of the crisis, more and more people like her are seeking other sources of income, often far from the guarantees of decent employment defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The ideal of decent employment, to which every October 7 has been dedicated since 2008, was defined in 1999 by Chilean lawyer and diplomat Juan Somavia, the ILO’s first director-general, and expresses the idea that, globally, work should be a means of self-realization through freedom and not merely a means of subsistence.

“Work is not decent when it is carried out without respect for fundamental labor principles and rights, nor when it does not provide a fair income proportional to the effort made, without gender or any other type of discrimination, nor when it is carried out without social protection and excludes dialogue,” wrote Virgilio Levaggi, deputy regional director of the ILO for Latin America and the Caribbean. continue reading

“Work is not decent when it is carried out without respect for fundamental labor principles and rights, nor when it does not provide a fair income proportional to the effort made, without gender or any other type of discrimination, nor when it is carried out without social protection and excludes dialogue”

“Since the university closed in February, I wanted to work at something, but in my town there is hardly anything where they pay fairly,” a 23-year-old university student who lives in a rural community in Artemisa province told IPS Cuba.

“I looked for work at the elementary school, but the salary was very low and I had to go every day. And in the countryside you work a lot and they pay very little,” he continued, describing his search for income since university classrooms closed and classes shifted to a digital format because of the oil blockade imposed on Cuba by the U.S. in January.

The young man opted for an informal activity that is quite common among people who manage to acquire a means of transportation on the Island. “I have an electric motorcycle, and with it I give short rides to people I know,” he said.

As early as 2022, jurist Roberto Rodríguez identified as many as seven challenges related to the Cuban State’s compliance with it. In 2023, researcher Ovidio D´Angelo described how social conditions were creating dilemmas in this regard. The worsening situation in 2026 makes it more difficult to uphold these recently expanded international prerogatives, Cuban Minister of Labor and Social Security Jesús Otamendiz said last June before the ILO.

Today, Cuba’s labor ecosystem is marked by a collapse in the value of wages and deterioration in working hours, staffing, and income in key sectors of the economy that once generated employment, such as tourism and tobacco.

Cuba ended 2025 with a working-age population of 5,606,541, according to the latest available figures from the state National Office of Statistics and Information, which updated the country’s total population to 9.4 million people.

The 2024 National Employment Survey (ENO) placed Cuba among the countries with the lowest employment rates in the Latin American region, with only 49.1% of its working-age population employed. That indicator had an average of 58.9% in Latin America and the Caribbean at the time, according to the ILO.

Magalys, who worked as an accountant all her life, now receives a retirement pension of 5,000 Cuban pesos, equivalent to around six dollars according to the different exchange rates in effect.

“I could go back to my former State job to earn the additional salary, but it isn’t worth it,” she said, referring to what it means today to work for an average state salary equivalent to less than $10, with required working hours and responsibilities, while facing difficulties such as lack of transportation, blackouts, and water shortages.

“I could go back to my former State job to earn the additional salary, but it isn’t worth it”

Salaries in Cuban pesos, which are mostly paid by the State, the country’s main employer, are losing value amid inflation estimated at 25% by the end of this year. Price growth during the first half of 2026 was close to 20% compared to 2025, according to the January-July 2026 report from the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy.

Many social protections thus lose part of their value, despite Minister Otamendiz’s assertion in June that budgets and social workers had been expanded.

According to a study conducted by the University of Havana in 2025, these vulnerable sectors face, in terms of employability, “systemic barriers such as lack of accessibility and discrimination, where more comprehensive oversight and the standardization of the legal framework are required.”

The above factors make informal employment attractive to sectors that, taken together, without labor guarantees or rights, already represent 25% of the country’s workforce, employed mostly within the private sector, according to the ENO.

Other strategic sectors that once provided employment have been affected by the polycrisis, such as construction, professional services, non-sugar agroindustry, food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, biomedical production, the sugar agroindustry and its derivatives, and light industry.

The National Economic and Social Development Plan through 2030 includes among its objectives “generating sufficient and productive employment.” Among the goals of this task is to provide more opportunities for decent employment.

For specialists, the expansion of mipymes (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) can contribute to this aspiration. There are more than 16,100 mipymes approved to date, adding to the 1.3 million private-sector employees that existed in 2024.

On the other hand, the State sector has a large number of vacancies. One problem is the low salaries, which many qualified employees consider insufficient, prompting them to move to the private sector or the informal economy, as Ileana Díaz of the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy explains in an article.

“My greatest motivation is to finish the mandatory social service. If they paid me better, I could practice my profession, but when I finish, I want to devote myself fully to something that gives me money and that I am equally passionate about,” said Ana Fundora, 22, a recent History graduate of the University of Havana.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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South African Doctors Trained in Cuba Cannot Find Work on Returning to Their Country

At least 24 graduates of the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro program remain unemployed in the Eastern Cape, and the authorities attribute it to budget problems

Group of young South Africans sent to Cuba this September to take part in the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro program. / Minrex

14ymedio, Madrid, October 6, 2026 / The hundreds of thousands of dollars that South Africa invests in the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro student collaboration program with Cuba are not proving very useful in strengthening the African country’s public health system. According to the Eastern Cape provincial health department, at least 24 doctors who trained on the island cannot obtain a job in public facilities due to a lack of budget to meet the demand, as the local outlet The Herald reported this Tuesday.

The publicly funded program provides for students to complete a medical degree in Cuba and “for the doctors to work within the [South African] public service for a number of years equivalent to those for which they were funded,” explained Siyanda Manana, spokesperson for the South African Department of Health. The official also confirmed that approximately 17.9 million rand – more than a million dollars – has been spent on this program over the last four years. “If we are unable to employ doctors, they are released from their contractual obligations,” she added.

However, some of the professionals who graduated from Cuban universities, and who have also already completed their community service, have been looking for work for three years and are disappointed by the lack of a solution to a scheme that funds their training in Cuba but which, nevertheless, cuts the budget for the jobs they could find in their own country.

The problem of vacant posts in health institutions that lack authorized funding from the Treasury was acknowledged this year by the South African Parliament as a “human resources paradox”: the country has more than 1,200 unemployed qualified doctors while there are 2,147 vacancies without confirmed funding. Because of this situation, some graduates of the Cuban program have spent years applying and traveling to interviews for posts that ultimately cannot be funded. continue reading

If the posts are not funded, why are doctors repeatedly subjected to interviews for positions that cannot be filled?”

Two unemployed doctors who trained at Cuban universities were interviewed by The Herald on condition of anonymity.

The first recounted that his training included seven years of study, a two-year internship, and another year of community service. “We made sacrifices, spent years away from our families, and endured difficult training because we believed in a vision bigger than ourselves,” he said, referring to the promises the program made to them.

The reality he has encountered after his training has been different: “We are repeatedly guided through recruitment processes, called for interviews, and asked to compete for positions, only to discover that some of these are supposedly not funded.”

The doctor is demanding that the health department publish information on funded posts, vacancies, and staffing needs, and develop a plan to employ doctors where necessary. “If there are genuine financial constraints, the government must be honest with us. If the posts are not funded, why are doctors repeatedly subjected to interviews for positions that cannot be filled?”

“I am considering going back to school to get another degree in a different field, because medicine has failed me without even giving me a fighting chance”

The second interviewee says the situation has already discouraged him so much that he has thought about abandoning the medical profession altogether: “As I speak, I am considering going back to school to get another degree in a different field, because, clearly, medicine has failed me without even giving me a fighting chance.”

He also recalled how the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro program had promised them that it could improve their family’s circumstances and allow them to serve their community. However, he laments: “Ten years of training, only to stay at home.”

According to official data, more than 3,243 South Africans have been trained under the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro program. Last July, 19 students completed their training at Cuban medical universities, and it was announced that another 18 young people from the South African province of Gauteng would leave for Havana to train as part of the program.

A written response from South Africa’s Ministry of Health, released by MP Haseena Ismail in 2022, revealed that training South African students in Cuba cost that country’s department $121,082 per course, not counting the 18 months of training that graduates complete afterwards.

“I come from a home steeped in poverty. I know what it is like, but this is serious, worse than my own situation at home”

A report published last week by the South African outlet Daily Maverick, based on the testimony of a student, describes the poor hygiene and food conditions that the program’s scholarship holders endure in Cuba. “I come from a home steeped in poverty. I know what it is like, but this is serious, worse than my own situation at home,” the young woman confessed, describing problems with water shortages, the lack of sanitation, and the food crisis at the facility that housed her in Cuba.

MP and Democratic Alliance spokesperson Haseena Ismail told the same outlet that “the Cuban medical training program raises serious questions about cost, value for money, and outcomes.” For his part, South African Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale acknowledged that “no supervisory visit has been carried out since 2022,” due to “mounting financial pressures and strict austerity measures,” referring to cuts and restrictions on public spending.

The bilateral agreement to launch the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro Collaboration Program was signed in 1996. “The program was established to address the excessive concentration of health personnel in urban areas and in the exclusive private sector, as well as to increase the number of qualified health professionals,” said Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, in 2021 during a parliamentary debate on Cuba.

Translated by GH.

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Cuba’s Bodegas Are on the Path to Extinction as Neighborhood Markets Expand

Only 1,913 of the 12,000 existing stores will be kept, and they will serve only people in vulnerable situations

Vacía de productos, pero no de consignas está la bodega / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, October 6, 2026 / The Cuban Government has selected 1,913 bodegas, barely 16% of the more than 12,000 that make up the rationed market network, to continue operating as such and serve the people in the most vulnerable situations. At the same time, some others are being transformed into neighborhood markets, although the authorities have not said how many establishments will end up under that model.

Marpessa Portal de Villiers, director general of Merchandise Sales at the Ministry of Domestic Trade, confirmed this Tuesday on the program Haciendo Radio, on Radio Rebelde, that “not all” bodegas will become Neighborhood Markets. For now, 47 establishments are operating under that format.

In the Neighborhood Markets, who runs the premises also changes. They may be left in the hands of state enterprises, mipymes [micro, small and medium-sized businesses], non-agricultural cooperatives, and self-employed workers. Management is handed over through leasing or bidding, with priority for those who already worked in those establishments. continue reading

Those who take over the management of a Neighborhood Market can benefit from tax advantages and be exempted from paying rent

Those who take over the management of a Neighborhood Market can benefit from tax advantages and be exempted from paying rent. In exchange, they must sell the range of products defined by the Government, a condition that, according to the Ministry of Domestic Trade, should encourage a greater supply and lower prices.

While it reorganizes part of the retail network, the State continues to use the traditional bodegas to distribute the little that arrives through the rationed channel or from donations. Portal de Villiers reported the delivery of a package with five pounds of rice from a Chinese donation, as well as one pound of sugar and another of peas, the latter two at a cost, in several provinces of the country.

The free rice is being distributed in Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Havana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and the Isle of Youth; in Mayabeque, according to the official, the distribution has already concluded. A kilogram of donated black beans is also being delivered in Havana, Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo.

So far, the neighborhood markets offer prices almost as high as the informal market

The initial experience of the Neighborhood Markets, however, has so far shown that the new model offers prices almost as high as the informal market. In the one in Ayestarán, opened at the end of September in Havana, a liter of oil was around 2,600 pesos, a kilogram of powdered milk cost 4,500, rice 800, and black beans 600, prices that provoked protests among customers over an offering they considered expensive and scarce.

The contrast with the traditional bodega is even greater. In May, 14ymedio found that several state establishments in Havana intended for the ration book remained practically empty, after years of delays in the basic basket and a fuel crisis that further worsened supplies. In some cases, the official slogans took up more space than the products.

The Neighborhood Markets were born precisely in the midst of that deterioration. The rules approved in August establish the sale of 16 basic foods and five hygiene products, an opening that ends the state monopoly over part of retail and wholesale trade, although without resolving access to foreign currency or guaranteeing supply.

Translated by GH

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The Cuban State Gets Its Solar Panels from Beijing, While Private Individuals Buy Them in the U.S.

Photovoltaic equipment purchased from the neighboring country rose from $500,000 in 2025 to $6.3 million so far this year.

Duty-free imports of solar panels began to be authorized in 2021. / (Heriberto González Brito/Trabajadores)

14ymedio, Madrid, October 7, 2026 – The U.S. and China are fighting another small battle in Cuba: photovoltaics. Although the Asian giant is an incomparable exporter both worldwide and specifically to the Island, a combination of proximity, the liberalization of measures, and the Cubans’ pressing need have turned the northern neighbor into a growing supplier.

According to data from the U.S.-Cuba Economic and Trade Council (Cuba Trade), compiled by the economic portal Bloomberg, so far this year the U.S. has exported solar cells and modules worth $6.3 million to the Island, 1,070% more than the $500,000 exported the previous year. In addition, this represents more than 185 times the total for 2024.

“It is somewhat ironic that Cuba could become an important renewable energy export market for U.S. companies,” John Kavulich, president of Cuba Trade, told Bloomberg. “Especially considering the White House’s unfavorable stance toward renewable energy.”

“It is somewhat ironic that Cuba could become an important renewable energy export market for U.S. companies”

The outlet specifically recounts the case of La Campana, an events venue located in the municipality of La Lisa that has invested $10,000 to become independent not only from the national electric system, but also from the noisy generator they used for 15 years and for which finding fuel was becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. continue reading

A relative of the owner living in the U.S. was the one who sent him, through the CubaMax shipping agency, the 5-kilowatt-hour lithium batteries he needed, previously purchased on Amazon. As Bloomberg recounts, while the Island suffered its seventh nationwide blackout of the year last September, the guests continued partying under La Campana’s lights and did not even know what had happened until they left the venue.

China is by far Cuba’s main supplier of solar energy equipment. In 2025 alone, Beijing sent $117 million worth of photovoltaic equipment to the Island, compared to just $5 million in 2023. At the beginning of 2024, the Cuban regime announced the construction of 92 solar parks by 2028 through contracts with two Chinese companies. Of that total, more than 50 have already been completed.

Added to this are the 10,000 kits delivered directly by the Cuban government in two batches of 5,000, which have been installed in medical centers, isolated areas, and facilities serving vulnerable populations. In addition, in 2025 Cuban authorities spoke of a donation that could be used to build another 22 photovoltaic parks of 120 MW, seven of which already have the initial equipment needed to begin construction.

In this way, China, the world’s largest exporter of this technology, is responsible for nearly 80% compared to 1% for the United States. It has become the main contributor to the change in the Island’s energy matrix by selling to the State, which also markets the equipment at retail through Copextel to private individuals and businesses.

Bloomberg points out that, in contrast to the growth in sales from the U.S., imports from China have slowed. It bases this on exports recorded through the end of July, when the value of sales had reached $19.5 million, little compared to the aforementioned $117 million in 2025. Although half a year remains to be added, the decline is significant, at 83%, although the agency is comparing an entire year to seven months according to the report.

The U.S. represents a much smaller figure when taking into account that China has exported solar equipment worth three times as much, but another factor to consider is the recipient. While Beijing is a state-level supplier, kits for private individuals and private businesses arrive from U.S. ports.

While Beijing is a state-level supplier, kits for private individuals and private businesses arrive from U.S. ports

In 2021, the Island’s government authorized duty-free imports for Cubans, a measure that was expanded in mid-2025 to companies, which have since been exempt not only from paying customs duties but also airport fees, all in an attempt to expand renewable energy amid an extreme energy crisis. In 2026, the situation has worsened with the end of Venezuelan oil deliveries and the U.S. blockade of crude shipments to Cuba from any country.

In August, the authorities also published a resolution authorizing the private sector to generate and sell electricity produced in this way, by allowing it to sell its surplus to the State.

No solution has been sufficient to alleviate the serious national energy crisis, among other reasons because the weakness of the thermoelectric plants prevents them from robustly compensating for the fluctuations inherent to renewable energy. In addition, the lack of batteries capable of storing electricity generated during daylight hours renders the solar parks ineffective in the middle of the night, during peak hours.

“Solar energy is a good investment as long as it is done intelligently, something that, unfortunately, they are not doing at the moment,” Jorge Piñón, a researcher at the University of Texas Energy Institute, told Bloomberg.

“The reason Cuba has not stopped, collapsed, or ground to a halt is because the economy has shrunk almost to the same extent as the volume of fuel it used to import,” Kavulich concludes.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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The Episcopal Church of Cuba Expresses Its “Solidarity” with Anna Bensi and Her Mother

“We cannot remain silent in the face of the pain that we are all suffering at this moment in our history,” it states in an open letter

Anna Bensi in a video released after the trial / Facebook

14ymedio, Madrid, October 6, 2026 – The Episcopal Church has joined the multiple Protestant churches that had expressed their support for the cause of influencer and activist Anna Sofía Benítez, known as Anna Bensi, through a statement published this Monday in which they also denounce the living conditions of Cubans and the growing inequality among them.

“As the Body of Christ on this earth, we cannot remain silent in the face of the pain that we are all suffering at this moment in our history,” begins the letter, published on the Church’s website and social media. The text is structured into five sections, the first of which describes what they call “our reality,” a panorama that speaks of migration that “tears families apart,” rising prices for basic products and increasing inequality.

Among its main concerns, it raises the lack of water, food and medicines, the “unbearable blackouts,” the deterioration of the healthcare and education systems despite the “titanic effort” of workers in both sectors, who continue to contribute their “vocation” despite everything. “These are not abstract realities, but rather they materialize in the lack of bread on the table, in sick people without treatment, in new generations without education and in mothers without hope,” it summarizes. continue reading

“These are not abstract realities, but rather they materialize in the lack of bread on the table, in sick people without treatment, in new generations without education and in mothers without hope”

The Episcopal Church, after citing a brief list of those that have already spoken out on behalf of Anna Bensi, expresses its “frustration and pain at the use of violence, intimidation and harassment by police forces against those who decide to raise their voices and demand their rights,” and cites the Constitution as the source of the right to freedom of expression.

“We are saddened by the suffering that these actions are causing in thousands of families, especially among young people. Silencing the voices of young people is silencing the present and future of the homeland. In the face of all this we say: enough! because we firmly believe that no Cuban should raise a hand against another Cuban, neither for political reasons nor for any other reason,” the text denounces. In the letter, the Church says it stands with the “weak and dispossessed,” as well as with those who suffer the consequences of expressing their discontent.

Although the appeal is “to the mercy of God,” so that the authorities will listen to the people, “whom they are called to serve and protect and not to continue asking for more sacrifices,” the letter is addressed directly to the Government. “Without any intention of confrontation, but rather of dialogue,” it emphasizes, before closing the text by highlighting the Church’s commitment to “serve and accompany” the people.

The letter is signed by Ángel Roberto Rivera Rodríguez, the ninth bishop of this denomination in Cuba, but it is endorsed by more than twenty reverends of the Church.

The case of Anna Bensi and her mother, Caridad Silvente, both identified as members of the Baptist Church, has sparked a wave of solidarity among a dozen Protestant churches on the island. Among them are the Baptist Convention of Western Cuba, the Evangelical Pentecostal Church (Assemblies of God), the Evangelical League, the Methodist Church, and many others that have spoken out through statements or open letters in support of the activist.

The letter is signed by Ángel Roberto Rivera Rodríguez, the ninth bishop of this denomination in Cuba, but it is endorsed by more than twenty reverends of the Church

Benítez and Silvente were tried last Thursday, October 1, for an offense against the honor of a State Security agent, who reported the recording and dissemination of images of him by both women when he went to their home to deliver a summons. The East Havana Municipal People’s Court in Cojímar found them guilty and verbally announced a sentence of two years of restricted freedom for each of them, the exact terms of which remain unknown until the official notification.

The case has been widely reported by the international press, which was even able – unusually – to be at the courthouse doors and collect statements from Anna Bensi. The activist has received support not only from Protestant churches but also from many other dissidents and Christians, such as Anthony Martínez, who was summoned this Monday to a police unit after having accompanied the influencer at the trial.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Cuba and the U.S. Communicate via WhatsApp and Phone, but There Are No Negotiations

The US State Department denies it and insists that talks are continuing, without results.

Cuba and the U.S. admit that they are talking but cannot agree on how to define the contacts. / EFE

14ymedio, Madrid, October 6, 2026 – Cuba and the U.S. are talking: face-to-face via WhatsApp and phone, but they cannot even agree on the word they use to describe those conversations. For the Havana regime, they are “channels of communication,” according to the definition given by Lianys Torres Rivera, chargé d’affaires at the Cuban embassy in Washington. The diplomat gave a brief interview to the British agency Reuters in which she refused to reveal the dates, participants and topics discussed in those contacts.

Torres Rivera insisted that the regime is open to a “respectful” dialogue but that the “red line” remains not touching the political system, and she added that any demand for the removal of the current Cuban Government is a violation of its sovereignty. Meanwhile, there are “channels of communication” but no formal negotiation, she reiterated.

“We are not surprised that the Cuban regime is circulating this propaganda,” a White House official told Reuters in response. “In reality the talks are continuing, and the regime has so far been unwilling to accept anything that could help the Cuban people, which ultimately threatens its total control.” continue reading

“In reality the talks are continuing, and the regime has so far been unwilling to accept anything that could help the Cuban people, which ultimately threatens its total control”

The statements are, of course, in line with those of President Trump, who just two weeks ago stressed at the United Nations, on the sidelines of the 81st General Assembly, that Marco Rubio was “deeply involved in negotiations” with Havana. The president again described Cuba as a failed state, and just one day after new information circulated about Pentagon movements that fueled speculation, emphasized: “I would say that Cuba and we will make a deal. I don’t think we need the military.”

In the interview with Reuters, Lianys Torres Rivera once again denied that Cuba is a threat to the U.S. and insisted that these are excuses to “continue economically suffocating” the Island, imposing “collective punishment” on the population. In addition, the official made clear that they do not trust the Administration and have increased preparations to defend themselves against possible military action, without providing further details.

“Cuba has always been preparing for a U.S. aggression,” Torres Rivera said. “And we are increasing our capabilities now more than ever to defend ourselves.”

The official also criticized, as other members of the Cuban Government have done before, the U.S. attempt to systematically obstruct reforms to liberalize some sectors of the economy through sanctions. Among them, she pointed not only to the oil blockade on the Cuban state – although thousands of liters diverted from the private sector, the only sector authorized to purchase it, reach its hands – but also to measures against foreign companies that do business with it or against Cuban businesspeople who have accounts in the U.S., Washington’s latest target.

Among them, she pointed not only to the oil blockade on the Cuban state, but also to measures against foreign companies that do business with it or against Cuban businesspeople who have accounts in the U.S., Washington’s latest target

Many citizens have stated that the only people who had obtained authorization to have an account in that country were individuals close to the regime, which only opened the permission at the beginning of September. Two weeks later, the U.S. Government ordered those accounts blocked, and they may only be opened if they have express authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Although the president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, John Kavulich, said just a few weeks ago that “the Trump Administration feels quite positive about the direction things are taking,” Washington has told Reuters that the reforms are not sufficient and that it continues to insist on “free and fair” elections. In addition, the State Department official added that the Government will not allow “foreign adversaries to threaten the United States in its own backyard,” without providing further specifics.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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“Leaving Here Is Being Free”: Freestyle Rap Puts the Anxieties of Young Cubans Into Verse

Big M won the qualifier at the Cuba Pavilion and joined Reverse and Pirry to represent the Island in the World Championship of this discipline

Cuban qualifying round of the Freestyle World Cup, held at the Pabellón Cuba, Havana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Dario Hernandez, Havana, October 5, 2026 / Emigration, blackouts, transportation problems, violence, racism, and freedom were some of the themes that emerged this Sunday in the improvisations of more than 200 young people registered for the Cuban qualifier for the Freestyle World Cup, held at the Pabellón Cuba in Havana’s Vedado district. Big M ended up winning the tournament and secured the only remaining spot on the national team.

Of the more than 200 entrants, 16 competitors advanced to the main stage. Big M won out among them, joining Marcos Daniel Acosta Leiva, Reverse, capitán de Cuba, and Pirry, also known as Big Tony, who had already secured their spots on the team.

The trio will represent Cuba at the Freestyle World Cup, which will bring together teams from 23 countries across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. The first day of the group stage is scheduled for December 4th in Colombia, and the grand final will be held on the 12th at the Arena Ciudad de México.

More than 200 young people participated in the Cuban qualifier for the Freestyle World Cup, at the Cuba Pavilion. / 14ymedio

Emigration was one of the most recurring themes during the day at the Cuba Pavilion. There were rhymes about emigrating to Brazil and returning, and about the connection between leaving the island and achieving freedom. “Leaving here is being free” was one of the phrases heard during the competition. continue reading

References to theft and violence were also frequent, along with racial slurs and derogatory remarks. The drug known as “the chemical” appeared in the rhymes, as well as allusions to racially motivated attacks. In the earlier phase, there were also more indirect references to power outages and transportation difficulties.

During their freestyle “battle” Mesa reproached Gonki for being “from the Party” and called him a “chivatón” [snitch].

Politics appeared much more explicitly in one of the first-round battles. Mesa faced Viswanathan Martínez Oliva, Gonki, and reproached his opponent for being “from the Party,” called him a “chivatón,” [snitch] and spit rhymes about freedom.

The jury decided on a rematch, a tie that necessitated a new round. Mesa maintained the same tone during the tiebreaker, but the judges awarded the victory to Gonki. There were boos, numerous attendees began to leave, and the presenter had to intervene to calm the audience, as reported by 14ymedio.

There had been no public announcement of a prohibition on political matters, but after that battle, however, direct references to the reality of the Island virtually disappeared. Mesa had also provoked a strong reaction among the attendees, and after his elimination, the atmosphere lost some of the intensity that had characterized the first rounds.

After the “battle” between Mesa and Gonki, political references disappeared from the Cuban qualifying round of the Freestyle World Cup. / 14ymedio

Gonki has a previous track record within the Cuban scene: in addition to competing, he has been a judge and organizer of the Havana Regional of Rimas sin Tarima (Rhymes Without a Stage) and is the creator of the Ciudad de Freestyle (City of Freestyle) project. Big M, for his part, is presented in specialized sources as a national champion and promoter of hip hop culture in Havana.

The other two members of the team will also be going into the international stages with experience. Reverse, born in Cuba and residing in the United States, won the Red Bull Batalla US National Finals in 2021 and 2023, and Pirry competed this year in Spain, participating on October 3rd in FU V-Renacer, in Santiago de Compostela.

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Cuban State Security Cites a Young Man Who Supported Anna Bensi and Her Mother

“This process will not be easy, but I will just say that, even though we face threats, being complicit in silence is not an option for the children of God,” says Anthony Martinez after leaving the interrogation.

Anthony Martinez was summoned this Monday to the unit popularly known as El Técnico, in Guanajay / Facebook

14ymedio, Havana, October 5, 2026 / It was the “same old script,” said one of the people who accompanied Anthony Martínez on Monday, who was interrogated for about two and a half hours at the unit popularly known as El Técnico, in Guanajay, Artemisa. The young man received a summons on Sunday after having accompanied Anna Bensi and her mother, Caridad Silvente, last Thursday before the trial in which both were sentenced to “two years of restricted liberty” by the People’s Municipal Court of East Havana.

“I’m home now, family,” he said in a Facebook post where he is seen with 13 people. “I give many thanks to God for the lives of my brothers, thank you for being with me during this process, thank you for every message of concern, for every prayer, because if you do it for me, you are doing it for our Cuba and its people,” Martínez added.

Without indicating the terms of the interrogation or whether he was charged, he stated that “this process will not be easy, but I will only say that, even if we have threats, it is not an option for the children of God to be complicit in silence.”

“I give many thanks to God for the lives of my brothers, thank you for accompanying me in this process, thank you for every message of concern.”

In this regard, independent journalist Yaiset Rodríguez indicated on Facebook that Anthony has no criminal case that justifies a police summons. continue reading

This Sunday, Martínez denounced in a video the harassment by a State Security agent and showed the summons: “Do you know what this paper is? A summons that they just gave me now at 2:30 in the afternoon. An officer came and without telling me the reason why I have to be in Guanajay tomorrow (this Monday) at 9 in the morning, he just gave me this summons.”

The young man said that on October 1, the day Anna Bensi and her mother were found guilty and sentenced to “two years of restricted freedom” in the People’s Municipal Court of East Havana, he managed to leave his house without being detected by the agents who were watching him and tried to accompany them both.

“What do you call this? It’s called repression anywhere in the world. For thinking differently. Let the world know what’s happening. Long live a free Cuba!”

He denounced the widespread repression that day, saying they were treated “like criminals, like murderers. What do you call this? It’s called repression anywhere in the world. For thinking differently. Let the world know what’s happening. Long live Free Cuba,” he concluded.

As a case in point, hours before the trial, Pastor Rolando, known as the Herald of Christ, was arrested. He was violently subdued while with Anna Bensi and her mother, on their way to the trial. Officers threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, and put him in a patrol car, without ever giving a reason for the arrest.

Furthermore, that day, State Security had already deployed surveillance around the 14ymedio newsroom and had surrounded the home of independent journalist Camila Acosta, who reported an operation at her front door that prevented both her and her husband from leaving.

Anna Bensi herself posted a video on Facebook this Sunday reacting to the sentence she received on Thursday. Clarifying that she couldn’t speak about the trial because “it was an order,” she thanked everyone for their support and said that “denouncing this injustice is also supporting freedom in Cuba.” She also questioned the reason for the arrest of people in her circle because of the video she posted of the police officer delivering a summons to her, which was the reason for her trial, and that they “had nothing to do with the case.”

“How did you expect to see me? Bitter? Downcast? Disheveled? Sad? Distressed? Broken? No”

She also stated that she would not give the government the satisfaction of seeing her portrayed as defeated: “How did they expect to see me? Bitter? Downcast? Disheveled? Sad? Distressed? Broken? No. I wasn’t going to give them that satisfaction, and I won’t. Head held high, trusting in God, with the greatest faith and with my convictions stronger than ever.”

The case has sparked a wave of support from various sectors. This Saturday, the Cuban Filmmakers Assembly (ACC) recalled that the influencer and her mother were tried after receiving months of “threats and harassment from the authorities.”

“Filming the pain, uncertainty, and agony of a country has become a crime. Two days ago, two women were brought to trial for sharing on social media images of a plainclothes police officer delivering an official summons to them,” the ACC recalled in a statement on Facebook.

“This is not a random or isolated incident because it is rooted in a context of constant repression,” the Assembly emphasized. “Double standards have become an official hallmark. They are adept at applying the law according to their interests and interpretations, but clumsy or blind when it comes to respecting citizens’ constitutional right to publicly and peacefully express their feelings about reality,” the filmmakers added in their statement.

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U.S. Recruits Seven Workers Again Through Palco for Its Embassy in Cuba

Applicants have until October 8 through October 15 to apply, depending on the position sought.

The State Department pays Palco for the local employees it has at the U.S. embassy in Cuba, an amount that according to official data ranges between 100 and 200. / EFE

14ymedio, Madrid, October 05, 2026 – The U.S. State Department is looking in Cuba for seven professionals for its embassy who must submit their applications in the coming days. The employees of this diplomatic mission are, paradoxically, hired by the state-owned Palco, which belongs to the sanctioned Gaesa conglomerate. Despite the fact that the regime has just published new regulations exempting foreign companies from the obligation to use a state employment agency, embassies and official organizations remain subject to intermediation, as indicated in Article 2 of the law.

For this purpose, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) provides specific exemptions from the sanctions that prevent commercial and economic relations with Cuban state entities. The State Department pays Palco for the local employees it has at the U.S. embassy in Cuba, an amount that according to official data ranges between 100 and 200.

Most of the positions offered correspond to lower levels of public employment, although there is one higher-level position: Strategic Content Coordinator in the Public Diplomacy section, for which the application deadline is Wednesday.

This position, for which a university education or at least two years completed in Communications, Business, Marketing or any other equivalent field is required, will have the highest salary because of its level, although the information does not specify how much is being offered. The employee must be able to design, manage and execute content and engagement strategies on social networks and websites to promote U.S. foreign policy priorities and connect with audiences on the Island. continue reading

This position, for which a university education or at least two years completed in Communications, Business, Marketing or any other equivalent field is required, will have the highest salary associated with it

At a slightly lower level are two other positions: Institutional Relations Assistant, and Information Technology Infrastructure and Systems Specialist Technician, with deadlines of October 12 and 15, respectively.

The former is responsible for designing, planning and coordinating activities aimed at entrepreneurs and young people to promote U.S. values through workshops and interactive programs.

Duties for the latter consist of installing, maintaining and repairing network infrastructure (UTP cabling, fiber optics and wireless systems) and communications devices (telephones, radios, satellite equipment and IoT) at U.S. Government facilities, vehicles and official residences. In addition, the employee must provide user support and manage the necessary connections and permissions.

The remaining four positions are for operational staff. There are two openings for security guards, with access-control and order-maintenance responsibilities, for which applications can be submitted until this Thursday the 8th, and which require nothing more than a rudimentary knowledge of English, quite the opposite of the driver position, which requires a good command of the language. The duties of the latter are to safely and efficiently drive light vehicles (not armored) owned or leased by the U.S. Government to transport personnel, official visitors or cargo, while also performing messenger duties when required. This position can be applied for until the 12th.

Finally, there is another position for driving trucks, which also requires the employee to be responsible for the transported cargo, its storage and the maintenance of the vehicles. Candidates can apply for this position until Thursday the 8th.

The recruitment announcement through social media has received a multitude of comments, some of them criticisms from people calling for the end of the “blockade,” but most not only express interest in joining the team, but also spontaneously offer themselves for any other need that may arise, such as artists, cooks, teachers or carpenters.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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For the Spanish Justice System, Mistreatment Suffered at the Hands of the Cuban Police Does Not Entitle One to Asylum

The National Court rejects a family’s appeal and emphasizes that refugee status applies only to people persecuted for “reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinions or sexual orientation.”

File image of the Asylum and Refuge Office of the Ministry of the Interior, in Madrid. / EFE/Juan Carlos Hidalgo

14ymedio, Madrid, October 05, 2026 – The Cuban political system does not in itself constitute grounds for granting asylum or refugee status to applicants in Spain, who must individually demonstrate that they face an imminent and specific danger if they return to their country. The Spanish Justice System has once again pointed this out, in the case of a Cuban family that appealed the resolution of the Ministry of the Interior and has been met with confirmation of the denial.

The case dates back to September 2019, a few days after the arrival of a father, mother and two children, the younger of whom had cancer, who submitted an application for international protection to the Provincial Brigade for Foreigners and Borders in Madrid. The father stated at the time that his youngest son had been diagnosed with the disease in Havana in 2012 and was undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

During that treatment, the father tried to get the doctors to prescribe a medication that would cause fewer side effects for the child, but they refused and began, according to his testimony, to coerce and threaten him and warn him of sanctions. According to the account, from that point on, the parents began searching on their own for alternative medications in pharmacies in the city without managing to get them, until they were eventually denied entry to the establishments for disturbing public order. According to the father, both parents were arrested and made the decision to leave Cuba because of death threats.

According to the father, both parents were arrested and made the decision to leave Cuba because of death threats

The Spanish authorities asked the father whether he had suffered or feared suffering in the future persecution because of race, religion, political opinions or political manifestations, and he answered no. However, he answered yes when asked whether there is an international or internal conflict in Cuba that causes indiscriminate violence that threatens the lives of its citizens or puts their physical integrity at risk. continue reading

There is an internal political conflict in Cuba, he said, adding that he himself had reported the events described to the Provincial Police Inspectorate of Havana, although he never learned what happened with the case. In addition, he indicated that the family had asked the Provincial Health Center in the municipality of Playa for help regarding the minor, without receiving a response. Months later, his wife was detained for three months for disturbing public order, but she was acquitted at trial. His other son was also involved in a dispute with the police.

The Spanish Ministry of the Interior rejected the family’s asylum application, and they decided to appeal through the courts. Now, the National Court has rejected the appeals against the decisions denying the right to asylum and subsidiary protection, basing its decision on the fact that those affected have not been “subject to persecution as required by asylum legislation,” even accepting the account as true.

The ruling emphasizes that refugee status is granted by law to people persecuted for “reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinions, belonging to a particular social group, gender, sexual orientation or sexual identity,” none of which apply among those described. The court stresses that the appellant “does not even claim the status of a citizen who actively militates against the regime that has governed Cuba’s destiny since 1959, nor does he acknowledge belonging to an organization or group opposed to the current political system.”

The document acknowledges that the shortage of medicines and food cited in the lawsuit is an economic factor that has been denounced by Cubans for years and that can give rise to protests and disturbances of public order resulting from discontent. However, it concludes that this is not a matter covered by asylum legislation.

“It is true that the father claims to feel unfairly treated by his country’s police apparatus and describes a case of animosity with a police chief, but the truly relevant fact is that he acknowledges that his wife was tried and ultimately acquitted of an offense against public order, highlighting both the cessation of government actions against them and their limited nature,” the ruling argues.

“The truly relevant fact is that he acknowledges that his wife was tried and ultimately acquitted of an offense against public order, highlighting both the cessation of government actions against them and their limited nature”

The court considers that if a person does not meet the requirements to be considered a refugee, they could qualify for subsidiary protection, but that to receive it they must demonstrate “well-founded reasons to believe that if they returned to their country of origin they would face a real risk of suffering serious harm to their physical integrity.” In general, the text adds, this usually corresponds to situations of conflict in which violence is indiscriminate. European regulations, moreover, state that granting protection is justified if there are “serious and individual threats to the life or physical integrity of a civilian motivated by indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict,” and therefore it does not apply to Cuba.

“It is our opinion that Cuba is not involved in an armed conflict, for the simple reason that the Cuban State holds an authentic monopoly on organized violence, without armed opposition from dissident sectors. The foregoing leads to the dismissal of the appeal,” the decision concludes, by which the appellants are also ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings, although with a limit of 1,000 euros.

The ruling is just one more example of the thousands of asylum cases filed by Cubans that are denied and dismissed when appealed in Spain. According to data from the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (Cear), over the past five years the average percentage of approved applications has been between 2% and 3%. In 2023, the year with the most cases recorded (3,082), only 30 refugee statuses were granted out of 1,157 cases resolved. Another striking figure was that of 2022, when after 11J the number of applications doubled (from around 1,000 in previous years to 2,000) but only between 15 and 20 were approved.

Cear points out that most cases are rejected for the reason indicated by the ruling: the lack of direct evidence of individualized persecution. The organization estimates that between 15% and 25% of Cubans decide to file an appeal before the National Court through the prescribed procedure, which is contentious and administrative, but the dismissal rate is around 95% and 98%.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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To Find Out How the Dollar Is Doing in Cuba, You Have To Ask How Much a Beer Costs.

Imported brands dominate the shelves in Matanzas, Cuba, and pass on to the consumer every shock of the informal currency market.

Behind the bars, foreign brands dominate the shelves, a scene repeated in numerous shops throughout the city. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Matanzas, October 4, 2026 / Inside the freezer, behind the bars protecting a small business in Matanzas, cans of beer appear to Eduardo as the most immediate solution to the dryness that gnaws at his throat. Before arriving home in El Naranjal and plunging into the daily blackout, the surgeon wants to drink something cold. In his refrigerator, the bottles of water have long since become indistinguishable from the ambient temperature.

“My preferred is Bucanero, but you can’t even find that in spiritual centers anymore. Right now, to quench my thirst, anything will do,” he jokes, holding three 200-peso bills in his hand. Behind the bars, foreign brands dominate the shelves, a scene repeated in numerous stores throughout the city: imported beer has taken over the space left by Cristal, Bucanero, and other increasingly difficult-to-find national brands.

Eduardo thought that with his 600 pesos he could also buy his son two or three chocolates. But he looks at the prices and discovers they’ve changed since last week. “It can’t be that Hollandia costs 500 pesos when I just bought it here last Saturday for 450,” he protests. The clerk blames the suppliers and inflation. The doctor then looks at Frank País’s face on the bills and starts doing the math.

“Those of us who live on a salary or a pension, if we want something cold, will have to settle for those sugary sodas that make us even thirstier.” / 14ymedio

Beer serves as a particularly sensitive economic barometer in Cuba. This Sunday, with the informal rate of 785 pesos to the dollar, a 600-peso can is less than a dollar—a price that would seem like a bargain in Madrid or Miami. For a Cuban earning the minimum wage, however, it represents a fifth of a month’s salary. continue reading

And the temperature rises in tandem with the currency. A large portion of the beers that fill private refrigerators is purchased abroad with hard currency, so every jump in the dollar’s value ends up affecting the price at the counter. Adding to this dependence in March was a special tax of $0.30 per liter on beer and other imported alcoholic beverages, a cost that inevitably ends up being passed on to the consumer.

“We still have it at 520 in Mayabe, but in other places it’s around 580,” explains the saleswoman, a former hotel waitress, who is now getting used to her new job. The owner, she says, has decided to cut back on buying alcoholic beverages because “there’s no electricity to keep them cold, and it’s getting harder and harder to buy them from the supplier.”

A man cools off standing by a window while a Barcelona flag hangs in the background. / 14ymedio

Even Parranda, the cheaper, domestically produced alternative, reflects the market distortions. Produced in Mariel by a joint venture and packaged in plastic bottles, the brand has been promoted as a substitute for more domestic options more preferred by the comsumers. Its quality provokes frequent criticism, and in Matanzas, it was even mandated in some hotels to boost sales.

Where it is opened also affects the price. A bottle of Parranda that costs 1,500 pesos at the Hotel Velasco can be found for 1,400 at a café on Calzada de Tirry. “A cold beer would be nice in this heat, but in this country even that’s a luxury,” Migdalia laments. Her cigarette addiction doesn’t leave her much choice either: “I’m forced to choose between a can of Cristal or a pack of Popular Rojo.”

The retiree, who receives 3,200 pesos a month and some help from her grandson, has really gone out to buy a pound of mortadella. Even so, she asks about prices at the Los Chamas micro-business. “It says here that Lobo costs 460 and you’re telling me 480. What’s the deal?” The clerk apologizes: the numbers change so fast that the price stickers become outdated before the merchandise.

Even Parranda, the cheaper, locally made alternative, shows the market distortions. / 14ymedio

In another establishment, a man stands by a window, cooling off while a Barcelona flag hangs in the background. In a nearly empty bar, a plastic bottle of Parranda beer takes center stage on a table. The images encapsulate a time when enjoying a cold one requires calculation, comparison, and, for many, sacrifice.

Migdalia looks at the cans behind the glass as if they were museum pieces. “Those of us who live on a salary or a pension, if we want something cold, will have to settle for those sugary sodas that make us even thirstier.”

In Matanzas, you no longer need to check the dollar to know where the economy is headed: just ask how much beer costs.

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Two Baseball Players Who Left Cuba Sign with Major League Teams

The departures of Alain Michel Rodríguez and Dainel Santos from the Island are confirmed, as they seek an opportunity with U.S. clubs in the Dominican Republic.

Rodelvis Santiesteban signed with the Chicago Cubs and received a $20,000 signing bonus. / Francys Romero

14ymedio, Havana, October 4, 2026 – Two of the baseball players who left the Island have achieved their dream of signing contracts with Major League Baseball teams in the United States. Rodelvis Santiesteban signed with the Chicago Cubs, while Omar Elías Guerra reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres. The agreements coincide with the departures of other talents, Alain Michel Rodríguez and Dainel Santos.

Santiesteban officially joined the Chicago club, which also has other athletes from the Island among its ranks: Naikys Piedra, Darian Rivero, Eriandys Ramón, Félix Stevens and Frank Hernández. The player from Guantánamo was awarded a $20,000 signing bonus, in addition to having his studies guaranteed.

The 17-year-old baseball player left Cuba in June 2024. In Santo Domingo, he was taken in by GT Baseball Academy, run by Cuban Jorge Luis Toca, where he refined his skills. Santiesteban averages 60 yards in 6.3 seconds, according to data provided by journalist Francys Romero.

Toca’s academy is located in Punta Cana, where it trains young talents from the age of 14. Cubans William Alejandro Álvarez and Lázaro Herrera Jr. have also arrived at this facility. They were all attracted by the track record of a man who played in the National Series with Villa Clara and had a brief stint with the Mets. He was later sent to the Minor Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. continue reading

Last Friday, Omar Elías Guerra reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres to sign his contract in the coming days. He is one of the talents who was part of the Cuban Under-15 national team that participated in the Pan American Championship for the category in March 2024, in the Dominican Republic.

Last Friday, Omar Elías Guerra reached an agreement with the San Diego Padres to sign his contract in the coming days

Francys Romero specified that Guerra “combines contact ability and defensive versatility, characteristics that the Padres hope to develop so that he can advance through the Minor League system.”

Guerra is part of the Yuan Pino Academy, which is dedicated to training and placing Cuban baseball players. Last July, the school already had 15 young players from the Island with agreements with U.S. clubs.

The Island continues to suffer the departure of its young baseball prospects. This Saturday, the arrival of Alain Michel Rodríguez in the Dominican Republic was confirmed. The athlete “is the son of Yessander Rodríguez, who played in the National Series with Santiago and for many years has been a leading figure on the Cuban Softball team,” the journalist emphasized.

Rodríguez will train at Noni Sánchez’s Academy ahead of January 2027, when he will be eligible to sign with a Major League team.

On the last day of September, it became known that 18-year-old Dainel Santos was in Santo Domingo. The baseball player, a native of Villa Clara, was a member of the Under-18 team at the World Cup held in September 2025 in Japan.

“Ten of the 20 players who made up the team at the Under-18 World Cup are no longer in Cuba,” Romero specified.

The journalist recalled that as of August of this year, there were “between 45 and 60 departures of baseball players in different categories, a large proportion of them between the ages of 13 and 17, which are the players the industry is most interested in. Many of those young players already have preliminary agreements.”

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Industriales Is the First Cuban Sports Team To Receive Sponsorship From a Private Company

Fuel marketer A Granel is supporting the Havana team in the National Series, and the players are receiving uniforms bearing the company’s logo.

Industriales’ sponsorship marks a new stage for a company that has rapidly expanded its commercial activity. / Instagram/guillermogatorebelde

14ymedio, Darío Hernández, Havana, October 4, 2026 / The private fuel company A Granel has put its logo on the Industriales uniform for the 65th National Baseball Series, a major step toward promoting itself through advertising, just three months after beginning operations in Havana.

An image circulated on social media shows the “Blue’s” jersey with the A Granel brand, while new images taken this Saturday by 14ymedio at the company’s facilities also confirm the business’s increased visibility. On the building, located on Avenida del Puerto, where customers arrive to purchase fuel, there is now a large sign bearing its name and the phrase “Fuel Sales.”

The Facebook group Serie Nacional de Béisbol also confirmed that Industriales will be “one of the first teams” to have sponsorship at this stage. The post states that the funds can be used for transportation, fuel, food, clothing and other needs of the Havana team. The image accompanying the message, attributed to Por La Goma, shows the Industriales uniform with the A Granel logo and the advertising slogan “A tu medida” [Made to fit you].

The funds can be used for transportation, fuel, food, clothing and other needs of the Havana team. / Facebook/ Serie Nacional de Béisbol

The company opened its doors on June 27 and initially promoted itself through a video by influencer Iraisel Pintueles. A few days later, 14ymedio confirmed that the small and medium-sized private enterprise [mipyme] was selling diesel imported from the United States at $2.50 per liter from an industrial facility belonging to the Cuban Lubricants Company (Cubalub), a subsidiary of the state-run Cupet, located at the end of Avenida del Puerto, opposite the Regla generating plant, according to the company’s own promotional material. Inside were dozens of tanks holding about 1,000 liters each and several vehicles being refueled. continue reading

Industriales’ sponsorship marks a new stage for a company that has rapidly expanded its commercial activity. In addition to fuel in large quantities, A Granel has subsequently promoted gasoline and diesel in smaller quantities, as well as deliveries by tanker trucks and other distribution services.

The president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, said on October 2 that the organization is working to expand sponsorships of teams and facilities and specifically mentioned the existence of “negotiations related to Industriales.” According to the official, organizing a National Series costs more than $600,000, and the expenditure exceeds $1 million when the Elite League is added.

The company appeared at a time when Washington opened a channel for selling U.S. fuel to Cuba’s private sector

A Granel’s entry also comes nearly a year after Cubadeportes attempted to attract private capital with sponsorship packages carrying very high prices for the Cuban context. In November 2025, the state company offered state-owned and private companies sponsorship options ranging from approximately $24,300 to $148,000. For Industriales, Santiago de Cuba and Matanzas, a Diamond-level sponsorship was set at 56,250,000 pesos, about $117,000 at the exchange rate used at the time.

In return, Cubadeportes promised brand exposure in stadiums, on national television, on digital platforms and through other print and audiovisual media. At the time, however, the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation itself acknowledged that there were no businesspeople willing to invest in local clubs or place advertising on uniforms and in stadiums.

The situation has begun to change. Villa Clara announced this week three local businesses as sponsors of its uniforms: La Glorieta, Pastelería 2 Reyes and La Esquina de la Minuta, whose brands will appear as patches on the sleeves. In those cases, too, the amounts or duration of the contracts have not been disclosed.

Current regulations allow uniforms used in national, provincial and municipal competitions to display the brands of previously authorized sponsors. The rules published this year also establish that agreements must go through the corresponding sports structures and give Cubadeportes responsibility for negotiating and contracting national-level sponsorships.

The company opened its doors on June 27 and initially promoted itself through a video by influencer Iraisel Pintueles. / Instagram/ Iraisel Pintueles/ Screenshot

In A Granel’s case, its commercial growth contrasts with the scant public information about who is behind the business. In her introduction to the company, Pintueles said that the owner was “a private entity with foreign capital” and had no connection to any member of the Government, but she did not identify the partners or the origin of the funds.

The company appeared at a time when Washington opened a channel for selling U.S. fuel to Cuba’s private sector, while Havana, in turn, began loosening restrictions on the participation of non-state actors in a business that for decades had been monopolized by Cupet. In July, sources consulted by this newspaper said that A Granel was only “the first of many” companies interested in taking advantage of the new market.

Since then, the State has managed to circumvent U.S. sanctions and has turned to some private small and medium-sized enterprises to appropriate the fuel. The latest available data indicate that more than 3.2 million barrels arrived through this channel in July, as much as during the era of Venezuelan bonanza under Hugo Chávez.

Three months later, the business is not only openly displaying fuel sales from a state facility; its brand will also be seen on the playing field with Industriales. For now, neither A Granel nor the sports authorities have reported how much the agreement is worth or whether the company will provide the “Blues” with money, fuel or a combination of both.

Translated by Regina Anavy
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Havana Chronicles: Havana is Moving Again, But it Remains in Darkness

The arrival of fuel is stimulating traffic and bringing vehicles back to the streets, while blackouts lasting more than 20 hours continue to affect life inside Havana’s homes

In front of me, a passenger is placing a huge, freshly caught marlin on the floor. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, October 3, 2026 / I cross Tulipán Street and immediately notice something different. There iss more traffic than a few weeks ago, sufficient to make me lose the habit of looking twice before crossing to the other side. A red Lada forces me to quicken my pace to reach the sidewalk before its wheels hit the enormous pool of sewage surrounding the 19 de Abril Polyclinic. The city seems to be moving again, even if it’s through pestilential waters.

I climb the hill. Below the two twenty-story buildings, the open-air garage sale begins to fill up. On improvised tables and clothes racks appear objects that summarize the needs of the moment: a suitcase for someone planning to leave, a folding chair for someone who needs to wait for hours in front of a bakery at the rationed market.

26th Street has also come alive. It must be the gasoline arriving in large quantities from the United States, injecting movement into the cavernous bodies of the Cuban economy. In doorways and private homes small hardware stores have sprung up; on one corner a restaurant shines with freshly varnished woodwork, and a new line of electric tricycles connects the Iron Bridge over the Almendares River with the Clinical Surgical Hospital.

26th Street has also come to life. It must be the gasoline arriving in large quantities from the US, injecting some life into the cavernous bodies of the economy.

However, there are few people walking. It’s Friday, and the weather has cooled down. A layer of clouds makes the journey more bearable, but what our legs appreciate, our batteries lament. Our solar panel hasn’t given us a single watt for two days. With blackouts that last more than 20 hours, a cloudy day is a curse: it cools the early morning and allows us to do without the rechargeable fan for a while, but at dawn there won’t be any sun to recharge it either. The entire Cuban energy dilemma is encapsulated in that paradox. continue reading

On the other side of the Iron Bridge, on 31st Street, a privately owned restaurant is packed shortly after 10:00 in the morning. Lined up outside are modern cars. Inside, customers sip smoothies, nibble on snacks, and take selfies. Another sign that fuel is flowing, although it is also a barometer of who can afford to convert that circulation into consumption.

After visiting a friend, I decide to head back, trying out the new tricycle route. A green one is about to leave. In front of me, a passenger is placing a huge, freshly caught marlin on the floor. The fish is wrapped from head to tail in successive layers of clear plastic bags, secured with strips of cloth and string, like a marine mummy. Only its long, dark, thin, and rigid beak remains exposed, pointing toward the back of the vehicle. Each new passenger carefully calculates where to place their feet to avoid stepping on the body, which occupies a good portion of the aisle. Hemingway would have been captivated by the scene.

The tricycle laboriously climbs up to 23rd Street. Then we pass by the wall of the Colón Cemetery and end up back on 26th. At Tulipán I get off, dodging the now rigid fish for the last time, which will probably end up distributed among several tables or sold in pieces.

I walk home and, upon arriving at the building, discover a small miracle: the little red lights above the elevator doors are on. There’s electricity. I step into an elevator for the first time in weeks and upstairs immediately start the washing machine. We have to take advantage of every minute of electricity like we used to make the most of a downpour by filling buckets. The anxiety to get things done when the power returns gnaws at us with the same intensity as the guilt we feel if we don’t manage to get everything done during those brief moments of illumination.

The wash cycle doesn’t even finish because the power goes out again.

Outside, the city is somewhat more animated: the red Lada, the cars in front of the restaurant, the tricycles climbing the hills, and even that needlefish voyaging through Havana. Gasoline has brought movement back to some streets, but not enough to light up the houses. Cuba is starting to move again, even if the end of the road remains dark.