English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The documentary, directed by Beatriz Luengo, premieres this Friday coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the historic protests. 14ymedio, Hugo Barcia, Miami, 8 July 2025 — Spanish composer and actress Beatriz Luengo and Cuban singer Yotuel Romero insist that the call of the song Patria y Vida, which prompted the 2021 protests in Cuba, is … Continue reading “‘Patria y Vida’ Hits US Theaters on the Fourth Anniversary of 11J”
Beatriz Luengo, co-author of the 11J anthem and wife of Yotuel Romero, talks about the documentary with ’14ymedio’ 14ymedio, Madrid, 27 October 2024 — To finish the documentary Patria y Vida: The Power of Music, its director, Beatriz Luengo (b. Madrid, 1982), says that her parents – she is the daughter of a carpenter and … Continue reading “‘We Have Managed To Make Noise in Spain’ With the Film About ‘Patria y Vida’ and Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 23 April 2024 — Three words in blue ink – Patria y Vida… Homeland and Life – written on the facade of her house were enough for Sandra Hernández to understand State Security’s speedy response even in small towns like hers. After the island-wide protests of 11 July 2021 (11J), there was not … Continue reading “Two Years of Harassment and Pressure for Writing ‘Patria y Vida’ on Her House for the 11 July 2021 Protests”
14ymedio, Havana, 22 January 2024 — The musician Yotuel Romero and the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (Fepcube) differ in their version about the use of the “Patria y Vida” brand by the team of exiled Cuban baseball players Dream Team. While the players claim to have agreed with the artist to deliver a percent of … Continue reading “Yotuel Romero and Fepcube Admit Their Disagreement on the Use of ‘Patria y Vida’”
14ymedio, Havana, December 6, 2023 — “Patria y Vida” [Homeland and Life], the freedom motto that became the anthem of the 11 July 2021 ’11J’ protests inside and outside the Island, has been taken up by the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (Fepcube) to identify the team of exiled baseball players that will participate in the … Continue reading “‘Patria y Vida’ — Homeland and Life — Will Be the Motto of the Cuban Team That Will Be Formed by Exiled Baseball Players”
14ymedio, Havana, 3 October 2023 — Since this Monday, Celia Cruz and Patria y Vida (Homeland and Life), two of the greatest Cuban musical symbols of recent times, are united in a new video clip of the song that became a dissident anthem since its premiere, in February 2021. In this new version, the song incorporates … Continue reading “Celia Cruz, Joined With ‘Patria Y Vida’, the Anthem of the Protests in Cuba”
EFE (via 14ymedio), Seville, 19 September 2023 — The documentary Patria y Vida: The Power of Music, which narrates the vicissitudes of the song Patria y Vida, banned in Cuba and winner of two Latin Grammys, is nominated for these awards this year in the Best Long Video category. “At a time when art and … Continue reading “The Video of the Documentary About ‘Patria y Vida’ Is Nominated for the Latin Grammy 2023”
14ymedio, Anna Mahjar-Barducci, Jerusalem, 20 October 2022 — On 19 October 2022 a ’mash-up’ of two tracks: Patria y Vida [Homeland and Life] and Baraye (For the sake of…) was uploaded to the Azadi channel on YouTube. The former was performed by Cuban rappers Yotuel Romero, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo Castillo, El Funky, and the group Gente … Continue reading “The Iranian ‘Patria y Vida’, A Song That Unites Havana with Teheran”
14ymedio, Madrid, 12 September 2022 — The Cuban artist Armando Tejuca has designed a poster entitled You five nine, Me double two, sixty years of deadlocked domino in reference to one of the phrases of the song Patria y Vida [Homeland and Life]. In it you can see the poster with the five-nine dark and cracked, while … Continue reading “The U.S. Embassy in Cuba Publishes on Social Networks a Poster Alluding to ‘Patria y Vida’”
EFE (via 14ymedio), Miami, August 16, 2022 — The composers of the song Patria y Vida will be recognized with the Medal of Freedom that will be awarded to them by the Latino Composers Hall of Fame (LCHOF) at the welcome gala for its new members, which will be held on October 13 in south Florida. … Continue reading “Cuban Composers of “Patria y Vida” — Homeland and Life — Will Receive the Medal of Freedom”
14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Havana, 14 May 2022 — At the age of 16, Sissi Abascal Zamora was not, like any other teenager, walking with her friends or wearing new clothes. At that age she became part of the Ladies in White Movement and she lived between arrests and police operations. On July 11, 2021, her participation in … Continue reading “Sissi Abascal, the Young Woman Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Painting ‘Patria y Vida’ on a Sheet”
EFE (via 14ymedio), 17 April 2022 — The American Errol Spence Jr. gave a class in good boxing this Saturday in Arlington, Texas, by defeating the Cuban Yordenis Ugás by knockout in 10 rounds, in a title unification fight in the welterweight category. At AT&T Stadium, Spence proposed the fight, and soon damaged the Cuban’s … Continue reading “Defeated by Errol Spence, Cuban Yordenis Ugas Greets His Followers With ‘Patria y Vida’”
EFE (via 14ymedio)– Musicians Descemer Bueno and Emilio Estefan told EFE on Tuesday that the song Patria y vida [Homeland and Life], which has become an anthem of the struggle for freedom in Cuba, represents the unity of the Cuban people in favor of a dream, that of recovering freedom on the island. “A year … Continue reading “Descemer and Emilio Estefan: ‘Patria y Vida’ Symbolizes the Unity for Freedom in Cuba”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 12 February 2022 — A large police deployment prevent passage through the corner of Gervasio and Enrique Barnet (Estrella) streets, in Central Havana, after the discovery this Saturday morning of a huge sign painted on the asphalt with the phrase “Patria y Vida” [Homeland and Life]. The surrounding area has … Continue reading “‘Patria y Vida’ Graffiti Mobilizes the Police in Central Havana”
14ymedio, Havana, 25 December 2021 — Barely a week had passed since the premiere of the song Patria y Vida (Homeland and Life), in February, when these two words began to be used as a slogan by different opponents of the regime, inside and outside of Cuba. Opposed to the Castroist “homeland or death”, the images extolling the blackness of five artists, … Continue reading “‘Patria y Vida’, The Anthem for Cuban Freedom”
