Weekly Cuba News Roundup: October 22nd, 2021
We so wanted to share positive stories this week. But they were very few and far between. The most positive story we could find was a story, reported in the Tampa Bay Times, on a historian that says that the Cuban sandwich was not invented in Tampa. So, unless you live in Tampa, that’s kinda a positive story, right?
In other (sad) news reflecting the state of Cuba and US-Cuba relations, the LA Times reports on growing frustration with Biden’s delay in lifting Trump’s sanctions. A Cuban prosecutor is telling dissidents not to protest; they’ve been summoned and warned. The Hill reports on a Human Rights Watch report that says that abused demonstrators and a protestor is jailed for tearing a poster of Fidel Castro. Told you the news is depressing this week. Hoping for more positive news next Friday. In the meantime, see below for these stories.
By the way, none of the opinions in any of the stories shared on this page represent ours; we’re just sharing them with you. If you are a journalist or you have seen a story that you’d like us to consider for future weekly news roundups, please send us a note and a link to the story here. (Hero image: Alejandro Rojas)
LA Times: Despite promises to lift some Trump sanctions, Biden leaves Cuba in deep freeze
One of Cuba’s most senior diplomats switches from Spanish to English when he describes the pace at which many Cubans expected a new President Biden to ease restrictions on the island nation. Read more at latimes.com.
Reuters: Cuban prosecutor warns dissident leaders against November protests
Cuban prosecutors on Thursday summoned dissident leaders from across the country who have called for protests on Nov. 15 over curbs to civil rights, warning them against convening the rallies under penalty of the law. Read more at reuters.com.
Tampa Bay Times: Actually, the Cuban sandwich was not ‘invented’ in Tampa, says historian
For a while, historian Andy Huse was the go-to guy for reporters looking for a quote about Tampa’s Cuban sandwiches. He fielded calls from The Wall Street Journal, Saveur and others. Read more at tampabay.com.
Four Rum Brands Vying to Become the Spirit of Cuba
Havana Club is Cuba’s top selling and most popular rum but three other brands are also competing for the island’s #1 spot.
The Hill: Cuba ‘systematically’ abused demonstrators, says human rights group
Various arms of Cuba’s government have “systematically” jailed and abused demonstrators who took part in July protests against the government, according to Human Rights Watch. Read more at thehill.com.
Miami Herald: Cuban protester who tore apart image of Fidel Castro sentenced to 10 years in jail
Cuban judges have sentenced Roberto Pérez Fonseca, who protested against the government on July 11 and helped tear apart an image of the late Fidel Castro, to 10 years in prison. Read more at miamiherald.com.
Here’s How You Can Support Art Brut Cuba: Cuba’s Outsider Artists
Samuel Riera’s Art Brut Cuba opens channels for Outsider Artists to sell their art when they otherwise couldn’t earn a living from their work.
Reuters: EXCLUSIVE Cuba, Paris Club reach deal to skip 2021 debt payment – diplomats
Cuba has reached a deal with the Paris Club of creditor nations to postpone an annual debt payment due in November until next year, according to diplomats from five of the governments involved, the latest sign the Communist-run country is suffering a grave foreign exchange crisis. Read more at reuters.com
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El Equipo
Hola todo el mundo. Sometimes our stories are sourced from multiple people on our team. Or, we like to keep you guessing... You know... anonymous. And, for that, soy el escritora; "El Equipo." We exist to amplify the voices of writers, photographers, and content creators in the space between the United States and Cuba, and we also feature stories from Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the Latinx community in the US. Topics of interest are personality-driven and include pop culture and music, featured current events, climate and the environment, and travel and tastemakers. Oh, and of course we're always 100% independent. No governments, businesses or other influencing factors play a role in our work.
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