Search results for: Battle of Ideas

From Political Violence to Citizen Participation / Somos+, Alfonso Susano

Alfonso Susano, 20 August 2015 — The highest level of conscience is required amongst those who practice politics. On the other hand, the same activity which should promote liberty and creativity of individuals can transform into the worst form of violence and suffering. As the years pass by, various forms of political violence have been … Continue reading “From Political Violence to Citizen Participation / Somos+, Alfonso Susano”

The Landscape Before the Storm / Yoani Sanchez

14ymedio, Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez, 15 June 2015 – Before the downpour there is a scent that crosses the city. It is the premonition of water, the anticipation of the cloudburst. The birds fly to their nests and the most cautious seek a doorway where they can shelter until the rain passes. This impression of … Continue reading “The Landscape Before the Storm / Yoani Sanchez”

“I’m a demon who writes what she feels” / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez

14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 8 December 2014 — Wendy Guerra is a rare bird in a country where everyone is seeking conclusive adjectives and extreme descriptions. Actress, writer, blogger and a Havanan down to her core, she always stands out. We remember her on the TV screen; in the pages of a book her writing … Continue reading ““I’m a demon who writes what she feels” / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez”

Exodus, “Modernization,” Solutions and Demands from Democratic Socialism / 14ymedio, Pedro Campos

We democratic socialists have made many proposals for overcoming “State socialism.” We are ignored in spite of our disposition towards dialogue. The past is not the solution for the present, nor for the future. 14ymedio, PEDRO CAMPOS, 4 November 2014 — It is no secret to anyone that in the last year, Cuba has experienced a considerable … Continue reading “Exodus, “Modernization,” Solutions and Demands from Democratic Socialism / 14ymedio, Pedro Campos”

Who is Filling the University Classrooms? / Yoani Sanchez

Yoani Sánchez, Havana, 2 September 2014 — Born during the Special Period, they have grown up trapped in the dual currency system, and when they get their degrees Raul Castro will no longer be in power. They are the more than one hundred thousand young people just starting college throughout the country. Their brief biographies … Continue reading “Who is Filling the University Classrooms? / Yoani Sanchez”

The Five Grey Years: Revisiting the Term / Ambrosio Fornet

By Ambrosio Fornet / See here for background information on this series of posts. 1 It seemed as if the nightmare was something from a remote past, but the truth is that when we awoke, the dinosaur was still there. We haven’t found out — and perhaps will never know — if the media folly was … Continue reading “The Five Grey Years: Revisiting the Term / Ambrosio Fornet”

Cuban Gamers / Yoani Sanchez

One, two, three and start your computers. The sounds of the microprocessor fans will be heard all night. When the sun comes up the ashtrays will be overflowing, the coffee cups empty, and there will be a winner. They are the Cuban gamers, passionate about video games and engaged in their own tournaments. For years … Continue reading “Cuban Gamers / Yoani Sanchez”

Messages of Desiderio Navarro / POLEMICA: The 2007 Intellectual Debate

Dear Friends and Comrades: Suddenly, more than thirty years after his dismissal, Luis Pavón, ex-president of the National Council of Culture during the euphemistically called “Five Grey Years,” reappeared in the public sphere on nothing more nor less than an entire programme on National Television dedicated to “his cultural impact on Cuban culture.” So, was … Continue reading “Messages of Desiderio Navarro / POLEMICA: The 2007 Intellectual Debate”

My Friend Chepe / Rene Gomez Manzano

HAVANA, Cuba , September, www.cubanet.org – I chose to let a few days pass before writing a few lines about the unfortunate death of the eminent Cuban economist Oscar Espinosa Chepe, in Madrid last Monday. I knew that many colleagues would write about it but was not intimidated by the idea that my possible arguments … Continue reading “My Friend Chepe / Rene Gomez Manzano”

Esbirros* / Fernando Damaso

The word esbirro*, to designate someone who committed acts against human dignity, including torture and murder, sheltered by the impunity of service to the Government, began to be used in Cuba during the dictatorship of General Gerardo Machado, back in the 1930s. In the 1950s, during the dictatorship of General Fulgencio Batista, it was taken … Continue reading “Esbirros* / Fernando Damaso”

When “The Bad Guys” Carry Calculators / Yoani Sanchez

Among the many phrases repeated over and over in the streets of Cuba, there is one that masterfully summarizes the affect of individual interests. Simply saying “they stomped on my callus,” is enough to let us know that they’ve touched someone’s soft spot, a part of himself that will make him jump, protect himself and … Continue reading “When “The Bad Guys” Carry Calculators / Yoani Sanchez”

Interview with Dimas Castellanos

Dimas is second from right. Interview with Dimas Castellanos Marti, historian and journalist. From Havana, Felix Sautie Mederos Por Esto! asks: “Unravel the causes of the crisis our society finds itself in (…) The concept of race as a group of hereditary characteristics seems to lack foundation, as a social construction it has a damaging … Continue reading “Interview with Dimas Castellanos”

On Racism There is Still Much to Discuss / Dimas Castellanos

This past March 23, the prize-winning essayist, critic and literary investigator Roberto Zurbano, who up until this moment functioned as the director of the Editorial Fund of Casa de las Americas, was dismissed from the position.  This measure was taken a few days after the US newspaper “The New York Times,” published an article under the … Continue reading “On Racism There is Still Much to Discuss / Dimas Castellanos”

Very Rare Progressives / Manuel Cuesta Morua

HAVANA, Cuba, August, www.cubanet.org-On July 26 was a strange date for the so-called Latin American progressivism. Rarely have we seen more than ten heads of state trivializing violence in a public act, as if the failed tactics of killing among human beings were the founding myth of a regional model of progressivism. Only President Mujica … Continue reading “Very Rare Progressives / Manuel Cuesta Morua”

Why Isn’t the Dissident Movement Relevant to the Average Cuban

My neighbors think exactly the same way as many in the opposition. They are as unhappy with the government of the Castro brothers as any dissident. Many a night I have to listen to loud complaints and criticisms leveled against the regime of General Raúl Castro. The causes for this disgust are numerous. They vary from the … Continue reading “Why Isn’t the Dissident Movement Relevant to the Average Cuban”