English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 4 August 2022 — “People here are not used to these blackouts,” a woman said aloud when leaving the market on 19th and B on Wednesday. Known in the capital as the food boutique, this store stands out for always being well stocked, especially compared to others found all over … Continue reading “Power Cuts ‘Blackout’ the Best Supplied Markets in Havana”
14ymedio, Havana, 4 August 2022 — In the last week, dengue fever infections in Cuba increased by 35.5% compared to the previous week, and the prediction is for the same with the advance of August, due to “vacation, rain and intense heat, which makes the situation very complex.” By the end of July, dengue had … Continue reading “The Situation of Dengue Fever in Cuba is ‘Complex’ and Will be More Complicated in August, Acknowledges Public Health”
14ymedio, Havana, 3 August 2022 — The economic and social situation in Cuba serves as the pulse for a country going downhill while the regime, rather than opting for reforms and immediate solutions, bets on greater control and vigilance, as it has done historically. In several zones of the capital, they have announced an “assembly … Continue reading “Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) Attempt to Revitalize Themselves Amid the Crisis in Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 2 August 2022 — The relatives of the 11J (11 July 2021) prisoners detained this Monday outside the Cathedral of Havana are accused of public disorder. After midnight, the niece of one of the detainees confirmed that all the women had already been released. Liset Fonseca, mother of Roberto Pérez Fonseca; Marta Perdomo, mother of Jorge … Continue reading “Relatives of ’11J’ (July 11th) Prisoners Detained in Havana Accused of Public Disorder”
14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, 2 August 2022 — With all that is going wrong in Cuba, the state press doesn’t miss an opportunity to transmit a false sense of normality that, far from being confirmed, leads to thinking just the opposite. Constantly in the Castro regime, there is talk of “people’s power” everywhere, without … Continue reading “Entertaining People with Popular Control: The Castro Regime Has No Remedy”
14ymedio, Frank Calzón, Miami, 29 June 2022 — Press reports indicate that the Cuban government is encouraging foreigners to invest in what it calls “private companies” as a means of dealing with the country’s food shortages, blackouts, dengue outbreaks and ongoing protests. It is not yet known when these measures will take effect or if … Continue reading “Havana’s Fears and Unrealistic Expectations”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 29 June 2022 — Félix B. Caignet, considered the founder of radio soap operas, also wrote children’s songs and was an opponent of the first dictatorship suffered by Cubans. Among his contributions is the musical theme known as El ratoncito Miguel [Miguel Mouse], which, in the time of Gerardo Machado, resulted … Continue reading “Miguel Mouse, ‘Che’ Guevara and Marianao’s Jokers”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 1 August 2022 — Fidel Castro had not yet assaulted the Moncada barracks in Santiago de Cuba when, in communist Germany, on June 17, 1953, the people took to the streets to protest against the system that, eight years later, that future assailant implanted in Cuba. The Germans who rejected socialism … Continue reading “The ‘Misunderstanding’ of the Cuban People”
14ymedio/EFE, Havana, 28 July 2022 — The Electric Union of Cuba announced on Thursday a deficit of up to 20% in the energy supply, after three days of relative stability during the official holidays on July 26. The deficit this Thursday will be 17.9% in prime time, with an availability of 2,502 megawatts (MW) and … Continue reading “As August is About to Begin, the Electricity Supply is Still Ailing in Cuba”
14ymedio, Elias Amor Bravo, Economist, 31 July 2022 — Cuba’s State newspaper Granma wants to leave behind this month of July, of accumulation of anomalies for the regime, with some news that aims to mean a return to normality. Not so much to justify that 10.9% GDP growth that Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Fernandez said … Continue reading “Cuba, Summer 2022: Clay for Children or a Vaccine Against COVID-19?”
14ymedio, Havana, 30 July 2022 — The Felton thermoelectric power plant, located in Mayarí (Holguín), once again becomes a stressor for the Cuban government. This Thursday, a breakdown in the boiler of unit 1 caused its exit from the National Electrical System, while unit 2 remains disabled due to the large fire suffered at the … Continue reading “Felton, Cuba’s Largest Power Plant, Closes Again Due to a Breakdown”
EFE/14medio, Havana, 30 July 2022 — The Cuban Ministry of Public Health detected 4,776 reactive cases of dengue fever in the third week of July (17-23), more than the 3,036 registered in the entire first semester, the Presidency reported in a statement this Friday by official media. Reactive cases are understood as tests in which … Continue reading “Cuba Detects More Cases of of Dengue Fever in One Week Than in the Entire First Semester of the Year”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 28 July 2022 — Cuban sidewalks are the scene of a good part of daily life on the Island. Taking the stool out of the house to get around the long blackouts, waiting for hours on the curb for our turn to come in a line, or setting up in … Continue reading “Cuba’s Sidewalks and Colonnades Are a Market for Old Junk”
14ymedio, Havana, 28 July 2022 — The Mario Muñoz Monroy hospital, in Colón, Matanzas, has been forced to open two rooms of 60 and 20 beds respectively to accommodate the “significant number of admissions” that dengue fever is bringing. On Wednesday, the official newspaper of the province, Girón, reported an increase in fever consultations that … Continue reading “Dengue Fever Puts the Cuban Health System to the Test Yet Again”
14ymedio, Havana, 26 July 2022 – – The day started off complicated in the editorial office of 14ymedio in Havana. Several members of the team awoke to no internet connection and started to look for alternative ways to reach their readers. They concluded, with resignation, that the reason for this was that Etecsa [the Cuban State … Continue reading “In Spite of the Disastrous Situation in the Country, President Diaz-Canel Only Sees Successes in Cuba”
