English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Zunilda Mata, 29 March 2017 — Cuba is experiencing one of the worst droughts of the last half century and its reservoirs are at 39% capacity, a situation that affects the water supply for people, industry and agriculture. Santiago de Cuba is going through the most serious situation, according to José Antonio Hernández, director of the Department of Rational … Continue reading “Santiago de Cuba Hit Hard by Drought”
More details are known about the victims of the Melones explosion in Holguín The alert has been extended to Sancti Spíritus, where helicopters fly over the weapon silos on the Zaza road 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguín, 9 January 2024 — “We are doing what we can.” The response of the authorities is invariable when approaching … Continue reading “Some Relatives of the 13 Missing From the Explosion in Cuba Criticize the Military’s Decision To Delay the Rescue”
14ymedio, Madrid, 28 August 2023 — It is not the first time the provincial daily in Sancti Spíritus, Escambray, is at the vanguard of the most daring official press in its critique of the authorities, and the column published on Monday is, perhaps, one of its milestones to date. The article, signed by one of … Continue reading “An Official Describes the Cuban Ministry of Tourism’s Information Policy as ‘Machiavellian’”
14ymedio, Mercedes García, Sancti Spíritus, 15 February 2023 — Jatibonico’s colossus no longer roars as it used to. Instead of the rattling of its machinery, the Uruguay sugar mill is silent and prepares for the arrival of its new managers, a Russian company that will try to revitalize what in its day was one of … Continue reading “‘The Russians Have Already Arrived’ to Take Possession of One of the Largest Sugar Mills in Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 20 July 2022 — The Felipe Pazos bridge, one of the communication routes between Sagua la Grande and the town of Sitiecito, in Villa Clara, Cuba, collapsed this Tuesday. The structure, declared unstable since the 1970s, presented irreparable damage and a total lack of maintenance. According to official journalist William Surí Martínez, of … Continue reading “Bridge in Cuba Used as a Rice Dryer by Villa Clara Farmers Collapses”
14ymedio, Yunior García Aguilera, Madrid, 16 February 2022 — The Cuban dictatorship laid its foundations on the charisma of Fidel Castro. Beyond what fans or detractors may argue, it is undeniable that the bearded man had qualities for oratory, knew how to channel the frustrations of an era in his favor, and was an unparalleled … Continue reading “Diaz-Canel, a Continuity without Charisma, Historical Weight, or ‘Ashe’”
14ymedio, Mercedes García, Sancti Spíritus, 7 December 2021 — Dozens of people flocked to the Cultizaza facilities in Sancti Spíritus on Monday to collect the shrimp that escaped from a burst tank. “Many people came and took shrimp even in their pockets,” says Yisel, a neighbor of Tunas de Zaza, where the state company develops the cultivation of … Continue reading “Shrimp Farming in Cuba: ‘Many People Came and Took Shrimp Even in Their Pockets’”
14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 29 May 2018 — In recent days the images of two unfortunate events have jumped from one mobile phone to another across the country. First were the videos of the Cubana de Aviacion crash on May 18 and then the films of the floods in the center of the island. In both … Continue reading “A Country Narrated By Its People”
Regina Coyula, Havana, 5 September 2015 — The distinguished researcher Pedro Monreal in his interesting work Social Inequality In Cuba, Triumphal March? which I recommend reading, notes that there is no scientific evidence to support that economic decentralization brings inequality. The inequalities are not the result of economic adjustments implemented in recent years. They are older; only now they are more, … Continue reading “Sketch For A Debate On Inequality / 14ymedio, Regina Coyula”
When a government’s financial figures are in the red, everything takes on new urgency. By now the formulas to address the problem are well-known. Often new tax measures are imposed while bloated public spending is slashed. But if the goal is to attract American dollars, euros or other forms of hard currency, then any reforms … Continue reading “Cuba Opens the Gates to Foreign Capital / Ivan Garcia”
By Antonio Rodiles Introduction The Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party just concluded, leaving a trail of questions to be clarified. Most of the televised debates turned into semantic discussions, while a few dealt with practical mechanisms to achieve stated objectives. Listening to the speeches, which at some moments were limited exclusively to mentioning … Continue reading “Economic Transformations, Property Rights, and Cuba’s Current Constitution / Estado de Sats, Antonio Rodiles”
Serafín, 69, never had toys. For his 8th birthday the gifts from his father were a pick and hoe. He woke him at 5 AM and they went to work in a row of onions. He told him, “If you want your children and grandchildren to have toys, you will have to get it out … Continue reading “Cuban State Responsible for Scarcity of Agricultural, Meat Products / Iván García”
Chilean businessman Joel Max Marambio Rodríguez faces a deadline of August 23rd to appear before the Inspector from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Miguel Estrada Portales. If he does not appear before the time runs, the criminal proceedings initiated against him could proceed to a final judgment of guilt. How does … Continue reading “Agent 007 Is Running Out of Time / Iván García & Laritza Diversent”