Opinion Archives - Page 394 of 501

Living by One’s Wits in Cuba

“Living by one’s wits” is a Cuban idiom used to describe the behavior of people who go through life without working, finding ways to skimp off other people or to make money informally.

Cuba: Internet Access for the Nouveaux Riche and Dissidents

Who stand to benefit from Cuba’s expanded Internet services? No one other than the dissidents who receive economic aid from abroad and the island’s nouveaux riche.

Cuba for the Misinformed: Facts from the Forbidden* Island

An asterisk in a title? It’s rare; but in this instance the footnote –*but only if your American– gives the potential reader a clear indication of not just the “side” the book by Mick Winter is coming from, but also the author’s attitude.

Dangerous Liaisons: Cuba Tries Entrepreneurs for Corporate Corruption

Some of the most important entrepreneurs who have been doing business in Cuba for decades have been summoned to courts on the island to respond to serious corporate corruption charges,the visible face of a much broader clean-up campaign undertaken by Cuban authorities. What is surprising about this is not that the government has taken on the campaign but that it has taken so long to investigate these crimes.

The Travesty of Cuban Five Trial

In the Cuban Five trial defense attorneys had access to only 20 percent of the case documents, something which seriously hampered their work. In addition, they were constantly denied the possibility of meeting with the detainees in order to adequately prepare their defense.

The Height of Stupidity from a Cuban’s Perspective

Recently, a video recording of the final match between the world’s best Dota 2 teams sparked off a discussion with some friends of mine. I’ve never liked this strategy game all that much and was initially drawn to it by the excitement it seemed to awaken in others. The only thing it inspired in me, however, were criticisms. (9 photos)

Cuba: Where Has Human Kindness Gone?

There are people who do not think about aging, that their faculties will begin to decline with the passage of time, that a simple fall can give their lives a 180-degree turn and change it radically. They don’t think about their grandparents, a friend who is ill, a helpless child – anyone can be in need of help at a given moment in time.

The Stench of Cigarettes

There are body odors produced by hormonal processes which, like it or not, we must learn to tolerate in others. There are others, however, which are the result of personal choices (such as smoking or drinking alcohol) and are therefore more questionable.

Who are Cuba’s Dissidents Addressing?

The recent international tours of several prominent Cuban dissidents have been meticulously documented by the world’s media. I think this has been very positive. It allowed these individuals to come into contact with an entire sector of Cuban society which does not reside on the island.

A Cuban Day Care Activity

It has become tradition for the principal of the school to deliver a speech that underscores the importance the school has as a forger of the country’s future workers, professionals and artists. Usually, this speech has some of the political content we insist on finding in all our daily experiences in Cuba, invariably touching on the US blockade, imperialism and the revolution.