English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Ricardo Fernández, Camagüey, 29 January 2018 — The ice cream parlor Copellia in the city of Camagüey has become an empty passageway between two main streets. Only the occasional passerby wanders into the empty building to access the Italian restaurant and three small shops on the floors above. At midday the employees take advantage of the calm hour … Continue reading “Two Months Without Coppelia Ice Cream in Camaguey”
14ymedio, Havana, 1 February 2018 — Spain’s People’s Party (PP) demanded the “immediate release” of Eduardo Cardet, leader of Cuba’s Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), claiming in a statement that the Cuban dissident was imprisoned in November 2016, “arbitrarily and under terrible conditions.” The request of the political party, currently at the head of Spain’s government, … Continue reading “Spanish People’s Party Calls for Immediate Release of Cuban Dissident Eduardo Cardet”
14ymedio (with information from agencies), 24 January 2018 — The United States and Cuba addressed bilateral cooperation on the issues of irregular migration and drug trafficking in two new technical meetings held this Monday and Tuesday in Florida. The meetings coincided with the publication of figures from the US Department of Customs and Border Protection, showing that in … Continue reading “US and Cuba Address ‘Irregular’ Migration in New Meetings”
This video, unsubtitled, is of Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba’s first vice-president. The text before the video begins reads: “More censorship and fewer entrepreneurs is the message Miguel Diaz-Canel delivered to Party cadres last February at special conference.” EFE via 14ymedio, Havana, 22 January 2018 — On Sunday, the 168 Municipal Assemblies of Cuba’s People’s Power nominated their … Continue reading “Cuba Nominates Candidates for Parliament Who Will Elect Castro’s Replacement”
14ymedio, Marcelo Hernandez, Havana, 29 November 2017 — The buildings pass by, a piece of blue sky, trees and some newspaper stands. Through the window of the only all-electric bus running through Havana, the city seems different. “This is the future,” the driver tells the passengers of the vehicle that serves route 18 between the Palatino terminal … Continue reading ““Yes, It’s Really a Bus””
14ymedio, Mario Penton, Miami, November 24, 2017 – The new immigration law which takes effect this Wednesday in Brazil could benefit hundreds of doctors who have escaped from the Mais Medicos (More Doctors) mission in this country. According to André De Santana Correa, a lawyer who represents 80 doctors from the Island who abandoned their … Continue reading “A Lawyer Sees Salvation in Brazil’s New Immigration Law for "Deserter" Doctors”
14ymedio, Marcelo Hernandez, Havana, 9 January 2018 — “Did you buy the bread?” The shout comes from a balcony and is directed at a woman walking along a street in Havana. “The bread,” “the rice” or “the coffee,” with the article in front, always refers to the products that are sold through the ration book, an … Continue reading “Living in Cuba Without a Ration Book”
14ymedio, Havana, 9 January 2018 — The ravages of Hurricane Irma on Cuban agriculture have left a serious impact on the sugar sector that will influence the results of the upcoming harvest. With some 835,000 acres of cane fallen and broken, in addition to another 227,000 flooded, 45% of the sown cane was affected, according to … Continue reading “Cuba’s 2018 Sugar Harvest At Risk Due to a Shortage of Cane in the Fields”
Juan Juan Almeida, 28 November 2017 — The first seven Russian TGM 8 locomotives arrived in Cuba last week as part of a questionable railway development project that includes another 28 by 2018. Cuba’s primary official media from the Granma newspaper to the Cubadebate site and the Russian Sputnik reported the arrival of the first seven of 15 locomotives in a lot that will … Continue reading “New Locomotives in Cuba: Investment, Waste or Corruption? / Juan Juan Almeida”
EFE/14ymedio, 7 January 2018 — In 2017, more than 1.07 million travelers from the United States arrived in Cuba, which represents a 71% increase compared to the previous year. This data is deduced from the information provided by the Cuban Foreign Ministry’s General Director for the United States, Josefina Vidal, after correcting an error in official’s calculation; … Continue reading “More Than One Million US Tourists Visited Cuba in 2017”
14ymedio, Havana, 2 January 2017 — The Vice-minister of Communications, Wilfredo González, assured that there is no limitation “from the political point of view” for Cubans accessing the Internet, according to statements published on Tuesday by the official media Cubahoy. Participating in a conversation with the state news outlet in which he spoke about the steps taken … Continue reading “Cuba’s Vice-minister of Communications Says Censorship Does Not Limit Access to the Internet”
EFE (via 14ymedio), Havna, 5 January 2018 — The process to designate the candidates for the deputy positions that will make up the new National Assembly of People’s Power in Cuba, as well as the provincial Assemblies, began this Friday with consultations to the 12,515 municipal delegates selected in the elections on November 26. The new … Continue reading “Selection Begins for Cuban Assembly Candidates Who Will Vote for Raul Castro’s Successor”
14ymedio, Havana, 4 January 2017 — Daniel Llorente, the man with the flag, has asked Federica Mogherini not to forget his case because it demonstrates “the lack of political freedoms in Cuba.” The activist who hoisted the flag of the United States during last year’s May Day parade has since spent eight months in detention including seven … Continue reading “The Man With The Flag Asks For Mogherini’s Help”
14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 3 January 2017 – Is a ship that has had all its parts replaced still the same ship? The question is known as Theseus’s Paradox and illustrates the European Union’s dilemma with Cuba: Does a dictatorship that moderated its diplomatic language, tried to make peace with its enemy and lost its … Continue reading “Mrs. Mogherini, We Are Still Without Freedom”
14ymedio, Mario J. Pentón, Miami, 23 December 2017 — Several Cuban economists consulted by 14ymedio consider the growth of 1.6% in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) announced on Thursday by Cuban Economy Minister Ricardo Cabrisas before the National Assembly, meeting in Havana, unlikely. Cabrisas offered a series of growth figures including numbers for construction (+ 2.8%), tourism (+ … Continue reading “Cuban Government Happy Talk About the Economy is Not Convincing”
