English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Lately, the Cuban dictatorship has stepped up the persecution and harassment of internal dissidents and of activists of peaceful projects who lay claim to rights that belong to all of us. Arrests, searches and mobs that are egged on against those Cubans devoted to civil resistance have become daily events throughout the Island. As an … Continue reading “The Solidarity that Unites Us / Miriam Celaya”
Literary spaces There are five moments in your literary career that I want you to talk about, trying to salvage the most important details, those details of each success that would mold you into being the writer you are now, or those other moments that made you open your eyes to the harsh reality that … Continue reading “Interview of Cuban writer Ángel Santiesteban Prats by Amir Valle – Part 3 of 4”
“The responsibility of Cuban writers, more than ever, is to protest, to make their disagreements public.” For more than a decade, starting with invisible struggles that happened during literary events that were taking place in Cuban literature in the 90’s, the name of Angel Santiesteban was mentioned several times, but always strangely linked to the … Continue reading “Interview of Cuban writer Ángel Santiesteban Prats by Amir Valle – Part 1 of 4”
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25:40 In those years of UMAP*, when Mr. Jaime Ortega was one more in the concentration camps, no one would have imagined that the last but most important mission of what some still … Continue reading “The Missions of the Cardinal / Mario Barroso”
An open letter is circulating around the web these days. The letter was written by cinematographer Ismael de Diego and addressed to Camilla Vallejo, the Chilean communist student who recently visited Cuba as a guest of the Union of Young Communists. Of course, we Cubans don’t know what sources of income the organization might have … Continue reading “Solidarity with Rafael / Miriam Celaya”
It is possible that the maximum leader of the Catholic Church doesn’t know that when he officiates at the public mass in Civic Plaza* in Havana on March 28, he will not only be offering his blessing to the people of Cuba, but also sealing the first act of Revolutionary Reaffirmation called by the Cuban … Continue reading “Mass of Revolutionary Reaffirmation / Miriam Celaya”
For example, the Cuban Church’s magazine Palabra Nueva (New Word) could be more combative and summon the faithful to the battle to receive Pope Benedict XVI. They should also call the more convinced militant Catholics to be in the front line of battle to defend the conquests of Cardinal Jaime Ortega, and to intercept, with … Continue reading “Adapting the Language of Religion / Miriam Celaya”
A press release signed by Orlando Márquez Hidalgo was published in Granma under the title “Havana Bishopric Calls the Occupation of the Temple Illegitimate*” (Thursday March 15, 2012, page 2.). This is merely a genuine sermon from the director of the popular magazine of the Archdiocese of Havana, Palabra Nueva, against thirteen dissidents who remain … Continue reading “The Protest of Thirteen Others / Miriam Celaya”
I write most of my posts purely from my opinion, I lack the experiences of people who spend more time outside. I have many reasons for not spending more time outside, but the main one is that I have always tended to retire, to stay inside. The day passes quickly for me, waiting, waiting, we … Continue reading “Postcards / Lilianne Ruíz”
A debate encounter sponsored by the Catholic digital publication Espacio Laical took place on Saturday, October 29th, 2011. The agency EFE, the leading Spanish news agency, reported the event in a very laudable manner, as published on October 30th on the digital site Cubaencuentro. The report states that “The new role that the Catholic Church … Continue reading “Between the Gun and the Cassock / Miriam Celaya”
If Mr. F had not been slowly but surely morphing in his living flesh for the past five years, it could be argued that he is now going through another of his many deaths. The first, accompanied by a Proclamation signed by the pre-deceased himself, was the most shocking, because it had the effect of … Continue reading “Dying Often, or a Pre-mortem Epitaph / Miriam Celaya”
“Life is worth nothing if I ignore that the assassin took a different path and is preparing another ambush.” – Pablo Milanes When I retrospectively analyze my pastoral relationship with Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia, I discover that neither international forces or media campaigns were interested in him. Instead, God, who is never neutral before the … Continue reading “Divine Providence and the Assassination of Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia / Ricardo Medina”
Click to view slideshow. Katia Sonia Martín Véliz, Eastern Coordinator of the Cuban Independent and Democratic Party, delivered a Constitution Proposal at noon on July 21, to the People’s Power National Assembly in the name of the National Executive Committee of the CID. The proposal of the Constituent Assembly is the fruit of months of … Continue reading “Cuba Independent and Democratic Party Delivers Constitution Proposal to Cuban Parliament / Ricardo Medina”
Ciro Diaz, 33, guitar player for the group Porno for Ricardo and musical producer, had all the ingredients to be a jet setter of the Revolution. He was born and raised in the heart of a family who listened to Fidel Castro’s long speeches and went to the Revolutionary celebrations cyclically generated by the olive … Continue reading “Ciro Diaz, Guitar Player for Porno Para Ricardo / Iván García”
One of the most common attacks from the official spaces against the alternative bloggers revolved around our supposed malicious interest in silencing the “achievements” of the Revolution. With regards to the issue of health, the scoldings bring up a point. The altruism of the so-called solidarity–referring primarily to the medical brigades serving in other countries–has … Continue reading “The Good Fortune of Beggars / Miriam Celaya”
