English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Graffiti, a term that comes from the Italian “graffio” meaning “scratch,” has existed since the dawn of humanity. We see it in the cave paintings of Lascaux, in France. Our ancestors marked the walls with bones and stones and left us their testimony. Also, in ancient Greece and the ruins of Pompey texts have appeared … Continue reading “Graffiti and Scathing Flyers / Eugenio Leal”
“Corrupt lawyer and judge. Raúl Castro, help me. Unjust eviction.” Unfortunately, in Cuba anybody with a Communist Party ID, a title that gives them a substantial amount of power, and personality disorders that will predispose them to abuse their authority, can conspire against any defenseless citizens and strip them of their property. If there are economic … Continue reading “Conspiring With Impunity / Rosa Maria Rodriguez”
Photo A.Betancourt Venuto al Mondo (Twice Born), a film by Sergio Castellitto, with magnificent performances of Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch, based on the novel by Margaret Mazzantini where fratricidal war broke out in Sarajevo, serves as a backdrop for a personal drama, whose central theme is frustrated motherhood. A young Italian woman visiting some … Continue reading “Venuto al mondo (Twice Born) / Rebeca Monzo”
Once again it is the first of May, once again the Plaza is filled, slogans that will never be accomplished, unattainable challenges, huge flags carried as if over coffins, people raising their fists and shouting against the ghosts of fear, and above, on the tribunal the tribunes, the Caligulas of this empire waving their arms … Continue reading “Another Fateful May 1st / Agustin Lopez”
Just days before Angel was moved illegally and by force from La Lima prison, where he was incarcerated for crimes he did not commit, and when we are still without news of him except that he was locked in the 1580 Prison, or The Pitirre, in San Miguel del Padron, on a severe regime, well … Continue reading “Prison Diary XII: The Birth of a Dissident / Angel Santiesteban”
“Without a strong union there will be no economy,” said Salvador Valdes Mesa, vice president of the Council of State and member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in the recently concluded plenary session of the National Union of Sugar Workers. An approach which clearly expresses the vision of unions as … Continue reading “Are There Unions in Cuba? / Dimas Castellanos”
Photo: Peter Deel The country’s leading authorities continually talk about the need to save resources and use the limited ones that are available for important issues, to support development and help in solving the many existing problems and overcoming the shortages. Undoubtedly, it is a fair demand, but it would be even more so, if … Continue reading “If They’re Serious About Saving / Fernando Damaso”
By Maria C. Werlau She came in through the visitors’ entrance after passing the security check. When she pushed through the revolving door into the grand hall, standing there alone, I greeted her with pretended formality: “Welcome to the United Nations.” The hall was packed with Model UN students. A distance back, an unofficial “welcome … Continue reading “Cuban blogger “citizen Yoani” takes the UN / Maria C. Werlau”
Some official, unofficial and foreign media outlets have been subject to a certain government manipulation, serving as an echo chamber by focusing special attention on the fight against corruption, which seems to have the become the principal challenge facing the Cuban president. It was for this reason that in 2009 he created the office of … Continue reading “Degeneracy Among Cuban Military Officers/ Juan Juan Almeida”
Five years after Cuba’s representative signed the United Nations Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the situation with regards to fundamental rights in Cuba remains precarious. The violation of fundamental rights is not only a part of the repressive apparatus of the State, but our national legislation itself … Continue reading “The United Nations Covenants, Five Years Later / For Another Cuba, Estado de SATS”
This video links to this post, and is posted here to provide the video with an English transcript. Transcript in English We can also combine efforts against drug addiction, as proposed in the last two days of this meeting, and illicit drug trafficking. It was stated here yesterday that there are drugs in every countries … Continue reading “Video of Raul Castro saying “There are no drugs in Cuba””
In his book The Social Contract–one of the most influential works of political theory of the 18th century–the French writer, Jean Jacques Rousseau, proposed the following theory: The union of persons to protect their well-being emanates from a general will that transforms the parties to the contract into a collective political body. The exercise of … Continue reading “Elections and Citizen Sovereignty / Dimas Castellano”
A careless vote is a right lost, and indifference in voting the prelude to despotism. Jose Marti. “Patria.” N.Y. April 16, 1893. “The elections of April 10.” “This past Sunday, October 21, municipal elections were held in Cuba.” To foreigners who don’t know or don’t follow our affairs, this might look like encouraging news; but … Continue reading “Democratic Aberration or Amputation of Rights / Rosa Maria Rodriguez Torrado”
Sandy’s passing across the eastern provinces and the catastrophic consequences have left me with the following questions: Why must all solidarity by necessity pass through government channels? Why don’t the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs) ask their members to bring support to the offices of each Zone? Why doesn’t the Federation of … Continue reading “Solidarity Bureaucratized / Reinaldo Escobar”
More than half of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) of Havana did not celebrate their 52nd anniversary of September 27-28. This celebration was marked at 90% only in the central and eastern zones of the country. September 27 was celebrated in anticipation of the September 28 day of the 52nd anniversary of the … Continue reading “Havana neighborhoods reject the Cuban government by not celebrating the 52nd anniversary of the CDRs / Anddy Sierra Alvarez”