This month a 2.5 billion dollar a year tourist market opened within a hundred kilometers of the United States, but US citizens shouldn’t expect to reap any economic rewards. The Cuban Government continued its slow march toward economic decentralization by allowing private contractors to bid for jobs in the tourist sector.
Read MoreA few days ago, I rifled through several local newspapers in search of a topic I could debate with my students.After going through a number of copies of Granma and Juventud Rebelde, I came upon a rather unusual story. Laughter and horror don’t usually go hand in hand, but that was exactly what the article in Juventud Rebelde, titled The Fugitive Monkeys, provoked in me.
Read MoreWe’re constantly seeing announcements on Cuban TV and other media preaching about the need to take care of nature, telling us not to damage the environment. A few days ago, I witnessed a very unpleasant incident, near the entrance to my building (where, as I explained in a previous post, there is a parking lot belonging to the Cuban company CIMEX).
Read MoreIt was 1992. My brother-in-law had invited me to his graduation at the University of Oriente, which was to be held at the former residence of the mayor, in front of Cespedes park in Santiago de Cuba. I would be present on behalf of the rest of the family, who was unable to travel for the ceremony.
Read MoreOctober is coming to an end and, with it, people should start to leave behind their memories of Sandy, the devastating hurricane which affected thousands of people in Cuba’s easternmost region exactly one year ago, leaving the beautiful province of Santiago de Cuba with the most damages.
Read MoreWhen any announcement in Cuba combines the words “international” and “festival” something resembling a switch is flipped on. A floodgate opens, the spores of a hallucinogenic fungus are scattered around the city and the cultured public of Havana grows feverish. It sets out, willing to endure long lines of people, flash theater passes and buy tickets.
Read MoreWorkplace debates surrounding Cuba’s draft labor bill officially came to an end this past October 15th. Now, we are left with the question of what comes next.The National Assembly of the People’s Power has a scheduled session December. Then, we will finally get to see what comes out of this bill.
Read MoreThe religiosity of Cubans is quite evident on October 28, which is dedicated to St. Jude Thaddeus. Considered the attorney of impossible causes, he is one of the most beloved Catholic saints. On Monday afternoon the cathedral of Santiago de Cuba, welcomed hundreds of parishioners and lay visitors. (17 photos)
Read MoreOn the morning of Tuesday, October 16, 2012, Cuba’s radio and television news programs, printed and online newspapers and the regular edition of the Official Gazette of the Republic announced that the government had decreed the modification of the island’s migratory legislation.
Read MoreWhat do Venezuela and Bhutan have in common? Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s advisors may have never heard of Bhutan or its GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness), but, on the eve of a new electoral campaign, they have created the Vice-Ministry for the Supreme Social Happiness.
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