English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Havana, 9 July 2014 – The graffiti artist Danilo Maldonado, known as “El Sexto” (The Sixth), has been in custody for five days charged with “violation of domicile and injury” and will be prosecuted, according to several friends and Cuban activists. Interviewed by the newspaper just two weeks ago, the artist is being held … Continue reading “El Sexto Facing Trial / 14ymedio”
The Madrid publisher Anaya has just released the first book of the end of Castroism—that is, of Castroism understood as a myth perpetuated by the intellectual left. From now on, one cannot sympathize with the Castro dynasty without also becoming a criminal collaborator. The book is called Muerte bajo sospecha (Death Under Suspicion) and it … Continue reading “The First Book of the End of Castroism / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
Earlier this year a popular new entertainment business cropped up in Havana: 3D movies! And, as with anything new that happens in Cuba, even if it’s commonplace in much of the world, it’s taken the form of a private initiative (without official license), functioning outside the state institutions that still use obsolete equipment in their … Continue reading “3D Censorship in Cuba / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
What Robertico Carcasses did at the Anti-Imperialistic Bandstand was an act of freedom and so can’t be looked at from a moral point of view. Some say that the cause for which the concert was called is “sacred” and consider his act one of “stupidity” but I believe that in Cuba there is not one … Continue reading “Freedom / Luzbely Escobar”
Photo: Luis Felipe Rojas This is the question many are asking after the events at the “Protestdrome,” where the Cuban musician Roberto Carcassés let loose with good things. The first thing that happens in these cases is a silence that is scary … the repressed and repressor (for different reasons). Although they haven’t taken physical … Continue reading “Where is Robertico? / Luis Felipe Rojas”
HAVANA, Cuba, July 2013, www.cubanet.org.- When a Cuban family is afflicted by disease there are many who depend on the favor of some neighbor with a car to take them to the hospital. Moreover, the paramedics and nurses of the Comprehensive Emergency Medical System (SIUM) depend on the “thanks” for their patients to “resolve” a chance … Continue reading “Up To 12 Hours to Attend Medical Emergencies / Lilianne Ruiz”
As a young girl, I wanted to study journalism, entirely for the romantic idea to follow in the tracks of my grandfather, a decent Cuban who from the jungle in The Free Cuban and then from The World and Bohemia made me feel proud of my name. A proud lady with the last name of Nuiry, … Continue reading “Apprehension of the Press / Regina Coyula”
People of Cuba, people from Camaguey, and all compatriots: We are a group of peaceful human rights activists and pro-democracy opponents who today have met in the already emblematic Saratoga neighborhood in the city of Camaguey, where after fruitful exchange and work meeting, we are launching to the world this historic declaration in which we … Continue reading “Declaration of Saratoga / Jorge Luis Garcia – Antunez”
The following materials include both Spanish and English language sources. TAMBIEN EN” BOLETINES PERIODICOS DEL MCL” http://www.oswaldopaya.org/es/boletines-de-noticias/ April 4, 2013 New York Times: Inquiry Is Sought Into Death of Castro Critic http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/05/world/americas/inquiry-is-sought-into-death-of-oswaldo-paya-cuban-dissident.html?_r=0 April 7, 2013 The Wall Street Journal: http://on.wsj.com/14PUUua
Last night I went to see Esther en alguna parte (Esther somewhere), Chijona Gerardo’s new film with a script based on a play of the same title by Lichi Diego I have not read. At the risk of screwing up, I imagine a Borges aura around the Lichi’s story, but the movie, with a splendid … Continue reading “Acapulco, somewhere / Regina Coyula”
This week the first Cubans who applied when the Cuban government’s “new migratory policy” went into effect should be getting their passports. We will begin to understand the true possibilities on learning which passports are issued and which denied. And we will see the new selection criteria. Although one step has been eliminated, the “white … Continue reading “Of Passports, Emigration, Permits and Chimeras / Roberto Madrigal”
This video links to this post, and is posted here to provide the video with an English transcript. Transcript in English We can also combine efforts against drug addiction, as proposed in the last two days of this meeting, and illicit drug trafficking. It was stated here yesterday that there are drugs in every countries … Continue reading “Video of Raul Castro saying “There are no drugs in Cuba””
Since I was in the hospital waiting for my mother to undergo a small surgery (as you see, I keep going with hospitals), I had time to read the entire Granma newspaper from Friday, the thickest of the week with its 16 pages. Page 1 The person in charge of a business is the director. … Continue reading “Glosses / Regina Coyula”
This was the visit of the Chilean communist student leader Camila Vallejo to the Island at the beginning of April. She is “the world’s most glamorous revolutionary,” according to the New York Times. Despite her power as a leader of the masses and a person who to opposes the establishment in Chile, Vallejo was a … Continue reading “Desperately Seeking Camila / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
