English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
I haven’t heard that in the last half century someone has managed to bring posters with “politically incorrect” messages to the May Day parade. I don’t doubt it’s been tried; I even believe that with a good dose of ingenuity some brave soul raised a banner with second or third readings. But for this celebration, … Continue reading “The Invisible Posters / Reinaldo Escobar”
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”
In addition, the $30 tourist health fee will be waived and payments in euros and Canadian currency will be authorized. 14ymedio, Havana, 1 May 2025 — With a list of proposals that promise “different times” for the Cuban tourism sector, on Wednesday Prime Minister Manuel Marrero opened the International Tourism Fair (FitCuba). Transactions in Canadian … Continue reading “China Will Manage a Hotel in Cuba, Among Measures To Try To Revive the Tourism Sector”
The problem is due, among other reasons, to the fact that only 13 of the 25 asphalt plants are functioning 14ymedio, Havana, July 27, 2024 –In Cuba there are “quality problems in road repairs, and a lack of discipline and organization in interventions.” The euphemisms to disguise the unfortunate state of Cuban roads – and … Continue reading “The Minister of Transport Describes an Alarming Situation for the Roads in Cuba”
The regime’s proposal to buy from farmers did not prosper due to the shortage of products 14ymedio, Havana, July 24, 2024 — The Cuban Government’s inability to meet the demand for the most basic products also affects its trading partners. The large hotel companies installed on the Island have had to import, for years, part … Continue reading “Given the Low Quality of Food in Cuba, the Spanish Hotel Company Meliá Will Import Its Products”
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”
