English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Ariel Hidalgo, Miami, 2 October 2021 — Since the Cuban people have finally conquered freedom, since true liberation begins in the human spirit, it is time to start laying the foundations of the New Cuba. Those who still believe that they govern the country, ignorant that no one governs without the consent of the governed, … Continue reading “Let’s Lay the Foundations of the New Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 6 September 2021 — The artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, who has now spent 53 days in prison, was charged with new crimes on Monday. The curator Claudia Genluí, a member of the San Isidro Movement (MSI), reported that Otero Alcántara is now being accused of public disorder, instigation to commit a crime and … Continue reading “Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara is Charged With New Crimes”
EFE, via 14ymedio, Miami, 3 August 2021 — U.S. Senators from both parties approved on Monday the naming of the Washington street in front of the Cuban Embassy in honor of the late Cuban opposition leader Oswaldo Payá (1952-2012). Cuban-American Senator Marco Rubio said yesterday that the change pays “a tribute to the life and … Continue reading “The New Address of the Cuban Embassy in Washington is Oswaldo Paya Way”
14ymedio, Havana, 27 March 2021 — Spain’s Popular Party (PP, currently in opposition) in the municipality of Fuenlabrada, located in the Community of Madrid, will present a motion in April to ask the city government to change the name of the street dedicated to Ernesto Che Guevara. The PP proposes to replace it with the name of “healthcare professionals … Continue reading “New Controversy in Spain Around a Street Dedicated to ‘Che’ Guevara”
14ymedio, Havana, 18 June 2020 — The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) believes that the chapter dedicated to Cuba in the Annual Report on Human Rights of the European Union (EU), released this week, is a step forward in the European approach to the situation on the island. In a statement released Thursday, the OCDH highlights that the … Continue reading “New EU Human Rights report, a Step Forward in Approach to Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 5 June 2020 — In a report on human rights in Cuba, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)* expressed disappointment that the new constitution, ratified in 2019, has preserved the one-party regime that has ruled the island for six decades. The organization, which has not issued a report like this in thirty-seven … Continue reading “IACHR Describes Constitutional Reform as a Lost Opportunity”
Cubalex, Lic. Julio Alfredo Ferrer Tamayo, 13 November 2019 — Unfortunately, in the Cuban legal context, there is no Constitutional Tribunal, or, to put it another way, there are no constitutional guarantees. Along with many lawyers, non-lawyers, and legislators as well, I was hoping for a change. Along with other colleagues, I had confidence in the … Continue reading “I Have No Confidence in the Cuban Constitution / Cubalex, Julio Alfredo Ferrer Tamayo”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 22 December 2019 — Along with the appointment of Manuel Marrero Cruz as prime minister, the deputy prime ministers were also appointed this Saturday and the holders of six government portfolios were renewed. In total, 19 ministers were ratified in their posts, including the most important, such as the Interior and … Continue reading “Cuba’s New Ministers: Obey Blindly or Dare to Innovate”
14ymedio, Elías Amor, Valencia | 6 November 2019 — Cuban entrepreneurs cannot catch a break. The regime does not want the independent economy to flourish in Cuba, not even during critical times like right now, when the productivity of the private sector has clearly demonstrated to be superior to the economy under communist control. Gaceta Oficial … Continue reading “Government Unveils New Measures to Control Cuba’s Private Sector”
14ymedio, Havana, 7 October 2019 — For the second time in less than a month the independent press of Cuba has united in a complaint. This time it is a declaration signed by almost twenty digital publications and in which they denounce the repression against reporters while demanding respect and protection for the exercise of … Continue reading “A New Declaration Calls on Cuban Government to Respect Press Freedom”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 14 June 2019 — With no political campaigns, no diversity in platforms and no secret votes at the beginning of the process, Cubans could begin electing their representatives under the new Electoral Law that must be approved no later than October. Thursday, the newspaper Granma published an interview with Orisell Richards Martínez, professor at … Continue reading “Mute Candidates and Deaf Voters, Cuba’s New Electoral Law”
Cubanet, Miriam Celaya, Havana, 12 April 2019 — As implausible as it may seem, 60 years after its arrival in power, the Castro regime has not yet been able to legitimize itself. The self-awareness of the nature of its bastard lineage is reflected with particular force in the persistent insistence of inventing associations of historical … Continue reading “Cuban Constitution: A False Legacy / Miriam Celaya”
14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, February 26, 2019 — The preliminary results from the referendum on the new Constitution confirm what was expected: that the new Constitution was going to be approved by the majority and that the process was going to make clear the increase in citizen dissent by putting a number to that group … Continue reading “2.5 Million Cuban Voters Distance Themselves From the Constitution”
EFE, via 14ymedio, Miami, February 25, 2019 — Opposition and Cuban exile organizations called on the international community today to declare the process of constitutional reform in Cuba invalid and to ignore the official results of the “fraudulent” referendum of Sunday. Rosa María Payá, the leader of the Cuba Decides movement, told EFE that the process … Continue reading “Cuban Exile in Miami Urges a Declaration of ‘Void’ for the Constitutional Referendum in Cuba”
Iván García, 28 January 2019 – When they saw that a ramshackle GAZ 52 Soviet-era truck was parked at the entrance to the Monaco market, in the neighborhood of La Víbora, south of Havana, and began unloading boxes of eggs, a long line quickly formed. The crowd, made up of housewives, retirees, workers in the area … Continue reading “Cuba: Constitutional Referendum, Food Shortage And Social Unrest / Ivan Garcia”
