English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 30 May 2017 — If something is clear in the work of Jesus Hernández- Güero is that he is not a complacent artist. His transgressive look is insolent and unrelated to any political militancy, religious creed or commercial convenience. The artist raises sparks everywhere: in Cuba where he was born and in Venezuela … Continue reading “Jesus Hernandez-Guero Or The Art Of Provoking”
14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 5 May 2017 — Uncensored, fun and with many varied themes — this defines the producers of the paketito (little packet), a new compendium of audiovisual material that aims to fill the gaps left by the popular weekly packet. Unlike its predecessor, which is made and distributed publicly, the paketito lurks in the … Continue reading “The ‘Little Packet’, A Clandestine Rival For The ‘Weekly Packet’”
Statement from Miguel Coyula and Lynn Cruz 15 April 2017, 8:00 PM, Havana: Cuban State Security and Police blocked the street leading to the Gallery El Circulo in Havana in order to prevent the audience from attending the screening of Miguel Coyula’s independent film Nadie, which depicts the story of the Cuban Revolution through the … Continue reading “Cuban State Security and Police Prevent Screening of Independent Film in Havana”
Note: The video above is not subtitled but the excerpts from Nadie here are subtitled. 14ymedio, Luz Escobar, Havana, 16 April 2017 – Cuba’s State Security and the National Revolutionary Police surrounded the independent gallery El Círculo to prevent this Saturday’s screening of the documentary Nadie (Nobody), directed by Miguel Coyula and featuring the censored … Continue reading “State Security Prevents Screening Of Miguel Coyula’s Documentary ‘Nadie’”
14ymedio, Havana, 30 January 2017 — The documentary Nobody, by Cuban director Miguel Coyula, has won the award for Best Documentary in the Tenth edition of the Dominican Global Film Festival (FCGD). The poet Rafael Alcides stars in the documentary and develops “an imaginary conversation with Fidel Castro” culminating in the death of the former president last November. … Continue reading “‘Nobody’ By Miguel Coyula Wins Best Documentary Prize in Dominican Republic / 14ymedio”
Ivan Garcia, 3 May 2016 — One morning in 1996, the poet and journalist, Raúl Rivero, Director of the press agency Independent Cuba Press, called me at home in Víbora, to ask me to cover the trial of a dissident in a municipal court in Cerro. The reporter, Ariel de Castro Tapia, (presently living in … Continue reading “Cuban Alternative Journalism: Challenges and Commitments / Iván García”
Regina Coyula, 3 March 2016 — A consular official, in a flying interview lasting barely five minutes, told my husband he was not eligible to travel to the United States with a non-immigrant visa. According to the document he was given, my husband was not able to demonstrate that his proposed visit was consistent with … Continue reading “The Functionary and the Poet / Regina Coyula”
Fernando Damaso, 2 December 2015 — Once again we residents of Nuevo Vedado have had to suffer the incompetence and irresponsibility of the “Tree Destruction Brigade” from the Electric Company. Without the least knowledge of what it means, they “prune” them, leaving just a trunk with two or three branches that look more like arms … Continue reading “A Deplorable Example / Fernando Damaso”
Cubanet, Jorge Luis Gonzalez Suarez, Havana, 21 September 2015 – The last time I spoke with Naty Revuelta by phone, she said, “I fell and I can’t go out alone any more. I’m here at home all the time, come whenever you like.” I never saw her again alive. Shortly afterwards came the news of … Continue reading “Naty Revuelta, Fidel Castro’s Lover / Cubanet, Luis Gonzalez Suarez”
Ángel Santiesteban-Prats, 17 May 2015 — Any good Cuban should visit the tomb of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas, one of the greatest defenders of liberty and justice in the history of Cuba. His name is inscribed, in its own right, in the pantheon of Cuban heroes. I even heard the national intellectuals mention his name with respect, … Continue reading “Homage to Oswaldo Paya / Angel Santiesteban”
Cubanet, 20 May 2014 | Miriam Celaya HAVANA, Cuba.12 years ago I read a beautiful article by poet and writer Rafael Alcides in honor of the Republic’s centennial. He titled it “The Sleeping Princess”, a metaphor enfolding the yearnings of many Cubans who prefer to believe that our Republic, with so much sacrifice of several … Continue reading “May 20th: The Witch’s Curse / Miriam Celaya”
To the wall! To the wall!* HAVANA, Cuba, March, www.cubanet.org – Luis Cino Alvarez – A worthy poet who has known how to confront decades of ostracism, Rafael Alcides, wrote, “Regrets and hopes for a new jailed writer.” After the letter by Alcides, email notes of support signed by various writers in favor of … Continue reading “Selective Ignorance: The Women Writers of UNEAC / Luis Cino Alvarez, Angel Santiesteban”
Photo: Luis Felipe Rojas This is the question many are asking after the events at the “Protestdrome,” where the Cuban musician Roberto Carcassés let loose with good things. The first thing that happens in these cases is a silence that is scary … the repressed and repressor (for different reasons). Although they haven’t taken physical … Continue reading “Where is Robertico? / Luis Felipe Rojas”
Alcides and Carlos When one goes over to the “dark side of the Force,” a social radioactivity alienates many friends. It’s sad, it can even be humiliating; as compensation, wonderful people appear. Carlos contacted me by mail just over a year ago. Through the communications interfaces of the Internet, he knew that I was married … Continue reading “Mergers and Acquisitions / 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”
