The demise of Fidel Castro and the ascendancy of his brother, Raúl, to power in Cuba have prompted certain expectations of regime reform.[1] In mid-2007 measures touted as “Raúl’s reforms” were announced with much international media fanfare. Their impact, however, was disappointing. They consisted primarily of allowing citizens to own cell phones and enter tourist facilities, but […] Read more
The old expression “the more things change the more they stay the same” could hardly be more apropos to Cuba since Raul Castro took over from his more infamous brother. The hope that things were on the verge of changing quickly have long since faded since Raul’s launched a propaganda blitz and a clutch of […] Read more
One year after three hurricanes ravaged the island in 2008 and the impact of the global financial and economic crisis, the Cuban economy has continued to deteriorate further due to the lack of significant reforms. The overall economic situation on the island has not only worsened the terms of trade facing Cuba because of the […] Read more
At the end of the 1990s, Cuban dissidents sought out different media to disseminate the reality of life on the island. Reports on violations by a government that proclaims itself a human rights’ defender began to circulate around the world, damaging the image that the socialist state wants to project to the rest of the […] Read more
I share with my fellow Cuban independent journalists the drunkenness of writing freely under a totalitarian dictatorship; of experiencing the catharsis of denouncing the regime’s violations; of feeling useful to my people knowing that, in the long run, what I write will contribute to a better future. In 1998, I was initiated as an independent […] Read more
It’s about time to extinguish the fire of confrontation. Cuba and the United States must refrain from attitudes that trigger disbelief and resentment. It’s more than a momentary desire, it has become a steadfast aim based at pragmatic thinking and other attitudes that would eventually accelerate restoration of diplomatic relations that have been broken since […] Read more
