English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
MAY DAY – Even Karl Marx would be surprised at the only parade of slave workers HAVANA, Cuba – All the official media is in a raging fanfare summoning to “the united people’s great mobilization which will take place in squares and avenues” this May 1st. Cymbals and trumpets are pleased with the wild benefits achieved … Continue reading “There’s Nothing to Celebrate / Miriam Celaya”
The first three months of 2014 and part of April have stood out for the now traditional practice of the government use and abuse of congresses, symposia, fairs, assemblies, etc, from which emanate, almost always, two messages: one for abroad and another for the boring local citizens. The 20th Congress of the Cuban Workers Center … Continue reading “First Trimester of 2014 / Rafael Leon Rodriguez”
Taken from OnCuba, by Cecilia Crespo In November last year, the French channel France O aired the documentary “The Marble Cow” by the renowned critic and film producer Enrique Colina. It was only shown once in Cuba, during the last International Festival of New Latin-American Cinema held in Havana. Some days ago, a Spanish friend … Continue reading “Enrique Colina: Utopian Obstinacy Turns Dreams into a Nightmare / Wendy Iriepa and Ignacio Estrada”
With a cloudy sky and rough seas which were dangerous for small craft, last Wednesday the 18th the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba approved, as if by chance, the import of new and used cars into the country. Dear God, they arranged the same media distraction when, in 1997, just before the … Continue reading “How They Banned Christmas in Cuba / Juan Juan Almeida”
HAVANA, Cuba, December, www.cubanet.org – Many Havanans are confused and outraged that the government is eliminating constructions added without permits from the Institute of Physical Planning. After allowing them for decades, the withdrawal of authorization of thise privately-constructed buildings now is creating a very serious conflict, one more in the severe housing crisis in the … Continue reading “Government Orders Added Buildings Demolished / Reinaldo Emilio Cosano”
When February began, the mass media (radio, television, print) began to promote the parties of King Momo. The whole city was infected by the expectations of such a grand celebration. Old and young used to enjoy these festivities so much that they were always celebrated in this month, for four weekends, leading up to Lent. … Continue reading “Havana Carnival, Another Lost Tradition / Rebeca Monzo”
As a young girl, I wanted to study journalism, entirely for the romantic idea to follow in the tracks of my grandfather, a decent Cuban who from the jungle in The Free Cuban and then from The World and Bohemia made me feel proud of my name. A proud lady with the last name of Nuiry, … Continue reading “Apprehension of the Press / Regina Coyula”
Published in the second edition of Cuadernos de Pensamiento Plural, April 2013. People cannot live without history. On the 160th anniversary of the birth José Martí, “the crowning figure of Cuban political thought,” his ideas, instead of being used to solve the serious social problems that afflict Cuban society, continue to be manipulated in order to validate … Continue reading “The Philosophy of Marti versus the Totalitarian Model”
Photo: Rebeca A month ago I wrote about the motto that will preside over the May Day celebration in Cuba: United for a Prosperous and Sustainable Socialism. I thought anyone with half a brain would realize the absurdity of that and would recommend replacing it with something more palatable. This didn’t happy and today, a … Continue reading “Mottoes and Slogans / Fernando Damaso”
Four decades after taking power through revolution in 1959, the factors which made totalitarianism in Cuba possible have reached their limit. The populist measures imposed during the first years after the revolution were accompanied by the dismantling of civil society and a process of government takeover which began with foreign-owned companies and did not end … Continue reading “An Assessment of the Cuban Government’s Management Over the Last Six Years / Dimas Castellano”
A paper presented at an event sponsored by the Christian Workers Movement, which took place on Saturday, September 13 in Havana, entitled ” The Role of Christian Workers in Today’s Globalized World.” Alongside the effects from globalization, Cuba is immersed in a profound structural crisis, a crisis of character. This is evidenced by economic inefficiency, … Continue reading “The Role of Christian Workers In Cuba Today / Dimas Castellano”
People tend to repeat actions and strategies that were successful, be it as individuals or as groups. Even governments, such as Cuba’s, sometimes show little creativity and don’t escape this facile practice of repeating and “taking hold” of well-used — and sometimes abused — tactics. Thus, through the years, we have witnessed how from campaign … Continue reading “Repeating Failure / Rosa Maria Rodriguez Torrado”
I owe this vignette to my friends Agnes and Cecile, in Toulouse. They came to San German a couple of years ago, right when Hurricane Ike had ravaged a good part of the north-eastern geography of Cuba. The strong winds had left the entire area on end, all over the place. They climbed up on … Continue reading ““The Colossus” from the Roof of my House / Luis Felipe Rojas”
On March 13, 1968, Fidel Castro, in one of his miles-long speeches, announced to the Cuban people what he called “the Revolutionary Offensive*.” In reality, it had nothing revolutionary about it, on the contrary, it was an essentially counterrevolutionary measure intended to eliminate the urban petty bourgeoisie. And with it to eliminate one of the … Continue reading “Do You Remember the Revolutionary Offensive of 1968? / Haroldo Dilla Alfonso”
According to the latest official figures, the 2011-2012 sugar harvest (still unfinished) will amount to only 1.4 million tons, similar to that of the year 1895 in the 19th century, when the War of Independence against Spanish rule began. It doesn’t seem like 117 years have passed! In other economic lines the failures, like the … Continue reading “From Failure to Failure / Fernando Dámaso”
