Dmitri Prieto’s Diary

I want to highlight another essential point: the procession was escorted by officers from the Police, Traffic, and State Security. But they too were cordial and peaceful in dealing with the marchers.

One time I had an argument with a private taxi driver, and from that moment on I knew I’d never get in his cab again, even if when there’s not another one.

The hotel is located in the formerly aristocratic neighborhood of Vedado, very close to 23rd Street (“La Rampa”), the historical focal point of Havana nightlife.

There’s no shortage of people in Cuba who feel specially committed to their community. I’m referring to those who buy expensive audio equipment and they point their loud speakers toward the street, sharing the sound with the rest of the neighborhood.

Given the economic reforms that have just started to be implemented, the number of private producers and vendors of all types of goods has already grown.

Not long ago someone pulled down art works off the wall that mark the spot in Havana where one of the black martyrs of November 27, 1871 was murdered.

Concerning the exciting statement made by Alfredo Guevara referring to “de-statization,” I think it’s important to specify a key point concerning the new changes that have now started to become a reality in Cuba. There are many diverse ways of being anti-statist, but essentially — in a schematic manner — there are only two: the liberal-capitalist and the socialist-libertarian.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear such words from Guevara. Historically, scholars and also the people of Cuba generally have identified socialism with statism. Still today, few people know of the existence of liberal (anti-authoritarian) tendencies within the left.

Every day we hear more criticism about some of the measures that were taken by the country’s political leadership during the period marked by what was called the “Battles of Ideas.”

A while ago I wrote a post about how in the neighborhood assemblies in my town (Santa Cruz del North) a unanimous demand was generated to halt the administrative decision already functioning, to take away specialized hospital services from our community.