English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, 17 June 2022 — The social pressure cooker is about to explode. This kind of thing has not been seen in Cuba since the time of the maleconazo. Unexpectedly, Díaz Canel appeared along with other senior officials of the regime and directors of the sector, simultaneously on Cubavisión, Cubavisión Internacional … Continue reading “The Blackout is the Essence of the Cuban Communist Revolution”
14ymedio, Havana, 6 April 2022 — Reuters reports that, in the first four months of 2022, Cuba imported 22,000 barrels of crude oil and gasoline from Venezuela, far less than it previously had, and is struggling to make up the difference. Gas stations seem to be operating normally for now but the country still needs … Continue reading “Less Petroleum from Venezuela but Cuban Gas Stations Are Still Operating”
14ymedio, Havana, 3 April 2022 — Cuba’s Electric Union (UNE) has announced breakdowns in the electrical service due to the “unforeseen exit” of several generation units in the Felton thermoelectric plants in Holguín, and the Diez de Octubre plant in Nuevitas, Camagüey. In addition, it is working “to guarantee the stability of this service in … Continue reading “Cuba’s Electric Union Announces Blackouts and Projects ‘Stable’ Service in the Summer’”
14ymedio, Madrid, 28 March 2022 — The Cuba-Petroleum Union (Cupet) justified this Saturday the shortage of gasoline and diesel by the 20% increase in consumption in March compared to January and February. The statement from the state monopoly adds that the demand grew up to 65% last week, which led the authorities to ration fuel … Continue reading “Cuba’s State Fuel Company Attributes the Shortage to a 65 Percent Increase in Demand”
14ymedio, Havana/Madrid, 23 March 2022 — Despite the fact that the Havana authorities prohibited the sale of fuel in containers on Wednesday, some Cupet service stations ignore it and, without making much effort to go unnoticed, offer the service to customers. According to this newspaper, the employees arrange the hose so that it seems that … Continue reading “Despite the Prohibition, Havana Service Stations Dispense Fuel in Containers”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 24 March 2022 — In Cuba, the telecommunications services of the state monopoly Etecsa stopped working this Thursday morning for about an hour, a problem that the company attributes to an energy failure and that increases uncertainty about the capacity of the Island’s National Electric System. “Etecsa informs that due … Continue reading “An ‘Energy Failure’ Cuts Off the Internet in Cuba for Almost an Hour”
14ymedio, Havana, 24 October 2021 — Multiple organ failure ended the life of of Alejandro Ferrás Pellicer last Friday, at the age of 99. He was one of the last living assailants at the Moncada barracks, according to the official press. His body will be cremated and his ashes will be exhibited on October 27 … Continue reading “With the Death of an Assailant of the Moncada Barracks, the End of Cuba’s ‘Historical Generation’ is Accelerated”
14ymedio, Havana, September 21, 2021 — After so many articles about “improved maintenance at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, after so many promises,” this is what they come out with. That was the reaction of one customer, Valette, to an announcement that most of central Cuba would be without power starting at 5:24 on Tuesday. … Continue reading “Cubans Losing Patience after Another Outage at the Island’s Main Electric Power Plant”
14ymedio, Havana, 19 September 2021 — It’s the story that never ends,” says Leonardo, one of many people affected by the island’s ongoing power outages, in response to the explanation offered by Unión Eléctrica (UNE), the state power company. On Sunday morning UNE director Lazaro Guerra claimed power had been completely restored but warned that … Continue reading “Ongoing Blackouts, the Story that Never Ends in Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 8 August 2021 — “I haven’t been able to sleep all night, moving the fan so my child can rest,” Heidy Vázquez, from the Aguada de Pasajeros municipality in Cienfuegos, comments to this newspaper, speaking about a blackout that lasted six hours due to technical failures they are affecting the whole country. In the midst … Continue reading “Cuba’s Electric Union Announces Countrywide Blackouts”
14ymedio, Havana, 17 May 2021 — The faults in the thermoelectric plants that, according to the authorities, caused the blackouts reported throughout the island last week, have now been repaired. “The electrical workers worked hard to solve the breakdowns in several plants in the country and achieve stability in power generation,” the State newspaper Granma published … Continue reading “The Power is Back On But Cubans Remain Concerned About Blackouts”
Fernando Damaso, 15 August 2018 — The supposed historic right of the current Cuban Communist Party is fairly questionable. In the first place, it is not the continuation of the Cuban Revolutionary Party (PRC), founded by José Martí to organize and carry out war against Spain for Cuba’s independence, which, according to its statutes, ceased … Continue reading “A Supposed Historic Right / Fernando Dámaso”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 4 February 2017 — Colombia’s sugar mill whistle sounded again at the end of January, like a giant awakened from a seven-year-long lethargy. The residents in the area breathed a sign of relief: the driving force behind the local economy seems to be the sugar mill, but technical and organizational problems … Continue reading “Colombia Sugar Mill, A Giant That Is Slow To Wake Up / 14ymedio, Luz Escobar”
Cubanet, Frank Correa, Havana, 18 September 2015 – Many stories of the struggle in the Sierra Maestra against the Batista government survive into oblivion, like its protagonists. Tomasa Guerra, 92, a native of Palma Soriano, wasa messenger, cook and sometimes guide for the “Antonio Guiteras” Column 9, under the command of Comandante Huber Matos, one … Continue reading “The Stigma Of Having Fought Alongside Huber Matos / Cubanet, Frank Correa”
Former commander of the Cuban revolution Huber Matos Benítez, one of the most important figures of the opposition to the regime of the Castros, died early Thursday morning in a Miami hospital, reported his organization Independent and Democratic Cuba (CID). He was 95. Matos (born in Yara, Granma province, on November 26, 1918) had been … Continue reading “Former Commander Huber Matos Dies”
