English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The Most Notorious of 2025 Cubanet, Luis Cino, Havana, 30 December 2025 1-Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez As he has done since taking office, the most inefficient and unpopular ruler that Cuba has ever had repeats in first place. This past 2025, Díaz-Canel has enthusiastically added to his track record, further increasing his total disconnection from reality: … Continue reading “Cuba’s Most Notorious of 2025”
Each one, from their own place, has influenced the public conversation or embodied a profound dimension of this turbulent year 14ymedio, Havana, December 24, 2025 — Every December, 14ymedio presents the faces that have stood out in Cuba during the year. Some reflect the face of power, others that of exhaustion or hope. Between blackouts, … Continue reading “Cuban Faces 2025: The 14 Faces That Marked the Pulse of Cuba in 2025”
The problem “has spread to several places, where children ask for money, even late at night,” admits deputy Carlos Miguel Pérez Reyes 14ymedio, Havana, October 16, 2025 — “Those from the Minors* go by here.” says one of the four children that 14ymedio interviewed this Wednesday after photos were published on social networks where they … Continue reading “Four Street Children Survive in the Basement of Havana’s Largest Dollar Supermarket”
Without housing, formal employment, and a ration book, these internal migrants are “illegal” in their own country. 14ymedio, Juan Izquierdo, Havana, 17 July 2025 — Tens of thousands of Cubans are “illegal” in their own country, according to Government parameters, above all in Havana, the last stop for migrants who arrive from the east of … Continue reading “Poor, Abandoned and Unable To Emigrate to the US, the ‘Palestinians’ Survive in Havana”
It’s true that the problem of begging was not born with the Revolution, but it is a direct result of the demagogy and cynicism of pretending to serve the poor. 14ymedio, Yunior García Aguilera, Madrid, 17 July 2025 — In the collective memory of Cubans, there are figures who, without having held official positions, are … Continue reading “The Caballero de París and the Homeless That Don’t Exist”
In Cuba, no one is allowed to resign from their position; disgrace and dismissal always come from “the top.” 14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Generation Y, 16 July 2025 — Blackouts, inflation, and the economic crisis have ceased to be the talk in the streets in Cuba, at least for a few days. The focus of social … Continue reading “The Minister Resigns, but the Government Still Refuses To Acknowledge Poverty in Cuba”
In fact, Marta Elena Feitó’s words reflect the official policy of denying poverty. 14ymedio, Madrid, 16 July 2025 — “The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is highly questionable. The Revolution cannot leave anyone behind; that is our motto, our militant responsibility.” President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s comment on his X account on Tuesday morning referred, without … Continue reading “The Regime Dismisses the Minister Who Said There Were No Beggars in Cuba, Only People “Disguised” as Beggers”
14ymedio, Havana, 15 July 2025 — “Disguised.” This is how Labor Minister Marta Elena Feitó described the real beggars who, every day, are multiplying on the streets trying to survive. The images taken by this newspaper in Havana speak for themselves. ____________ COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that … Continue reading “A Cuba Without Disguise”
Economist Pedro Monreal calls Feitó’s words “insolently reactionary” for fighting the poor instead of fighting poverty. 14ymedio, Havana, 14 July 2025 — The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó, sparked a wave of indignation after her address to the Cuban Parliament on Monday. In an attempt to reduce the impact of the … Continue reading “‘There Are No Beggers in Cuba, These Are People in Disguise,’ Insists the Minister of Labor”
The Minister of Labour and Social Security indicates that the decision is taken to “contribute to the necessary savings” 14ymedio/EFE, Havana, 14 February 2025 — The Cuban government announced on Thursday the closures of workplaces and schools for Friday and Saturday due to the deep energy crisis that the country is suffering, which has worsened … Continue reading “Cuban Authorities Suspend Work and Teaching Activities on Friday and Saturday Due to the Energy Crisis”
The Government suspends all teaching and work activities, except for “vital” ones The break occurred at 2:08 a.m. on Wednesday. 14ymedio, Havana, 4 December 2024 — Cuba’s National Electricity System (SEN) suffered its third disconnection in less than two months at 2:08 a.m. this morning, plunging the country into total darkness once again. According to … Continue reading “New Total Blackout in Cuba Due to the Disconnection of the Antonio Guiteras Power Plant”
14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, 9 September 9, 2023 — The two refrains that the Cuban communists repeat ad nauseam fall apart in a spectacular way. The first, that “the United States crushes us with the embargo” sounds more and more like a hollow shell. The US sends Cuba more than 8 billion dollars a … Continue reading “Attention to Vulnerable Groups: Another Black Hole in Cuba”
14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, 24 March 2023 — Prime Minister Manuel Marrero was present last Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Ministry of Economy and Planning, headed by Alejandro Gil. The extensive participation included the communist leader of the party’s productive economic department, Joel Queipo; the Minister of Finance and Prices, Meisi Bolaños; … Continue reading “Cuba’s Ministry of Economy and Planning: ‘In Six Months, It Will Be Worse Than Now’”
EFE, via 14ymedio, Havana, 6 February 2021 — The Cuban government eliminated the constrained list of activities allowed in the private sector, leaving a list of just 124 occupations which can be engaged in only by government entities, a long-awaited reform that opens the doors to the expansion of self-employment in the midst of a serious … Continue reading “Cuba Eliminates the Limited List of Jobs Allowed in the Private Sector”
14ymedio, Havana, 20 August 2020 — Under the sun, with her cane, Xiomara waited this Tuesday outside the Coppelia ice cream parlor in Havana to get the ten scoops of ice cream that each customer is allowed to buy, but neither her disabled person’s card nor the requests to the employee allowed her to enter … Continue reading “Pandemic in Cuba and People with Disabilities: Forgotten or Protected?”