English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
On Saturday September 11th at 11:29 a.m. Cubacel sent me a message to my cell phone: “To love justice is to defend the five …” As Cubacel is a communications company the slogan seemed too political to me, almost surreal as it is referred to the Cuban spies of the Wasp Network, convicted in the … Continue reading “Five Prisoners of the Castro Regime / Miguel Iturria Savon”
14ymedio, Havana, 12 September 2023 — Hundreds of thousands of Cubans watched this Monday, in the middle of the darkness, the Electric Union (UNE) page on Facebook to stay informed about the prolonged blackout they endured when, suddenly, the electricity company itself shared a post and a promotional video that infuriated users. “Tonight, after the … Continue reading “Cubans Return to a Hellish Night of Prolonged Blackouts Throughout the Country”
14ymedio, Madrid, 23 November 2022 — Hundreds of people approached the Casa de América in Madrid on Wednesday, where the funeral chapel of Pablo Milanés, who died early Tuesday, was installed. The musician, as confirmed to 14ymedio by family sources, will be buried near the Spanish capital, in the cemetery of Las Rozas. At the foot … Continue reading “Cuban Singer-Songwriter Pablo Milanes Will Be Buried in the Las Rozas Cemetery, Near Madrid”
14ymedio, Havana, 17 December 2021 — Cuban troubadour Vicente Feliú died at the age of 74 this Friday in Havana due to a heart attack, according to the official media. The singer-songwriter was performing at the Music Museum when he suffered a medical emergency that he did not survive, sources close to the artist confirmed … Continue reading “The Official Troubadour Vicente Feliu Dies in Havana”
14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, 1 March 2018 — Yojany Pérez, known as Mamerto, has afro style braids, piercings and likes extreme sports. He works fixing air conditioners and also has his own business making candy, which he delivers around Havana at top speed on his skateboard, wearing a T-shirt with the word ‘Libertad’ on it. Mamerto, … Continue reading “The ‘New Man’ Travels Havana on a Skateboard”
Ivan Garcia, 1 February 2018 — “What concerns me most right now is to finish building the room for my eldest daughter who plans to give birth to a girl at the end of February,” confesses Eduardo, the warehouse manager of a bakery west of Havana, as drives along in his uncomfortable and tiny Fiat made … Continue reading “Elections and the Future Cuban Government / Iván García”
Cubanet, Miriam Celaya, Havana, 31 January 2018 — These days, one of the famous “five heroes” of Cuba, René González (61 years old), has once again achieved prominence in the social networks. This time, however, his renewed notoriety is not related to the honors of his past glories when – like his four companions – … Continue reading “Snubbed / Miriam Celaya”
14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, 15 May 2017 — The artist Danilo Maldonado, known as ‘El Sexto’ (The Sixth), announced his desire to reside in the United States, although he will remain attentive to what happens in Cuba to be able to denounce the arbitrary detentions. Maldonado, whose girlfriend, Alexandra Martinez, is a US citizen, declined to respond … Continue reading “‘El Sexto’ Will Stay In The US But Will Continue To Fight Against Arbitrary Detentions In Cuba”
14ymedio, Miriam Celaya, Havana, 26 November 2016 — The official media have just announced the last and definitive death of Fidel Castro, and I think I have perceived more relief than bereavement in the mournful message. If I were a religious person, I would feel at least a tiny bit of grief, but that is … Continue reading “The Ancient Dictator Died Long Ago / 14ymedio, Miriam Celaya”
14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, 1 October 2016 — Their names are barely known, but now they find themselves in the middle of acts of political reaffirmation and facing police interrogations. They are young people between the ages of 16 and 18, high school and polytechnic students who participated in the World Learning program by attending a summer … Continue reading “Cuban Youth From US ‘World Learning’ Course Find Themselves Amid Slogans And Fear / 14ymedio, Mario Penton”
14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, 26 February 2016 – Last night in Miami Danilo Maldonado (known as ‘El Sexto’, The Sixth), was able to show off the pigs Raul and Fidel, which cost him ten months in prison in Cuba. The opening of the exhibition “Pork,” at the Market Gallery in Miami Beach this Thursday, included … Continue reading “‘El Sexto’ Exhibits the Pigs That Sent Him to Jail in Cuba / 14ymedio, Mario Penton”
Moooooo (White Udder) 14ymedio, Boris Gonazales, 7 October 2015 – My son will be seven years old this Thursday, October 8. For decades, seven has been the age chosen by Fidel Alejandro Castro and maintained by his brother Raul Modesto for Cubans to stop drinking milk. Every ten days a Cuban child under age 7 receives 2.2 pounds … Continue reading “Children Without Milk / 14ymedio, Boris Gonzalez”
14ymedio, Cienfuegos, 26 June 2015 – The activists Emilio García Moreira and Alexander Veliz García have begun a hunger strike in the town of Aguada de Pasajeros, in Cienfuegos, to demand that the Ladies in White be given unrestricted access to the local parish. Juan Alberto de la Nuez, the provincial coordinator of the opposition … Continue reading “Cienfuegos Activists Begin Hunger Strike Because Ladies In White Are Not Allowed To Attend Mass / 14ymedio”
Fernando Damaso, 26 June 2015 — The five spies, transformed by decree into “heroes,” have proved quite expensive, both to the Cuban people and the American taxpayers. First, it cost to train, relocate, and “plant” them” in the United States to carry out their espionage work. Second, it cost to discover, prosecute, and sentence them to … Continue reading “Living Off Others / Fernando Damaso”
Ivan Garcia, 30 June 2015 — In a maximum-security prison in Texas, more than 900 miles from Cuba, Ana Belén Montes, former Pentagon military-intelligence analyst, is serving 12 years, incarcerated with some of the most dangerous women in the United States. She shares a cell with a disturbed housewife who strangled a pregnant women to … Continue reading “Ana Belen Montes, The Spy Unknown in Cuba / Ivan Garcia”
