English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Fernando Damaso, Havana — On the 4th of January, 1959, the Constitution of 1940 was modified without the knowledge of the Cuban people. On the 10th of January, the death penalty and seizure of property was established for “political misdemeanors,” leaving the interpretation of which open to the executors. On the 7th of February the … Continue reading “Causes and Effects of the Embargo / Fernando Damaso”
14ymedio, Maite Rico, Madrid, 23 April 2019 — Shocking to the Spanish business community. Especially the hotel sector. And more specifically in two of the big ones, Meliá and Iberostar. The United States has opened the door for its citizens to file court claims over properties confiscated in Cuba since the 1959 Revolution. Since the … Continue reading “Cuba, Sun Tourism and… Problems”
14ymedio, Mario J. Pentón, 12 September 2018 — The story of the five Cuban spies sentenced to prison in the United States will arrive on the big screen very soon, and twice. A year after learning that the Frenchman Olivier Assayas had adapted Brazilian writer Fernando Morais’ book The Last Soldiers of the Cold War, the Canadian Pictou … Continue reading “Canadian Producer Brings the Story of the “Idealism and Altruism” of Cuba’s “Five Spies” to the Big Screen”
EFE, via 14ymedio, Miami, 7 June 2018 — The Cuban Resistance Assembly kicked off in Miami a new media campaign, No Colabores [“Do Not Collaborate”] against cruise-ship trips to Cuba and insisted on no support of tourism to the Island because it “directly finances the repression” of the opposition. Orlando Gutiérrez, director of the Assembly composed of … Continue reading “Cuban Coalition in Miami Announces Media Campaign Against Cruise Trips to the Island”
14ymedio, Sol Garcia Batista, Camaguey, 19 November 2016 – With an incredible facility with recycled metals and plastics, Onel Vara Fernandez holds a license as a producer and seller of articles for the home* in Camaguey. For the last 22 years, this tenacious entrepreneur has engaged in high and low skilled work, working for himself … Continue reading ““The State Fears The People Getting Rich” / 14ymedio, Sol Garcia Basulto”
14ymedio, Pedro Armando Junco, Camaguey, 6 November 2016 — I met a man who, when his wife left him, carried on endlessly about the contempt he felt for her, constantly berating her, although he couldn’t stop talking about her: she was a prostitute, a liar, a thief and all sorts of other despicable things that … Continue reading “Elections and the ‘Blockade’ / 14ymedio, Pedro Armando Junco”
Iván García, 16 March 2106 — Around 12 midnight on Tuesday, 18 March 2003, I was en route to my apartment in the La Víbora neighborhood when, from the balcony, some incomprehensible signs coming from my mother set off the alarms. Those were hard years. My mother and I were contributing articles to the independent press … Continue reading “Cuba: From the Black Spring to a Rolling Stones Concert / Iván García”
14ymedio, Pedro Campos, Havana, 29 February 2016 – The Miami press reports that Cuban-born US Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen asked Secretary of State John Kerry, during a Congressional hearing, what progress the Cuban government has made, given the many concessions made by the United States, and how does he justify the mass exodus of Cubans that has … Continue reading “Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s Questions to John Kerry / 14ymedio, Pedro Campos”
Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy Tuesday February 23rd, 2016 Rosa María Payá, Christian Liberation Movement of Cuba and Latin American Youth Network for Democracy Thank you for this opportunity to spread the voice of the Cuban people. Cubans have lived for nearly 60 years without the freedom to express our own voice. The Revolution of … Continue reading “Rosa Maria Paya at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy”
14ymedio, Havana, 21 February 2016 — The events organized on Sunday to remember the late activist Orlando Zapata Tamayo resulted in dozens of opposition members arrested throughout the country. Several civil society organizations had also called for a tribute to honor the four Brothers to the Rescue pilots on the twentieth anniversary of their death at … Continue reading “Tribute To Orlando Zapata Leads To Dozens Of Arrests / 14ymedio”
Mario Lleonart, 29 January 2016 — A few days ago (January 15th and 16th) I took part in a gathering in Miami of the Coordinating Liaison Committee of the Cuban National Meeting, of which I am a member, along with eight others. On the 18th, on Martin Luther King Day in Saint Petersburg, Florida, I paid … Continue reading “If We Are Talking About Terrorists / Mario Lleonart”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 27 October 2015 — Every Cuban has a minister in charge of his or her affairs, but the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for everyone. This is the reason why, when someone says “The Ministry” everyone understands that they are speaking about MININT, the Ministry of the Interior, that macro entity … Continue reading “The Weighty Legacy of ‘Furry’ / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”
Ivan Garcia, 22 October 2015 — The Commodore Center Mall, to the west of Havana, is one of the preferred shopping sites for the official intellectual jet set, who from their newsletter launch poison darts against “Yankee imperialism and its cruel economic blockade against Cuba.” But in their private lives they dazzle themselves with products … Continue reading “Cuba: With Hard Currency the Embargo is a Joke / Ivan Garcia”
1898: the United States declares war on Spain after accusing it of the sinking of the battleship “Maine” in Havana harbor. The United States wins and Spain has to give up Cuba. 1901: On June 12, the United States imposes the Platt Amendment which will be incorporated into the first Constitution of Cuba and limits the sovereignty … Continue reading “A Century Of Tumultuous Relations / 14ymedio”
Angel Santiesteban, 17 May 2015 — The latest report from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, confirmed the permanence of Cuba and Venezuela in the “black list” because of violations of those rights “has not changed”. This violation situation has remained in Cuba for decades without any particular interest shown in resolving it, because to … Continue reading “Another Stripe for the Tiger / Angel Santiesteban”
