English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The first three months of 2014 and part of April have stood out for the now traditional practice of the government use and abuse of congresses, symposia, fairs, assemblies, etc, from which emanate, almost always, two messages: one for abroad and another for the boring local citizens. The 20th Congress of the Cuban Workers Center … Continue reading “First Trimester of 2014 / Rafael Leon Rodriguez”
HAVANA, Cuba – On April 12, 2003, media throughout the world carried the news of the execution of three young Cubans for their involvement in the hijacking of the Regla-based ferry, the “Baraguá.” They were trying to flee the country and get to the United States. Leftist newspapers, sympathetic to the Cuban regime, tried to justify … Continue reading “Eleven Years Since the Regla Ferry Hijacking / Lilianne Ruiz”
The lawyer, Veizant Boloy, and the journalists Roberto de Jesús Guerra and Julio Aliaga have presented before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights denunciations about the permanent violations of human rights of the independent journalists, and explained how the persecution of information professionals operates. They have shown the Commission the video of the detention of … Continue reading “Serious Denunciations Before the IACHR: Human Rights Situation of Journalists in Cuba. The Santiesteban Case”
If Fidel and Raul Castro should be delegates to the UNEAC Congress again, we can predict right now that it will be a copy of the previous, which, viewed from a distance, did not achieve any social scope, saving to mitigating development, destroying illusions and win the trust of power with opportunistic statements. All those … Continue reading “UNEAC: A VIII Congress Like the Previous / Angel Santiesteban”
The New Container Terminal at the Mariel Special Development Zone There is no economy without liberty The last visit by the Brazilian ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to the Mariel Container Terminal, accompanied by the dictator Raul Castro — in order to learn of the advances of the large-scale work carried out thanks to … Continue reading “If this country needs a “Revolution” it is not in industry but in Human Rights / Angel Santiesteban”
Dissident blogger completes year in detention Published on Friday 28 February 2014. Reporters Without Borders reiterates its call for the release of Angel Santiesteban-Prats, a writer who completes a year in detention today and who began a blog in 2008 called Los hijos que nadie quiso (The Children Nobody Wanted) that was openly critical of … Continue reading “Reporters Without Borders Calls for Angel Santiesteban’s Release”
If the European Union only recommends that its chief of diplomacy, Catherine Ashton, “talk” with Havana’s dictatorship, it won’t serve any purpose other than to understand one more time that totalitarian governments cannot transform themselves nor do they want to. Nevertheless the Foreign Ministers have approved “opening up negotiations for a bilateral agreement.” Negotiating with … Continue reading “Cuba and the European Union: Oil and Water / Angel Santiesteban”
The Second CELAC Summit ended in Havana this January 29th with more pain for Cuban protestors and the population than glories for the anti-democratic authorities, despite the praise received by the hosts of the for the most part satisfied and grateful visitors from Latin America and the Caribbean. A few leaders from the hemisphere saved … Continue reading “Community of Latin America and Caribbean States / Rafael León Rodríguez”
At the request of Angel Santiesteban I am publishing here the letter sent by the well-known poet and writer Francis Sanchez, in which he attached an article he wrote. The Editor Angelito: I don’t know if you can open your mail, if you can read this message. I just want to say: Be strong “boy,” … Continue reading “Francis Sanchez: Smoke Signal for the Release of Angel Santiesteban”
Remarks of human rights advocate Rosa Maria Payá on why Cuba should not be elected to the UN Rights Council, delivered at UN headquarters on November 4, 2013, at a press conference organized by UN Watch and the Human Rights Foundation. Transcript: On September 20, the Cuban government declared, in the Human Rights Council, that … Continue reading “Rosa Maria Paya Speaking to UN Watch / Rosa Maria Paya”
Poster: Rolando Pulido Luis Leonel León: The Black Eyes of Rosa María Payá From El Nuevo Herald The magazine “People en Español” chose her as one of the 25 most powerful Latin women. On a list that includes Jennifer López, Sofía Vergara, Kate del Castillo, Lupita Jones, Paulina Rubio, Doctor Polo and other celebrities across … Continue reading “The Truth in the Gaze / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
The Calzada de Jesús del Monte (Jesus of the Mountain Roadway), now known as the Calzada de Diez de Octubre (Tenth of October Roadway), begins at Esquina de Tejas (Texas Corner) as an extension of Calzada de Infanta (Princess Roadway). It extends to Entroque de La Palma (La Palma Link), where it splits into Calzada … Continue reading “The Longest Roadway / Fernando Damaso”
Antonio Castro, son of the bearded man who governed Cuba for 47 years and nephew of the president hand chosen by his brother, told U.S. channel ESPN, “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that our baseball players leave the country to go play in the best league in the world.” Tony Castro, of course, … Continue reading “Antonio Castro, or the Diplomacy of Baseball / Ivan Garcia”
HAVANA, Cuba, November www.cubanet.org – Last year the regime institutionalized non-agricultural cooperatives through Decree-Law No. 305 and its associated rules. There are now more the 56 institutions of this type. In principle, the legal statute is questionable, because it’s a rule dictated by the totalitarian power regardless of existing constitutional provisions . In Article 20 … Continue reading “Non-Agricultural Cooperatives: New Deception / Ernesto Garcia Diaz”
[The following is from Stanford University, originally in English] November 1, 2013 – Program on Liberation Technology In the News Cuban blogger uses technology to break information blockade By Sarina A. Beges On October 28, Cuban blogger and dissident Yoani Sánchez addressed a crowd of over 100 during a special event hosted by the Program … Continue reading “Yoani Sanchez at Stanford University”