To explain what’s happening in Cuba has always been complex, but with Raul Castro in the presidency, it’s becomes even more difficult. He is a discreet man with short speeches and long silences, someone who deals behind the scenes and plays his cards with neither noise nor fanfare.
Read MoreThe author of an article I read a while back titled “Generation i” talked about how his daughter, who was only 13 months old, already knew how to look up photos on his iPhone and even changed the configuration of his computer, accidently of course.
Read MoreWe still don’t know what will be the multiple changes made to the “Guidelines” that served as the pre-convention discussion document for the Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba. But we do know that of the 15 members of the new Politburo, eight are active officers in the military or come from its ranks.
Read MoreThe popular psychologist Dr. Calviño gave two examples that I found very telling: The first was that of a department head who believed that everyone agreed with him, since each time that he met with his subordinates they spoke very little or said nothing in opposition.
Read MoreLike any Cuban of my generation, I’m astonished in the face of the changes occurring in the political terrain. It all reminds me of the saying “time changes everything.”
Read MoreWhat’s important is not to wait for your rival to score six or seven runs before changing the pitcher, or to get to the ninth inning seven runs down with two outs before calling back the batter who has screwed up during the whole game and finally replace him with a pinch hitter.
Read MoreI admit that it astonishes me to hear that socialism is (still) the sole chance for a more just world. Those who self-define themselves as “left” also are amazed that I don’t identify myself with their line.
Read MoreWhen I was preparing to travel to the island back in 1990, I left with the presumption that I would be covering extremely critical times for the Cuban Revolution. I even considered the possibility of experiencing a violent internal conflict.
Read MoreIf those who emigrated before to the 1970s were characterized as “scum,” ever since that decade there began to take shape a more sophisticated ideological and a growing economic use of Cuban emigrants.
Read MoreLeticia is an eight-year-old third grader. Last Friday she was supposed to have an English exam, a subject she has problems with and doesn’t like a whole lot. She was nervous all week because of the exam, at least until Thursday. That day, her teacher informed all the students that there wouldn’t be any classes on Friday because of rehearsals for the 50th anniversary Bay of Pigs victory parade and “military review.”
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