Weekly Cuba News Roundup: March 25th, 2022
Remember seeing cruise ship after cruise ship docked in Havana before the Trump administration? Well, a judge ruled that it was illegal and was “trafficking activities.” No bueno. A 48 year old man with a colostomy bag tried to get to Florida for a medical treatment. And, thanks to the pandemic… There are crabs. Lots of crabs in Cuba.
Gas lines are getting longer on the island, a new app claims to allow you to send money to the Cuban people while circumventing the government, and the Economist writes about Cuba’s cultural opposition. Oh, and rappers in both Cuba and Russia are being targeted. Rolling Stone has a story about it and, Denis Solis, who now lives in Serbia.
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.
Miami Herald: ‘Prohibited tourism’: Miami judge deals major blow to cruise companies that traveled to Cuba
In a consequential ruling Monday night, a Miami federal judge said four major cruise lines with South Florida ties — Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises — engaged in “prohibited tourism” and “trafficking activities” by carrying passengers to Cuba and profiting from the use of Havana port facilities confiscated by the Fidel Castro-led government, the first decision of its kind that could affect similar lawsuits. Read more at miamiherald.com.
WPLG: Cuban windsurfer wanted to get to Florida to get medical treatment, relatives say
The 48-year-old man who was stranded on a windsurf board off the Florida Keys is a Cuban father who is desperate for medical treatment, relatives said. He ventured off at sea despite having a colostomy bag. Read more at local10.com.
ConBAC: Cuba’s Blooming Craft Cocktail Scene
Top bartenders and mixologists from around the world pitched up in Cuba’s top beach resort last year to compete in the IBA World Cocktail Championship shining a spotlight on global drinks and craft cocktails.
The Economist: Cuba’s dictatorship has a cultural opposition that it can’t tolerate
When Yunior Garcia, a dramatist, was still living in his home city of Holguín, in eastern Cuba, the local secretary of the Communist Party, Miguel Díaz-Canel, came to see two of his plays. “We talked,” says Mr Garcia. “He seemed open and more modern. He liked the theatre.” Since 2019 Mr Díaz-Canel has been Cuba’s president. “He has stopped smiling. He reads out everything he says. He has acted as a despot.” Read more at economist.com.
Is the Face of Havana Changing?
Havana’s modern “international” architecture has Cuba’s urban planners worried.
NBC News: Watch: Swarms of crabs in Cuba after pandemic sees numbers increase.
Swarms of crabs emerged near the Cuban city of Matanzas after numbers dramatically increased over the two years of reduced traffic during the pandemic. Read more at nbcnews.com.
WSVN: RevoluSEND app offers new way to send money to people in Cuba
A new app is providing a way to send money to people in Cuba. RevoluGROUP, a Canadian company, released its RevoluSEND app. The app allows families to send money to their relatives in Cuba directly, without having to go through the Cuban government. The app’s rollout comes a year and a half after the closure of the official channels for sending remittances from the U.S. to Cuba. Read more at wsvn.com.
The Hill: Hours-long lines seen at gas stations in Cuba amid economic crisis
Hours-long lines were seen at gas stations across Cuba on Monday as the country faces an economic crisis. Read more at thehill.com.
Rolling Stone: From Cuba to Russia, Rappers Are Being Targeted in Record Numbers
Denis Solís moved to Novi Sad, Serbia, in November 2021 — quietly, wearily, without a job lined up. Of his large and tightknit extended family, only two cousins joined him. And now, every day, when he leaves his apartment to wander unfamiliar streets in search of work — as a cleaner, dishwasher, mason, anything — he looks over his shoulder. Read more at rollingstone.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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