Three Cuban Activists are Detained in Havana for Denouncing July 11th Trials

14ymedio, Havana, 17 January 2022 — Three new trials of July 11th (11J) protesters in Cuba are being held this week. According to a report from Justicia 11J they will take place for 45 defendants in Mayabeque and in Havana. Due to a lack of information from Cuban authorities, civil society organizations and family members of … Continue reading “Three Cuban Activists are Detained in Havana for Denouncing July 11th Trials”

The Revolution Does Not Want To Be Tweeted

Yoani Sanchez, New York Times, Havana, 13 January 2019 — A young man posts images of a flood in Centro Habana on social networks. From the internet come complaints from neighbors who are clamoring for an official response and for repairs to the sewer network. Sixty years after the triumph of the Revolution, Cubans are prohibited from … Continue reading “The Revolution Does Not Want To Be Tweeted”

Kcho in the Hands of Raul Castro / Juan Juan Almeida

Juan Juan Almeida, 23 February 2018 — The well-known plastic artist Alexis Leyva Machado, known as Kcho, an emblematic figure of official cultural, was transferred from the house where he was receiving treatment to fight a severe drug addiction to a holding center to legally prosecute him for being involved in various criminal actions. With the … Continue reading “Kcho in the Hands of Raul Castro / Juan Juan Almeida”

The Intellectual and Power, More Than an Epistolary Relationship

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 25 September 2017 — When leaving the Argos Theater after the performance of Love Letters to Stalin, a good part of the audience needs to shake their heads. Like someone waking from a nightmare, there will be those who, for long minutes, fear that the monsters from the dream might appear around … Continue reading “The Intellectual and Power, More Than an Epistolary Relationship”

Oblivion Awaits The New Party Guidelines / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 18 August 2016 — The tabloid with the updates of the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party Guidelines, is distributed lately without fanfare. The few copies on sale in the newsstands and the majority of people’s lack of interest in official documents, suggest that very soon they will be forgotten. … Continue reading “Oblivion Awaits The New Party Guidelines / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar”

Cuban Faces of 2015: Danilo Maldonado, ‘El Sexto’, Graffiti Artist / 14ymedio

14ymedio, Havana, 29 December 2015 — Irreverent and daring, the graffiti artist Danilo Maldonado, known as El Sexto (The Sixth)—in a satirical reference to the ‘Five Heroes’—organized a performance for Christmas 2014 under the title Animal Farm. In Havana’s Central Park the artist intended to release two pigs on which he had painted the names Fidel and … Continue reading “Cuban Faces of 2015: Danilo Maldonado, ‘El Sexto’, Graffiti Artist / 14ymedio”

Ladies in White Headquarters Surrounded by State Security / 14ymedio, Orlando Palma

14ymedio, Orlando Palma, Havana, 18 December 2015 — On Friday morning, the political police surrounded the headquarters of the Ladies in White in the Havana’s Lawton district, blocking entrance to several activists who arrived for the traditional literary tea held every Friday, as confirmed to 14ymedio by Juan Angel Moya, former prisoner of the Black Spring and … Continue reading “Ladies in White Headquarters Surrounded by State Security / 14ymedio, Orlando Palma”

The Sword of Raul Castro / Luis Felipe Rojas

All said and done, more than half of a list of 53 political prisoners that nobody knows are already free, completely secret and that nobody we ask clarifies for us. Of the fifty who were out, I have the list of 36 prisoners who were surprised to be free again, without formal charges and under … Continue reading “The Sword of Raul Castro / Luis Felipe Rojas”

List of the Political Prisoners Released to date / 14ymedio

14YMEDIO, Havana, 9 January 2015 1. Alexander Otero Rodríguez 2. Alexeis Vargas Martín 3. Ángel Figueredo Castellón 4. Ángel Yunier Remón Arzuaga 5. Anoy Almeida Pérez 6. Aracelio Ribeaux Noa 7. Ariel Eugenio Arzuaga Peña 8. Bianko Vargas Martín 9. Daniel Enrique Quesada Chaveco 10. David Piloto Barceló 11. Diango Vargas Martín 12. Emilio Plana … Continue reading “List of the Political Prisoners Released to date / 14ymedio”

What I Said at FIU / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

Translator’s Note: On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo participated in a panel discussion at Florida International University, in Miami. The program announcement is here. Since the time of the Iron Curtain and Soviet socialism, the word, “solidarity,” has been one of value in anti-totalitarian use. Within the dictatorial models that communists have historically … Continue reading “What I Said at FIU / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”

University (for the Tenacious) / 14ymedio, Henry Constantin, Reinaldo Escobar

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 28 August 2014 — Henry Constantin is a native of Camagüey province, born in Las Tunas on Valentine’s Day, 30 years ago. He has been expelled from university three times for his ideas, but still believes he will obtain his journalism degree. This slender, plain-spoken young man has founded two independent publications … Continue reading “University (for the Tenacious) / 14ymedio, Henry Constantin, Reinaldo Escobar”

Carromero’s Courage / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo

Translated by Alex Higson. From Sampsonia Way Magazine. You must have nearly suicidal courage to accuse Cuban State Security, an offshoot of the Soviet KGB which has thousands of officials and millions of collaborators on and off the island, of a double murder. The accusation comes from Madrid, from Ángel Carromero, of the youth wing … Continue reading “Carromero’s Courage / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”

When You Are King, When You Are Executioner / Regina Coyula

(SGNEWWAVE.COM) I only knew Luis Pavón by reputation. Talking with my husband, Rafael Alcides, and with friends, he was almost never mentioned directly. We talked about “the pavonato,” that dark period that was aired for the first time in the glimpse of freedom we came to call “the little war of emails.” Alcides, for personal … Continue reading “When You Are King, When You Are Executioner / Regina Coyula”

Hoes / Francis Sánchez

Photos: Francis Sanchez I went shopping in search of a hoe. Perhaps it was suddenly suggested to me by the partisan propaganda which always lays a guilt trip on the will of the majority — yeah, the runaway slaves who can’t be allowed to govern themselves — while the saving ideas inevitably fall from above, … Continue reading “Hoes / Francis Sánchez”

“In the environment of Yoani Sanchez, there are people who have an African hatred for me.” / Iván García

On May 5, Liu Santiesteban, from Havana but living in Spain, sent seven questions to Ivan for an interview in his blog, Todo el mundo habla (The Whole World Talks). Ivan does not like to be interviewed, he said that journalists are for interviewing, not being interviewed. But a week later, he sent back the … Continue reading ““In the environment of Yoani Sanchez, there are people who have an African hatred for me.” / Iván García”