Circles Robinson, Author at Havana Times

Padura Optimistic about Cuba Reforms

Cuban writer Leonardo Padura said he feels obliged to be optimistic about the reforms begun by the island’s government, in statements to the press in the capital. The novelist, who presented at the International Book Fair of Cuba his most recent novel “El hombre que amaba a los perros” (The Man Who Loved Dogs), said what’s needed are transformations in the mentality of the population, but also that of the bureaucrats “who still don’t understand the dimensions of the change.”

Egypt’s Mubarak Fixes his Fortune

As Egypt’s popular uprising gained momentum and Hosni Mubarak’s downfall looked increasingly inevitable, he used his final days in office to secure his vast wealth, say analysts.

Paraguay President in Cuba, Meets with Castros

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo paid a private visit to President Raul Castro and his senior advisor Fidel Castro this Friday in Havana. In a brief note, the official press said the threesome discussed relations between their countries and current international issues.

Second Look at Obispo St. in Old Havana

Obispo Street is a busy pedestrian only walkway in Old Havana that virtually no visitor to the Cuban capital fails to promenade. (27 photos)

Cuba’s Padura Hits the Mark

“Padura discusses events that have been taboo for us or that have been presented to us in a poorly focused manner. It’s never too late to fill the lagoons of disinformation that have been imposed on us,” says Anaisa.

Arab Storm Rocks Libya

The movement for change sweeping across the Middle East has now rocked Libya. Thousands of people have taken to the streets across many cities to demand an end to the 41-year autocratic rule of maverick leader Muammar Al- Gaddafi.

US Guantanamo Prison to Stay Open

The prospects of closing down (the prison camp) at the US Naval Base in Guantánamo, Cuba in the best of cases are very small due to the extensive opposition in the US Congress. Another obstacle is the difficulty to establish agreements with other countries willing to receive the prisoners, Robert Gates, U.S. secretary of defence, admitted. President Barack Obama had promised to close down that installation in January 2010.

Silvio Rodriguez Backs Cuba Reforms

Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez backed the reforms begun by the Cuban government in statements to the island’s journalism students. “We are returning to the good sense of aspiring to progress, collective and individually, through the dignity of work,” affirmed the musician, a founder of the New Song Movement.

Motion to Block Cuba Trips Aborted

A motion in the US Senate that aimed to block trips from any U.S. airport to Cuba was abandoned by its authors, senators Marco Rubio and Roberto Menendez, says the Miami Herald. The measure was strongly criticized by the Tampa Chamber of Commerce in Florida, interested in opening that city’s airport to flights to the island.

Time for Reforms, Not Revolutions, says Cuban academic

“Cuba’s hour is not for revolutions…rather for gradual and peaceful reforms,” Arturo López-Levy, a Cuban academic resident in the United States, affirmed in response to an opinion panel organized by the Cubaencuentro digital magazine.