Diaries Archives - Page 427 of 647

Cuba: Petitions and Apprehensions

For more than a half a century, we Cubans have suffered from apprehension, as we have gone through an adverse social juncture in which our civil rights have been constantly vetoed by the government.

Guantanamo Murderer Gets 32 Years

Several months ago I told the readers of Havana Times about Anny, a cousin of mine, who was murdered by her husband, “Cojo.” A few days ago the sentencing was handed down to this guy, who has now been convicted of two deaths.

The Risks of Optimism

A friend and colleague with Havana Times told me that most of us who write for this magazine are “whiners” (himself included). We both noted that this is an attitude that isn’t entirely sincere, since if life in Cuba doesn’t also give people reasons for joy, who could put up with it?

Power Elites Here and There

In an attempt to understand modern capitalism, I learned a lot about “socialism” here in Cuba from the progressive Canadian researcher Naomi Klein. A few days ago Cuban television viewers saw “No Logo,” a documentary based on Klein’s book of the same title.

The Venezuelan Church Hearing Footsteps

It’s nighttime and I can hear the sounds of drums. I can’t help but to stand here on the balcony, the night is rainy and rinsed away all the other noises of the city. This is when you can best hear the beating of hands on leather.

A Peculiar Way of Courting

A few days ago I witnessed one of the newest ways to woo a girl. I was on the beach when a young man approached us, a friend of mine and me.

Do Gays Need Their Own Olympics? (Part II)

The testimonies that I viewed in the documentary Take the Flame confirm that it’s not necessary to respond to the imposed models of femininity or masculinity to be fast, agile, strong, perceptive or to play as a team.

Where Is Claudia Cadelo?

.“Those who love me and those hate me won’t forgive my being distracted,” reads a line from an old song by Silvio Rodriguez. It turns out that yesterday — for the first time — I visited Claudia Cadelo’s blog Octavo Cerco.

London 2012: The Party Where Many Cry

After being delighted by the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, as the traditional competitions began, with these came my frustrations – because in sports, inexorably, someone wins and another one loses.

Looking to Rent in Havana

Almost every evening, as 10:00 p.m. approaches, I try to go to sleep. I try to close my eyes and stop thinking. I try to forget that in the morning I’ll go back to my beat-up desk and an office that always reminds me of a suffocating 12-by-12-foot cell.