Citizen Culture and Civics / Fernando Damaso

Photo: Peter Deel It is good that the President, although not part of his core responsibilities and somewhat belatedly, has spoken publicly about the loss of ethical values and disrespect for morality, problems about which many citizens had been warning, without being heard, for many years. It is also good to have noted the deterioration … Continue reading “Citizen Culture and Civics / Fernando Damaso”

The Son that Nobody Wanted / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

From Sampsonia Way Magazine. Since the end of the 1980s, Ángel Santiesteban has been known as one of the most brilliant writers of his generation. In this position he touches upon subjects that are pretty uncomfortable for Cuban political culture: The island’s military interference in Angola and Ethiopia, the genocide of people fleeing towards liberty … Continue reading “The Son that Nobody Wanted / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”

The Summing up of the Helsinki Foundation / Mario Lleonart

To visit the site in Warsaw of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights on the afternoon of the historic June 4, anniversary of those first elections with which Poles inaugurated their new period of democracy; to be received there with so much emotion by its President Danuta Przywara, and to hear her from her own … Continue reading “The Summing up of the Helsinki Foundation / Mario Lleonart”

Leandro Cesar Mastrapa Igarza and Alexis Zayas Guillen were Ordained as Deacons/ Katia Sonia

The first two deacons of the Old Mission Church, Our Lady of Joy, in Cuba, were ordained by Monsignor Ricardo Santiago Medina Salabarría, Primate Bishop of this church in Cuba, at eight o’clock on the night of the Wednesday nineteenth of June of two thousand thirteen, in the Chapel (private) of “Immaculate Mary” of the … Continue reading “Leandro Cesar Mastrapa Igarza and Alexis Zayas Guillen were Ordained as Deacons/ Katia Sonia”

The Philosophy of Marti versus the Totalitarian Model

Published in the second edition of Cuadernos de Pensamiento Plural, April 2013. People cannot live without history. On the 160th anniversary of the birth José Martí, “the crowning figure of Cuban political thought,” his ideas, instead of being used to solve the serious social problems that afflict Cuban society, continue to be manipulated in order to validate … Continue reading “The Philosophy of Marti versus the Totalitarian Model”

The Santiesteban Case: A Crude Judicial Hoax / Angel Santiesteban

Literature and Justice The award-winning writer Angel Santiesteban is imprisoned unjustly for his confrontational attitude to the Castro regime. On Wednesday, February 27, at the headquarters of the Estado de Sats project there was a farewell to Angel Santiesteban Prats, the award-winning writer. The next morning, he will present himself to serve the prison sentence … Continue reading “The Santiesteban Case: A Crude Judicial Hoax / Angel Santiesteban”

URGENT: Reporters Without Borders Ask for Immediate Release of Angel Santiesteban

Call for the release of the blogger Angel Santiesteban-Prats, imprisoned two months ago. Reporters Without Borders calls on the Cuban authorities to release Ángel Santiesteban-Prats, writer and author of the blog The Children Nobody Wanted, who was imprisoned on February 28, 2013, as soon as possible. The prisoner, currently on hunger strike, was placed in … Continue reading “URGENT: Reporters Without Borders Ask for Immediate Release of Angel Santiesteban”

Light and Liberty / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo from Sampsonia Way

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 Santiesteban: General Chronology of an Outrage II / Amir Valle

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”

Action of the International Pen Club for Calixto Martinez, Antonio Torres and Angel Santiesteban / Angel Santiesteban

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”

Post-Revolutionary Political Parties / Rafael Leon Rodriguez

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”

Metamorphosis / Osvaldo Rodriguez Diaz

By Osvaldo Rodríguez Díaz Of how a common citizen is transformed into common criminal in minutes. On the morning of October 23, 2012, William Estevez Acosta, 51-years-old, married and with no criminal record or police, was summoned to the Criminal Cotorro Municipal Court for a hearing in which he would be declared insolvent and, immediately … Continue reading “Metamorphosis / Osvaldo Rodriguez Diaz”

12 Important Events for Cuba and Cubans in 2012 / Ivette Leyva Martinez

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”

Decree-Law 300 Will Not Make the Land Produce / Dimas Castellano #Cuba

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”

Carromero’s Flesh / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo #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”