14ymedio – Page 35 – Translating Cuba

One Mella, Three Mellas, Life in Cuba Is Measured in Thousands of Pesos

Until a couple of years ago, a Cuban thousand peso bill was a rare sight.

One Mella, two Mellas, three Mellas… life measured by the speed at which we hand over a banknote bearing the face of a communist leader. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Havana, 24 February 2026 — Until a couple of years ago, a thousand Cuban peso bill was a rare sight. We saw them only a few times, and vendors would shake their heads if they had to give change for such a large sum. But on the island of inflation, handing over the face of Julio Antonio Mella now to buy something no longer surprises, impresses, or much less is synonymous with high purchasing power. Paper is just paper.

This Monday I’m venturing into Calzada del Cerro. I’ve been told that a shop selling ornamental plants also has fertilizer that I can use for the garden I’m preparing on my terrace in anticipation of the “zero option.” It is a row of still-tiny plants that could add some flavor to our food if garlic and onions stop arriving at the market, if life is paralyzed in Havana to the point where a bit of cilantro becomes an unattainable dream, or if people start fighting over a head of lettuce.

I will have what I can grow. Which is very little, given that apart from the schools-in-the-countryside I attended and the pre-university course I took in a dilapidated building in the middle of the fields of Alquízar, now in the province of Artemisa, my agricultural knowledge is very limited. I know how to weed and pull up the plants when they’re ready to be harvested. All that training to become the “New Man,” who could be self-sufficient, was nothing more than a caricature of education. We pretended we could survive on our own two feet, and we couldn’t even survive without the Soviet Union.

On the corner of Rancho Boyeros and Calzada del Cerro, there is a broken electric tricycle. Just because these vehicles don’t need gasoline doesn’t mean they’re immune to the constant potholes and uneven surfaces of Havana’s streets. The man tells me his name is Roly, and that he delivers packages for one of those agencies that brings goods from Miami. He says that due to a lack of fuel, they’ve lost almost their entire fleet of cars continue reading

for deliveries. While some have seen their livelihoods disappear, others can’t keep up with the number of customers who call them to move a box or a suitcase. Roly was one of the latter, until a pothole brought his business to a halt.

There was a time when taking a Calixto García (50 peso) out of your wallet was a sign of financial ease

“This repair won’t cost less than 8,000 or 10,000,” he estimates as he tries to pull the vehicle up to the curb, waiting for a friend who’s coming to help him get home. Life is measured in thousands of pesos. That pound of pork costs 1,000, this pack of adult diapers is 3,000, and that dozen painkillers costs 5,000. We add things up in a big way, with zeros growing to the right and bills passing so quickly from our pockets to other hands that we barely have time to make out the faces printed on them.

There was a time when pulling a Calixto García (50 peso) bill out of your wallet was a sign of financial ease. Then, very quickly, the turn came when paying with a Frank País (200 peso) bill marked a difference in social status. It quickly jumped to an Ignacio Agramonte (500 peso) bill making it clear that its owner was no ordinary Cuban, leading to this moment when we measure our existence by the number of bills bearing the image of the founder of the Popular Socialist Party. One Mella, two Mellas, three Mellas… life measured by the speed with which we hand over a bill that has the face of a communist leader on it.

I approach the small shop where they sell seedlings, but it’s closed. I scan the area to see if they have any bags of the fertilizer I need to feed the small plants that have started to grow on my terrace. A man rides by on a bicycle and calls out to me that the nursery won’t be open today, that the elderly woman who runs it is still suffering from the aftereffects of one of those viruses that have become part of our daily lives. I take a deep breath and step back into the street.

The tenement buildings line the street, a polyclinic plunged into darkness by the power outage has patients and medical staff strewn about at the entrance, and at the nearby fire station, the truck has just left, sirens blaring. Rescuers have no life these days in Havana. They’re called when the elevators in high-rise buildings get stuck after the power goes out. They’re called when someone sets fire to a mountain of garbage on a street corner. They’re called when floodwaters can’t drain through sewers clogged with plastic bags and other debris.

Almost all my neighbors are thinner. Some people’s clothes and teeth are so loose they’re practically falling off.

The firefighters have stepped in to replace municipal services, the medical staff who are missing, the electric company technicians, and the police who never show up when they’re most needed. Just recently, one of them went up to the 13th floor of our building to rescue a neighbor trapped in the elevator. He was small and slight. He’d probably only had a piece of catfish with rice for lunch that day, at best. His uniform was too big for him.

Almost all my neighbors are thinner. Some people’s clothes and teeth are loose. An elderly woman has lost so much weight that she wears her blouse tied in a knot at the waist so it doesn’t blow up in the wind. Some people are even thinner than they were during the Special Period. Back then, hunger was different. It hurt, but everyone in the neighborhood was starving. Now there are empty plates and small businesses selling imported ham. In this crisis, some apartments are completely dark at night, while others have generators to cope with the power outages. I have neighbors without soap to bathe with, and others who use expensive perfumes that cling to the elevator walls.

I’m near the old Maravillas movie theater. Smoke hangs in the air, burning my eyes and throat. A pile of trash is burning under a nearby tree. Several vendors are hawking their wares nearby. One is selling a pack of 50 masks for 1,000 pesos. If they keep burning garbage everywhere, we Havana residents are going to have to go back to wearing face masks. But this time it won’t be because of COVID-19, but because of the toxic fumes. I reach into my pocket and pull out a Mella. I walk the rest of the way along Calzada del Cerro with a piece of cloth over my nose, protecting myself from this city that’s attacking us from all sides.

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It Is Forbidden To Leave Home in Cuba Today Because It Is a “Counter-Revolutionary Day”

“It is the day of the execution (sic) of the Brothers to the Rescue planes,” the State Security agent justifies himself.

The State Security agent briefly showed us his ID to warn us that he was there to prevent us from entering this concrete building. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Havana, February 24, 2026 – A man in the basement of our building says that today is a “counterrevolutionary day,” and that’s why we can’t go out. Wearing a hat, dark glasses, and a thick coat, the State Security agent briefly shows us his ID to warn us that he’s there to prevent us from passing through the door of this concrete block. There are likely others deployed around the block and a police patrol car parked nearby. It is bitterly cold, with dry gusts of wind, and sewage is dripping from the roof above the entrance, very close to the security guard. The atmosphere couldn’t be more hostile today for the disciplined repressor.

In the last month, this is the third operation around our building. Although one might think we’ve integrated it into our daily routine, we continue to be surprised that resources are being spent on two peaceful journalists, with no weapon other than words. Just a few meters from where the political police agent is standing stretches one of the four enormous garbage dumps that surround our building. Symbolically, the mountain of waste rises in front of a sculpture that recreates the Cuban flag. Blue stripes here, filth there. A red triangle on this side, stinking garbage on the other.

They have spent resources, gasoline, and manpower to corner two citizens in the middle of a paralyzed city. / 14ymedio

When the agent approached Reinaldo Escobar around eight in the morning, he asked him if he knew what day it was. “An important date in our wars of independence,” replied this sharp-tongued man with whom I’ve lived for 33 years. “No, no, today is the day of the Brothers to the Rescue planes being shot down,” the seguroso [security guard] pointed out with an air of authority . The fear that activists and independent journalists will take to the streets and commemorate the events of 24 February 1996, is the reason we’re forbidden to set foot outside. They’ve spent resources, gasoline, and manpower to corner two citizens in the middle of a city paralyzed by state neglect and fuel shortages.

My neighbors aren’t accustomed to it either. When we have a police operation downstairs, the informal street vendors can barely offer continue reading

their wares on the stairs, and hunger hits hardest those who can’t go out to buy things. When the political police surround this building, the frustration grows among those who would prefer to see that efficiency and energy focused on the serious problems plaguing our community. Two dilapidated elevators, a water tank falling apart above our heads, vandalism that steals light bulbs from the hallways and shatters windowpanes, and pipes clogged with salt buildup and decades of neglect are just some of the serious problems we face every day.

My building and my neighbors need attention, but not this kind. How many elevator parts could be bought with the cost of three police operations? Could the pumps that bring the water up from the cistern be repaired with the expenses of a deployment like this? Would the money from a repressive operation be enough to pay for a new lobby door to replace the current one, which is broken and misaligned? The list of needs and urgent matters is long. But the authorities don’t seem to care that this building is becoming a ruin, just like the rest of the city. Improving the lives of Cubans isn’t their priority.

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A State Company Is Created in Cuba to Transport Health Personnel in Havana

The Minister of Transport admits the initiative will not initially cover all sector demand because part of its operation depends on fuel supplies.

The project exceeds $5 million in investment and will be financed by the Public Transport Development Fund. / Facebook

14ymedio, Havana February 24, 2026 – Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, Cuba’s Minister of Transport, announced Monday the launch of a fleet of 25 combustion-engine buses and nine electric minibuses to guarantee mobility for health personnel in Havana. However, the official himself admitted that the initiative will not initially cover all sector demand and that part of its operation also depends on fuel supplies, which are currently almost nonexistent in the country.

In a message posted on social media, Rodríguez Dávila reported that the new transportation service will be managed by Transmed, a newly created state company aimed at “prioritizing the health sector” in the capital amid “a scenario of serious limitations in public transportation in general, worsened by the lack of fuel.”

The new state-run enterprise, created by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Transport in coordination with Havana authorities, will operate pre-established routes connecting hospitals in the capital. It will also handle certain transfers of “patients undergoing special treatments and cargo services linked to the health sector.” The initial fleet will consist of buses with capacity for 28 passengers, in addition to minibuses with 13 seats.

Although the minister acknowledged the difficulty of ensuring the program operates at 100%, he said the vehicles will also offer service to the general public at a fare of 20 pesos. continue reading

The cars will also offer service to the general public at a fare of 20 pesos.

In the rest of the country, the initiative will simultaneously deliver 15 minibuses and 34 cargo vans to other provinces, all electric, to be operated by provincial transport companies under principles similar to those of Transmed.

To support this, Rodríguez Dávila said work is already advancing “at an accelerated pace” on installing charging stations for all these vehicles, equipped with photovoltaic solar panels and storage systems, “so that it does not place an additional burden on the national energy system.”

This new vehicle fleet for the health sector is in addition to the incorporation of 75 new ambulances nationwide, all electric, which arrived in Cuba between January and the first days of this month. Rodríguez Dávila explained that these vehicles have adequate range, energy efficiency, and maintenance support to ensure their operation.

The project, which exceeds $5 million in investment according to the minister, will be financed by the Public Transport Development Fund of the Ministry of Transport, while Havana’s health budget will cover payment for the service in national currency. The supplier will be MCV Comercial, the joint venture between the Cuban State and Mercedes-Benz, which has previously been involved in bringing other units to the country.

The supplier will be MCV Comercial, the joint venture between the Cuban State and Mercedes-Benz

The energy crisis, intensified by the loss of subsidized oil from its Venezuelan ally following the military operation to capture then-president Nicolás Maduro on January 3, has put essential services under severe strain. In addition to disruptions in ambulance services, hospitals have suffered blackouts and flights carrying medical supplies have been suspended.

As early as the beginning of January, weeks before the executive order allowing the United States to impose tariffs on goods from countries that sell or supply oil to Cuba, nearly all GAZelle minibuses operating in Havana were already out of service due to lack of fuel. On January 7, local authorities stated on Facebook that “only a small group” of GAZelles was operating and that “the few” in service “will not be able to complete all scheduled trips.”

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Honduras Ends Agreement with Cuban Doctors and Threatens to Investigate Them

The country follows in the footsteps of Guatemala, Antigua and Barbuda, as well as Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

This Monday, doctors from the island who provided services at an ophthalmology clinic said goodbye to the residents of San José de Colinas, in the department of Santa Bárbara. / Video capture by Roger David Iraeta

The Government of Honduras has ended the agreement with Cuban doctors promoted two years ago by then-president Xiomara Castro, an ally of the Island’s regime. Communications Secretary José Augusto Argueta confirmed that the departure of the specialists was due to a “foreign policy decision.”

At the same time, National Party congresswoman and vice president of the National Congress, Johana Bermúdez, stated on Monday that the Government would push for an investigation into the group to determine whether they were truly healthcare workers. “That political relationship brought in a large number of personnel, and we never knew whether they were doctors, nurses, or spies,” she said in an interview with HCH Noticias.

The departure of the specialists has generated uncertainty among the population, who fear for the continuity of the Operation Miracle program in ophthalmology clinics run by Cuban specialists. José Augusto Argueta clarified that “the centers will not close.” Regarding one center that was not providing services, he said this “could be due to political pressure.”

Likewise, the secretary specified that the five centers—“one in Siguatepeque, two in Santa Bárbara (Colinas and Arada), one in Catacamas, and another in the Central District”—are active and will be operated by Honduran doctors.

For his part, Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Midence said that work is underway on “hiring Honduran or foreign doctors duly accredited by the Medical Association.”

The AFP news agency reported the departure of 128 Cuban specialists. On Monday, doctors from the Island who had been providing services at an ophthalmology clinic bid farewell to residents of San José de Colinas, in the department of Santa Bárbara. “We are leaving knowing that we cared for you, that we worked for you, and hopefully we will return. This is continue reading

our farewell,” said one of the physicians.

According to Gonzalo Valerio, a member of the Honduras-Cuba Friendship Association aligned with the regime, the specialists are waiting for a charter flight to be arranged to take them back to the Island in early March.

The Cuban specialists who provided services at the ophthalmology clinics will be replaced by Hondurans.

Honduras follows the path of Guatemala, Antigua and Barbuda, as well as Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which ended their medical cooperation projects with the Island after pressure from Washington. Last June, the United States announced the revocation of visas for Honduran officials from the Health Secretariat (Sesal) and the Strategic Planning Secretariat.

The U.S. government has dnounced that these missions involve the “coercion” of healthcare professionals, who are sent to work in third countries under opaque contracts, with low wages and severe restrictions on their freedom.

Congresswoman Johana Bermúdez added that the country transferred significant sums of money to Cuba through the so-called medical brigades, a scheme that, she said, had been questioned at the time. “We denounced it as the opposition, and so did the Honduran Medical Association (CMH),” which also argued that the doctors lacked proper accreditation to practice in the country and that the Organic Law of the Medical Association was being violated.

Two years ago, the CMH stated that the Honduran government paid the Island $2,000 per doctor, in addition to providing them with housing, a vehicle, and food.

The presence of Cuban doctors in Honduras began in 1998, after Hurricane Mitch. As part of its relationship with the Island, the Central American government also agreed to send 170 general practitioners to the Island to train in one of the 23 specialties offered by Cuban universities.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Calabria Rejects U.S. Proposal to Get Rid of Cuban Doctors

The president of the Italian region, who met this Monday with the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Cuba Mike Hammer, is open to hiring healthcare workers “independently.”

A group of Cuban doctors at the Gioia Tauro Hospital in Reggio Calabria, Italy. / Facebook/Cuban Medical Mission in Calabria

14ymedio, Madrid, February 24, 2026 –The president of the region of Calabria (Italy) appears determined. Not only does he reject breaking the agreement with Cuba, as the United States wants, so that Cuban doctors can continue providing services in his territory, but he also wants to expand it. “I explained to my counterparts that I had in mind, in 2026, increasing the Cuban medical mission to 1,000 doctors,” said Roberto Occhiuto, who met this Monday with the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Cuba, Mike Hammer.

At the meeting, held in the city of Catanzaro with the presence of the U.S. Consul General in Naples, Terrence Flynn, the parties addressed the thorny issue of Cuban medical brigades, whose termination is a clear objective of the administration of Donald Trump. Since 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself has been actively involved in suspending all contracts that various countries have signed with the Cuban regime to import healthcare workers, using both negotiation and sanctions.

He has thus managed to have agreements modified or suspended with the Bahamas, Jamaica, Guatemala, Honduras, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago. But Italy is a unique case, as it is the only country in the European Union that has resorted to these agreements to address its severe shortage of doctors. For this reason, Occhiuto has been signaling for days that his answer is No: a position he reaffirmed yesterday after his “long and friendly” meeting with Hammer. continue reading

Italy is a unique case, as it is the only country in the European Union that has resorted to these agreements to address its doctor shortage.

“We had a long and cordial meeting, discussing Calabria’s urgent healthcare needs and the complexities surrounding the Cuban doctors’ mission,” he told the Italian press. “I told Hammer that the Cuban doctors, who allow Calabria’s hospitals and emergency rooms to remain open, are still a necessity, because my absolute priority is to guarantee citizens’ right to healthcare, given that our system is already facing great difficulties.”

In fact, the plan is for up to 1,000 doctors to arrive this year, he confirmed. However, Occhiuto is not closing the door to other options to address the system’s shortcomings. “In recent weeks, also thanks to a fruitful collaboration established with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Consulate, we have decided to explore an alternative way to recruit more doctors. We did so by publishing, in mid-January, a call aimed at all doctors from the EU and non-EU countries who want to come work in Calabria,” he explained.

The leader of the Forza Italia (right-wing) party maintains that if the goal is to expand options, he is open to any solution. “We will welcome all doctors who want to come,” he said, expressly mentioning both EU and non-EU professionals.

“In conclusion, I told Hammer that foreign doctors are absolutely necessary, but that our region is willing to receive all doctors—EU, non-EU, Cuban doctors not linked to the existing mission—who independently wish to come work in Calabria, which is prepared to provide them with all the logistical and financial support we have already guaranteed to the Cuban doctors who have been living with us.”

Cuban doctors first arrived in this southern Italian region in 2023, in a contingent of about 170 healthcare workers who arrived in two groups.

Cuban doctors first arrived in this southern Italian region in 2023, in a contingent of about 170 healthcare workers who arrived in two groups. “I said it before and I repeat it: they are not going to take any jobs from Italian doctors,” Occhiuto warned at the time, rejecting criticism that accompanied the decision.

Even then, the president stated that at least 2,300 new contracts were needed to ensure the system functioned properly. Nearly 500 were expected to come from Cuba, according to the contract signed in 2022 between Cuban Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda and his Italian counterpart, Orazio Schillaci.

In January 2024, the Sardinian press announced the arrival from the Island of 128 doctors and 30 nurses to Sardinia, under a contract that expired on December 31, 2025, and could be renewed. Little more has emerged about that case, although at the beginning of that month local politicians expressed the need to maintain agreements with Cuba and stated that at least 1,000 doctors were required.

The Italian local press reported that for each doctor in Calabria, the region would pay 3,500 euros in salary and 1,200 euros for maintenance, housing, travel, and training. The salary, as usual, is paid to the Cuban government, which typically retains between 75% and 90%, leading the United States and some international organizations to denounce the practice as “forced labor.”

In the summer of 2025, Calabria’s opposition (social democrats) demanded explanations about the status of these agreements after a case emerged of a doctor who left his post to work at a private center. “This new case of abandonment adds to many others: in addition to those who opted for the private sector, there are those who went on vacation and never returned, those who preferred the Spanish healthcare system, those who disappeared, etc.,” denounced Ernesto Alleci, who added that “the numbers are starting to no longer add up.”

Several Italian regions, particularly the poorer ones, face difficulties hiring healthcare personnel, as their salaries are around $82,000 per year for a specialist, far less than the $99,000 in France or $172,000 in Germany.

Translated by Regina Anavy
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“I Can’t Waste Time Assembling and Disassembling Old Rifles,” Complains an MTT Reservist

In Matanzas, with daily blackouts lasting 18 hours and endless lines to get a bit of cooking gas or some chicken, nobody seems willing to sign up for a mock battle against the US

“This time I really told them not to count on me anymore.” / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Matanzas, February 22, 2026 –On a dusty street corner in Los Mangos, near the Pediatric Hospital of Matanzas, Yosvany wipes the sweat with the back of his hand and stares down the block as if expecting someone from the Military Committee to show up any second. It’s not the first time they’ve come looking for him. Every so often, when Havana announces strategic exercises, “mobilizations,” or National Defense Days, his name pops back up on the list of Territorial Troops Militia reservists.

“This time I really told them not to count on me anymore,” he says, standing in front of a faded house while a neighbor on the sidewalk fans herself with her hand and another sits watching the street from a plastic chair. “I’ve got five plates to fill every single day. I can’t waste time assembling and disassembling old rifles.”

The latest reservist call-up, announced after the worsening energy crisis and rising tensions between Havana and Washington—made worse since Nicolás Maduro’s capture in early January—has brought back memories of similar previous mobilizations. On state television they talk about “combat readiness” and “defense of sovereignty,” but in the neighborhoods the conversation mixes with 18-hour blackouts and endless lines just to get cooking gas or a little chicken.

Yosvany became surplus—unemployed—as an accountant at the Provincial Commerce Directorate two years ago. Since then he’s fished tilapia in the San Juan River, pushed a wheelbarrow of root vegetables along Calzada de Tirry, and even worked as a line-holder at the Banco Popular de Ahorro on Calle Medio. “Short of stealing, I’ll do whatever it takes,” he insists. “My war is finding money so my kids don’t go without the basics. I’m not going to be just another number so the bosses can say everybody’s ready to fight here.”

“I do resist, yeah—but during an 18-hour blackout, eating four spoonfuls of plain white rice and saving the little bread ball for breakfast.” / 14ymedio

In Pueblo Nuevo, Magalis hears these stories and nods. At 73 years old, she lives on 3,000 pesos a month that barely cover rice, some beans, and the rationed bread from the market. Sitting at the entrance of a small neighborhood pizzeria, under a faded mural continue reading

of a smiling chef holding a steaming tray, the woman looks out at the street where the sun beats down hard.

“On the news they come out with those perfectly ironed olive-green uniforms, calling for resistance,” she says. “I do resist, yeah—but during an 18-hour blackout, eating four spoonfuls of plain white rice and saving the little bread ball for breakfast.” For her, these mobilizations don’t fix the lack of fuel or the leaking roof she’s been waiting years to repair.

Daily life in the city contradicts the epic tone of official reports about military exercises. On a bridge over the river a man tries to catch something to take home; on another corner two old men chat in the shade of a peeling wall, under a sign advertising a shoemaker. Further on, a woman wearing a mask hurries by, dodging potholes and loose wires.

“I served on an internationalist mission and came back with my life dismantled.” / 14ymedio

Antonio, almost 65, has also been called up before. A veteran of five years in Angola, survivor of a landmine that damaged one eye and left him with psychological aftereffects, he looks at any new call with suspicion. “I served on an internationalist mission and came back with my life dismantled,” he says, sitting on the porch of his house. “After that nobody remembered us.”

He says a few years ago he asked to leave the Communist Party and the Association of Combatants. “They only call you to meetings and collect dues.” For him, the word “mobilization” has a bitter echo. “Thousands of us gave everything we had and more. Now that I’m old, all I want is some peace and quiet.”

The energy crisis has provided the backdrop for this new call to arms. The lack of fuel has paralyzed buses, slowed production, and multiplied blackouts. From the government they insist on the need to “prepare for any scenario,” while Washington toughens its rhetoric toward Havana and social media circulates versions of a possible domino effect after the fall of the Venezuelan leader.

But in Matanzas the conversation stays close to the ground. In front of houses, on makeshift chairs, people talk about rising prices, packages that never arrive, and children who have emigrated. The epic dissolves in the face of daily urgency.

“If they want me to defend something, they should start by giving me reasons to stay,” says Yosvany before saying goodbye. The afternoon sun reflects off the blue walls and tired faces. Nobody seems willing to sign up for a mock battle; they’ve got enough just trying to survive.

Translated by GH

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Cuba: Selling Food by Day and Surviving on the Streets by Night

The collapse of intercity transport forces many to sleep outdoors in Matanzas

“More and more of us are searching through the same containers, because many neighbors are now going to the garbage dumps to look for cardboard and wood for fuel.” / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Pablo Padilla Cruz, Matanzas, February 21, 2026 — El Jabao, as he’s known at the market, is a food vendor who travels to Matanzas from a rural area in Limonar, about 28 kilometers from the city. He leaves at dawn hoping to sell enough to cover basic expenses and the return fare. But his routine depends on calculations that almost never add up.

“If I sell well, I go back the same day. But sometimes the bus fare costs more than 400 or 500 pesos, and I can’t afford it. A year ago, I thought private vending machines for 200 pesos were expensive; imagine now,” he tells 14ymedio. “So I have to stay. There isn’t always nighttime transportation, and if there is, the price goes up even more. Sleeping on the street isn’t safe, but I can’t just throw away my merchandise either.”

In present-day Cuba, marked by chronic fuel shortages, the collapse of transportation, and precarious employment, the province of Matanzas has become a mirror of the tensions experienced by those who arrive from rural areas in search of income to survive, but do not always find a way to return to their homes or to have a safe roof over their heads for the night.

The provincial capital attracts men and women daily from nearby towns and villages who come to sell agricultural products, do informal work, or collect raw materials. However, the deterioration of intercity transportation and the rising cost of fares have complicated their daily return, turning a day of “making ends meet” into a night spent outdoors.

The deterioration of intercity transport and the increase in fares have complicated the daily commute. / 14ymedio

For those who live from hand to mouth, the margin is minimal. A bad run of sales can mean not only financial losses, but also spending the night away from home in difficult and dangerous conditions . The vendor himself admits that he goes out prepared for that scenario.

“I already bring a sheet to cover myself if I have to sleep on the street. And on cold days I have to stop selling, because if a cold front catches me outside it could kill me,” he explains.

Another visible facet of this reality is that of the raw material collectors. Faced with a lack of formal employment, many people—including internal migrants—travel the city searching for recyclable materials, which they then sell to state-run recycling centers.

Kike, originally from Sancti Spíritus, has been surviving like this in Matanzas for years. He lives on the streets with his dogs and spends his days collecting cans and bottles. His story paints an increasingly competitive picture.

“I walk miles every day. Sometimes what I collect isn’t even enough to eat properly. And more and more of us are searching through the same containers, because many neighbors are now going to the garbage dumps to look for continue reading

cardboard and wood for fuel,” he says. “They’ve become the places where you see the most people on each block; there are even those who eat directly from the garbage.”

Garbage dumps have become “the places where you see the most people on every block.” / 14ymedio

According to official rates published by the Raw Materials Recovery Company in different territories of the country, the purchase prices to the public remain at low levels compared to inflation and the effort required to gather the materials.

Aluminum (cans) sells for between 70 and 100 pesos per kilogram; copper can exceed 400 or 500 pesos, depending on the type and quality. Plastic bottles (PET) are around 20 or 30 pesos per kilogram; cardboard and paper are bought for between 10 and 20 pesos, while glass generally goes for less than five pesos per kilogram.

Although these figures vary by province and availability, the reality is that gathering a kilogram of some materials involves long hours of searching, sorting, and transporting. For those living on the streets, like Kike, that difference determines whether they can feed themselves—and their animals—or whether they must rely on charity.

The problem isn’t limited to income. For many people with little resources arriving from rural areas, securing temporary shelter is another challenge. Private rental homes are unaffordable: a room can cost several thousand pesos per night, beyond the reach of those who barely earn a minimum wage.

Private rental homes are prohibitively expensive: a room can cost several thousand pesos per night. / 14ymedio

Some turn to distant friends or relatives; others improvise shelters in public spaces. The lack of accessible shelters or temporary housing solutions exacerbates the vulnerability of this transient group that enters and leaves the city depending on the season and available opportunities.

Social workers consulted in Matanzas acknowledge that the constant influx of people from the interior is due both to the lack of stable employment in rural areas and to the relative appeal of the provincial capital for “getting things done” during the day. However, they also admit that the city lacks the capacity to absorb this pressure.

The situation reveals an increasingly fragile balance between the countryside, which doesn’t offer enough jobs, and the city, which also fails to guarantee stability. Those who sell food depend on irregular and expensive transport; those who collect raw materials compete for scraps whose can value barely cover their basic needs.

Among sacks, bags of cassava, and bags of crushed cans, survival has ceased to be a metaphor: it is a concrete task that begins before dawn and, too often, ends in any doorway waiting for the coming of the next day.

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Disappointment and a Little Hope Among Cubans in the US With I-220As After a Ruling by an Atlanta Court

The ruling compels a review of the case of two Cuban women whose applications for permanent residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act were denied.

Cubans with I-220A visas demonstrate, demanding the regularization of their immigration status. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Madrid, 24 February 2025 — Frustration is the feeling most widespread among groups of migrants residing in the US with I-220A status [also known as parole]. Awaiting a decision from an Atlanta court that would clarify their uncertain future, the ruling, while not negative, will keep them in limbo once again, as it returns the case to the previous instance – the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). “So many have been unjustly detained and deported, and we still haven’t received an answer; we remain in immigration limbo,” lamented one of them, a resident of Texas.

Expectations were high surrounding this lawsuit, an appeal before the Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta filed by a Miami lawyer, Mark Prada, to review the case of two Cuban women who were denied permanent residency under the Cuban Adjustment Act.

In 2023, the BIA ruled that Form I-220A could not be considered a parole document and, therefore, to apply for residency, it was mandatory to pursue political asylum through the ordinary court process. This was the position defended by the US government, which considered these entries illegal and argued that the document only allowed them to remain free until the courts decided whether they had the right to asylum.

That was the position defended by the US government, which considered those entries illegal and the document only allowed them to be free until the courts decided whether they had the right to asylum.

Prada decided to appeal that ruling, arguing that the document her clients received, and that any person detained and subsequently released, should have been parole. Immigration law states that humanitarian parole is the only option for releasing a detainee, so it was simply a matter of applying it correctly, without creating other mechanisms. continue reading

Furthermore, he believed that federal legislation had been confusing in recent years. Now, the Court acknowledges that the Government lacked a consistent policy on admissions, with the subsequent consequences this had for obtaining immigration benefits.

The Government, however, has argued that there was never any intention to “grant the benefits of a parole status that it never intended to grant.”

“After reviewing the file and with the benefit of oral arguments, we conclude that we have jurisdiction over the matter, we annul the BIA orders in both cases and we forward the files for further proceedings,” reads the ruling, which is only six pages long.

Thus, the decision remains open, as it will again depend on the BIA to rule on the specific case of these two migrants and whether it affects the more than 300,000 Cubans living in the US with I-220A permits. The ruling could also establish criteria regarding bond applications or habeas corpus petitions, which are currently the subject of much debate due to the new immigration policies of the Trump Administration.

“This is not the decision we wanted, but we’ve won several points in this battle,” the lawyer said after the ruling was announced. The attorney expressed satisfaction in some aspects. “The Eleventh Circuit rejected the BIA criterion that a person with an I-220A is not eligible for Cuban Adjustment, and none of the government’s arguments were accepted.” In addition, Prada said the decision opens the door to a class-action lawsuit in Florida, since the Atlanta court declared itself competent to hear the case.

“This is a long fight, there is a lot to do and we have many moving parts,” said the lawyer, who has another similar case open in New York, speaking to the media.

“This is a long fight, there is a lot to do and we have many moving parts,” said the lawyer, who has another similar case open in New York

Last August , Jorge Lázaro García, a Cuban with an I-220A visa, became the first known case to be granted parole and residency by an immigration judge in New Orleans under the Cuban Adjustment Act. The decision, however, was contingent upon a possible government appeal, about which there has been no further information. Experts at the time cautioned that the case was unprecedented and it was overly optimistic to expect more.

Those affected, despite the fact that the arrests of innocent people are more frequent, maintain their faith, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. “This is unprecedented. None of us imagined leaving that island prison only to arrive here and live with this uncertainty of being sent back to where we fled from. All politics is a load of crap; they play with our lives like we’re puppets. They use the people’s money and sweat to sink us instead of saving us.”

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Ottawa Announces an ‘Assistance Plan’ for Cuba, but Does Not Want To ‘Give Details at the Moment’

Until now, Canada was one of the largest contributors to the island’s economy through tourism and nickel mining, both of which have been paralyzed by the energy crisis.

Canada has contributed to supporting the Cuban economy for several decades. / EFE

The Canadian government announced Monday that it is working on an aid package for Cuba in response to prolonged power outages and severe fuel shortages exacerbated by the U.S. oil embargo. “We are preparing an assistance plan. At this time, we cannot provide details of the announcement,” said Foreign Minister Anita Anand, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Although the official did not specify the form of the aid, the shipment could repeat what Mexico did in early February, when it sent two Navy ships to Havana with 814 tons of basic supplies such as milk, beans, rice, oil and tuna, in addition to the shipment of another 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans.

As the leading source of tourists to the island and the main foreign investor in the mining and gas industries through the Sherritt Corporation, Canada has contributed to sustaining the Cuban economy for decades. The energy crisis triggered by the loss of oil donated by its Venezuelan ally after the military operation to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd has paralyzed two of the Cuban regime’s main sources of foreign currency: tourism and mining.

“We are preparing an assistance plan. At this time we cannot provide details of the announcement.”

In just a few weeks, Canadian airlines canceled all their flights to Cuba due to a critical fuel shortage. These included Air Canada, which operated 16 weekly flights, as well as WestJet, Air Transat, and Sunwing.

Furthermore, the Canadian government issued a travel alert to its citizens on its official website in early February, noting that the current situation on the island is “unpredictable and could deteriorate, disrupting flight availability at a short time.” It also warned that “a high degree of caution should be exercised in Cuba due to worsening shortages of electricity, fuel, and basic necessities, including food, water, and medicine, which continue reading

may also affect tourist resorts.”

The crisis, however, began long before Maduro’s fall, and Canadian tourism figures have dropped to almost half of what they were in 2015, when 1.3 million visitors arrived, fleeing the harsh winter in the northern country. In 2025, only 754,010 arrived, although the numbers improved slightly in January 2026 compared to the same month the previous year.

Last week, the mining giant Sherritt announced the suspension of its operations at the nickel and cobalt mines it operates in Moa (Holguín) due to a fuel shortage. The corporation stated that it plans to pause operations and put the processing plant on standby, during which time it will carry out “planned maintenance activities.”

The decision was made, the firm explained, after receiving “a notification that planned fuel deliveries to Moa will not be fulfilled and the timeframe for the resumption of deliveries is unknown.”

For American businessman William Pitt , whose family had multiple mining properties expropriated by the regime in 1960, the decision also jeopardizes the production of natural gas that supplies Havana, since the Cuban government was paying Sherritt with cobalt to repay its $250 million debt, and while production is stopped, it will no longer be able to do so.

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With Both Municipal Services and Residents Burning the Garbage, Havana Is Covered in Toxic Smoke

Authorities warn of the “serious health effects” of waste incineration

Burning of garbage on the Vento y Agua roadway in La Víbora, Havana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, Darío Hernández, 23 February 2026 — “The garbage dump on the corner of my street is set on fire almost every day. There are times when the neighborhood is shrouded in mist, and it’s not mist, it’s smoke.” The scene Tony describes isn’t exclusive to Guanabacoa, where he lives, but rather a widespread situation in Havana. “My house is on a rise, and I can see the southwestern part of Havana all the way to the city’s First Ring Road, and every morning the level of smoke covering that entire area is heavy and very worrying.”

The burning of trash is indiscriminate, to the point that it often occurs next to hospitals, schools, or parks. Last Friday, a social media user reported a “waste burning” near Havana’s Metropolitan Park, “a mere 50 meters from the 26th Street Clinical Surgical Hospital,” she noted, “and in the middle of a densely populated neighborhood of elderly people and children,” that is, the central Puentes Grandes area in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality.

This being the case, the authorities have begun to speak out to warn of the consequences of carrying out this prohibited activity. This Sunday, the Cuban Neuroscience Center issued a Facebook post warning of the toxicity of this practice, which has proliferated during the crisis.

“Given the burning of trash in our city, we are alerting the public: this practice is seriously toxic to your health and your brain,” the text emphasizes. The center explains that, when burned, trash releases heavy metals and dioxins, which can cross the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain.

These components “act as neurological poisons: they affect memory, children’s cognitive development, and can trigger neurodegenerative diseases,” in addition to severely damaging the lungs and heart, and contaminating the soil and water. “Burning a garbage dump doesn’t clean it up; it turns it into a poison factory,” warns the institution, which states that it understands the desperation stemming from the garbage collection crisis, but at the same time objects: “The solution cannot be to make us all sick. Caring for the environment is continue reading

caring for our minds. A healthy community is a community that thinks.”

A similar alert to the one issued by the Neuroscience Institute was published this Monday by the Havana government itself, “in response to the troubling situation caused by the burning of garbage in various parts of the city.” The government explained that burning garbage refers to “incinerating solid waste in unauthorized locations or under unsuitable conditions.”

The procedure, they continue, not only pollutes the air but can also have “serious effects on human health,” such as respiratory problems, cancer, and neurological disorders. “Inhaling smoke from burning garbage can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the fine particles in the air can aggravate pre-existing conditions, such as asthma,” they detail.

A garbage dump is burning in the Havana municipality of Regla. / 14ymedio

The warnings have been met with applause among on-line users, who appreciate the attempt to raise awareness, but they have also sparked a heated debate about the true target of the advise. “The alert isn’t for the general public, it is for the relevant authorities, who seem indifferent to the serious and dangerous situation that is recurring throughout the country,” says a Havana woman who doesn’t hesitate to point the finger at someone. “Citizens are responsible for keeping things clean, but the State, which owns everything, is responsible for collecting the garbage. And don’t tell me it’s because of the fuel shortage caused by the old man across the way. This has been going on for years,” she adds.

As 14ymedio has confirmed , it is not only residents who are burning the trash, but also the Communal Services. “There’s a huge level of irresponsibility, ignorance, and negligence in this decision to set fire to the garbage,” laments Caridad, a resident of La Víbora. She explains: “On the one hand, the neighbors are fed up with having garbage in the neighborhood and they set it on fire, but they don’t understand the consequences. But on the other hand, the municipal department is also burning it, and that’s much more serious because there’s a disconnect between what Public Health dictates and what the municipal department is actually doing.”

This weekend in Regla, two sanitation workers could be seen next to a smoking garbage dump, not far from the Frank País elementary school. They both had a small machine for moving the trash.

Rumors that the widespread burning of trash in various parts of Havana stemmed from an order issued by different departments of the Communal Services have been circulating this weekend. An employee of this department in the Cerro municipality denied in a telephone conversation with this newspaper that it was an order from above, despite the increasing number of burning trash piles. “No, it wasn’t us, that’s just social indiscipline, compañera,” the worker responded, recommending that people call the fire department if they observe a dangerous situation with the fire.

This weekend in Regla, two sanitation workers could be seen next to a smoking garbage dump, not far from the Frank País elementary school. / 14ymedio

In Guanabacoa, the Communal Services has opted to address the situation by offering jobs to those who own animal-drawn carts. “Any Guanabacoa resident who owns an animal-drawn cart and is interested in applying should come to the company,” they announced via social media. The announcement states that payment is “based on performance” and that the goal is “to guarantee the collection of solid waste from the residential sector.”

The danger of burning trash is nothing new. As one social media user points out, the massive trash dump on 100th Street, where controlled burning of waste takes place, has posed a risk for decades. “More than 20 years ago, maybe 24 or 25, it was determined that it needed to be closed and other alternatives sought. The truth is that the smoke from that official landfill frequently and severely pollutes the air in the surrounding area, affecting large parts of Marianao, Lisa, Boyeros, and other districts,” recalls a Havana woman.

Over the years, and an ever greater shortage of fuel, of vehicles in working order to collect the waste, and of personnel to carry out such arduous and thankless work has worsened the situation, resulting in a capital city overflowing with makeshift garbage dumps on every corner. The final blow came with the oil embargo imposed by US President Donald Trump’s executive order, which, since the end of January, has threatened tariffs on countries that supply fuel to Cuba.

Last week, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero and the President of the National Assembly, Esteban Lazo, assessed the situation in a meeting in which it was determined that there would be “122 temporary waste transfer or collection points in the process of certification to increase storage capacity.”

Marrero noted there that “any alternative will be viable without strict civic discipline, order, and control.” For his part, Reynol García Moreira, vice-governor of Havana, spoke of using animal-drawn vehicles as a strategy for the capital, while electric vehicles are being enabled for the work in some provinces.

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The Sea Invades the Deserted Streets of Havana

“It hasn’t been the worst flooding, but it’s come at the worst possible time: without water or electricity and with the garbage dump almost reaching half a block.”

“The water reaches as far as 3rd Street, and from D onwards. You can’t go there because it’s all flooded.” / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, February 23, 2026 — Indifferent to internal crises and external tensions, the forces of nature stubbornly continue on their course, sometimes unpredictable, sometimes not so much. Such is the Atlantic Ocean off Havana during the winter months, leaping over the Malecón and spreading across several streets.

The image of the ocean forming a wall of white foam against the stone seawall has been a recurring theme in the most idyllic photographs of the capital, those that, looking west, show the old skyline—without the Torre K hotel —formed by the Habana Libre Hotel, the Hotel Nacional, and the Focsa Building, and, to the south, the Morro Lighthouse. In practice, it poses a problem every year, especially for traffic and residents of nearby areas.

From his balcony, indeed, one can see the waves crashing and the water penetrating unhindered. / 14ymedio

“The wind almost swept me away. Tremendous wind. The water reaches as far as 3rd Street, and from D Street onwards. You can’t go there because everything is flooded,” a resident of the Girón building, at Malecón and F Streets, lamented to this newspaper, as he was unable to leave this Monday to buy food.

From his balcony, indeed, one can see the waves crashing and the water pouring in unchecked. The empty avenue isn’t just because of the storm this time. “With the critical fuel shortage, there’s no need to even close the road,” the man says ironically. The streets have been almost deserted for a month, with very few foreign tourists, who in any case provide a stark contrast to an exhausted and aging population.

“It hasn’t been the worst or the most serious of the floods, but it has come at the worst possible time: with problems in the water supply, without electricity since last night, with the garbage on the corner that extends almost half a block and, to top it all off, with almost no internet access to communicate with the family and tell them that we are okay,” says a Havana resident at 1st and C.

Seeing the ocean so free is even beautiful. Some dare to say: “It’s not the only invasion we are expecting.”

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Cuba: “Two and Even Three Inspectors Show Up Together, and You Have To Give Each One Their Cut”

To avoid fines, private businesses stop selling products with capped prices, while State-run dollar stores are not subject to the same rules.

Customer in a private small business (mipyme) in Havana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, Darío Hernández, February 23, 2026 – Alejandro, owner of a small private business in Regla, has been fined 40,000 pesos in less than a week. His “little market” was one of the few businesses in the area that still dared to sell essential goods—chicken, cooking oil, sausage, powdered milk, pasta, and detergent—which, since July 2024, have had “agreed-upon” prices; that is, capped, but which the current crisis makes impossible to maintain.

“Last week, people came from all over the municipality looking for oil, because it’s not sold anywhere. I had it at 1,300 pesos per liter, and its capped price is 990. But how am I supposed to sell it for that, if suppliers charge me an even higher price?” says Alejandro, who prefers to use another name for this report.

The price of a dollar on the informal foreign exchange market did not exceed 400 pesos when the Government imposed, more than a year and a half ago, this limit on six products it considered essential. Today, while the dollar now surpasses 500 pesos on the unofficial market and the Central Bank of Cuba sets the rate above 460 pesos, the resolution to control prices, far from benefiting the population, has encouraged corruption and shortages in businesses.

“They’re expensive products, but at least I had them. Let’s see where people will find cooking oil at 990 now. That doesn’t exist”

“I made the decision to stop selling any price-capped products, like the rest of the businesses. Beer and snacks: that’s how I get those mafiosos off my back. I get screwed, but so do the people. They’re expensive products, but at least I had them. Let’s see where people will find cooking oil at 990 now. That doesn’t exist,” Alejandro says angrily.

His decision, he explains, comes after four inspections in one week. “The Municipal Inspection Directorate came, Hygiene, Finance and Prices… and they all fine you for the same thing: the capped prices, the profit margin, and so on. The worst part is that two and even three inspectors show up together, and you have to give each one their cut. That’s another thing: you give them something, whether cash or products, so they give you the 8,000-peso fine instead of the 16,000- or 32,000-peso fine. I swear I feel defenseless, at the mercy of a gang of mafiosos. My business right now continue reading

is ‘in check’ because of them.”

Cooking oil sold for 3.55 dollars at Casalinda, a State-run dollar store. / Image taken from social media

The Administration Council of Plaza de la Revolución, boasting of its “zero tolerance for indiscipline and illegalities,” a few days ago published on its Facebook profile a fine imposed on a business for 383,000 pesos. Among the violations mentioned were failing to display prices to the public, overcharging, and lacking cost sheets and the required paperwork for commercial activity. The post included photos of some of the business’s prices, where cooking oil could be seen priced at 1,000 pesos. Most of the comments, in a joking tone, asked where that small business was located, since its prices were lower than the current market.

“My theory is that those people live in a parallel reality. Who can afford those prices right now? Either they’re disconnected from everything—which I don’t believe, because later you see them buying the same oil and sausage at 500 pesos—or they’re cynical and have normalized that level of shamelessness,” says Alejandro.

Small private business in the Havana municipality of Regla. / 14ymedio

In a note published this Monday by Invasor, the provincial newspaper of Ciego de Ávila, the author reports that in many cases the shopkeeper openly admits that the posted price is only to pretend compliance with regulations, but if you actually want the product, you have to pay more.

Meanwhile, something very different happens in state-run dollar supermarkets, such as 3rd and 70th or Casalinda. There, a liter of cooking oil can cost as much as 3.55 dollars, which, at either the official or informal exchange rate, far exceeds the imposed cap. “What are inspection institutions for? To help the population or to sideline and control private businesses?” exclaims Alejandro. “They forget that with this ‘zero tolerance’ policy, very soon there will be nothing left to control.”

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Cuba’s Foreign Minister Promises ‘Creative Solutions’ to the Humanitarian Crisis and Offers ‘Dialogue with the United States’

Bruno Rodríguez appears before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as part of his international tour seeking support against the “energy siege” imposed by Washington

Bruno Rodríguez at the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, where he took the opportunity to speak about the oil blockade / Ministry of Foreign Affairs

EFE/14ymedio, Geneva, February 23, 2026 – On Monday, Cuba’s foreign minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parilla, appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council and sent a message to the United States that Cuba “will vigorously and courageously defend its right to self-determination,” while at the same time extending an offer to maintain dialogue based on mutual respect.

In an address to the forum, the foreign minister promised that a humanitarian crisis in Cuba would be prevented despite what his government calls the “energy siege” resulting from Washington’s decision to threaten tariffs on countries that export oil to the Island.

“Can a great power be allowed to attempt to destroy a small nation, provoke a humanitarian tragedy, shatter its national culture (…) all under the crude pretext of national security?” the foreign minister asked. continue reading

“Can a great power be allowed to attempt to destroy a small nation, provoke a humanitarian tragedy, shatter its national culture (…) all under the crude pretext of national security?”

On that point, he acknowledged that the situation created by the United States would cause “deprivation and suffering,” although he expressed confidence that “creative solutions” would be found to mitigate the humanitarian damage.

Nevertheless, in the same speech, the foreign minister assured that “there is also willingness for dialogue with the United States,” but emphasized that it would have to be based on “international law, mutual respect, and reciprocal benefit, without preconditions or interference in internal affairs.”

Rodríguez said the goal should be “to achieve a civilized relationship within our differences, and even to promote cooperation.”

In one passage of his speech, the Cuban minister praised the “community resistance of the people of Minnesota,” referring to demonstrations against the U.S. federal government’s immigration policy and the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In recent weeks, the United States has repeatedly claimed that it is holding talks with representatives of the Cuban regime and has even insisted that part of the Cuban government is unaware of them. Accounts differ over who is involved in the dialogue, whether it is a son or a grandson of Raúl Castro.

The government of Miguel Díaz-Canel denies this and says that everything Washington states is intended to sow distrust in Havana, while acknowledging that talks do exist: the usual ones limited to migration and drug trafficking issues.

Translated by Regina Anavy
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Russia Completes the Repatriation of the 4,300 Tourists Stranded in Cuba Due to the Energy Crisis

“The possibility of resuming flights will be addressed after the situation with fuel supplies is normalized,” the Kremlin said.

With 131,882 travelers to Cuba in 2025, Russia is the second largest source of tourists to the island, after Canada / 14ymedio

EFE/14ymedio, Moscow, February 22, 2026 — Russian airlines announced on Sunday that they have completed the repatriation of nearly 4,300 tourists stranded in Cuba due to the energy crisis caused by the US embargo. “The airlines have completed the repatriation flights for Russian tourists from Cuba,” the Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Telegram.

The last plane landed at 5:27 p.m. local time at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, which had to limit the number of flights due to Ukrainian drone attacks.

It was a flight from the Rossia company (Aeroflot Group) that took off from Varadero – one of the favorite tourist destinations among Russians – and which represented “the final flight within the framework of the campaign that began on February 13.”

In total, according to the Ministry, “almost 4,300” Russian tourists were repatriated from Varadero, Havana, Holguín and Cayo Coco on nine flights.

“Nearly 4,300” Russian tourists were repatriated from Varadero, Havana, Holguín and Cayo Coco on nine flights

“The possibility of resuming flights will be addressed after the situation with fuel supplies is normalized,” he added. continue reading

On February 11, the Russian government recommended that tour operators stop selling trips to Cuba, after which airlines announced they would temporarily suspend flights.

With 131,882 travelers to Cuba in 2025, Russia is the second largest source of tourists to the Island, after Canada (754,010), which in turn finished the repatriation of its nearly 28,000 tourists on Friday.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez discussed the energy crisis this week in Moscow with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. “You know our position on this. We will not accept anything like this,” Putin said at the beginning of the meeting.

Bruno Rodríguez discussed the energy crisis in Moscow this week with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the meeting addressed the specific assistance Moscow can provide to Havana under the current circumstances.

Previously, Lavrov and Rodríguez called for dialogue with the United States, asking it to abandon its plans for a naval blockade of Cuba.

Moscow recently announced that it is in contact with Cuban authorities and that oil supplies to the Castro regime are planned, something that has not happened since the shipment of 100,000 tons of crude oil in February 2025.

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Major League Baseball Experts in the U.S. See Cuba as a Weak Team for the World Baseball Classic

Analysts highlight the absence of star players and the lack of visas.

Analyst Will Leitch noted that the current team is far from the one that competed in 2006. / Jit

14ymedio, Havana February 22, 2026 – Cuba is considered one of the weakest teams in the World Baseball Classic, agreed U.S. Major League Baseball analysts Will Leitch and Michael Clair. The sports commentators point to the United States, Japan, and the Dominican Republic, where several Cuban players have defected, as the favorites.

Leitch, founder of the sports blog Deadspin under Gawker Media, emphasized the changes both on and off the field, noting that the current squad is far removed from the 2006 team, which drew attention as a “mysterious and intriguing” group that ultimately reached the championship game.

The analyst also recalled that, for various reasons, several players declined to join the team managed by Germán Mesa. “There is only one active Major League player on this edition of the Cuban team (Yoán Moncada),” he said.

According to Leitch, “It will be fun to see Alexei Ramírez, 44, on the team, nearly a decade after his last Major League game.” The commentator added that every time the veteran “comes to the plate, I’ll think continue reading

of Hawk Harrelson’s call during Mark Buehrle’s perfect game: ‘Alexei?!’”

Several players refused to join Cuba’s team led by Germán Mesa. / Jit

The analysis notes that Ramírez is not exactly a “new” player to watch in the World Baseball Classic. “He is the oldest player in the tournament. Ramírez—yes, the same Alexei Ramírez who retired from Major League Baseball a decade ago in 2016—returns to play for Cuba at 44, and frankly, we’re very curious to see what kind of numbers a 44-year-old retired Major Leaguer can produce.”

In response to these remarks, the specialized outlet Swing Completo acknowledged that the Cuban team “lacks well-established names, especially after several key players—Andy Pagés, Andy Ibáñez, Daysbel Hernández, Víctor Labrada, and Ernesto Martínez—withdrew their initial interest in joining.”

Manager Mesa will have to “lean on two standout pitchers at the top level of Japanese baseball, Liván Moinelo and Raidel Martínez, as well as reliever Yariel Rodríguez and young left-handed starter Daviel Hurtado, who has stood out in the New York Mets’ minor league system.”

Adding to the challenges, Cuban players currently in Managua lack visas to enter the United States. “No one who is there today in Nicaragua has a visa in hand yet,” journalist Yordano Carmona said.

In a recent interview, manager Germán Mesa maintained that historically visas have never been denied to the team. The federation insists that efforts are ongoing. Meanwhile, the players continue training as if their participation in the World Baseball Classic were assured.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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