English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Iván García, 9 November 2015 — One warm evening in September, a scrapping brigade arrived from Habaguanex* and, in a little more than two hours, dismantled the aluminum tubes and awnings of three open-air bars on the Avenida del Puerto, where Havanans and tourists drank beer or ate fried chicken among the ambling musicians and prostitutes … Continue reading “Cuba: Waiting and Hoping for the Cruise Ships / Ivan Garcia”
Ivan Garcia, 26 September 2015 — Let’s climb aboard a time machine. Into the future, of course. By now, Raul Castro has given up the throne. His son Alejandro has been tried for abuse of power, financial corruption and violations of human rights. Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez-Callejas, the Cuban Martin Borman, has fled with a … Continue reading “Cuba 2019 / Ivan Garcia”
Ivan Garcia, 21 June 2015 — When Berta Soler, leader of one of three splinter groups of the Ladies in White, convened a referendum on her continued command of the organization following a scandal in Fall 2014 regarding alleged verbal abuse of a member, it marked a milestone in dissident circles – more so for … Continue reading “Transparency, Honesty and Free Information: Exotic Ideals in Cuba / Ivan Garcia”
Cubanet, 19 March 2014 –A son-in-law of Cuban leader Raul Castro, in charge of the military businesses that dominate the economy on the island, has risen to general, according to a report today in the south Florida’s El Nuevo Herald. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Callejas, barely over 50, who for a long time has been identified … Continue reading “Raul Castro’s Son-in-Law Rises to General”
For a long time there have been countless comments within the circle of Cuban power, where the name of the cunning and not-at-all innocent Colonel Luis Alberto Rodrigues Lopez-Calleja persists, as the “Czar of the Military Economy.” A fictional creation, a legend. So today, February 24, instead of writing about this group of brave men … Continue reading “The Powerful Ex-Son-in-Law of Raul Castro, Exiled / Juan Juan Almeida”
For a business relying on foreign capital to succeed in Cuba, it is essential to create a web of friendships with influential people in the government. Everyone knows how you cultivate these relationships. With good whiskey, gourmet meals and especially with thousands of convertible pesos. For ten yearsRómulo (not his real name) was the right-hand … Continue reading “Doing Business in Cuba Is Like Surfing Rough Seas / Ivan Garcia”
Some people in Cuba are already placing bets. Everyone knows that within five to ten years power could change hands. The unknowns are whether the successor will have the last name of Castro, and if the inefficient political and economic system will be preserved. Raúl Castro crafted a law limiting time in political office to … Continue reading “On the Day After, Who Could Replace the Castros? / Ivan Garcia”
