Economics

Personal Hygiene in Cuba: Positively Medieval

Roberto Álvarez QuiñonesLos Ángeles

'Is it possible to imagine a Cuban minister in 1958 telling the people that they cannot use soap or brush their teeth for three months?'

Economics

These Are Official Economists' Proposals to "Unblock" the Cuban Economy

DDCLa Habana

They suggest that the government separate state and business functions, and decentralize foreign trade.

Emigration

'The only sure thing I have here is a cell'

Juan Arturo Gómez TobónTurbo

Two Cubans repatriated by Mexico relate their experience.

HEALTH

Cancer: "A Political Problem" in Cuba

Jorge Enrique RodríguezLa Habana

Patients complain about interruptions in the administration of medicines, and a lack of explanations.

Chess

Bobby Fischer and His Visits to Cuba

Romeo LoboMiami

Miguel Ángel Sánchez and Jesús Suárez have written a revealing book about the American genius's relationship with the island.

Education

Primary School Textbooks in Cuba: Ideological Manuals

Laura Rodríguez FuentesSanta Clara

Marxism, praise for the countries of the (defunct) Socialist Bloc and the 'heroes' of the Revolution. This is the motto that Cuban children must repeat daily: 'Pioneers for Communism, we will be like Che.'

REPRESSION

The Photographer’s Repressors

Juan Antonio BlancoMiami

Javier Caso got footage of the thugs who interrogated him, his material constituting direct evidence of the kinds of abuse many Cubans suffer.

Laws

Laws forthcoming in Cuba ... and those that are not

DDCMadrid

A law against gender-based violence is not included in the "legislative program, " at least until 2028.

Emigration

How Many Cubans Will Emigrate in 2020?

Roberto Álvarez QuiñonesLos Ángeles

For political and non-economic reasons, the segment of the population that constitutes the engine driving the world emigrates from Cuba.

Opinion

Editorial: The Massive Export of Cuban Doctors, in the UN’s Crosshairs

DDCMadrid

Havana remains silent after accusations of 'forced labor'.

Politics

Cuba and Latin America Converge: Political Use of the Military On the Rise

Rut Diamint / Laura TedescoBuenos Aires

What does it mean when a member of GAESA, the powerful Cuban military/business conglomerate, assumes the state's second-highest post?

CIVIL SOCIETY

Demonstrations in Cuba: What Happened in 2019, and What 2020 Will Bring

DDCMadrid 1

The first year of Internet coverage on cell phones triggered protest, on the Web and on the streets. What lies ahead?

Economy

New Prime Minister, Old Problems

Orlando Freire SantanaLa Habana

In 2019, more serious than failures to follow through on new plans was the accumulation of old problems that the authorities are still unable to solve.

SOCIETY

Cubans with vs. remittances vs. those without, and the 'January Freeze'

Jorge Enrique RodríguezLa Habana

Some on the island believe that the initiative 'could be a warning' for the Cuban Government to re-examine its policies, while others doubt it can work.

Society

'They tried to merge us under a single authority'

Carlos Alejandro RodríguezMiami

60 years after the triumph of the Revolution, most Cubans do not even acknowledge Violence Against Women.

Economy

New Policies Are Needed to Resolve Cuba's Birth Rate Crisis

Elías AmorValencia

Cuba's low birth rate and its ageing population are a time bomb.

Anniversary

DIARIO DE CUBA: An Inside Look

DDCMadrid

Open House. On our tenth anniversary, we go behind the scenes at the DDC and chat with some of the people associated with it.

Anniversary

DIARIO DE CUBA: Ten Years Forming Part of Cuba's Public Debate

DDCMadrid

DDC marks a decade. On this occasion, we are thinking back and reflecting on the main issues facing the country.

Opinion

An Art of Dictatorship

Andrés ReynaldoMiami

Cuban exiles grow weary of artists, intellectuals and academics supportive of Castro's disinformation efforts.

Economy

Poverty Decreasing Around the World, But Rising in Cuba

Roberto Álvarez QuiñonesLos Ángeles

'It would be interesting to see how many Cubans on the island know that, since the liberal capitalist globalization process was initiated in 1980, global poverty has actually declined more than ever before in the history of mankind.'