English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Cubanet, Luis Cino, Havana, 15 July 2019 — Despite my great admiration for him, I never thought I would write about Ricardo Bofill, who died this past 11 July. I thought that such a task would fall to, and be done much better by, those who knew him and were at his side during the … Continue reading “We In The Cuban Opposition Should Take A Lesson From Ricardo Bofill / Cubanet, Luis Cino”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Álvarez, Havana, 11 March 2019 — Oftentimes while traveling in other countries, independent journalists are challenged for, as some say, being “hyper-critical” and “lacking objectivity.” Thus, their dispatches are received with doubts and skepticism. But it turns out that the detractors of Cuban independent journalism do not harbor good intentions. Among those … Continue reading “Why Do Independent Journalists Matter? / Cubanet, Luis Cino”
Luis Cino Álvarez, Cubanet, Havana, 5 November 2018 — The temper tantrum and bunkhouse scene put on recently by Castroism’s anti-diplomats, who grew indignant that the issue of political prisoners in Cuba was brought up at the United Nations, brought to mind a case of which I learned a few days ago via an inmate of … Continue reading “From Minint Official To Political Prisoner Incarcerated For “Espionage” / Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 20 June 2018 — The writer Rafael Alcides, who died in Havana on June 19 at the age of 85, had a warehouse of novels and unpublished poems in his home. It had been more than three decades since a book of his was published in his homeland. First it was because … Continue reading “Rafael Alcides: May He Rest In Peace / Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Álvarez, Havana, 15 May 2018 — Omara Portuondo, Ballet Nacional, Pablo Milanés, Haydée Milanés, Los Van Van, Teatro El Público, Aldo López Gavilán, Jorge Luis Pacheco, Orquesta Faílde, Teatro El Público, Orquesta del Liceo de La Habana… The top drawer talent went to Cuba, to the Kennedy Center, to the Artes de … Continue reading “Cuban Festival in Washington: One More Victory for Castroism / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, 24 August 2017 — In his hardline speech to Cuban Communist Party (PCC) cadres, Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel killed any illusions some may have harbored that a future government headed by him, following Raúl Castro’s retirement,* would tend towards reforms and be less authoritarian and repressive. Assuming the stance of a … Continue reading “Díaz-Canel: Killer of Illusions / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 18 May 2017—A neighbor of mine in Arroyo Naranjo recently had to ask an old friend of his who lives Miami to help him obtain some amitriptyline. A psychiatrist had recommended this medication for my neighbor’s wife to treat a nervous condition that would worsen without it. This drug, among … Continue reading “Miami Has It All, Even Russian Meat / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, 4 April 2017, Havana, Luis Cino Álvarez — A friend was telling me, horrified, that last Friday at the Hard Rock Café in Hollywood Beach, Florida, Cuban reggaetoneros [musicians who perform the musical genre of Reggaeton]–from the Island and from ‘over there’, no way to tell anymore what with all the going and coming–put … Continue reading “Castro Conquers Miami With Cannon Blasts / Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, 15 March 2017 – At the beginning of the last decade, when Fidel Castro would call a “march of the fighting people” for any reason whatsoever and the multitudes who seemed to have arrived from Pyongyang would chant slogans and wave little paper flags, prominent for his impetuous verbiage was a … Continue reading “The Taliban Has Returned / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 9 February 2017 — Try as I might—to avoid being a bore and accused of holding a grudge against the boy—I cannot leave Harold Cárdenas, the ineffable blogger at La Joven Cuba, in peace, I just can’t. And the fault is his own, because the narrative he makes out of … Continue reading “Too Young for the Party and Too Old for the Communist Youth / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 31 October 2016 — My friend Marquito who has lived in Miami for fifteen years, has decided, as soon as he retires, to return to Cuba to live. When he told me his plans, on the next to last day of my stay in Miami, after several whiskies and beers as … Continue reading “My Friend Marquito Will Repatriate to Cuba / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet.org, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 13 October 2016 – Several reporters from international press agencies, in particular the AFP, have recently highlighted the fact that in Cuba, in contrast with neighboring countries like Haiti, Hurricane Matthew caused no loss of life in spite of its extensive property damage. The journalists credit the preventive work, mainly … Continue reading “Zero Victims in Cuba, at What Price? / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez, 30 September 2016 — The most recent report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on the state of journalism in Cuba is, more than disappointing, worrisome. It is not that its authors are uninformed about the Cuban reality. Rather, they have manipulated the information at their disposal so as to … Continue reading “A Disappointing And Unfair Report / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Cubanet.org, Luis Cino Alvarez, Havana, 30 May 2016 – The survival of the Castro regime increasingly appears to be in the hands of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR). And not only because of the generals who run some of the most important ministries but also because of the general-businessmen of the Enterprise Administration Group (GAESA). … Continue reading “Soldiers in Business: Bad Deal / Cubanet, Luis Cino Alvarez”
Luis Cino Alvarez (Born: Havana, 1956). He works as an English teacher and in construction and agriculture. He began in the independent press in 1998. Between 2002 and the spring of 2003, he belonged to the editorial board of the magazine From Cuba. He is assistant manager of Digital Spring. A regular contributor to CubaNet … Continue reading “Luis Cino Alvarez”
