English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Listening to the discussions in the Culture and Media Commission of the recently ended 8th Cuban Writers and Artists Union (UNEAC) Congress, I was struck by the criticisms of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRTV) for their programming–which according to some delegates demonstrate Yankeephilia–and their few national offerings. I imagine that if it … Continue reading “The Accused in the Dock / Fernando Damaso”
Miriam Celaya, Havana, 28 March 2014 – On Saturday 29 March 2014 the Cuban Parliament “will debate” in a special session period the new Foreign Investment Law, another desperate attempt by the regime to attract foreign businessmen who choose to risk their capital and ships where those of others have already been shipwrecked. This time … Continue reading “Cuba for Foreigners / Miriam Celaya”
The New Container Terminal at the Mariel Special Development Zone There is no economy without liberty The last visit by the Brazilian ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to the Mariel Container Terminal, accompanied by the dictator Raul Castro — in order to learn of the advances of the large-scale work carried out thanks to … Continue reading “If this country needs a “Revolution” it is not in industry but in Human Rights / Angel Santiesteban”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, February 11th, Rogelio Sierra Diaz, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, reported that the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) had authorized the European Commission and the EU’s senior representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton, to begin negotiations on a political dialogue and cooperation agreement with … Continue reading “Cuba and the European Union: A Change of Tone and a New Dynamic / Dimas Castellano”
The new container terminal in the Mariel Special Development Zone. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan Not a thousand ports like Mariel and its development zone will be able to enliven the Cuban economy. A government which for more than half a century uses a great part of its finances to prepare for a war that never arrived, and … Continue reading “No Effort Will Perk up the Cuban Economy / Angel Santiesteban”
Taking advantage of the presence of foreign journalists, politicians, investors and numerous visitors on the occasion of the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, in the days leading up to it and even during the summit itself, the Cuban government has deployed a massive publicity campaign, using all the available … Continue reading “The Latest Gamble / Fernando Damaso”
Photo by Rebeca Cuban authorities, instead of promoting the country’s development in a diversified manner, by applying science and intelligence to serious, systematic, and responsible work, have always gone about it by constant improvisation, betting on this or that economic factor that could resolve all the problems in one go. That is, they tend to … Continue reading “Siren Songs / Fernando Damaso”
Photo: Rebeca For several years the Cuban economy has come up with some strange processes which raise questions and cause us to think. On the one hand there is talk of an interest in attracting foreign investment to jump-start the economy. Some of these investments — those from Russia, China, Vietnam, Brazil and Venezuela — … Continue reading “Strange Processes / Fernando Damaso”
With regards to the adoption of the Mariel Special Development Zone Decree Law, it comes to mind that this idea of trying to solve the problems of the country not in a global way, but by creating regions and special plans, has been a tendency of the authorities since their earliest days in power. We … Continue reading “Partial Solutions / Fernando Damaso”
HAVANA, Cuba, October, www.cubanet.org — Raul Castro has repeated constantly that errors are the greatest enemy of the Revolution, those that have been committed and new ones that may be committed. Nevertheless, he does not speak of the political changes necessary for correcting those errors, since the so-called reforms are not enough, particularly because of … Continue reading “No Remedies, Political Changes / Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello”
14ymedio, Havana, 18 November 2022 — Although the Cuban Government has emphasized this year the need to raise foreign capital for sectors in extreme emergency, such as food, agriculture and transport, the bulk of its offers return to the usual: tourism. Of the 708 businesses that are part of the new portfolio of opportunities, there … Continue reading “The Cuban Government Seeks More Than 3 Billion Dollars in Investments for Tourism / 14yMedio”
14ymedio, Havana, 10 November 2022 — Few revelations were made this Wednesday night on Cuban State TV’s Roundtable program dedicated to the Havana International Fair, which opens next Monday at Expocuba. The appearance on the program of the Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, raised the expectation that some of the … Continue reading “Cuba Informs Foreign Investors that it Will Pay Its Debts to Them ‘Gradually’”
Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, July 22, 2021 – No one should be deceived. The Spanish or Italian tourist who travels to Cuba for pleasure and vacation has as much interest in the current political situation on the island as those legendary Swedes who came to Spain in the 60s in search of sun, sand, and the … Continue reading “Cuba: There is No Time Left, You Have to Act”
Elias Amor Bravo, Economist, 19 March 2021 — The Cuban communists have decided not to settle for applying the absurd ideas they have regarding economic affairs within the island, but now, whenever they can, they try to impose them in international forums when they have the floor. Exactly what they do not do in Cuba … Continue reading “The Public and Private Debate and the Cuban Communists”
14ymedio, Havana, August 10, 2020 — The increase in Covid-19 cases in Cuba requires taking drastic measures not only in Havana but also in other zones of the Island that are affected by the resurgence, especially in Camajuaní, Artemisa and Pinar del Río. The Cuban Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal, said on television … Continue reading “New and Drastic Measures to Control the Pandemic in Havana, Camajuani and Pinar del Rio”
