English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Today, while I publish this text, thousands of students from Havana are sitting in front of their Mathematics exam. The schedule for admission to the University has had to incorporate a new test date for this subject, after a scandalous case of fraud. The leaking and selling of the questions ended with the cancellation of … Continue reading “Reaping the Whirlwind / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez”
The image of the island has been abused in our national imagination. The island as isolation, as continental abandonment, as lyrical gentleness, as the least firm of the earth, as origin and teleology, as unsinkable (unbearable) cork, as poetic cause of the measure of all things. Cuba can be this and much more, surely. But … Continue reading “Images of the Day Before / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
Osvaldo Rodríguez Díaz Guided by low-flying vultures, three young men, who moments before had been cutting wood on the mountain in order to build a fence, found the remains of a cow, which 24 hours earlier had been stolen and killed by unknown rustlers. Though they could smell the odor of meat exposed for a … Continue reading “Ignorance Hurts / Cuban Law Association, Osvaldo Rodriguez Diaz”
If, from the island, a person wants to read about the rusty North Korean freighter Chong Chon Gang, where the Cuban regime was caught with obsolete Russian weaponry, they must pay 4.50 CUC an hour — ten days of a worker’s wages — in one of the 118 Internet rooms opened on June 4. They … Continue reading “Cuba Maintains Silence About North Korean Ship / Ivan Garcia”
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”
If you want to learn how Cuban laws discriminate on religious grounds, read the last post published by Cubalex: Yaremis Flores, Attorney at Law According to Cuban law, religious belief is not a justification for avoiding Military Service. Specifically, Circular No. 129 of the Governing Council of the People’s Supreme Court states that “young members … Continue reading “Military Service and Religion in Cuba / Cuban Legal Advisor, Yaremis Flores”
A lengthy editorial in Granma on Tuesday marked the beginning of legal proceedings for murder against Angel Carromero. The 27-year-old Spaniard, deputy secretary general of The People’s Party New Generation, Carromero was driving the car in which the regime opponent Oswaldo Paya and the activist Harold Cepero were killed. Also slightly injured in the crash … Continue reading “Ángel Carromero, Driver of the Car in Which Payá and Cepero Died, Charged with Murder / Yoani Sánchez”
Through a method of stupidity and propaganda, Cuban television usually goes beyond us. What to do about it, though? We are not perfect. However, this past Saturday April 21st, during the morning cartoons, many of us were shocked at what we saw. It was a short cartoon for kids, with the same title as this … Continue reading “Charo: The Snitch / Luis Felipe Rojas”
It’s almost like a premonition, but backwards. After ascending a few steps over the heads of the citizens, those who’ve been dismissed by the regime have to walk down the small mountain they though they had climbed. One step forward, and three steps back, or to the side. It’s like a dance, but it’s as … Continue reading “Dismissed / Luis Felipe Rojas”
By now we’re used to the newspaper Granma, which excessively highlights one piece of news and omits another. Of course, it’s the official organ of the government and the Communist Party, which owns it and therefore decides what is reported and how. However, it’s difficult to accept the fact that the media is used to … Continue reading “The Official Press, a Sedative for Change / Laritza Diversent”
We’re used to the daily paper, Granma, emphasizing some news and omitting other. After all, it’s the official organ of the Communist Party. The party owns it and, therefore, decides what and how it reports. It’s difficult, however, to accept that the media is used to propagate a culture of fear and repression. Looking for … Continue reading “Just imagine Amaury Pérez Saying “I have an antenna” on Cuban Television / Laritza Diversent”
Revolutionary justice is extremely rigorous: it punishes illegal exit or plans to hijack a boat. The law also gives a more severe punishment to someone who kills a cow than to someone who commits murder. However, such intransigence is left aside when dealing with misconduct by a government official. Raúl Castro, in his last speech … Continue reading “Political Immunity / Laritza Diversent”
Written by: Yadaimí Domínguez Faced with the delay of the Attorney General of the Republic, his refusal to modify the terms of custody and to violate the terms provided in the law, my brother started a new hunger strike on December 30 with only four months of recovery from another that lasted 107 days. In … Continue reading “The Pitcher Can Only Go To The Well So Many Times Before It Breaks / Yamil Domínguez”
CUBA: DR. OSCAR E. BISCET CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER AND PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE January 2010 “I say to my brothers in exile, the international community and the Cuban people that I feel kidnapped only for defending the right to life and the right of all Cubans to live in freedom. REMEMBER I WILL NEVER BETRAY A … Continue reading “Oscar Elías Biscet”
Following the release of 21 political prisoners, the Cuban government insists on reminding the dissidents and independent journalists that they will continue their repressive policies. On the morning of this past August 9th, Military Counterintelligence and State Security agents summoned independent journalist Iván García for an interview. The official summons is one of the means … Continue reading “Island Authorities Serve Notice That They Will Not Stop The Repression / Laritza Diversent”