Author: Anddy Sierra Alvarez

Some 0.004% of the Cuban population will connect to the Web.

Starting on June 4, 2013, 472 people (maximum) will be the daily human traffic going to a NAUTA Internet cafe, approximately 0.004% of the Cuban population.

The state-owned telephone company, ETECSA, is expanding its Internet services to the “population” — 472 is the maximum that can be served daily. The navigation speed will be 2 Mbps (megabytes per second) which is equivalent to 2 mil, 48 Kbps (Kilobytes per second), a speed faster than the 50 Kb on telephone connections and better than the satellite connections can reach speeds on the Island of up to 300 Kbps.

According to the article published in the newspaper Granma, 118 rooms will be opened, more than the 99 previously. The internet rooms will be identified with the NAUTA stamp with which ETECSA is commercializing its navigation services in the country.

All this has arisen with of the activation of the fiber optic cable obtained from the Cuba-Venezuela economic agreements. Which brings a space of freedom to the “supervised” world wide web. Where the majority of users will be human rights defenders on the Island. Thus the government is certain to control the population’s use of this technology.

One measure that has come to light is the prohibition on voice traffic. But it reflects the free navigation as well as the ups and downloads with equal status. The cost will drop to 3 CUC (over $3 U.S.) equivalent to 75 Cuban pesos.

The Cuban population has unreasonably delayed access to technology, where all these technological changes itself bring social blockade. The aging of the population will be a critical factor, as older people will show little interest to the coming changes as reflected the inability of people to navigate cyberspace.

3 June 2013

The Julio Trigo and The Dependent Hospitals don’t offer full service. Doctors choose to give basic treatment to avoid complications due to lack of hygiene and the poor condition of patient rooms.

An unnamed doctor “Julio Trigo” says that he has been forced to send patients for home treatment. “I should not be so, but the hospital is horrifying conditions, cockroaches walking through walls, this is a disaster!” Says the doctor.

Julio Trigo Hospital is the main one for the municipality of Arroyo Naranjo and The Dependent Hospital is one of the main hospitals for the municipality of Cerro. They have lost the confidence of the residents of the two areas, according to  the comments of delegates (one delegate from Cerro and one from Arroyo Naranjo) from each municipality, who did not want to be identified.

An unnamed doctor at “Julio Trigo” says that he has been forced to send patients home for treatment. “I should not be so, but the hospital conditions are horrifying, cockroaches walking along walls, this is a disaster!” Says the doctor.

Marielena Garcia, 45, accompanying a patient explains she was waiting for her mom to get better to take her from the hospital to finish the treatment at home. “I was sitting on the side of the bed and a cockroach dropped on my face. The beds are dirty, you even get the smell of urine, you have to bring several sheets to avoid complications of infection,” says Garcia.

An unnamed doctor at The Dependent Hospital says that all the patients who come to the hospital complain about dirt. “It’s a risk to send the patient home, but better than the complications with bacteria,” said the doctor.

Alfredo Gonzalez, 32, says that in the middle of 2012 he went to The Dependent Hospital with a deep machete wound and almost lost his leg to an infection acquired from instruments that weren’t disinfected.

Maria Rodriguez, 48, says she’s complained about the management, but never had the chance to see the hospital director in person.

The country has refurbished hospitals in the capital, but after a year many are back to the previous bad condition. The chairs, the beds and the drinking fountains reflect the care of the people and the workers.

20 May 2013

How can we help?  Was one question asked of the blogger Yoani Sánchez in Miami. Where people like the Cuban-American Felice Gorordo and his friend the Frenchman Philippe Houdard were present at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts. When the same question was also asked: How can we help?

The two friends agreed to send materials to Cuba and to establish a new collection point at Pipeline, a work area in Brickell Avenue owned by Houdard and used primarily by employers in the digital age.

Sanchez had given a response several times, how people could help. Sending to Cuba laptops, USB flash drives, cell phones that work on the island, tablets and iPads, CDs and DVDs. Everything that can serve to improve communication and information for Cubans.

But who is responsible for this task? The arrival of this help for everyone is very important for the Cuban opposition.

It is also true that the Cuban opposition on the island is made up of people who want real change and the implementation of human rights. But there are also opportunistic individuals who are pursuing the material for personal gain, thus creating obstacles to the people who need the technology or help to develop their work.

I would be inclined to focus on two people who have shown me that all this help reaches the right hands. Yoani Sanchez and Reinaldo Escobar are the ones!

13 May 2013

The difference in vote totals was only about 300,000 people.

The votes of the Venezuelan people have brought to light an almost equal balance in the presidential decision.

With 50.66% for Nicolas Maduro and 49.07% for Capriles, the now elected president Maduro, looking at the final decision, said in response to the vote totals, “If I lose by one vote, or win by won vote, it has to be respected.”

Maduro knows that the fight is over, as demonstrated by the votes. Capriles, for his part, reaffirms that he followers and he’s capable of changing the destiny of Venezuela.

These are the days of a government where the actions will be taken by Maduro, the current president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Where his capacity as leader will be used for the interests of the Castro regime.

A Cuban intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela that will intensify as the days go on until taking over, it becomes almost a colony of the Castros, but with this difference that this country has resources than can feel the wings of the ambition of the Cuban regime.

Today more than ever Capriles must be keep his eyes wide open as any slip by Maduro can open the doors of the presidency to Capriles.

22 April 2013

Several banks in the capital’s municipalities have broken ATM cash machines, which makes it hard for people to get their money.

In Cuba the use of technology to facilitate and expedite service to the population in the metropolitan banks, fails to live up to the same services and technology of other Latin American countries.

Ana C. Jimenez, 45, says she lives near the metropolitan bank that is next to Quinta Canarias — a center for people with psychological problems — in the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo.

“Every time I go to take money out, the ATM is broken, and this is a bank that’s always full of people and there’s one line for all transactions,” Jimenez said.

The simplicity of having a magnetic card to withdraw money from any ATM is complicated. The truth is that many people don’t want to travel long miles to avoid the huge lines at banks, but many complain they have no choice but join those lines, and then spend long hours of waiting to get the money to buy food.

One problem that affects these services is maintenance, the State enterprises, as usual, exploit the equipment until it stops working. Then when it breaks they repair it, instead of maintaining it so so it doesn’t break. By not tracking the maintenance, the machines break more often and it shortens their useful life, and causes problem for citizens.

The truth is that, meanwhile, the technology is out of service, and instead of maintaining and caring for it so it functions efficiently, citizens are stuck in lines for several hours.

8 April 2013

he early death of Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías, president of the Republic of Venezuela, brings with it instability for the country and those allied with him.

With the death of the leader the opportunity to take power is knocking on Capriles’ door. In a country in mourning, the political opponents are gathering their forces to attack the violations of the constitution without concern for the pain of the rank and file Chavista and family members.

The opportunity presents itself but not right now. continue reading