Opinion Archives - Page 482 of 492

Cuba’s Burnt Bridges

To emigrate is a painful process in general, but in the case of Cubans it also means taking a trip with no return. As if they’ve committed a serious crime, the State robs them of all their belongings.

It doesn’t matter that these were legally acquired goods; everything will be confiscated, from one’s house and car to even the furniture. If you refuse to turn them over, you will not receive your “Permiso de Salida” (Exit Permit) from the all powerful Office of Immigration.

The Fear That Consumes Us

The person who told me this story is an acquaintance who I occasionally run into at the bus stop. When I told him that I write for an Internet site that doesn’t belong to the country’s official press and I then requested he go into the details of the story, he got scared.

Pilot Projects, Fools & Masterminds

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.

After the Euphoria

A 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.

The Debate on Cooperatives in Cuba

One 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.

Wanted (Cuban) “Suicide Bomber”

Those 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.

Those Poor Cubans (II)

I 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.

In Cuba Our Education Is Free

Some 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.

Those Poor Cubans (I)

It’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.

Beware of Cuba’s Waiters

This 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.