Stories about Cuba from April, 2011
Cuba: Silvio and Pablo
In Juan sin nada [es], Juan Orlando Pérez analyzes the state of affairs in Cuba through the politics of famous nueva trova musicians and composers Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés.
Cuba: Reflection on the Communist Party Congress
Blogger and journalist Elaine Díaz reflects [es]on the VI Congress of the Communist Party: “[…] The future Cuba should be built ‘by all and for the good of all’ from a horizontal and open relationship between the historical avant-garde that made possible the 1959 triumph and the new generation of...
Cuba: Ferrer Held
According to Uncommon Sense and Babalu, Dr. Darsi Ferrer and other activists were arrested today “during a protest in which they were calling for the Castro dictatorship to allow Cubans to travel freely, among other demands.”
Cuba: Bosch Dies
Cuban bloggers note the passing of Orlando Bosch, with Machetera saying: “There are good terrorists and bad ones, and clearly the mainstream media have settled on the fiction that Bosch is the former, so he gets to be a ‘militant’.”
Cuba: Bloggers Reflect on Reforms at Communist Party Congress
The sixth congress of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), which was recently held in Havana, may have marked a major turning point for the Cuban economic system, and for Cuban society at large. Bloggers in Cuba, and those who follow Cuba from other parts of the world, offered a diverse range of reactions.
Cuba: Right to the Internet
“Any ‘supposition’ about what a farmer should do on Google, or in the furrow, is called control over the free actions of another, personal choice and individual freedom”: Octavo Cerco wonders “why it’s a problem to assume access to the Internet as a 21st Century human right.”
Cuba: The “Queen of Incredulity”
1Click2Cuba profiles Claudia Cadelo, “one of the best-known members of the Cuban blogging community.”
Cuba, U.S.A.: Tamayo to Leave with Son's Remains
Bloggers are monitoring the impending departure from Cuba of Reina Luisa Tamayo, who is reported to be going into exile, but not without the remains of her son, “murdered Cuban prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata Tamayo.”
Cuba: Reflection before the Congress of the Communist Party
Blogger, journalist and LGBT activist Francisco Rodríguez Cruz reflects on his political trajectory [es] before participating in the VI Congress of the Cuban Communist Party.
Cuba: Fonseca Released
“The publicity on Facebook, Twitter and blogs only intensified…”: Uncommon Sense says that the release of Cuban human rights activist Sara Martha Fonseca “is a victory for freedom.”
Cuba: Communist Party Ushers in Entrepreneurism and Term Limits
For the minority of Cubans who are within it, the blogosphere provides a space to exchange ideas. And there were plenty prompts for discussion this week, with the Castro brothers holding the first Congress of its Communist party since 1997 (it is supposed to be every five years) and announcing term limits for leadership on the island.
Cuba: Women as Soldiers?
Octavo Cerco is irritated by a sign which suggests that “we Cuban women form a battalion for the defense of the fatherland”, saying: “It bothers me greatly that the multiple mass organizations which supposedly represent groups of Cubans feel like they have the right to speak for everyone, robbing individuals...
Cuba: The More Things “Change”
Uncommon Sense finds recent announcements about reform in Cuba ironic in the context of developments like these.
Cuba: Reaching the Limit
Cuban bloggers weigh in on Raul Castro's recent announcement of term limits for leadership of the country.
Cuba: True Democracy
“If young gang members are sentenced to several years behind the bars for robbing a gas station, the same should apply to bankers, managers, financiers, or even presidents of countries if they engage in corruption”: Iván García fears that “democracy is stammering.”
Cuba: Targeting Bloggers?
“The personal freedoms of members of the alternative blogosphere are at risk after the official media publicly accused them of being mercenaries”: Laritza Diversent says that referring to bloggers in this way is “completely groundless”, adding: “It is very possible that, by using the State-controlled media, they are preparing an...
Cuba: No Questions Asked
“We have to see Fidel Castro as a piece of living history. A stream of bright ideas…the only comandante. The man who never makes mistakes”: Iván García would like to comment.
Cuba: Threat of the Internet
“In Cuba, access to the internet is restricted and very expensive for citizens, but it is also controlled by state institutions”: Laritza Diversent explains.
Cuba: House Arrest for Fariñas
Uncommon Sense has the details on independent journalist and human rights activist Guillermo Fariñas’ latest detention.
Cuba: Exam Fraud
“Fraud in Cuban schools is a deep evil, almost endemic,” says Iván García, who explains that “on a greater or lesser scale it’s been happening since 1970.”
Cuba: The Dangers of Bureaucracy
In La Polémica Digital [es] blogger and journalist Elaine Díaz reflects on the dangers of bureaucracy in Cuba.
