Osmel Almaguer’s Diary

Julio had a promising career in Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) before being relegated to the reserves due to health problems. From very early on he had participated in two internationalist missions: one in Angola and the other in Ethiopia.

“Nocturno” is a radio program that’s been on the air for more than 40 years. When it first began back in the ‘60s, it was well received by the youthful listeners of that time.

Ever since I was little I’ve been witness to the characteristic falsehoods of my country’s media, whose influence we’ve been vulnerable to for more than a half century.

Seeing my grandfather still kicking at the ripe old age of 93, while continuing to maintain my grandmother and two of my uncles who don’t work, is no less than a source of pride – though also worrisome.

Alfredo, the young man who I wrote about who would sell his clothes and equipment received as a member of the national swimming team, has quit the sport. He still doesn’t know what he’s going to live on in the immediate future.

The desire to live in an urban environment turned into an obsession. But time passed and I still hadn’t achieved my objective, especially because I was in a situation that depended on my father.

Zaida exchanged her apartment for the one of a family that’s about to emigrate. She moved all her belongings, previously located in the fourth floor of a building on the outskirts of Havana, into the newly acquired first-floor unit in the same building.

How is it that a family-owned business that’s starting up can do a better job than an operation owned by a government that practically monopolizes all the business on the island?

A self-employed friend of mine is visited daily by a tax collector who demands a small amount of money from him for the space he uses to set up his table.

Unfortunately I wasn’t there when all this happened. I only found out later that night, around 8:00 when I got home. Thanks to one of my uncles who has a car, I made it to the hospital.