Interviews

Between Two Cubans: One Here, the Other There (I)

A few weeks ago we published an interview by Havana Times writer Erasmo Calzadilla with Julio de la Yncera, a Cuban emigrant and Havana Times reader. Now we’re turning the table to give Yncera the chance to pose his own questions to Calzadilla. What follows is their conversation.

Read More

Esteban Morales on “Corrosive” Corruption in Cuba

“I still view corruption as an extraordinary danger” to the country, as its “corrosive power” makes it a matter of “national security,” said Esteban Morales, who was expelled from the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) after publishing an article warning of its pervasive effects.

Morales has appealed his rebuke to the PCC which is the only political party recognized in Cuba.

Read More

A Young Woman’s Decision to Leave Cuba

“The first thing is to get settled and establish myself and to later look for some job. I’ll work for any place that pays me enough money to rent an apartment and buy things for myself – something I haven’t been able to do here.”

Read More

Beyond Genitalia

“Even today, despite the apparent freedom, women are also caught between two alternatives: either I’m a feminist and I fight against men, or I’m a lesbian. These are the only two possibilities for escape, at least if you don’t realize that there’s another possibility – not one of escape, but of liberation,” says Ruben Lombida.

Read More

Twenty Years Thinking about Cuba

“I wanted to help change my country for the better, but I wasn’t able to because the changes that I thought would improve it were considered inadmissible, and I believe they still are,” says Julio de la Yncera, an HT reader.

Read More

Institutionalizing Dialogue and Forgiveness

“For some time in Cuba, we have seen the development of a national debate geared towards shaping, renovating, and re-establishing —as I prefer to say— our community and national efforts. This debate has limits, but it also has vitality,” says Roberto Veiga Gonzalez in an interview with HT.

Read More

Solidarity Is in the “DNA” of Human Beings

“Today, more than ever, coordination is necessary between the private sector, the public sector and civil society. Solidarity economics contributes new forms of non-State public ownership that defends the interests of the people and not of capital,” said Cristina Calvo in Havana.

Read More

Closing Your Eyes to Paradoxes Is Fatal

“In terms of what to do, there’s promoting freedom; increasing the spaces for study, debate and non-policed criticism of social behavior; increasing educational activities around obligations and duties that relate to citizens before the law, as well as generating and “making” more social justice,” said Victor Fowler in an interview with HT.

Read More

A Young Teacher Tells Her Story

Around ten years ago, with the problem of the shortage of teachers in the classroom, there appeared another set of emergency solutions: the Fast Track Teachers for elementary schools and the Integral General Teachers (PGI) program for teaching several subjects at junior high school.

Read More

A Drop in the Ocean

Also, dogs are excellent guards. A security guard can be sleeping, but the dog remains alert. Recently a dog was honored at the Institute of Geology and Paleontology because it prevented the robbery of two air conditioners. Sometime around 9:30 at night, the dog went to the entrance gate and began barking and indicating that something was in the area.

Read More