Stories about Cuba from January, 2009
Cuba: Hope and Change
On hearing the news that two black Cubans were arrested “after they were heard making favorable comments” about the Obama presidency, Uncommon Sense has these words for the new president: “Please do not let their faith in you, and their faith in real hope and change for their country, be...
Cuba: Raul in Russia
Child of the Revolution, Una Familia en Cuba [Sp] and Havana Times all blog about Cuban President Raul Castro's official visit to Russia.
Cuba: Human Rights & Political Prisoners
As The Cuban Triangle reports that Cuba is about to face a human rights review, Uncommon Sense says that women are also among the political prisoners on the island.
Cuba: Political Prisoners
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense reports on the experience of some of Cuba's political prisoners because he believes that “it is a truth that one day will set them, and their country, free.”
Cuba: Being Responsible
Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez explains why she doesn't feel like a victim, but rather, responsible.
Cuba, U.S.A.: An Important Introduction
“The man is worth your support, and then some, especially after he was arrested while traveling to Havana to watch your inauguration as a guest of the U.S. Interest Section”: Uncommon Sense would like President Obama to meet Jorge Luis García Pérez “Antúnez”.
Argentina: The Timing of Kirchner's Visit to Cuba
Louis Cyphre of El Opinador Compulsivo [es] wonders why Argentine president visited Cuba when she did “to speak with one of the longest lasting dictators in history just as the first black president was being inaugurated in the US?”
Cuba: Quelling the Rumours
Child of the Revolution confirms that recent rumours of Fidel Castro's demise have been just that – thanks to reports from Havana that the president of Argentina met with him on the last day of her visit to the island.
Caribbean: Obama's Day
Like the rest of the world, the eyes of the Caribbean were on Washington, DC yesterday, as Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Regional and diaspora bloggers - for the most part - could not contain their enthusiasm over this history-making moment.
Cuba: Watching the Numbers
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense links to statistics from”an unofficial Cuban human rights group”, which suggest that dissidents continue to be “jailed or prosecuted because of their political opposition to the regime.”
Cuba, Chile: Official Visit
The Chilean President is scheduled to make a trip to Havana, during which she has declined to meet with a group of dissidents and former political prisoners. Child of the Revolution is disheartened by the news, saying: “Given Ms Bachelet’s experiences under the Pinochet dictatorship and her long-held commitment to...
Cuba: Spain, Cuba & the Embargo
Cuban bloggers weigh in on Spain's suggestion to the international community that “Cuba will change its ways if the world would only talk to them”. Uncommon Sense: “The Spanish government has a lot at stake with its soft-shoe approach — starting with billions of Euros invested in Cuban tourism and...
Cuba: Dissidents Arrested
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense reports on the arrest of dissidents who were allegedly marching “towards the cemetery in the town of Placetas to commemorate the victims of the Castro dictatorship.”
Bahamas, Cuba: The Revolution
“Let me say right now that I am sceptical, and deeply so, of those who denigrate Castro’s Cuba, especially those of us in The Bahamas who do so”: Nicolette Bethel says that “in most cases the arguments offered to display the inferiority of the Cuban revolution are not arguments at...
Cuba: Interview with Blogger Miriam Celaya
Miriam Celaya is a Cuban blogger, whose blog Sin Evasión [es] is celebrating its one year anniversary. She started writing under the pseudonym "Eva González," but six months later she decided to use her real name. In this interview with Claudia Cadelo, she talks about how she started blogging, the decision to leave her pseudonym behind, and about her participation in the recent blogger gatherings on the island.
Cuba: Dealing with Racism
As a documentary on racial discrimination in Cuba is released, Havana Times.org republishes a mainstream media article on the debate, while Babalu Blog says: “I guess this reporter figured out that the overwhelmingly white leadership and the overwhelmingly black prison population in Cuba was not just a coincidence after all.”
Americas: Celebrating the Visit of the Three Kings
The holiday season continues across the Americas, even as Christmas and the New Year holiday have all passed. In many countries in the region, the feast of “Los Reyes Magos” (The Three Kings) is an equally important festivity in many households. The day falls around the time of Epiphany and is celebrated on January 6th. Some of the region's bloggers recall the traditions in their own countries.
Cuba: Three Kings
Today is Three Kings Day in Cuba – the occasion honours the Wise Men's visit to Bethlehem and suggests that the Three Kings will bestow gifts upon good children. Havana Times.org blogs about the inherent economic disparities, saying: “The ideal solution is that the family educates based on feelings and...
Cuba: Knowledge vs. Doctrine
“We keep a wary eye out for anyone who might approach our children lecherously, but few think to maintain the same vigilance in the face of the child abuse that focuses on minds rather than bodies”: Generation Y says that “doctrine is gaining ground to the detriment of knowledge.”
Cuba: The Life of Belén During the Past 50 Years
On the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, Jorge Ignacio of Segunda Naturaleza [es] reflects on the life of his housekeeper and nanny, Belén, who helped raise him, during the duration of the past half century.
Americas: Calls for Peace in Palestine
Several Latin American bloggers are watching the events unfold in Gaza and they often feel helpless. They use their blogs to demand peace in the region. However, they also feel that after these bombings that achieving peace in the Middle East is now even further away.
