April 2017

The Portrait of Nelson

26-year-old Nelson Rodríguez Leiva was executed in the La Cabaña fortress in 1971. The same fate awaited his soulmate friend, Angelito de Jesús Rabí. A century earlier, the poet Juan Clemente Zenea was shot dead at the same place. It was of no help that Nelson was a teacher who conducted a literacy mission in […] Read more

Changes in Transport

Over the last few days, the inhabitants of Havana have seen a higher number of buses circulating through the city. This has helped to lift the mood of passengers and reduced the number of people waiting at bus stops. The situation, however, is just a consequence of recent events. In fact, the sudden expansion of […] Read more

Say Yes to Veggies, No to Meat

To march through Havana advocating ethical treatment of animals and encouraging local residents to eat more vegetables is an idea so silly that it is quite likely to increase the anxiety of many a Cuban living in the capital and become an object of their ridicule. Yet, that was precisely the goal of PETA, American […] Read more

Havana Book Fair

Several weeks ago, the 26th International Book Fair 2017 took place in Havana, Cuba. This year it was dedicated to Canada and to the Cuban revolutionary Armando Hart Dávalos. As in previous years, the event was held at the former military fortress of San Carlos de La Cabaña. Built by the Spanish government in the early […] Read more

The Most Censored Cuban President

Despite the fact that the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro had never paid due respect to any of the Cuban presidents, the one he most despised and criticised was Don Tomás Estrada Palma (1835-1908). Unscrupulously, he had even torn down his statue on the Avenida de los Presidentes in 1961, disregarding the fact that Estrada Palma was […] Read more