English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The images of Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero covered the façade of Cuba’s diplomatic mission at New York City Read OLPL in English in Sampsonia Way here. Rosa María Payá is visiting the United States from April 3 to 16. She lives in Havana and is the daughter of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, the Cuban dissident … Continue reading “Light and Liberty / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo from Sampsonia Way”
Angel and his son Eduardo Angel Santiesteban, whom they tried to pressure to implicate his father. By Amir Valle Part Two II. The Judicial Web of Outrage False Evidence On July 29, 2009, Angel Santiesteban was detained, accused of having raped his ex-wife, Kenie Rodriguez, from whom he’d been separated for 4 years and who … Continue reading “Angel Santiesteban: General Chronology of an Outrage II / Amir Valle”
CUBA: Two journalists jailed, one writer sentenced to five years in prison The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International protests a renewed wave of repression and harassment against journalists and writers in Cuba, including the imprisonment of two journalists and the conviction of a writer. Independent journalist Calixto Ramón Martínez Arias has been … Continue reading “Action of the International Pen Club for Calixto Martinez, Antonio Torres and Angel Santiesteban / Angel Santiesteban”
José Martí was right when he said, “Government arises out of the country. The spirit of government must be that of the country. The form of government must be in accordance with the constitution. Government is nothing more than the balance between the natural elements of the country.” 1 He later added, “”Only in those countries where the … Continue reading “Post-Revolutionary Political Parties / Rafael Leon Rodriguez”
By Ivette Leyva Martínez CaféFuerte.com offers for the consideration of its readers a selection of 12 events that affected Cuba and Cubans during the past year. The selection was made considering the impact of these events on the political, economic and cultural life of the country. They were organized chronologically, not according to relevance. It … Continue reading “12 Important Events for Cuba and Cubans in 2012 / Ivette Leyva Martinez”
Just a few days ago, December 9, 2012, Decree-Law 300 came into effect, authorizing the leasing of idle state lands under the concept of usufruct. The new measure repeals Decree-Law 259 of July 2008, whose ridiculous results led to its repeal by the State Council. Judging by the official criteria reported in the press, now … Continue reading “Decree-Law 300 Will Not Make the Land Produce / Dimas Castellano #Cuba”
The phase of foul play against the exterminating Angel of the youth wing of Spain’s Ruling People’s Party will be tomorrow, October 5th, 2012 It’s rumored that his interrogators, in imitation of King Juan Carlos facing some babbling idiocy from Chavez, have forced him to remain silent and not make a fuss: “Angel, why don’t … Continue reading “Carromero’s Flesh / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo #Cuba”
Someday the sun will shine In my backyard… The Shining by Stephen King In the clear air it seems that imagination comes alive, leaving the reins of reason. Every day, Raisa Medina sees her son return from school to go out play again, while sky and vegetation lazily spin with a slow roll, an idle … Continue reading “2012-2013 School Year: Student Dead, Assasinated and Judgment Escaped / Dora Leonor Mesa #Cuba”
The sacrifice of the precious life of Oswaldo Jose Paya Sardinas and of so many other martyrs that have preceded him in this type of targeted assassination, far from terrorizing me, stimulates me to continue forward in my ministry which cannot exclude the condemnation of this despotic regime. When I said goodbye to my friend Juan … Continue reading “The Effect on My Life of the Death of Oswaldo Paya / Mario Lleonart”
This Tuesday a new Decree-Law went into effect in Cuba, gradually expanding cooperatives. In a preliminary state it is expected to contribute to the creation of more than 200 associations of this type throughout the country. Since the last session of the National Assembly, in July of this year, we have been awaiting the implementation … Continue reading “Cuba Allows Cooperatives in Various Economic Activities / Yoani Sanchez #Cuba”
I always had the dream of getting to know that worker whose speech on receiving the Sakharov prize I heard live from Hapsburg, vibrant with excitement thanks to the magic of radio. I never thought of a future post-Castro Cuba with Payá physically absent. Much less did I imagine it on that Sunday morning of … Continue reading “Paya’s Funerals / Mario Barroso #Cuba”
URGENT ACTION CUBAN MAN TARGETED FOR GOVERNMENT CRITICISM Government critic Antonio Rodiles has been charged with “resisting authority”. It is believed the charges may be used to punish and prevent his peaceful criticism of Cuban government policies. A coordinator of a civil society initiative calling on the government to ratify international human rights treaties, Antonio … Continue reading “Amnesty International Calls for the Release of Antonio Rodiles — Letter Campaign, YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW”
Four decades after taking power through revolution in 1959, the factors which made totalitarianism in Cuba possible have reached their limit. The populist measures imposed during the first years after the revolution were accompanied by the dismantling of civil society and a process of government takeover which began with foreign-owned companies and did not end … Continue reading “An Assessment of the Cuban Government’s Management Over the Last Six Years / Dimas Castellano”
People visiting Havana for the first time agree on the similarities of this city with Cadiz. The cultural similarities and certain visual resemblances tie the Cuban capital to its Andalusian first cousin. The presence of the sea, some of the architectural style, and the open behavior of its people, complete the embrace. But not even … Continue reading “Raul Castro Avoids the Ibero-American Summit in Cadiz / Yoani Sanchez”
By Gladys Rodiles-Haney My brother Antonio Enrique González-Rodiles Fernández was born in Havana on July 21, 1972. He attended primary and secondary school in Havana, and graduated from the “Marcelo Salado” National School of Swimming where he belonged to the National Team. From when he was little, arbitrariness bothered him. When he was a boy … Continue reading “My Brother Antonio Rodiles / Gladys Rodiles-Haney”
