English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
No blogger, no cry. Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo 1 In the beginning was the Blog. 2 But blogs were formless and empty. 3 Repression was all over the blogosphere. 4 And the citizens saw the blogs were good. 5 So that lacking other channels of expression, the Cuban civil society occupied blogosphere as a tool for … Continue reading “No blogger, no Obama / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
Representatives of civil society meeting in Madrid agree on a set of strategies for 2015 14ymedio, Madrid, 6 March 2015 — Cuban dissidents, gathered in Madrid on Thursday and Friday at the Transitions in Latin American Societies conference, have agreed on a set of actions for 2015.Their proposals include: Implement actions to maintain the demands … Continue reading “Cuban Opposition Prepares its Proposals for the Summit of the Americas / 14ymedio”
Eliecer Avila, 26 February 2015 — After having “conversations” like these, I always ask myself is it is worth the trouble to publish an account of them or not. I do not like even giving these people the impression that I have blabbed about everything. But I also believe not publishing such accounts only hurts … Continue reading “Reentry to Cuba Includes a Conversation with State Security / Eliecer Avila”
14ymedio, Havana, 24 February 2015 — Short-duration detentions increased considerably in Cuba in 2014, according to the annual report published today by Amnesty International. The human rights organization, with headquarters in London, emphasizes that the situation with respect to freedom of expression, association and assembly, infringed on by criminal prosecutions for political reasons, did not … Continue reading “Amnesty International Denounces Increase in Arbitrary Detentions in Cuba / 14ymedio”
Cubanet.org, Roberto Jesus Quinones Haces, Havana, 13 February 2015 — Raul Castro’s government, in spite of rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, continues the work of keeping people from freely accessing the internet. On Monday, January 19 Cubanet published a report about the detention of the young Guantanemero Leinier Cruz Salfran on Saturday, January … Continue reading ““It Is State Policy To Misinform People” / Cubanet, Roberto Jesus Quinones”
Ivan Garcia, Havana, 31 January 2015 — After secret negotiations with his lifelong enemy lasting a year and a half, General Raul Castro seems to have come out ahead early in the game. But Barack Obama has been shrewd. He is playing for the long-term and has a different perspective and strategy. The United States thinks and … Continue reading “Why Raul Castro Will Not Allow Political Discourse / Ivan Garcia”
Looking back on the history of the conflict, Cuba and the United States tried to impose their political philosophies through confrontation only to have them run aground on the negotiating table. They opted for war as a continuation of politics in order to return to politics as a substitute for war. The presidents of both … Continue reading “Rejecting Fidelism and Empowering Citizens / Diario de Cuba, Dimas Castellano”
14ymedio, Elicer Avila, 13 January 2015 – Cuban civil society is often questioned, as are opposition groups, due to their apparent inability to join the masses and pressure the government for necessary changes. All of these questions are not without some truth, and a doubt comes to mind that I would like to share. I am … Continue reading “The Unknown of the Diaspora / 14ymedio, Eliecer Avila”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 16 January 2015 — After so many years of demanding an end to the American blockade, the Cuban government discovered it is not prepared even for the first relaxations which its neighbor to the north has implemented with unprecedented agility. It turns out that the entire scaffolding erected by way of … Continue reading “The Guidelines that Failed / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”
14ymedio, 16 January 2014 – This Friday, almost 300 activists, artists, journalists, academics and trade unionists representing diverse groups within the Cuban opposition presented a roadmap of proposals for what the civil society movement hopes to see beyond the reestablishment of US/Cuba diplomatic relations. The statement by the Forum for Rights and Freedoms was presented … Continue reading “Activists present proposals for the next phase of US / Cuba relations”
The above video is of Yojarne Arce’s protest that eventually led to his arrest. 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, 14 January 2105 — Living in Caimanera is like living on an island within the island. On either side of the highway at the entrance can be read “This is the first anti-imperialist trench in Cuba.” The land … Continue reading “One name on the list / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez”
The decision of the president of United States to reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba, the interruption of which was so negative for the Cuban people, such that everything that happened in the last 53 years is related to this event, especially the setbacks suffered in material well-being, freedom and rights, which returned the country to … Continue reading “The Death of “Fidelism” and the Collapse of the Embargo / Dimas Castellano”
14ymedio, Victor Ariel Gonzalez, Havana, 20 December 2014 — “Now when they lift the blockade …” a student says jokingly to his friends sitting in Mella Park at the University of Havana. His sentence ends mentioning some a problem that has been solved, supposedly, by the foreseeable end to the US embargo on Cuba. The … Continue reading ““Things are not going to change overnight” / 14ymedio, Victor Ariel Gonzalez”
Cubanet, Miriam Leiva, HAVANA, 18 December 2014 — President Barack Obama announced a new direction in US policy toward Cuba, on December 17. The Cuban population has expressed great joy at the news, both within the archipelago and abroad. It is a brave and historic decision, because it provides the opportunity to finally eradicate the … Continue reading “From Discontent to Joy in Twenty-four Hours / Cubanet, Miriam Leiva”
14ymedio, Rosa Lopez, Havana, 19 December 2014 – The semester is ending at the University of Havana, a time when everything shuts down until the middle of January. But this year is different. Expectation runs through the corridors and the central plaza on University Hill, and the high attendance, on days close to Christmas, is surprising. … Continue reading ““This is going to get good” / 14ymedio, Rosa Lopez”
