Translating Cuba – Page 12 – English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island

Raúl Castro, Behind Bars!

The two Castro brothers committed crimes against the democratic countries of the hemisphere and directly against the United States on countless occasions.

Raúl Castro was the most loyal and efficient operator that Fidel had throughout his malevolent existence. / Cubadebate

14ymedio, Miami, Pedro Corzo, March 15, 2026 – It would be something like divine justice if the chief prosecutorial figure of Castroist totalitarianism were prosecuted by a U.S. court, considering that Raúl Castro was the most loyal and efficient operator Fidel had throughout his malevolent existence.

The two committed crimes against the democratic countries of the hemisphere and directly against the United States on countless occasions, such as the shootdown over international waters of the planes of Brothers to the Rescue, which caused the deaths of four activists: three U.S. citizens and one resident.

Indeed, we view with great satisfaction that the Attorney General of Florida has initiated an investigation into the downing of the two aircraft, a crime that would not have occurred if Raúl Castro, who at the time was Cuba’s minister of defense, had not authorized it. Furthermore, we suggest to the authorities that it would be very appropriate to bring to light the other crimes in which the executioner of Loma de San Juan was involved.

In 1993, Raúl Castro was investigated by another Florida jury for involvement in drug trafficking activities

For example, in 1993, Raúl Castro was investigated by another Florida jury for involvement in drug trafficking activities. However, the investigation was closed due to a lack of political will on the part of the Clinton administration. Raúl was also accused of being the leader of a conspiracy aimed at introducing tons of cocaine into the United States, with Cuba serving as the platform. continue reading

The Castro brothers supplied weapons and explosives to extremist groups, fostered espionage networks such as the Wasp Network, and seduced several U.S. officials into spying against their own country. Let’s not forget that the Castros are counted among the pioneers in organizing, with the backing of a government structure, the introduction and distribution of narcotics within the territory of the United States.

On the other hand, the system both brothers imposed in Cuba implemented a campaign of subversion and terrorism that affected the entire hemisphere, with repercussions in this country, including the assassinations of U.S. government officials, among them Dan Mitrione in Uruguay and Ambassador to Guatemala JohnGordon Mein, executed by subversive groups trained and supplied by the Castroist system.

A Castroist agent named Manuel Hevia Cosculluela provided information about Mitrione to the Tupamaros, the terrorist group that carried out the crime.

The case of Mitrione was the most scandalous. A Castro agent named Manuel Hevia Cosculluela provided information about Mitrione to the Tupamaros, the terrorist group that carried out the crime.

A sector of the Cuban exile community has always supported the international prosecution of the brothers Fidel and Raúl Castro, an effort that has produced no positive results because, despite the evidence, no government has shown the political determination to prosecute these criminals.

Raúl Castro, aside from being an executor, served as the prosecutor in all the major judicial proceedings carried out by Castroism. He orchestrated a spurious trial that ended in the 71 executions at Loma de San Juan on January 11, 1959, in Santiago de Cuba, and he performed the same role in the trial against Huber Matos and his companions in December of that same year.

Another trial in which he assumed the role of prosecutor, closely resembling Robespierre, was the case of the so-called “micro faction” in 1967.

It is appropriate to recognize that the bloodiest purge of Castroism took place in 1989 with the Ochoa case

That episode was an enormous scandal. The accused, more than thirty people, were sentenced to various prison terms, including one man who became deeply aware, perhaps more than most, of the damage the new system would cause the Cuban people: Ricardo Bofill Pagés, who years later, while in prison, would lay the groundwork for promoting new forms of struggle against totalitarianism.

The constant internal conflicts within Castroism, which were genuine fights among hyenas, led to the dismissal in 1968 of Ramiro Valdés, the once all-powerful and bloodthirsty minister of the interior, apparently as a result of his rivalry with the brother of the pharaoh. Nevertheless, “Ramirito” was irreplaceable in his role as a hardliner, which is why he has never ceased to be among the most notorious executioners of the system.

It is appropriate to recognize that the bloodiest purge of Castroism, aside from the numerous and unexplained deaths of generals and doctors in recent years, took place in 1989, when General Arnaldo Ochoa and three other high-ranking officers of the armed forces were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad.

Unfortunately, the Cuban people are not in a position to judge their executioners, so let us hope they will be prosecuted by our friends.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Havana Chronicles: The Constant Walker and the Paralyzed City

Now you can find out who has family abroad and has sent them a rechargeable lamp, who bought a generator that hums when it starts up, and who achieved their dream of owning a solar panel.

I enter soaking wet and apologize to the other travelers, whom I inevitably splash. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Yoani Sánchez, Havana, 17 March 2026 — I leave early. Dawn is my ally because I know Havana wakes up later and later. This Tuesday, there are additional reasons to stay in bed: the city is paralyzed because the National Power System went down yesterday afternoon. Offices have closed, the electric tricycles that transport passengers have run out of battery power, and internet access is a mere whisper, only available on a few very central corners or by climbing to higher ground.

Last night the darkness was profound, but the city no longer looks like it did during the Special Period, when the blackouts would hit and people wouldn’t even have candles. Now you can tell who has family abroad and has sent them a rechargeable lamp, who bought a generator that hums when it starts and fills the building with the smell of burning fuel, and who achieved the dream we all long to fulfill these days: a solar panel.

On the 15th floor of that building, it’s clear they have resources. The whole living room is lit up, and I even notice a television on. Over here, however, the 12-story building on the corner is quite dull. They’ve always been the poorest in the neighborhood because those apartments weren’t given to members of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, nor to pilots, and certainly not to foreign affairs employees. They were workers for an institution with fewer privileges, and even today, they bear more burdens of poverty than the rest of the community.

I go to bed early because there’s not much to do at night without electricity. No one in my neighborhood has parties anymore.

I go to bed early because there’s not much to do on nights without electricity. No one in my neighborhood has parties anymore. Before, there were rumbas on Saturdays, drumming for the saints that lasted for hours, and the get-togethers we used to have in our apartment, even though all the guests had to climb the 14 flights of stairs because of the power outage. But not anymore. Now nobody’s in the mood for celebrations. There’s a feeling of mourning everywhere, but this funeral drags on too long, and it seems like the deceased refuses to be buried.

I wake up, gulp down my unsweetened coffee, and head out. I walk down Ayestarán Street. A man follows me for a few blocks, but I can’t tell if he’s with the political police or a stalker. I speed up and lose him, while I’m inspired by the story of a skinny, hungry, and tenacious marathon runner. His face is not on any banknotes, he doesn’t receive any official tributes, but I remember him every day of my life. My family calls me “Andarina Sánchez” to tease me about our similarities. We’re both adept at the same language: walking; at a way of knowing the world: traversing it on foot.

I love persevering people, and Félix de la Caridad Carvajal y Soto—mailman, billboard man, and athlete—embodies the perseverance I try to emulate every day of my life. So, thinking of Andarín Carvajal, I venture into Los Sitios. A grandmother has taken her grandson to elementary school, and the principal tells her no, she has to take him back home because “there are no classes today; the teachers couldn’t come because they don’t have electricity or water at home.” I see a pout on the little boy’s face, and it saddens me. I’ve always been “punctual”; a canceled school day was a tragedy for me.

I progress on to the ruins of the ISDi. I continue along Belascoaín until I turn onto Zanja. An elderly woman grumbles, annoyed by the lack of electricity, and suddenly bursts into a shout: “But the communists do have electricity!” It’s just the two of us on that stretch of street, but she shouts that phrase again with a rage that makes her hair shake and her chin tremble. It starts to rain. Just what I needed.

They say that when Andarín Carvajal arrived in St. Louis, USA, to compete in the Olympic Games, he showed up at the starting line wearing long pants and the boots he used as a mail carrier. Today I went out without an umbrella and in a dress that has left my legs at the mercy of the mosquitoes. Big mistake. I can’t afford to let dengue fever cross my path again. The last time it almost killed me. I couldn’t sit down for weeks because of the pain. Just remembering it makes me shudder.

People talk about hard, unadulterated politics. There’s no time for everyday conversation; we’re all walking parliaments.

Near Galiano, a pedicab driver is explaining to another that “Marx was a lazy bum and never worked a day in his life.” In a city without electricity and almost no public transportation, I’m constantly surprised by the topics people discuss. And no, it’s no longer the weather or how bad the asphalt is. People talk about hard, unadulterated politics. There’s no time for everyday conversations; we’re all walking parliaments, all of us have graduated as leaders and orators these days.

I’m walking through Fraternity Park when the downpour announces, “Here I am.” I try to catch one of the electric tricycles that make the trip back to my house, but there aren’t any. After waiting a long time, one finally appears in the rain. It’s missing a passenger, and the driver asks me for 300 pesos to Boyeros and Tulipán. I get in, soaked, and apologize to the other passengers, whom I inevitably drench. Andarín Carvajal would have already stripped down completely naked and continued walking along Reina Street and then Carlos III, on his way back. But today I haven’t been a good disciple of the tireless adopted son of San Antonio de los Baños.

As I get off the tricycle, I wish the other passengers a good day—”if that’s even possible under these circumstances,” I add. A chorus of indignation erupts. A young man dressed as a firefighter raises his voice even more, saying, “In this country, I don’t see that happening.”

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Havana Chronicles

What Does Collapse Smell Like?

The Death Throes of ‘Granma’, the Mouthpiece of a Regime Cornered by Crisis

The Anxiety of the Disconnected Cuban

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

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

Vedado, the Heart of Havana’s Nightlife, Is Now Converted Into a Desert

Havana, in Critical Condition

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The Cuban Regime Confirms Talks With the United States

Miguel Díaz-Canel says the goal is to “identify areas of cooperation” and “concretize actions for the benefit of the people of both countries.”

On the right, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez, alias ‘El Cangrejo’ (The Crab), grandson of Raúl Castro, present at Miguel Díaz-Canel’s appearance. / Screenshot/Canal Caribe

14ymedio, Madrid, 13 March 2026 — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed on Friday conversations with the US government to “identify areas of cooperation” and “define actions to benefit the people of both countries, to confront threats and guarantee peace and security in both nations and also in the region.”

The leader made these remarks in a room where Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, Raúl Castro’s grandson and presumed mediator of the talks, was present, according to leaks from the US press in recent days. Also present was another family member, Oscar Pérez-Oliva, great-nephew of Raúl and Fidel Castro and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment. Also seen in the room were Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, Interior Minister Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, and Army Corps General Roberto Legrá Sotolongo, among other high-ranking officials.

Díaz-Canel emphasized that the talks began inspired by the spirit of the Revolution and led by Raúl Castro. “And by me,” he stressed, in a context where there has been speculation that the president is being sidelined not only by the Trump Administration, but also by the regime itself.

“These conversations have been oriented toward finding solutions, through dialogue, to the bilateral differences we have between our two nations. There are international factors that have facilitated these exchanges,” the president said. continue reading

“These conversations have been oriented toward finding solutions, through dialogue, to the bilateral differences we have between our two nations.

For weeks, the contacts—which US President Donald Trump began mentioning in early January—have been denied by members of the regime, who limited the dialogue to the usual exchanges on security and immigration. Díaz-Canel alluded to this, saying that “it has not been, nor is it now, the practice of the leadership of the Cuban Revolution to respond to speculative campaigns on this type of issue.”

According to his version, the issue is very sensitive and is being handled with “seriousness and responsibility, because it affects the bilateral ties between the two nations and demands enormous and arduous efforts to find a solution and create spaces for understanding, which will allow us to move forward and move away from confrontation.”

Díaz-Canel insisted that “in the exchanges that have taken place, the Cuban side has expressed the willingness to carry out this process, on the basis of equality and respect for the political systems of both States, for sovereignty, and for the self-determination of our governments,” taking into account “reciprocity” and “adherence to International Law.”

In a press conference following his initial remarks, during which not a single question was posed regarding the dialogue with the United States, Díaz-Canel addressed the severity of the energy situation. The president stated that no crude oil tankers have entered Cuba in the last three months—despite reports indicating that the Ocean Mariner entered Cuban waters on January 9—and that the situation has worsened, particularly in March. Until then, Cuba had been operating with rationed crude oil, which was injected into the engines at the Moa and Mariel refineries, but that supply is exhausted. Aside from this, the only sources are thermoelectric plants—fueled by domestic oil—Energás, and solar power. He said that solar power sometimes provides up to 53% of the energy, but not all of it can be utilized, partly due to the necessary adjustments to balance the system. “There are 1,400 megawatts [of fuel] that cannot be used,” he lamented.

The president praised the workers of the Cuban Electric Union for their continuous efforts, as well as the population, whose daily services such as water, communications, and healthcare are affected. He also criticized those who “criticize” the situation. “The magnitude of the problem is so great that it cannot be seen,” he said, before listing the countless stopgap measures that have been implemented to alleviate the situation, from coal to solar panels in numerous locations. He also announced future photovoltaic parks, the progress of the supertanker construction in Matanzas, the increase in domestic crude oil production, and the commissioning of thermoelectric units by the end of the month.

Díaz-Canel also addressed the situation at universities this week, which has seen protests by several students demanding reforms. The president only made reference to the controversial hybrid learning model and, after acknowledging that the academic year could struggle to progress under these circumstances, rejected the idea of ending classes altogether. “What are we going to do, throw in the towel?”

The decisions will be announced on Monday in an appearance by Pérez-Oliva on a television program, which he said, though not entirely certain, could be the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) program.

When asked about Cuban-Americans who reportedly want to invest in the country, Díaz-Canel stated that a series of measures have been taken to ease current bureaucratic barriers and facilitate these practices. The decisions will be announced on Monday during an appearance by Pérez-Oliva on a television program, which, he said without complete certainty, could be the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) program.

At the press conference, there was also talk about donations from third countries and the interception of the Villa Clara boat: “In the investigation, everyone has admitted that they fired on our border guard service and have provided very important details that will be given below about who recruited them, who trained them… And they have given the names,” he said.

Only at that point did Díaz-Canel refer to Washington again, announcing that an FBI delegation would soon arrive on the island to investigate the case. “Yes, there is cooperation,” he affirmed.

Before concluding his remarks, in order to depart for “defense activities,” Díaz-Canel addressed the announced release of 51 prisoners, a process the Vatican confirmed its participation in on Friday. The president, aware that this would be interpreted as a concession to the United States, emphasized that the decision was made independently. “Now, prepare for the intoxication,” he added.

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Cuba’s National Electrical System Collapses Completely

The UNE says that no breakdowns were reported at any of the thermoelectric plants that were operating at the time the system was disconnected.

Archived image of the CTE Antonio Guiteras, in Matanzas. / Granma

14ymedio, Madrid, March 16, 2026 — A total shutdown of the national power grid (SEN) on Monday left the entire country in a simultaneous blackout around 2:00 PM. The Cuban Electric Union (UNE) reported the incident in a brief statement published on the Havana Electric Company’s Telegram channel, indicating that they were beginning to “implement restoration protocols,” but without providing any further explanation.

In the capital, the power went out in a strange way. “It was like turning off, turning back on, and then immediately turning off again,” said a resident of Nuevo Vedado. Residents in other provinces also reported the sudden power outage.

An hour later, in another message, the state-owned company detailed that no breakdowns were reported “in any of the thermal units that were operating at the time of the SEN disconnection.” It was precisely a breakdown at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant (CTE) in Matanzas that caused the partial blackout on March 4, which left two-thirds of the country without power, from Camagüey to Pinar del Río.

“It was like turning off, turning on, and then turning off again immediately,” says a resident of Nuevo Vedado.

Monday’s outage was the first total collapse of the National Electric System (SEN) so far in 2026, and the sixth in a year and a half on the island. Between late 2024 and early 2025, five nationwide or regional blackouts were recorded, some caused by failures in key units and others by extreme generation deficits, which forced the shutdown of entire blocks to prevent further damage. On several occasions, the total collapse of the SEN left the country in darkness for hours, with restoration processes slow and phased by microsystems.

The recovery after the March 4th disaster was difficult, due to the lack of fuel – exacerbated in these two months of an oil blockade – which is necessary to operate continue reading

precisely those microsystems or “microislands” to serve specific areas.

Shortly after 3:30 in the afternoon, UNE reported that “microsystems in several territories” were beginning to operate, and twenty minutes later, they assured that the Energás plant, operated with the Canadian company Sherritt in Boca de Jaruco, already had “a generating unit in service.”

As is usual in similar situations, the authorities said that “the restoration will be done gradually as conditions in the National Electric System allow.”

The Mesa Redonda [Round Table] program announced that the interview with Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga would take place at 7:00 pm

The prolonged power outages since the most recent partial system failure, which have lasted more than three days in some areas, have reignited the flames of indignation across the island, which awoke this Monday after its tenth consecutive night of pot-banging protests. The climax of these protests occurred last Friday in Morón (Ciego de Ávila), where dozens of residents took to the streets chanting “Freedom.”

The march traveled through different areas of the city to the rhythm of banging pots and pans, reached a police unit and ended in front of the headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba, where the protesters stormed the building, threw furniture and banners into the street and lit a bonfire in the middle of the public road.

Several people have been arrested for what the regime considers “acts of vandalism,” and security forces have been deployed across the country with the order of “zero impunity.”

The Mesa Redonda program announced that the interview with the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga , announced last Friday by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, will take place at 7:00 pm, an unusual time, likely due to the total power outage. It is expected that during the interview, the Vice Minister, who is also the great-nephew of Fidel and Raúl Castro, will provide details about what he already confirmed to NBC News: that Cubans abroad, including those residing in the United States, will be able to invest in private businesses on the island.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Fábrica de Arte Cubano Defies Censorship With a Body-Tattoo Performance

“Viva Cuba Libre” and “D-C singao” feature prominently on the back of the protagonist

“Viva Cuba Libre”, en una sesión de ‘body painting’ de este 15 de marzo de 2026 en la Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC), en La Habana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Darío Hernández, Havana, 15 March 2026 — Nothing suggested that the Lienzo Vivo event this Saturday at Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) would be anything more than a gathering devoted to the art of body tattooing. But the invitation for the audience to take part in a body-painting session, led by artist Indira Bazail, turned it into a clearly political expression.

Standing before the bare torso of a young man, whose face was painted with the Cuban flag and whose back bore the words “Long Live Cuba!”, the presenter, Yoel Arturo Salazar Ponce, encouraged the audience to complete the “living canvas,” appealing to “freedoms.” “Because we all deserve, and always will deserve, to be happy and free,” he said, before announcing the surprise that the young man’s back would serve as a “free space” on which to write whatever they wished.

Artist Indira Bazail and the young man who served as her “canvas” at the Cuban Art Factory. / 14ymedio

“Libre” (“Free”) was the first word written, completing the slogan that was already there. Then, above it, came “D-C singao*,” referring to the insult directed at Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel — a phrase that has led to prison sentences for people who have shouted it or written it on public posters.

“Down with everything,” “DC singao,” “Love,” “Long live free Cuba,” the words on the “living canvas.” / 14ymedio

“Be free, because art leads the hand and the mind must be free,” the performance’s host continued to encourage. Someone added, “Down with everything,” to the neckline. Finally, a girl wrote, “Love.” The host congratulated her: “Love is the force for everything.”

As the crowd painted slogans on the young man’s back, “Toxicity ” by the American alternative rock band System of a Down played. The song, whose chorus shouts the word “disorder,” has a passage that perfectly captures the current state of Havana, shrouded in smoke from burning garbage and plagued by long blackouts: “Somewhere between sacred silence and sleep, more wood for their fires, noisy neighbors, waking dreams with a flashlight hit by truck headlights, eating seeds as a pastime, the toxicity of our city.”

This is not the first time the FAC has defied censorship. Last November, the venue went ahead with a tribute to Celia Cruz on the centenary of her birth, a tribute that had been censored a month earlier.

That earlier decision by the National Center of Popular Music had been heavily criticized by members of the cultural community both inside and outside the island. Rosa Marquetti, a specialist on the life and work of the “Queen of Salsa,” said the “ban” on the tribute planned by the group El Público together with FAC added “one more chapter to the history of censorship and the use of political-commissar methods in Cuban culture.”

Translated by GH

*Translator’s note: “Díaz-Canel singao” is shouted and appears as graffiti. ‘Singao’ rhymes with Díaz-Canel, and is an epithet variously translated as ‘motherfucker’, ‘bastard’ and similar terms.

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What Does Cuba Need to Shine Again in the World Baseball Classic?

The privatization of sports on the Island, with the injection of capital that would entail, seems to be the only solution.

During the group stage, Cuba had the third-worst team batting average at .168, surpassed only by Czechia’s .167 and Brazil’s .130. / Instagram/Ariel Martínez

14ymedio, Matanzas, March 15, 2026 – Cuba’s baseball team recorded its worst performance in World Baseball Classic history by failing to advance past the group stage in the 2026 edition. The team managed by Germán Mesa finished third in Group A after starting with two victories against Panama (3–1) and Colombia (7–4) and ending with losses to Puerto Rico (1–4) and Canada (2–7), the latter with too many defensive errors in a key game for qualification to the quarterfinals.

Without a doubt, the lack of hitting limited the chances of victory for this Cuban squad. With bat in hand during the group stage, Cuba had the third-worst team batting average at .168, only by the Czech Republic’s .167 and Brazil’s .130 were worse.

In terms of on-base percentage (OBP), the Cubans ranked fourth worst at .277, behind Israel (.261), the Czech Republic (.230), and Brazil (.217). To make matters worse, together with the Czechs they were the third team that struck out the most, with 41 strikeouts, a negative statistic in which Great Britain (44) and Brazil (50) occupied the top spots.

Given this scenario, in which Cuba hit rock bottom on the biggest stage of international baseball, a series of reforms will be needed when assembling the representatives of the Four Letters for the next World Baseball Classic.

A first step would be to eliminate internal political restrictions that prevent access to the best available players

A first step would be to eliminate internal political restrictions that prevent access to the best available players. Although Cuba already calls up players from the U.S. Major League system, there is still reluctance to reintegrate players who have defected from sports delegations abroad, such as Lourdes Gurriel Jr., José Iglesias, and Aroldis Chapman, among others. In addition, players born outside Cuba but of Cuban descent who are willing to represent the Island are not included either. That was the case of Cuban American Zach Neto, whose father told 14ymedio that he wished to play in the Classic for Cuba but was not continue reading

allowed to.

As for athletes who left contracts under the control of the Island’s sports authorities, there is also no guarantee that all of them will be readmitted. Although Yariel Rodríguez was allowed to pitch again in a Classic after abandoning his contract with the Chunichi Dragons in the Japanese League, it was never clarified whether other baseball players in the same situation such as Oscar Colás or Julio Pablo Martínez would be allowed to wear the uniform of the Four Letters again.

Experience at the highest level of Major League Baseball (MLB) is not only needed among players, but also within the coaching staff. Having coaches familiar with organized baseball in the United States is vital to strengthen the team project and encourage the top stars to take part. Above all, Cuba needs to appoint a general manager who can operate in the United States, negotiate each player’s availability with the organizations, and meet face to face with the potential stars of a future roster. In that regard, it may be necessary to take lessons from other Caribbean baseball powers.

Last but not least, it is essential to restore the strength of the local baseball championship. In 2006, Cuba managed to finish as runner-up in the World Baseball Classic using only players from its National Series. However, over time, the massive exodus suffered by the country, its decline across all branches of the economy, and its political and social collapse have contributed to the deterioration of the state-run sports structure. Government funds have lost the capacity to sustain the training of high-performance athletes and to turn domestic tournaments into a spectacle.

For nearly seven decades, since the rise of Castroism to power, Cuban sports have suffered excessive government interference for propaganda purposes and have been stripped of professionalism. Today, the privatization of sports in Cuba, with the capital injection it would bring, appears to be the only solution to prevent national passions such as baseball from dying through neglect. And perhaps, to correct the taboos that persist in our sport, it will be necessary to correct the political system that gave rise to them.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Students at the University of Havana Ask Authorities To Stop the ‘Harassment’

A group called University Reform Action is formed, supportive of dialogue but also of democratizing the University Student Federation (FEU)

Image of students on the steps of the University of Havana, this Monday. / X/@CNN_Oppmann

14ymedio, Madrid, 12 March 2026 — University students have not buried the hatchet as it seemed they might have done on Tuesday, when the students who organized a sit-in the day before on the famous staircase of the University of Havana to make their complaints public agreed to continue meeting behind closed doors with the authorities. Far from that, they have now organized themselves under the name University Reform Action and have presented themselves as a collective in a statement outlining their upcoming plan of action.

The text contains a strong criticism of what happened last Monday, when the police cut off access to the staircase, preventing others from joining the initial group. That day, “one of them was physically subdued, identifications belonging to a group of students inside the university were withheld and taken away, and access to the area was blocked. We consider these actions absurd, unnecessary, and a flagrant violation of the right to peaceful demonstration established in Article 56 of the Constitution,” the manifesto states, calling for an end to any attempt at “deterrence, harassment, co-optation, disqualification, and sabotage.”

University Reform Action also expresses its discomfort with the fact that the meeting scheduled for the following day in Victor Hugo Park was “redirected to a university classroom, which violated the open spirit of this process.” From the very first lines of the statement, the students insist that their willingness to engage in dialogue should not be seen as “a sign of conformity or weakness,” and they warn that if their reform demands are not heard through dialogue they will again call for “alternative and forceful forms” of action. “We reject any act of violence and seek to ensure that none of our members take part in one. We demand the same treatment toward us.”

The collective also stresses from the outset that it represents the interests of students and not those of national or foreign political organizations. “We therefore do not accept the hijacking of our voice and opinion continue reading

by any institution or individual,” they warn.

The rest of the document focuses on the reforms they consider essential after gathering ideas in the meetings that have taken place. The first is the democratization of the University Student Federation (FEU), with candidates to be elected under a new electoral model that allows explanatory campaigning. “The possibility of being elected to a position within the organization should not be tied to academic results or to the candidates’ overall participation in extracurricular activities, but rather to their ability to represent the student body,” they argue. There should also be mechanisms for their removal and replacement if it is felt they are not fulfilling their duties.

“Once these reforms have been established and consulted on, immediate elections must be held under the new conditions to cleanse the organization of those leaders who currently make it up and who have shown themselves not to be reliable in defending the rights of their voters and those they represent,” they add bluntly.

The students also focus on two more practical issues. One is the need for a real solution to the situation created when Etecsa drastically raised its internet tariffs in May 2025. The dialogue that followed the student protests ended up papering over the crisis, since the well-known data package offered to students was already insufficient at the time and is even more so now “given the harsh conditions the country is facing.”

Another issue is the semi-remote format of classes, a measure adopted as part of a fuel-saving plan. The students believe a census should be carried out with “precise data on the availability of technological resources (devices and connectivity), stable access to electricity in students’ homes, and the geographic distance many students—especially those from other provinces—must travel to reach university campuses.” This is essential in order to determine whether conditions exist to maintain the current situation or whether the academic term should be suspended.

The statement also shows the collective’s goodwill toward the authorities by thanking the Minister of Higher Education, Walter Baluja García, for his willingness to listen and address their concerns. They will meet with him next Monday to present demands gathered nationwide, and they are asking other students to contribute. “Everyone’s opinion matters in pushing forward the changes we need so badly,” they conclude.

Translated by GH

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Cubans Living Abroad Will Be Allowed to Own Private Businesses on the Island, the Herald Reports

According to the newspaper, the Government will announce it this Monday during a television appearance by Minister Oscar Pérez-Oliva.

Empresarios manifiestan interrogantes respecto de las garantías que La Habana estaría dispuesta a ofrecer / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana. March 15, 2026 – “Perhaps the time has come,” says Joe García, former Democratic congressman for Miami and former executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation, quoted by El Nuevo Herald. García is referring to an economic reform that could open the door to one of the most significant changes on the Island in decades: allowing Cubans living abroad, including Cuban Americans, to invest in and own private businesses in the country.

The announcement, according to the media, would come this Monday, the same day a public appearance is expected by Oscar Pérez-Oliva, the great-nephew of Raúl and Fidel Castro and vice prime minister and minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, as previously announced by Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Sources cited by the newspaper say that Cuban authorities have prepared this package of reforms, which would also allow investment capital in the private sector, as a way to attract liquidity, technologies, and international experience that would benefit the Island. Currently, many private businesses in Cuba receive informal financing from relatives abroad, especially from the United States, something the reform would explicitly legalize.

These measures come amid pressure from the Trump administration, including the oil blockade following the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela last January, and at a time when talks between the two countries are taking place, as acknowledged by Díaz-Canel last Friday. continue reading

The president said that a set of measures has been adopted aimed at easing current bureaucratic barriers

During an appearance before state media and international outlets friendly to the Government, when asked about Cuban Americans who allegedly want to invest in the country, the president said that a set of measures has been adopted aimed at easing current bureaucratic barriers. The decisions will be announced Monday in an appearance by Pérez-Oliva on a television program that could be, he said without full certainty, the Mesa Redonda [Round Table] program.

“The return of the Cuban diaspora is imminent,” says a source familiar with the issue interviewed by the Herald, who also raises doubts about how quickly all the measures agreed upon behind closed doors will be implemented. Laws and regulations approved by the Cuban Government have sometimes taken months or even years to be fully developed.

Some entrepreneurs in Miami interviewed by the newspaper expressed questions about the guarantees Havana would be willing to offer to provide legal certainty to investors. Such guarantees would require modifications to Cuban legislation and, ultimately, to the Constitution itself. Without those guarantees, they expect the country to receive few large-scale investments.

On this matter, Sebastián Arcos, who directs the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University, said in an interview with Local 10 News that “obviously, they are more interested in making money than in the freedom of the Cuban people.”

“Obviously, they are more interested in making money than in the freedom of the Cuban people”

The academic, born in Havana and experienced in monitoring human rights violations on the Island, also noted that “there cannot be an economic recovery unless there is first a political reform,” warning that doing business in Cuba “would be too risky” for now.

Carlos Giménez, a U.S. congressman of Cuban origin, also emphasized the importance of a profound change in the country. Through X, he stated that “there will be no investment from the United States unless a major political change takes place on the Island.” He also made it clear that “the regime needs us; the United States does not need them.”

Despite these warnings, some entrepreneurs say they are ready for the new opportunities that could open up in the country. That is the case for a group in Miami’s Little Havana.

“Hopefully now that things are changing very quickly,” says Fidel Asís López, owner of The Havana Collection on Calle Ocho, which specializes in guayabera shirts. When asked whether he would invest in Cuba, Asís López responded: “In a free Cuba, 100% for sure.”

Translated by Regina Anavy

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The Discovery of a Newborn’s Body in a Garbage Dump Shocks Residents of Guanabacoa

The newborn was found inside a box, on Martí Street, between Máximo Gómez and Béquer.

One of the many garbage dumps that fill the streets of Guanabacoa, in Havana / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, March 15, 2026 – Residents of the Havana municipality of Guanabacoa found the body of a newborn baby in a garbage dump on Friday. According to residents of the area who spoke with 14ymedio, the baby was found inside a box on Martí Street, between Máximo Gómez and Béquer, by municipal sanitation workers who were collecting waste at the site.

The discovery occurred during the early hours of the morning, when workers were checking the garbage accumulated at the collection point. Witnesses say the baby still had the placenta when it was discovered, indicating that it had been born shortly before being abandoned.

“It was something very hard to see. Nobody expects to find a baby in the garbage,” said Yaneisy, a resident of the neighborhood who witnessed the aftermath of the discovery.

“It was something very hard to see. Nobody expects to find a baby in the garbage,” said Yaneisy, a resident of the neighborhood who witnessed the moment after the discovery. According to her testimony, several people began calling the authorities and medical services to come to the site. Some neighbors commented that the newborn may have been between eight and nine months gestation and weighed around seven pounds, although these details have not been officially confirmed.

So far, no details have been released about the identity of the mother or the circumstances under which the baby was abandoned. No public information has been provided about the condition of the baby or about the progress continue reading

of a possible investigation related to the case.

Children and elderly people live among garbage scattered throughout the municipality of Guanabacoa, in Havana. / 14ymedio

Similar cases have been reported in recent years in different parts of Havana, such as the case of a baby girl found in June 2025, still with the umbilical cord, in the municipality of Cerro.

Cuba was one of the first countries in Latin America to legalize abortion. However, today many of these procedures are carried out without anesthesia due to a lack of supplies and the precarious conditions of the healthcare system. This is compounded by the well-known shortage of condoms and contraceptive pills.

According to a report from the National Office of Statistics and Information published in May 2024, the capital recorded 27,864 deaths, almost triple the 10,783 births counted during the same period.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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The Collapse of the Electrical System Leaves Much of Cuba Without Power

At the start of Saturday, the system had only 1,120 megawatts of generation available against a demand that reached 2,450.

In total, the limitations on thermal power generation represent approximately 336 MW. / EFE

14ymedio, Barcelona, March 14, 2026 — This Saturday, Cuba’s National Electric Union reported that service will be affected by a 65% drop in demand due to insufficient generation capacity in the national power grid, a situation that has been affecting a large part of the population for months. On March 6, the country reached a record deficit, with 67% of the country’s energy demand falling below peak hours.

At the start of Saturday, the system had only 1,120 megawatts of generation capacity available, compared to a demand of 2,450 megawatts (MW). This shortfall resulted in an immediate outage of 1,326 MW, causing widespread blackouts throughout the early dawn and into the morning, once again highlighting the fragility of an energy infrastructure that has been operating at its limit for years.

According to the official report, the following units are currently out of service due to breakdowns: Unit 5 of the Mariel thermoelectric plant; Units 1 and 2 of the Santa Cruz plant; Unit 2 of the Felton plant; and Units 3 and 6 of the Antonio Maceo plant in Santiago de Cuba. In addition, other units are shut down for maintenance, including Unit 6 of the Mariel plant, Unit 5 of the Nuevitas plant, and Unit 4 of the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plant in Cienfuegos, highlighting the high degree of deterioration of the country’s main power plants.

In total, the limitations in thermal generation represent around 336 MW that the system cannot supply, further reducing the country’s capacity to meet electricity demand and maintain service stability.

On Friday, the power outages lasted for 24 hours and peaked at 7:10 p.m.

The previous day also reflected the severity of the energy situation. On Friday, the blackouts lasted 24 hours and reached their peak at continue reading

7:10 p.m., when the outage affected 1,977 megawatts. This figure even exceeded official forecasts due to the late commissioning of a generating unit at the Cienfuegos thermoelectric plant, another example of the instability that characterizes the system.

Although the government has repeatedly highlighted the contribution of renewable energy as part of its energy strategy, its impact remains limited compared to the system’s structural deficit. The 51 photovoltaic solar parks installed in the country generated 4,119 MWh during the day and reached a peak capacity of 600 MW at midday, which helped to partially alleviate the power outages during those hours, but was insufficient to compensate for the collapse of thermal power generation.

However, the forecast for Saturday afternoon and evening is even more complex. The National Electric Union estimates that demand could reach 3,130 megawatts during peak hours, between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., while system availability would remain at just 1,120 megawatts. This would imply a deficit of approximately 2,010 megawatts and outages that could reach around 2,040 megawatts, one of the highest levels of service interruptions recorded in recent months.

The authorities, in official media, have attributed part of the blame to “thefts and acts of vandalism” against electrical infrastructure, such as the dielectric oil of transformers, an essential component for the cooling and safe operation of this equipment.

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Varadero, Cuba, a Dead City

The wind and the occasional carriage drivers urging on their horses are the only sounds accompanying the decline of Varadero, once considered the best beach in the Caribbean islands. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Pablo Padilla Cruz, Varadero (Matanzas), March 15, 2026 – If there are sectors where the deep crisis currently affecting Cuba is most painfully reflected, they are precisely those that were once the backbone of its economy. Tourism, for example, with the suspension of flights due to the lack of fuel, now threatens to become the same kind of corpse that the sugar harvest has turned into.

One of the most affected places has been the Island’s main international destination, Varadero. Over the last decade, the resort area of Matanzas prided itself on receiving more than one million travelers annually, but that figure has dropped drastically. Today, it faces a decline of 70%, a number that many workers in the sector never imagined they would experience.

Hotel Los Delfines, on 32nd Street in Varadero, closed / 14ymedio

“Varadero is in chaos right now,” says a worker at the Hotel Los Delfines, on 32nd Street in the city. “There is no water in this area, the electricity goes out constantly, and that’s why they decided to close the hotel and concentrate the tourists in the Club Tropical hotel.” The closure of accommodations and the “compaction” of visitors in other hotels has been one of the measures taken by the regime following the blockade of all fuel entering the Island after the United States intervention in Venezuela on January 3, and the subsequent threat by Donald Trump to third countries that send oil to Cuba.

The employee’s words reflect the difficult situation the entire sector is experiencing. “At first they brought us to the hotel, and we stayed three days working, then they sent us home for another three days. But soon they started telling us, ‘don’t come anymore.’ That way, a month would go by without them calling me to work again,” he explains. This situation has become common in many hotels, where employees are sent home without prior notice, hoping to be called back when the situation allows.

The uncertainty is palpable. This worker, who prefers not to give his name, says that job options in this context are few. “They offered me jobs in Municipal Services or as a guard at the Matanzas cemetery, but that’s not continue reading

what I studied. It’s a job that not even the unemployed want to take, and the worst thing is that they present it as if it were a solution,” he says with frustration.

Maday, a clerk at a café in central Varadero, also recounts her experience with a mixture of resignation and concern. “Fortunately, I can still work, but the number of customers keeps getting smaller. Cubans, who used to help us on a bad day, hardly come anymore. Besides, I have to spend 200 pesos to get to Varadero from Cárdenas, and another 500 on an electric car to return home in the afternoon,” she says. That means a daily expense of 700 pesos, which is hardly compensated by the tips she receives. The tourists simply are not enough to maintain the flow of income.

“The Beatles” Bar in Josone Park in Varadero (Matanzas) / 14ymedio

“If you want to be ‘interrupted’ [work on specific days], the job options they offer are in an organoponic garden or in municipal services,” adds Maday, sadly: “They offer me these positions just to complete the paperwork, but in reality I have no options.”

Meanwhile, buy-and-sell groups on social media in cities like Matanzas and Cárdenas have seen the demand for work multiply. Clerks, cooks, DJs, and artisans are trying to find their way in an oversaturated market, seeking to survive amid the uncertainty of the private sector. However, the situation becomes even more complicated for workers at craft fairs, who historically have depended on tourism to sustain their work.

Raúl, a visual artist who has spent nearly two decades working in crafts, laments the crisis affecting his sector. “I’ve seen good and bad moments over the years, but what we’re living through now is unprecedented,” he says. “With Covid-19, we knew the situation would improve someday, but now we’re facing a crisis with no short-term solution.” Like other workers in the sector, Raúl notes that the Varadero craft fairs, which once received thousands of tourists, are now deserted. “Varadero adapted to receive more than one million foreigners a year, but now not even 250,000 arrive. The few who survive are those who have tables inside the hotels,” he points out.

Competition among artisans has increased significantly, making it even harder to generate sales. “When a tourist shows up, there are so many of us competing that we barely manage to make anything,” Raúl says. And, to make matters worse, the National Fund for Cultural Assets, which manages the spaces for the fairs, demands payments for the use of the space, another burden for the already impoverished workers in the sector.

Beatriz, a Spanish tourist who has been returning to Varadero for ten years, has also witnessed the crisis affecting the Island. “I knew the situation was difficult, but I didn’t think it was this bad,” she comments. Bea, as the workers at the Cuatro Palmas hotel call her, considers herself almost part of the family in Varadero, since she has returned year after year. “This beach is the best in the world, but the situation has become unsustainable. The electricity goes out too often, and I’ve even had to bring eggs from Spain,” she says with frustration.

Hotel Barlovento, in Varadero, also closed / 14ymedio

Beatriz also notes a change in her relationship with Cubans. “They no longer see me here as a foreigner but as an ATM,” she says regretfully. “No matter what I give away, they always want more.” The friendliness and warm atmosphere she once felt on the Island have been overshadowed by the desperation of those who depend on tourism to survive. “I don’t know if I’ll return next year. If I do, it will be for less time, or maybe I’ll change destinations,” she concludes, hinting that the crisis may have marked the end of her relationship with Varadero.

The city, which was once the locomotive of the Cuban economy, now lies almost empty. Buildings are half-repaired, the lack of potable water and electricity is constant, and only a few residents walk through streets once crowded with tourists. Hotels, private hostels, and recreational centers remain mostly closed. The laughter of tourists is gone, and the bustle of workers returning home has faded. Now, the wind and the occasional carriage drivers urging on their horses are the only sounds accompanying the decline of what was once considered the best beach in the Caribbean islands.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Heavy Police Deployment Throughout Cuba and a Cordon Around the ‘14ymedio’ Newsroom in Havana

The regime is mobilizing all its security forces with the order of “zero impunity” for the demonstrations

Yoani Sánchez, director of ’14ymedio’, with a State Security agent, in the basement of her building in Havana. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, March 15, 2026 — The regime has gone on high alert and increased its deployments following the intensification of protests in Cuba, especially the massive demonstration in Morón. Police are mobilizing operations throughout the country to prevent the demonstrations that have been taking place for more than a week.

This Sunday, Yoani Sánchez, director of 14ymedio, is surrounded by a State Security police operation that prevents her from leaving her home. In a video she recorded herself, an officer, dressed in civilian clothes and with his face completely covered, explains the prohibition to her without giving a concrete reason.

“Tell me right here in front of the camera,” the journalist snaps, to which the man replies, “Is it necessary?” She continues, “Yes, it is necessary, because you’re violating my rights. I’m a citizen who hasn’t committed any crimes, hasn’t been tried in court, doesn’t have a restraining order or house arrest, so why won’t you let me go out? Taking all tha into account, what’s the reason? Why can’t I leave?” The officer, nervous, responds, “All I can tell you is that you can’t leave.”

When Sánchez asks him if he might be a thug or a criminal, the subject affirms, and to the question who is sending him, he answers: “You know who it is.”

When questioned about his identity, the individual refuses to answer, and when Sánchez asks him if he might be a thug or a criminal, the subject affirms, and to question who is sending him, he answers: “You know who he is.”

President Díaz-Canel’s response to the protests has been to label them “vandalism” for which “there will be no impunity.” Today, the National Police clearly illustrate these intimidating words—they do have electricity, fuel, and resources, as their own publications show—with the arrogant display continue reading

of their operations, which, without euphemism, aim to “maintain public order.”

In Villa Clara, Díaz-Canel’s home province, a “reinforcement group for surveillance and patrols” has been formed to “guarantee order.” The official publication shows that this reinforcement includes the feared ” black berets,” the Interior Ministry’s military units trained for “high-risk” situations, who have been at the forefront of violent repression during civil protests.

Videos circulating on social media show the deployment of police patrols in the streets of Havana and also report Black Berets in Old Havana.

Official institutions are echoing the attempts at intimidation and repeating the president’s threatening rhetoric. The state-run chain Tiendas Caribe (TRD) denounced the attack and vandalism of one of its stores’ windows during Friday’s protests: “Cuban society demands zero impunity for those who threaten public peace and collective property. A severe legal response is essential.”

Despite the deployment of security forces, new demonstrations took place yesterday, Saturday, for the ninth consecutive night.

Despite the deployment of security forces, new demonstrations took place on Saturday, for the ninth consecutive night. This newspaper reports loud pot-banging protests in the Nuevo Vedado neighborhood of Havana during another prolonged blackout. The sounds of similar protests reached the 14ymedio newsroom in Cerro, Playa, and, with greater intensity, in the Boyeros and Tulipán area. Finally, the authorities restored power, possibly fearing that the unrest would escalate, as is happening in the less privileged areas of the island.

In the provinces, where the energy situation is much worse – reaching only a couple of hours of electricity per day – strong protests were reported last night in neighborhoods of Santiago de Cuba and Holguín.

[See a collection of videos here #ProtestasEnCuba ]

The authorities acknowledge that there was an incident between the police and residents of the Micro 9 neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba, although they describe the information disseminated on social media as “manipulation.”

The official statement describes the protest as “a very small group of people” who “decided to gather to express their dissatisfaction with the problems related to the electricity service.” It adds, referring to the police response: “As is completely normal […] law enforcement authorities arrived at the scene, engaged in dialogue with the residents, and the situation was resolved.” However, it continues: “Some chose the path of disobedience, something that will not be tolerated by those responsible for guaranteeing public order and tranquility.”

The testimonies also relate that the protesters shouted “Down with the dictatorship!” and “Freedom!”, which the government describes as “dissatisfaction with the electricity service”

The denial refers to a version circulating on social media in which, according to testimonies received from residents involved in the protest, the authorities’ response included a large-scale operation with patrol cars, armored vehicles, plainclothes State Security agents, and officers in black berets with their dogs, who blocked access to the neighborhood. According to these accounts, there were arrests and physical assaults by the authorities, including an assault on a young minor who was beaten while defending her father, and an assault on a pregnant woman.

The testimonies also relate that the protesters shouted “Down with the dictatorship!” and “Freedom!”, which the government describes as “dissatisfaction with the electricity service.”

The official statement concludes with a moral lesson that emphasizes the regime’s stance on public discontent: “We once again denounce the fact that individuals opposed to the values and principles of the Revolution and Cuban society are exploiting incidents like these to sow confusion and hatred through lies and manipulation, in order to foment conflict and undermine the people’s trust in the highest authorities of the country and the Ministry of the Interior.” The statement does not explain what these “values and principles of the Revolution” consist of, nor why they should be shared by all of “Cuban society.”

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COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

In Holguín, Cuba, Astonishment Mixes With Certainty That “This Can’t Go on Any Longer”

Gasoline prices exceed 4,000 pesos per liter, driving up reliance on electric tricycles

“You practically don’t see any combustion engine motorcycles or private cars on the street,” says the Holguín resident. / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Holguín, Miguel García, March 12, 2026 — In the streets of Holguín, there’s a strange mix of shock, anxiety, and anticipation. Conversations multiply at the bus stops, in the doorways, and on the electric tricycles that now dominate the urban landscape. While public transportation crumbles and fuel prices break records, many repeat a phrase that has become almost a refrain: “This can’t go on any longer.”

A 14ymedio reader who lives in the city describes a tense atmosphere, filled with comments and speculation. “People are in a kind of stupor, but within that stupor they’re very attentive to everything,” he says. According to his account, people on the street are talking about politics, the economic situation, and also what might happen to bring about change on the island. “There’s a lot of hope, a lot of people are paying attention to what Donald Trump is saying.”

The daily scene, however, is marked by much more immediate problems. Gasoline, which had already been rising in price for months, has surpassed 4,000 pesos per liter on the informal market and, according to several local sources, is approaching 4,500. The result is visible on the avenues of the eastern city.

“You practically don’t see any motorcycles or private cars on the street,” the Holguín resident recounts. “Those you do see are almost all state-owned.” Many owners have opted to leave their vehicles parked in garages because fuel has become unaffordable. continue reading

“Appointments are already being sold for more than 3,000 pesos.”

The absence of these means of transport has opened the door to another key player: electric scooters and tricycles, which now serve as the main alternative for getting around the city. In many neighborhoods, they have become the only way to travel.

The surge in these vehicles has, in turn, provoked renewed tensions with the authorities. At several transport hubs, police presence has intensified, according to numerous residents. Officers are checking documents, detaining drivers, and verifying vehicle registration.

“The police are cracking down on the tricycles,” the reader says. “They’re stopping everyone.”

In the face of the current desperation, authorities have begun issuing temporary permits to transport passengers or cargo, even to drivers who don’t meet all the requirements. But even obtaining a license has become a nearly impossible process.

Traffic offices are overwhelmed by the demand from people wanting to register their electric vehicles. Applicants must go through a queuing system that has become fertile ground for corruption.

“It’s a chain of problems that ends up affecting the entire transportation system.”

“There’s a waiting list for the computer-based knowledge test, and another waiting list for the practical test,” he explains. “And they’re selling for over 3,000 pesos.”

Meanwhile, dozens of tricycles and mopeds remain impounded because their owners haven’t been able to complete the necessary paperwork. The result is a paradox: vehicles that could ease transportation congestion sit idle while bus stops fill up with desperate passengers.

“One thing leads to another,” the Holguín native summarizes. “It’s a chain of problems that ends up affecting the entire transportation system.”

In that scenario, political commentary seeps into everyday conversation. Some citizens openly express their frustration with the government. “You hear phrases like, ‘I hope Trump comes and takes these bastards away,’” the Holguín resident told this newspaper.

Beyond those expectations, the most repeated phrase is something much simpler: “This can’t go on any longer.” The reader assures us that he has heard it in all kinds of circles. “You hear it from anyone: workers, ordinary people, even intellectuals.”

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Oil Surges 37% in Two Weeks Due to the War With Iran and Threatens the Global Economy

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. attack on Iran’s Kharg Island increase oil volatility and threaten more global inflation.

View of an oil tanker that had to divert to avoid passing through the Strait of Hormuz / EFE/Olivier Hoslet

EFE (via 14ymedio), Madrid, March 14, 2026 – The war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran since February 28 has driven the price of oil up by 37% in just two weeks, with a barrel around 100 dollars and a 64% increase so far this year.

Since the outbreak of the war, the price of Brent crude, the benchmark in Europe, has fluctuated continuously depending on the evolution of tensions in the Middle East and various statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about the duration of the conflict.

Last Monday, Brent climbed 30% and reached 119.50 dollars, which caused stock markets to plunge. However, that same day Trump stated that the war with Iran was practically over and crude began to fall, reaching 90 dollars.

The volatility that day allowed Brent to record, first, the largest increase in its history, of 26.7 dollars, and later also the largest intraday drop.

On Tuesday, Brent continued to retreat and plunged 11.28%, to 87.80 dollars, still influenced by Trump’s claim that the war would be brief. continue reading

The volatility allowed Brent to record, first, the largest increase in its history, of 26.7 dollars, and later also the largest intraday drop

These lows did not last long because a day later, on Wednesday, oil rose again by more than 5% and the barrel approached 93 dollars, despite the fact that the International Energy Agency had announced the release of 400 million barrels, the largest reserve intervention in history.

In the early hours of Thursday, the barrel reached 101.59 dollars, a rise that moderated throughout the morning but gained strength again after Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said that the Strait of Hormuz must remain closed, pushing crude back to 101 dollars.

Alongside Brent, West Texas crude, the benchmark in the United States, has also recorded strong fluctuations and is currently trading around 97 dollars.

Middle Eastern crude exports, which normally depend on the Strait of Hormuz, are approximately 16 million barrels per day.

A prolonged conflict in Iran with extended disruptions in Hormuz would push Brent to 120 dollars

Analysts at XTB have analyzed several possible scenarios for Brent, estimating a 50% chance that it will move around 100–110 dollars in a scenario of containment in Iran, while a ceasefire or political agreement, with a 25% probability, could bring crude down to 80 dollars.

The most unlikely scenario, a prolonged conflict in Iran with the risk of longer disruptions in Hormuz, would place Brent above 120 dollars per barrel.

The near-total slowdown of maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz has begun to test the resilience of the global economy, with the risk of slower growth accompanied by higher inflation.

UBP’s Director of Information Systems and its Head of Advisory and Asset Allocation, Michael Lok and Nicolás Laroche, respectively, have highlighted that Europe and Asia are more affected by the conflict in Iran because they are net energy importers, in contrast to the United States, which is a net exporter and the largest oil producer in the world.

The Iranian Army said it will destroy “all oil, economic and energy infrastructure related to the United States” if there is aggression against its own energy facilities

The Iranian Army said this Saturday that it will destroy “all oil, economic and energy infrastructure related to the United States” in the Middle East if there is aggression against its own energy facilities, following the U.S. attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, the heart of the Islamic Republic’s oil industry.

“If there is an attack on the oil, economic and energy infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as we have already warned, all oil, economic and energy infrastructure belonging to oil companies in the region that have U.S. shares or cooperate with the United States will be destroyed and turned into a pile of ashes,” said a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.

The statement, in response to “the declarations of the aggressive and terrorist president of the United States,” came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that his armed forces carried out one of the “most powerful” bombings in the history of the Middle East against “military targets” on Kharg Island, where 90% of the oil the country exports to the world is stored.

Trump said he had chosen “not to destroy the island’s oil infrastructure,” a decision he may reconsider if the blockade in the Persian Gulf continues.

“If Iran, or anyone else, does anything that interferes with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” he warned on his Truth Social account.

Kharg, located 25 kilometers off the Iranian coast, is described as a vital point for Iran because it concentrates the country’s main oil terminal and is the largest crude loading point for oil tankers.

According to local media, the island is also known for having large oil storage tanks used to distribute crude to the international market.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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Protesters Take Over Cuba’s Communist Party Headquarters in Morón and Try To Set It on Fire

Shouting “Freedom!” dozens of residents of the city in Ciego de Ávila protest against the endless blackouts and clash with the police. There are at least five detainees.

The protesters took chairs, tables and propaganda posters from inside the building and piled them up in the street to set them on fire. / Screenshot

14ymedio, Havana, March 14, 2026 – “Freedom!” That was the cry that echoed on Friday night in the streets of Morón, in the province of Ciego de Ávila, when dozens of residents went out to protest against the blackouts that are suffocating the country. The march passed through different areas of the city to the rhythm of pot-banging, reached a police unit, and ended in front of the headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), where protesters burst into the building, threw furniture and banners into the street and built a bonfire in the middle of the road.

Videos shared on social media show groups of people moving through the streets of the municipality in Ciego de Ávila while demanding an end to the blackouts that are hitting the entire Island, which are usually longer in towns and cities in the interior. According to several testimonies, when the march arrived in front of the police unit the protesters were met with threats and officers armed even with machetes.

The protest continued to the municipal headquarters of the PCC. In some images, protesters can be seen taking chairs, tables and propaganda posters from inside the building and piling them up in the street to set them on fire. It can also be seen how they attempted to set fire to the building, a symbol of the regime’s continue reading

political control in the territory.

The official government press speaks of “acts of vandalism” carried out by “a group of people” from the El Vaquerito neighborhood council

The scene contrasts with the version published by the official government newspaper Invasor, which described what happened as “acts of vandalism” carried out by “a group of people” from the El Vaquerito neighborhood council. According to the state media outlet, what began as a peaceful protest over the electrical situation and food shortages “turned into acts of vandalism against the headquarters of the Municipal Party Committee,” where a small group allegedly threw stones at the entrance of the building and started a fire with furniture from the reception area.

Images shared by residents tell a more complex story. In several videos, dozens of people can be seen walking through the city, banging pots and chanting slogans. Some witnesses say the march advanced without incident for a long stretch, until it gathered in front of the PCC headquarters, where tensions with security forces finally erupted.

One of the most serious moments of the night was captured in a recording circulating on social media: a young man is carried in the arms of several protesters after receiving a gunshot wound to the thigh. According to testimonies shared by residents of the area, the shot was fired by
a police officer who was trying to disperse the crowd gathered in front of the Party building.

In the images, several people can be seen carrying the wounded man while trying to move him away from the area to give him first aid. The government newspaper denies the shooting and claims that the injured person was “in a state of drunkenness” and “suffered a fall.” It also states that the person is being “treated at the Roberto Rodríguez General Hospital.”

The official publication also mentions supposed damage to other establishments

Other reports speak of violent repression by special forces from the Ministry of the Interior, including black-beret units and officers with dogs. Witnesses claim the forces released the animals against the protesters and carried out arrests, five according to the newspaper Invasor.

The official publication also mentions supposed damage to other establishments, including a pharmacy and a sales point belonging to the Tiendas Caribe chain, although it offers no details about the damage or about the real scale of the protest.

What does seem clear is the origin of the outbreak: it is the energy collapse the country is experiencing, which in recent weeks has caused prolonged blackouts across the Island. In Morón, as in much of Ciego de Ávila, electricity cuts have stretched for hours amid food shortages and the general deterioration of basic services.

Ciego de Ávila is under the provincial political leadership of Julio Heriberto Gómez Casanova, first secretary of the PCC in the territory. Gómez replaced Liván Izquierdo Alonso in 2024. Despite corruption scandals surrounding Izquierdo in the province, he ended up being appointed first secretary of the Party in Havana. Gómez Casanova’s account on X remains restricted.

The events in Morón also occurred on the same day that Díaz-Canel appeared before the government press to confirm that the Government is holding talks with the United States

Direct political and administrative responsibility for Morón rests with three key figures in the state and party apparatus: Alberto Echemendía Manzanares, first secretary of the PCC in the municipality; Celia María López Reyes, president of the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power; and Yorqui Navarro Pérez, mayor. In a system where the Party dominates all state structures, the three concentrate the political and governmental leadership of the territory and are therefore the main officials responsible for local management amid the crisis that triggered the protests.

The events in Morón also occurred on the same day that the country’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, appeared before the official press to confirm that the Government is holding conversations with the United States, after repeatedly denying those contacts. His speech, which once again repeated the usual narrative without offering concrete solutions to the crisis, generated widespread rejection both among critics of the regime and within sectors traditionally aligned with the Government.

In reaction to the events, the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) said this Saturday that the protests reflect the growing social exhaustion on the Island. In a statement released from Madrid, the organization said that only hours after the televised appearance of Miguel Díaz-Canel, “the people took to the streets demanding freedom and a change of system.” The OCDH also asked countries such as the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Sweden to promote actions to protect protesters and opposition members, and reiterated that in the face of the regime’s economic and social collapse, the only way forward for Cuba is a peaceful transition to democracy.

Translated by Regina Anavy

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