Havana Court Summons Panamanian Firm’ Joint Venture Partner in Rio Zaza / Laritza Diversent

The Economic Chamber of the Court of Havana issued a summons to the Panamanian corporation Ingelco S.A., to appear and answer the lawsuit within sixty working days from March 28, 2012. The notice, issued on March 23, 2012 by the Supreme Court and published on the 27th of that month in the Official Gazette of … Continue reading “Havana Court Summons Panamanian Firm’ Joint Venture Partner in Rio Zaza / Laritza Diversent”

Humiliating, Brutal and Cruel Treatment / Laritza Diversent

Laura Álvarez Rojas, a Cuban woman resident in South Africa, in less than nine months lost two of her loved ones. Her brother, Alberto Álvarez Rojas, a resident in the island, died last March 13th, in a car accident in that country. “When I had not yet recovered from the pain of losing my mother, … Continue reading “Humiliating, Brutal and Cruel Treatment / Laritza Diversent”

Conviction / Laritza Diversent

Once Cuban trials have declared a person’s guilt, they then order the destruction of incriminatory evidence. Jesús Daniel Forcade Portillo, 29 years of age, and Ramón Echevarría Fernández, 40, were punished with 35 years in prison for the assassination of the jeweller Humberto González Otaño in the early morning of 14th September 2010, whilst they … Continue reading “Conviction / Laritza Diversent”

Rafters Defenseless Before the Whims of the Captain of the Port / Laritza Diversent

Julio Cesar Rifa and Roger Pupo Fariñas are completely without legal defense and they have no way to remedy this situation. There is no lawyer to be found who wants to oppose the Captain of the Port of Havana for harm wrought against their legitimate rights On the 17th of December of last year, the … Continue reading “Rafters Defenseless Before the Whims of the Captain of the Port / Laritza Diversent”

State Security Initiates Criminal Procedures Against Sonia Garro / Laritza Diversent

Sonia Garro Alfonso, a member of the Ladies in White and the Afro-Cuban Independent Foundation, was transferred to the women’s prison in Havana and will be processed by the investigative body of State Security, according to her sister, Yamile Garro, who informed this reporter on Tuesday. Sonia, in a note, managed to send the file … Continue reading “State Security Initiates Criminal Procedures Against Sonia Garro / Laritza Diversent”

Mothers of the Accused Threatened in the Case of the Jeweler / Laritza Diversent

This last March 23rd, two officials of the Department of TerritorialInvestigations (DTI) and the military Counterintelligence, respectively, threatened the mothers of the mother of Jesus Daniel Forcada Portillo and Ramon Echevarria Fernandez, who have been sentenced to 35 years in prison for murder, with a worsening of the case of their sons because of signs … Continue reading “Mothers of the Accused Threatened in the Case of the Jeweler / Laritza Diversent”

The Same But Different / Laritza Diversent

Pedro Valerino Acosta, 28, son of Pedro and Corina, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Humberto Gonzalaz Otano, a jeweler in the neighborhood of San Miguel del Padron in the capital, a process that also resulted in sentences for 5 other people. He had no criminal record, but he didn’t participate in … Continue reading “The Same But Different / Laritza Diversent”

The Court Passes Sentence in the Case of The Murdered Jeweler / Laritza Diversent

The Havana Court notified Maite Alonso Campanioni, wife of one of the 6 accused of killing Humberto Gonzales Otaño, a jeweler in San Miguel, last March 12, of the verdict which imposed sentences that ran between 2 and 35 years in jail. According to the sentence, Pedro Valerino Acosta, 29, came up with the idea … Continue reading “The Court Passes Sentence in the Case of The Murdered Jeweler / Laritza Diversent”

#PapaCuba To Your Holiness Benedict XVI / Laritza Diversent

Your Holiness Benedict XVI: I did not intend to write about your visit, but your arrival in Cuba is an event that marks the history of this nation. Not only because the successor of Peter accompanies us on the pilgrimage of the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, patroness of Cuba. But for the wave of … Continue reading “#PapaCuba To Your Holiness Benedict XVI / Laritza Diversent”

Don’t Defend Anyone / Laritza Diversent

Twin brothers, sixteen years old, Yordi Emmanuel and Yoan Damian Pardo Contrera will be tried in court, charged with “Public Disorder”. Both were arrested by police officers of the Fourth Unit of Cerro when they suppressed a “regrettable and fanatic reaction of the public”, spectators attending a baseball game between the “Industriales” and “Pinar Del … Continue reading “Don’t Defend Anyone / Laritza Diversent”

Caridad Seeks Justice for Her Sons, Detained for More Than a Month, After a Brawl Between Ball Players in El Latino Stadium / Laritza Diversent

Josefa Caridad Contrera Mequeira, mother of 16-year-old twins Yoan Damián and Yordi Emmanuel Pardo Contrera, seeks clemency from authorities. The adolescents have been detains since last February 1st, after an altercation between players on the teams Industriales and Pinar del Río in the stadium Latinoamericano in the capital, which unleashed a violent reaction from the … Continue reading “Caridad Seeks Justice for Her Sons, Detained for More Than a Month, After a Brawl Between Ball Players in El Latino Stadium / Laritza Diversent”

Prison Rule: A Dead Letter / Laritza Diversent

Yaremis Flores. Raul Rodriguez Soto serves his sentence in the Prison of Guanajay. Although, according to relatives, the evidence was insufficient to confirm his guilt, Raul has already served seven years of a thirty year sentence, which was imposed for the crime of human trafficking. The head of the Prison, named Joaquin Darias, forces the … Continue reading “Prison Rule: A Dead Letter / Laritza Diversent”

Tracey Eaton’s Interview with Laritza Diversent

Tracey Eaton, a Florida-based journalist, has been traveling to Cuba for a long time, and more recently has been undertaking a series of interviews with Cubans ranging all across the ideological spectrum. He has now begun the work of subtitling these videos in English. Here are links to Tracey’s blogs/sites: Along the Malecon; Cuba Money … Continue reading “Tracey Eaton’s Interview with Laritza Diversent”

Guilty by Conviction / Laritza Diversent

Humberto Gonzales Otaño 56 years old, a jeweler in San Miguel, died violently on the morning of September 14, 2010. Two men entered his home while he and his wife slept. On 28 November the Court of Havana tried six “marginals” from Mantilla, one of the poorest neighborhoods of Havana, accused of organizing and executing … Continue reading “Guilty by Conviction / Laritza Diversent”