Undoubtedly, General Raul Castro is a man of few words, so much so that journalists must remain on the prowl hunting for some loose phrases, new facts or rumors to piece together our “puzzles” as to what has happened here over the past two years.
Read MoreA black and white photo from the early 1980s shows us a group of Cuban youths confident of a seemingly imminent future. Though this is not the first image in the documentary “Costas extrañas” (Strange Coasts) competing in the 9th Exhibit of New Film Producers— it was the first one that caught my attention.
Read MoreOne of these dangers could be that after a certain degree of stabilization, the State will do with cooperatives the same as it did with self-employed workers: limiting them by almost exhausting them with taxes, inspections, high input prices, regulations, etc., “because people were making a lot of money.” This already happened once.
Read MoreThose who do rate as highly suspect are the Cubans who visit relatives in Florida. They are now being thoroughly reviewed to ensure they are not carrying explosives to blow up airplanes or perpetrate violent attacks as they stroll down Calle 8 in Miami.
Read MoreI believe that these stories are interesting above all because they have to do with personal experiences. In addition, they appeared in a blog in which almost all the forum participants attack me without the least compassion.
Read MoreSome teachers I know have worked in small home pizzerias, done peoples fingernails and sold candy and soda pop on the street. Part of their clientele was made up of their own students. That took place during the time that school administrators could look the other way; that’s to say, for a few months.
Read MoreIt’s true that poverty exists. Half of the population supports itself with miniscule salaries and these workers find themselves obliged to steal from their workplaces to survive. Nonetheless, it’s a mistake to think that this is the case for all the citizens.
Read MoreThis has been an exciting week, as I was caught up in an operative of the Special Police while leaving the bar of the Saint John Hotel in the Vedado district. My crime was to drink a coffee and converse with a journalism student who I was helping with his final thesis.
Read MoreI live in a neighborhood of Cubans, one which seemed like a tranquil place. However I realized I’m surrounded by “deserters” – the man who worked for Cubana Airlines, a love-struck doctor, our dentist, a boxing champion and half a volleyball squad.
Read MoreGranma newspaper online features an article Friday on the meaning of “on the left,” which in Cuba is an expression quite different from what it might imply in other countries. Journalist Silvia Martinez points out that the phenomenon described is very common in Cuban society and she sees the participation and/or complicity of people at all levels.
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