English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
An Ocac report reveals that suicide is the leading cause of death, with 33 cases, and warns of sentences of up to ten years for those who survive an attempt 14ymedio, Madrid, July 20, 2026 / At least 97 young people have died while performing Active Military Service (SMA) in Cuba between 2001 and 2026. … Continue reading “At Least 97 Recruits Have Died During Military Service in Cuba Since 2001”
It is about promoting “the inclusion of women in national defense” in exchange for “benefits” 14ymedio, Havana, March 12, 2025 — With weapons, drones and banners, Cuban Army officers have invaded the pre-university plazas throughout the Island with a declared objective: to “excite” teenagers with a custom-designed “bastion” – an exercise that has already been … Continue reading “The Cuban Army Holds Talks To Recruit ‘Little Girls’ for Military Service”
“Those children were ordered to be killed because the correct thing to do is to evacuate immediately” in the face of the risk of explosion 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguin, 25 January 2025 — Of the Cuban Army arsenal that exploded in Melones, Holguin, on January 7, only a few structures remain standing. The shock wave … Continue reading “A Former Officer Insists That 13 Soldiers Died in Melones Because “Protocols Were Violated””
14ymedio, Manzanillo (Granma Province), 19 January 2025 — Before the official information was issued about the death of nine young people and four officers in the explosions of January 7 in the Melones military unit in Holguín, other parents, this time in Manzanillo, said goodbye to their children in a forced march towards the Army. … Continue reading “Distressed Families Say Goodbye to Their Children Summoned for Military Service in Manzanillo, Cuba”
More details are known about the victims of the Melones explosion in Holguín The alert has been extended to Sancti Spíritus, where helicopters fly over the weapon silos on the Zaza road 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguín, 9 January 2024 — “We are doing what we can.” The response of the authorities is invariable when approaching … Continue reading “Some Relatives of the 13 Missing From the Explosion in Cuba Criticize the Military’s Decision To Delay the Rescue”
Nine are young military service recruits, most of them from that eastern province 14ymedio, Havana, 9 January 2025 — The life stories of the 13 missing soldiers begin to emerge with the testimonies of relatives and the scraps of their biographies found on social networks. The nine young people, apparently all recruits of the Active … Continue reading “Who Are the 13 Missing in the Explosions at Cuba’s Military Warehouse in Holguín?”
Military authorities acknowledge that they do not know “the state of those who initially faced the incident” 14ymedio, Havana, 8 January 2025 – Thirteen soldiers are missing after the explosions that occurred during the early hours of Tuesday in a weapons and ammunition warehouse in Melones, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre, Holguín. Almost 12 … Continue reading “Nine Soldiers and Four Officers Are Missing in the Ammunition Explosions in Holguín, Cuba”
In both cases, the causes of death are unclear and relatives are demanding answers from the authorities. 14ymedio, Havana, 24 August 2025 — In less than a week, two young recruits died while undergoing mandatory military service, which the regime imposes on all Cuban males. The fatalities were Antonio Rassi Roque, 18, and Lázaro Daniel … Continue reading “The Cuban Regime Remains Silent on the Deaths of Two Recruits Serving in Havana”
Cuban soldiers in Venezuela, impunity for Sandro Castro, police violence and ‘el químico’ (the chemical) 14ymedio, Havana, 10 February 2025 — Donald Trump’s invasion of Cuba is just around the corner. The rumor – with endless comments, reactions and conspiracy theories – has been repeated hundreds of times in January. The regime’s tension in the face … Continue reading “January Rumors: Trump Prepares to Invade Cuba and Díaz-Canel Agrees On an Escape Plan with Raul Castro”
Melones has shown how cruel Cubans can be when it comes to choosing between the living and the dead 14ymedio, Xavier Carbonell, Salamanca, 26 January 2025 — Even in politics, one can (should?) be frivolous. For many years I refused to wear olive green shirts. My situation was particularly dramatic, since everyone – from my … Continue reading “Green Day”
The “Explosion process” at Melones is still “active” and “it is still not possible to go in,” according to the authorities. 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguín, 10 January 2025 — The obsolete weapons stored in the military warehouse that exploded on January 7 in Melones, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre in Holguín, are still in … Continue reading ““We Family Members Have Been Banned From Posting on Social Media Because Enemies Take Advantage of It To Harm the Country””
At the beginning of 2025, the explosion in Holguín has gotten in the way of so much paraphernalia 14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Generation Y, Havana, 8 January 2025 — Lovers of ritual, and anchored to symbolic acts, dictatorships are given to organizing ahead of time and in a rigid manner a script of celebrations, public events … Continue reading “Cuba Will Not Allow Tragedy To Spoil the Celebration of the 66th Anniversary of the Revolution”