For days, I’ve been hearing comments about protests in Nicaragua that seem suspiciously ill-intentioned. Since I know Cuban leaders adore Daniel Ortega, frequently praising and paying tribute to him and his administration – I decided to conduct a search for news or opinion pieces about Nicaragua’s inter-oceanic canal project published in Cuba. My intention was not to dispel any doubts, but to reaffirm my confidence in our press.
Read MoreThese conversations may seem like a joke, but they’re absolutely true. We could say they are part of the everyday, “magic realism” of socialism (perhaps not as “real” as Soviet socialism, but certainly a lot less “updated” than we would want). Many tourists come to the country hoping to plunge into this fantastic, Caribbean isle, but most like to look at it from the outside, without the wheels of bureaucracy grinding their vacations into bits with absurd resolutions and restrictions.
Read MoreRound two of the high level talks to normalize diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States is set for Friday, February 27 in Washington D.C. The first and foremost order of business is clearing the way to the opening of embassies in the respective capitals. Other more difficult issues like the fate of the US Guantanamo Naval Base and Prison Camp, and compensation for confiscated properties at the beginning of the Cuban revolution will no doubt be left for further on in the negotiations.
Read MoreShe arrived. Hungry, with only 2 dollars in her purse (the same “lucky $2 bill” carried by many Cubans) and wearing the only decent clothes she had after crossing eight countries. Susana’s journey began on Sept. 27, 2014, when she left Cuba for Ecuador with her partner and two friends, Marcos and Alejandro.
Read MoreI never expect compassion from those who represent me; I expect, demand and accept only equity and respect. Compassion always emerges from verticality; it establishes a relationship of power, not of equality.
Read MoreThe repulsive behavior of GITMO, should not be transformed into hatred or lament, instead, it should encourage us to strive to transform the territory into a bastion of hope, peace and development of humanity…
Read MoreRaul Castro is not likely to go down in history as a daring and innovative politician. He may in fact be remembered as one of the most fainthearted leaders ever to govern Cuba. The general and his retinue of octogenarian and fiftyish officials say they are making “slow but sure” progress, as though they had all of the time in the world to deliver the glass of milk promised every Cuban child, as though every delay didn’t have a huge impact on our society.
Read MoreThe film director, Ian Padron, announced this week that he is leaving Cuba because he’s “tired” of having to deal with these absurdities. The news saddens me but it doesn’t surprise me. For years, I’ve watched the country lose many young talents because of the intransigence of certain power sectors, where ideological extremism combines with ignorance.
Read MoreThe Cuban passport is one of the most problematic documents that Cubans residing abroad have to deal with. In this connection, the range of complaints among émigrés encompass economic issues (because of how expensive requesting or renewing this document is) and even juridical and practical ones (the fact they must enter Cuba with this passport, even when they have acquired citizenship elsewhere).
Read MoreWe applaud this initiative and hope that it will not become a closed forum, that it rather be turned into an important step towards the establishment of a free Internet in Cuba that can be accessed by everyone.
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