Cancer from High Levels of Metals in Reservoirs? (II) / Cubanet, Ernesto Perez Chang

Cubanet.org, Ernesto Perez Chang, Havana, 28 July 2015 – Between the years 2004 and 2007, 65 children from the Los Sitios neighborhood in Central Havana, 7 to 10 years of age, underwent testing in order to determine their degree of lead poisoning. The research, conducted by a team of researchers from the Cuban National Institute … Continue reading “Cancer from High Levels of Metals in Reservoirs? (II) / Cubanet, Ernesto Perez Chang”

Marti and His Myth / 14ymedio, Jose Gabriel Barrenechea

14ymedio, José Gabriel Barrenechea, Santa Clara, 17 May 2015 – From the interpretation of a significant event in the history of a nation, the interpreters’ political orientation can be very well surmised. Here we have this date, 24 February 1895 – the day on which our ancestors departed for the last time to the scrubland, … Continue reading “Marti and His Myth / 14ymedio, Jose Gabriel Barrenechea”

A List of Cuban Political Prisoners / 14ymedio, Martha Beatriz Roque

14ymedio, Martha Beatriz Roque, Havana, 11 July 2015 — What classifies as a political prisoner is a cause for disagreement among the Cuban opposition. There are varying opinions about who has been jailed for political reasons or not, despite the criteria established by the United Nations and other organizations that concern themselves with these matters. … Continue reading “A List of Cuban Political Prisoners / 14ymedio, Martha Beatriz Roque”

The Bridgettines, in the Shadows of Power / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez

14ymedio, Rosa Lopez, Havana 6 February 2015 — Discreet and elusive, donning gray habits and cross-adorned veils, they attend mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity in Pinar del Río. The three nuns, originally from India, belong to the Order of the Most Holy Savior of Saint Bridget headed by the Italian religious … Continue reading “The Bridgettines, in the Shadows of Power / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez”

“No matter where I live, I will keep working for the freedom of Cuba” / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 18 March 2015 — Twelve years after the Black Spring, 14ymedio chats with some of the former political prisoners currently living on the Island. Two questions have been posed to those activists condemned in March 2003: one about their decision to stay in Cuba, and the other about how they see … Continue reading ““No matter where I live, I will keep working for the freedom of Cuba” / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”

The Five Grey Years: Revisiting the Term / Ambrosio Fornet

By Ambrosio Fornet / See here for background information on this series of posts. 1 It seemed as if the nightmare was something from a remote past, but the truth is that when we awoke, the dinosaur was still there. We haven’t found out — and perhaps will never know — if the media folly was … Continue reading “The Five Grey Years: Revisiting the Term / Ambrosio Fornet”

The Experiment of Hope / Francis Sanchez

On the 15th of February 2008, with the uploading to the internet of Issue 1 (January-February), the magazine Convivencia was born in Pinar del Río.  Since then, six years have passed of uninterrupted bimonthly publication.  The new publication invited one to live on a horizon at once broad and intimate, democratic, heavy with possibilities and … Continue reading “The Experiment of Hope / Francis Sanchez”

“The psychological torture was intense, permanent. They wanted to erase his mind.” / Lilianne Ruiz

HAVANA, Cuba, December, www.cubanet.org-It was raining heavily in Havana. It was the first day of December and Miriam Leiva had come to Cuba carrying the ashes of her husband and the memories of their almost 40 years together. Oscar Espinosa Chepe had died after a long illness that they shared together like so many things … Continue reading ““The psychological torture was intense, permanent. They wanted to erase his mind.” / Lilianne Ruiz”

Conspiring With Impunity / Rosa Maria Rodriguez

“Corrupt lawyer and judge. Raúl Castro, help me. Unjust eviction.” Unfortunately, in Cuba anybody with a Communist Party ID, a title that gives them a substantial amount of power, and personality disorders that will predispose them to abuse their authority, can conspire against any defenseless citizens and strip them of their property. If there are economic … Continue reading “Conspiring With Impunity / Rosa Maria Rodriguez”

Radio Netherlands: Controversial Cuban Blogger Answers Tough Questions / Yoani Sanchez

For over a decade, the Cuban government refused to allow one of the world’s best known bloggers, Yoani Sánchez, to travel abroad. When Havana finally loosened travel restrictions for Cuban citizens, Sánchez was one of the first to take advantage of the change, embarking on an 80-day 10-nation tour. One of the countries she visited … Continue reading “Radio Netherlands: Controversial Cuban Blogger Answers Tough Questions / Yoani Sanchez”

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”

THs – “Twisted Humans” – The Creation of a Dictatorship to Humilate Their People / Angel Santiesteban

The situation of Cubans under the oppression of the Castro dictatorship does nothing but get worse day by day. The complicity of the world’s governments, whatever their political orientations may be, is unexplainable and unjustifable. In Cuba, Human Rights do NOT exist, liberty and justice do not exist. The oldest dynastic dictatorship in the world … Continue reading “THs – “Twisted Humans” – The Creation of a Dictatorship to Humilate Their People / Angel Santiesteban”

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”

Laritza Diversent: The Pending Emigration Law Should Make No Distinctions Because of Citizens’ Political Views #Cuba

Readers’ interview from Diaro de Cuba The attorney and independent blogger, Laritza Diversent, responds to questions by readers of Diaro de Cuba regarding emigration reform. Ricardo E. Trelles: In your professional life you have to deal with the country’s existing legal system in which laws are formulated and established in an illegitimate way, without citizen participation, … Continue reading “Laritza Diversent: The Pending Emigration Law Should Make No Distinctions Because of Citizens’ Political Views #Cuba”

An Assessment of the Cuban Government’s Management Over the Last Six Years / Dimas Castellano

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”