English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
HAVANA, Cuba — There is not a single time that the phone rings for good news; these days every conversation is based on arrests, beatings and demonstrations, an eloquent way to carry out the Summit of CELAC (Community of Latin-American and Caribbean States) which turned into a parody of the famous novel “Wuthering Heights” by Englishwoman … Continue reading “CELAC Summit Passed Like a Storm / Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello”
Without doubt, the pro tem presidency of the largest of the Antilles at CELAC, has been significant in achieving influential goals, to the benefit of Cuba, going well beyond the scope of commercial and diplomatic considerations. Not even the Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parilla himself could accept anything other than that this alliance of … Continue reading “CELAC: Declaration of Havana and the Tibetan Book of the Dead / Juan Juan Almeida”
3 February 2014
I was going to comment, or more to the point gossip, about the recently concluded Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, but I’m fed up with the topic, and I think you are too. We spent more than a week on this old song… that if Argentine president Cristina Fernandez lunches … Continue reading “CELAC vs CERELAC / Juan Juan Almeida”
For Zoila, 38-year old nurse, the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States that is now going on in Havana adds up to “politically correct” speeches, banquets and photos. “It’s more of the same. They talk about poverty, integration and social inclusion while in Cuba inequality grows. It is a cheeky … Continue reading “CELAC for Cubans: Indifference and Repression / Ivan Garcia”
HAVANA, Cuba — The morning of the 28th, there were fewer people on the street than any other Tuesday. Also it was notable that the flow of cars on a street as central as 23rd, in El Vedado, had diminished. Who can find out what is in the heart of the Cuban people, subjected to … Continue reading “No One Wants to Talk About CELAC / Lilianne Ruiz”
Under a warm sun and unusually cool breeze, a worker puts the final touches on the exterior of PABEXPO, an exposition and meeting center of 60,000 square yards, located in the Siboney neighborhood, to the west of Havana. There, from Saturday the 25th to Tuesday the 29th of January, experts, foreign ministers and presidents will … Continue reading “CELAC Summit in Havana: The Regime is Cashing In / Ivan Garcia”
This time Cuba is the president of a young organization with ideas of uniting Latin America and the Caribbean. In its second summit, held in Havana, the government leaders faced a question: Will Latin America and the Caribbean be a unified movement, similar to the Soviet Union? One of the visible purposed those countries have … Continue reading “CELAC, A Meeting with Absolute Power / Anddy Sierra Alvarez”
Disgracefully the image of José Martí (January 28, 1853) has been used from one side to the other, for one thing or another, thanks to its universal meaning. And his great image. Tomorrow will be another one of those days when the Castro brothers use the birth of the Apostle to dirty his ideas. To assume … Continue reading “The Attendees of the II CELAC Summit Should Know the Authorities’ Deception / Angel Santiesteban”
From Prison: Cuban writer sends message to the attendees at the CELAC Summit. Ángel Santiesteban, sentenced to five years in prison, asks the leaders invited to the meeting to not convert their visit into an act of support for Raúl Castro’s regime. The writer Angel Santiesteban is sentenced to five years in prison (Cortesía). Luis Leonel León / Special … Continue reading “Angel Santiesteban Asks the CELAC Summit not to convert their visit into support for Raul Castro’s regime”
Diario de Cuba, 23 January 2014 — The Ladies in White will seek a meeting with Jose Miguel Insulza, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), during the CELAC Summit in Havana, according to what their leader, Berta Soler, told the AFP press agency this Wednesday. “We will request a meeting with Insulza, … Continue reading “Ladies in White Want a Meeting with Insulza During the CELAC Summit”
HAVANA, Cuba – Around 9:00 last night two officials from State Security’s Department 21 presented themselves at my house to warn me that the Second Democratic Forum on International Relations and Human Rights (independent) would not be allowed to be held in Havana this coming 28 January. The opposition forum is scheduled parallel to the … Continue reading “Independent Forum Parallel to CELAC is Being Blocked by State Security / Jorge Olivera Castillo”
A friend called me yesterday. He was nervous. All around his house the police were engaged in an intense “cleansing.” The reason for such concern was that this retiree with no pension has an illegal satellite antenna with which he provides TV service to several families. So, when the forces of order get strict, my … Continue reading “Zeal and CELAC / Yoani Sanchez”
Your Holiness Francisco, I write to you, once more, to ask you, if it is possible, to make an appeal to the leaders and delegations of the member countries of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States which will hold its Summit in Havana on the 28-29 January, and which the Castro dictatorship, as … Continue reading “Letter to His Holiness Francisco to Mark the CELAC Summit in Havana / Angel Santiesteban”
Given that there are only a few days left before the Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is going to be held in Havana, as is usual in these cases, they are rounding up the indigents. The sites where the largest concentrations of homeless people spend the night in the … Continue reading “Round-up of “Indigents” Begins Prior to CELAC Summit / Pablo Pascual Méndez Piña”
