Stories about Cuba from October, 2010
Cuba: Restricted Access
“In Cuba, access to the internet is restricted and very expensive for citizens, but it is also is controlled by state institutions”: Laritza's Laws explains.
Cuba: Standard of Living
“Nobody on the island may have a high standard of living if it is not authorized by the regime”: Iván García explains that he “aspire[s] to live better. But above all [he] consider[s] [him]self a free man. And that is where a person can be dangerous in Cuba.”
Caribbean: Perception of Corruption
Repeating Islands re-posts the results of Transparency International's latest Corruption Perception Index, and reports that Caribbean nations have not fared so well.
Cuba: Awarding Courage & Humility
“There is no name more appropriate than that of this journalist and psychologist whose main characteristic is humility, to be included in a list where we find Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and Cuba’s Ladies in White”: Generation Y and Iván's File Cabinet blog about Guillermo Fariñas’ award of...
Cuba: Hunger Striker Recognised
Uncommon Sense and Along the Malecon celebrate Cuban hunger striker Guillermo Fariñas being awarded this year's Sakharov human rights prize.
Cuba: On Remittances
In Sin Evasión [ES], blogger Myriam Celaya comments on the tremendous amount of money that Cubans receive in the form of remittances from their relatives who have emigrated.
Cuba: A Taxing Situation
Iván's File Cabinet notes the level of discontent with the proposed high taxes associated with Cuba's new self-employment regulations.
Cuba: Plea for Dr. Biscet
The daughter of political prisoner Oscar Biscet pens a letter to President Obama; Blog For Cuba republishes it here, while Uncommon Sense says: “This is the moment for friends of Cuban liberty to speak up and act on behalf of Dr. Biscet and other Cubans imprisoned because of their faith...
Cuba: On Exile
“When, at the turn of the year, the prisons are emptied of political prisoners, for a time they’ll lose the stigma of being human rights violators…they are trying to decrease the size and strength of the dissidence”: Iván's File Cabinet suggests that “the proposal to leave Cuba could be expanded...
Cuba: Incomplete
“The Cuban Catholic Church reported over the weekend that the ‘process to release the 52 prisoners is completed’, says Uncommon Sense, who adds: “But 13 of those prisoners remain in jail, including 12 who repeatedly have insisted they will not accept release if it means having to take forced exile…”
Cuba: Violence in Schools
“Although the official media do not report it, through word of mouth from independent journalists, alarming cases of school violence have come to light”: Iván's File Cabinet reports.
Cuba: Preparing for Paula
Havana Times notes that Cuba is preparing for “a weakened Hurricane Paula”.
Cuba: Las Damas Members Injured
Bloggers discuss the latest altercation between Cuban authorities and Las Damas de Blanco.
Cuba: Limits on Self-Employment
“According to the newspaper Granma, starting in October you can work for yourself in 178 activities” but, argues Laritza's Laws, the new regulations come hand in hand with some limitations which, “along with the stepped-up state supervision and inspection, will limit future possibilities for operating a small business.”
Cuba: What happened with Twitter?
Ellery Roberts Biddle comments on the reaction of some bloggers [ES] to the technical difficulties that impeded sending Twitter messages via SMS in Cuba: “This raises an uncomfortable question about how activists and advocates for free speech online (a group I consider myself to be a part of) interpret and...