This month’s shot was captured at Marina Hemingway by photographer Michael Freas. And, we’ve been staring at it for hours. Photo: Michael Freas

June is here and with that comes this month’s photo pick. It’s by photographer Michael Freas. We dig this image because in any other location it would feel like a classic surf scene. In Cuba though, the story it tells is likely definitely a different one. Michael shot this in 2018 near Marina Hemingway.

Do you have a photo from Cuba to share with us? Each month we’re using this space to share one of your Cuba photos, so if you’re interested in sharing one of your best, please let us know!

Related Post: Photo of the Month: El Barbero

Wasp Network misses the mark despite an all-star cast and a story made for film. Wasp Network on Netflix.

Wasp Network enters against the pastel backdrop of the storefronts and cafes lining the streets of Havana in early 1990. Cafecito poured, monstera leaves simmering in the sun, the scene brings a nostalgia and warmth that is hard to come by for many Cuban Americans. Since landing on Netflix on June 19, the film has been a point of contention between those who see the story of the Cuban Five— five arrested members of the Cuban spy group known as the Wasp Network— as either anti-American or anti-Cuban, with Cuban immigrants stuck on the threshold between. 

Based on The Last Soldiers of the Cold War: The Story of the Cuban Five by Brazilian journalist, politician, and global best-selling author Fernando Morais, Wasp Network (2019, 130 minutes) follows René González, the first of the Cuban Five to be released from the US prison system, from his sudden departure from the island to his arrest in 1998. The film has a gorgeous, star-studded cast, featuring Penélope Cruz, Édgar Ramírez, Ana de Armas, and Gael García Bernal, but skimps on important historical context to fully understand volatile Cuban and American relations in the 1990s. 

The “Cuban Five” of the Wasp Network.

The film has a gorgeous, star-studded cast, featuring Penélope Cruz, Édgar Ramírez, Ana de Armas, and Gael García Bernal, but skimps on important historical context to fully understand volatile Cuban and American relations in the 1990s. 

The film earned a measly 40% on RottenTomatoes, with critics describing it as “choppy and confused,” and viewers have taken to Twitter to call Wasp Network “absolute propaganda” and demand Netflix remove the film from their streaming service. In an effort to blur the allegiances of the spies highlighted in the film, the non-chronological narrative loses the average viewer in a mess of unaddressed tragedies and pro-Castro pathos. 

Gael García Bernal and Penelope Cruz in Wasp Network. Netflix

Pro-Cuban democracy non-profit Center for a Free Cuba rebuked the film in a lengthy but well-informed review, calling the film “a masterclass in misinformation,” arguing that it “paints a sympathetic and whitewashed picture of the Castro regime’s spy network.” The organization pins the film’s failures on its creators: Morais for his original work, and Olivier Assayas who wrote the screenplay and directed the film. 

Related Post: A Conversation with Rodrigo Barriuso, the Co-director of Un Traductor

Morais is considered an icon of the Brazilian left, historically pro-Cuba and Castro-supporting. Center for a Free Cuba believes Assayas furthered this political narrative by shooting the film on-site in Havana, which required permission from Cuban authorities. As a result, Wasp Network is devoid of any anti-Castro sentiments that would set off regime censors, shutting down the production; on-location B-roll shots take precedence over balanced historical context.

Assayas said in an interview with IndieWire, “it was extraordinary because it was the first time that the Cubans opened the doors to have a filmmaker explore their contemporary political history, but at the same time, we shot during a very tense time because of the political context, particularly due to the Trump administration. We were observed very closely by the Cuban state and subjected to the fluctuations of the political climate.”

In an effort to blur the allegiances of the spies highlighted in the film, the non-chronological narrative loses the average viewer in a mess of unaddressed tragedies and pro-Castro pathos. 

Assayas’s outsider perspective of Cuban-American relations at the end of the Cold War is evident in his cherry-picking of the struggles Cubans faced under the Castro regime: while highlighting the caps on electricity, constant surveillance, and rationing of food, Assayas avoids addressing the tension in Cuba following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Castro brothers’ growing paranoia. 

This political context illustrates the delicate relationship between pro-democracy and pro-Castro Cubans, defecting citizens and the authoritarian government, Cuba and America. With pro-democracy Cubans organizing terrorist attacks against Cuba’s tourism industry and economy to weaken Castro’s dictatorship and Castro’s growing fury towards his opponents, the real-life Wasp Network, “La Red Avispa,” was comprised of 41 spies sent to Miami to observe and infiltrate Cuban-American groups, gathering intelligence that would lead to the deaths of four Brothers to the Rescue during a flight in Cuban airspace: Carlos Costa, Pablo Morales, Mario de la Peña, and Armando Alejandre. 

The Ochoa Affair is mentioned briefly at the beginning of Wasp Network, but fails to recognize Fidel Castro’s role. General Arnaldo Ochoa, a highly respected Cuban leader and recipient of MINFAR’s highest decoration, Hero of the Republic, was arrested for corruption, drug smuggling, and high treason before being put on a show trial and executed by firing squad. The huge leadership overturns of the Ochoa Affair is speculated to be a countermeasure to remove evidence of the Castro brothers’ orchestration of massive drug trafficking arrangements, removing key American witnesses and worthy cause for invasion. 

With pro-democracy Cubans organizing terrorist attacks against Cuba’s tourism industry and economy to weaken Castro’s dictatorship and Castro’s growing fury towards his opponents, the real-life Wasp Network, “La Red Avispa,” was comprised of 41 spies sent to Miami to observe and infiltrate Cuban-American groups.

Wasp Network seems to value Florida-based Brothers to the Rescue, a group of Cuban exile pilots who made dangerous trips to rescue Cuban defectors, but neglects to mention Castro’s fury when their pro-democracy leaflet drop coincided with a vigil for the Tugboat “13 de Marzo” Massacre. The massacre occurred when a tugboat of defectors was purportedly downed by a Cuban military vessel, taking at least 35 Cuban lives while survivors begged the military vessels for rescue. Cuban authorities have never officially acknowledged the massacre. 

The victims purportedly downed by a Cuban military vessel.

Though Wasp Network comes off as tone-deaf toward the martyrs who gave their lives to save Cuban refugees, some of its best moments in the representation of Cuban-American stories in the film underscore prevalent experiences for immigrants. Penélope Cruz’s marvelous work as René González’s wife, Olga, captures the familial trauma of immigration to America: wives and children left at home, babies sent to live with grandparents. What the Wasp Network gets right is the heartbreaking and seemingly endless struggle to keep a refugee family together. 

Despite its mediocre reviews, I would recommend Wasp Network to fellow Cuban Americans; where the film fails to give a balanced historical context, it forces a critical eye on how Cubans interpret Cuban nationalism and morals. This story shares a common theme: love for the Cuban people, and, of course, hope. 

Have you seen Wasp Network? Let us know your thoughts below! 

Independent and unaffiliated, Startup Cuba exists to amplify the community of voices in the Latinx space throughout the US. Through a mix of video, photography and written content we tell stories that bring us closer together.

Independent and unaffiliated, Startup Cuba exists to amplify the community of voices in the Latinx space throughout the US. Through a mix of video, photography and written content we tell stories that bring us closer together.

The fusion of this traditional Jewish food with Cuban flavors and ingredients connects these two cultures perfectly. Your mouth will agree. You can make your own chicken stock or buy pre-made.

The last few days have been wet and windy. But, they’re perfect for soup. Especially Matzo ball soup, with a Miami/Cuban touch. The only difference between the traditional version of this Jewish dish and this Cuban matzo ball soup recipe is the addition of cumin, sofrito, avocado and lime. You can make your own chicken stock but if you want to skip that step, just buy the pre-made and add those four ingredients. 

Cuban matzo ball soup is special because Cuba has so much diversity and it represents the fusions of cultures to create amazing dishes (check out my recipe for Pollo a la Barbacoa for a taste of Chinese influence). This history of food and how dishes are created by blending culture is something I find fascinating. In this case, understanding the Jewish community in Cuba helps me to know how the people and the food have evolved.

Related Post: A Knockout Passover Recipe: Kugel Con Maduro

Today, Havana has over 1,200 people identifying as Jewish. The first to migrate to the island were the American Jews, who settled after the Cuban Wars for Independence in 1898. In 1910, Sephardic Jews left Ottoman Turkey to Cuba, escaping the Baltic wars. The last wave of immigration were the Eastern Europeans, escaping the Nazis. 

Related Post: Fun With Guava: Guava BBQ Sauce, Pastries and Vinaigrette

During Fidel Castro’s Revolution in 1959, a large number of Jews fled the island. Many of them were business owners and merchants. Castro’s attack on capitalism made it difficult to survive. 

The remaining Jewish community in Havana has created their fusion of classic Jewish dishes with Cuban touches, integrating local ingredients. Kosher eating can be difficult since the island is pork heavy and personal fishing boats are outlawed in Cuba. Roast chicken marinated in mojo, plantain kugel, and pureed boniato (Cuban sweet potato) are just a few examples for the Cuban influence on traditional Jewish dishes. 

• Ready in 20 minutes
• Serves 8 people

Avocado is a key ingredient to this Cuban matzo ball soup recipe.

Related Post: Cuban Sandwich Mac and Cheese Could Be the World’s Best Comfort Food

• 1 2-3 pound chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 yellow onions, unpeeled cut in half
• 4 celery stocks, cut into large pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into large pieces, plus 2 extra, cut into 1/2 pieces
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons sofrito, divided
• 6 sprigs each of cilantro & parsley
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Matzo ball mix
• Avocado
• Ciliantro

1. Place chicken, onions, garlic, celery, peppercorns and carrots in a large pot and cover with 12 cups of water.
2. Season with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. 
3. While the stock is simmering. Make the Matzo balls. Following the directions according to the package. ( do not throw away soup mix, use it for another time).
4. Using tongs remove chicken and let cool on a cutting board. Drain the stock and remove cooked vegetables. (used a calendar and a sieve) Add the drained stock back to the pot.
5. Once the chicken has cooled. Pluck meat from the bones and add to the stock. Add uncooked carrots, sofrito,cumin,  cilantro and parsley sprigs.
6. Add the matzo balls to the stock and simmer for 20 minutes until balls are fully cooked and carrots are tender. Taste to adjust seasonings. 

Serve your Cuban matzo ball soup hot and top with more sprigs of cilantro leaves, and avocado. 

Related Post: If You Don’t Love Big Ed’s El Borikua Seasoning, Do You Really Know Love?

Cuban matzo ball soup. Photo: Jami Erriquez Watch Startup Cuba video replays here on YouTube.

Independent and unaffiliated, Startup Cuba exists to amplify the community of voices in the Latinx space throughout the US. Through a mix of video, photography and written content we tell stories that bring us closer together.

Latinx billon dollar startup entrepreneurs David Cancel and Elias Torres talk about what’s helped them build their unicorn startup.

Have we forgotten how to honor the humanity among us? Don’t we all want the same thing? 

Adam San Miguel wants the Cuban-American diaspora to support the community by defining what engagement means for them.

The rising Cuban star tells Startup Cuba about HBO’s Revolution Rent, the story of bringing Rent to life in Cuba, and her journey to getting a role in Gloria Estefan’s…

Samara Mejia Hernandez wants Latinx entrepreneurs and investors to think about wealth creation in a different way.

As I grew up, I always felt very American and very Cuban, but never quite “Latina” or “Hispanic” because we identified by the country our parents came from.

Craving Cuba’s Zuzy Martin-Aly shares Happier Now author Nataly Kogan’s five tips to deal with COVID-19 stress — which we all have.

Over the years, La Lenin School has signified many things — including the promise of a better future for students and the country. The campus.

On the outskirts of Havana, in the Arroyo Naranjo municipality, bordering the Globo ring road, lies the well known Instituto Preuniversitario Vocacional de Ciencias Exactas Vladimir Ilich Lenin (commonly known as “La Lenin”).  

Over the years, La Lenin School has signified many things — academic rigor, scientific focus, socialist values, friendships, community and the promise of a better future for its students and the country. 

It was born out of a vision of an ideal school that would form the future generations of Cuban citizens. As Fidel Castro articulated in one of his speeches, a school like La Lenin would serve as “… a modern school… a school that would be like a prize, to stimulate those who have worked hard. A vanguard school, a model for the schools of our country’s future.”

At its prime, the school campus included great facilities, including a sports field, Olympic-sized swimming pool, laboratories, accommodation buildings and much more.

Since it was first established in the early 1970’s, many generations of students have studied and lived within its walls. Some families have several generations of parents, aunts and uncles, sons and daughters or cousins who studied and graduated from La Lenin between the ages of 15-18. This was quite evident when four out of the six former alumni I spoke with all had at least one family member attend before or after them.  

La Lenin is a pre-university boarding school where students focus on science and technology education. Historically, it has a reputation of being a very competitive elite school where only the brightest and smartest students are accepted. It is notoriously hard to get in, so successfully passing the entrance exams comes with a great sense of pride and achievement

“Everybody inside of Cuba knows what it means to go there. It was considered by many a Cuban elite school…”

Jose Rodriguez, Alum

One former alumni, Jose Rodriguez*, 35, who currently lives in the USA, told me: “As I remember, my family was thrilled… I felt like the luckiest guy in the world when I found my name on the list.” Another alumni, Josefina Padron*, 35, who currently lives in Spain, added: “I felt very happy, because La Lenin means a lot for my family, my parents studied there and personally speaking it was a challenge for me to continue this tradition.” Jose explained: “Everybody inside of Cuba knows what it means to go there. It was considered by many a Cuban elite school. Having the name of Lenin school in your resume is often seen as a very positive achievement. Also in the United States when you mention the school some people are very familiar with it and its reputation, especially for those who know Cuba.” 

Related Post: Finca Marta Demonstrates Sustainable Farming in Cuba

The reputation of La Lenin also attracted students from outside Havana. Yosué Montes de Oca, 36, who continues to live in Cuba, said he had to wake up at 5 am to make the journey from his neighborhood of San José de las Lajas to get to school on time.

Some academics have studied how schools like La Lenin were founded after the revolution with the purpose of socializing students to become a new type of post revolutionary political subject, which Ernesto Che Guevara referred to as “Hombre Nuevo (New Man); in other words, to become “the children of the revolution” who would have the zeal and commitment to continue building socialism in Cuba.  

Over the decades, it has produced many famous alumni, including comedian Jorge Fernández Era, TV comedian Luis Silva “Pánfilo,“ a member of the famous ‘Cuban Five,’ and the children of many powerful political families. 

Other academics have studied how La Lenin specifically reproduced status and privilege through the social and cultural capital that students who attended accrued. 

As former alumni, Eric Hernandez* 30, who currently lives in Canada told me: “In my case, getting into La Lenin was a challenging process because my family went through financial hardships in order to pay for extra tutoring to help prepare me for the admission tests — Spanish, history and mathematics… Everyone knew that the regular classes in high school would not give you the training you needed to get in….” 

Mónica Rivero Cabrera, 31, who currently lives in Cuba, shared that “there was some kind of ‘special thing’ about being from my school. We used to like to let everyone know we were studying there, because of its prestige. After I left the school I stopped enjoying this kind of “superiority approach” (there must be a better word for it). I think there were good students and good professors in many other places, too; and that there isn’t such a thing as “Lenin exceptionalism.” 

Arturo Barea Ferrer, 30, who currently lives in Chile added “people used to see it as a prestigious school so some were very proud, others just used to downplay it because some people thought of the students as a bit nerdy. But ME, I felt like a god while studying there! [Laughs]” 

School days were strictly regimented and included regular classes, exercise, and mandatory participation in manual labor a few times a week. But students learnt much more than just scientific and technical knowledge and skills.

According to José, “We had a schedule with alternating morning and afternoon sessions of study, sports, military training and work. After dinner there was time to study, called self-study, from 8 to 10 pm every night.”

• 

At its prime, La Lenin had two Olympic-sized pools, now closed.

Once I got to meet some of them, and to share experiences and laughs with them the magic of the school appeared. It was a marvelous place to share with others, a beautiful age… I always remember living in the dorms, the chats, the studying, the tales and histories, the sharing of food, soap, shoes or whatever was needed. The new and old loves… We were like brothers and sisters.”

Arturo Barea Ferrer, Alum

Most boarding students were able to go home on the weekends, but the sense of camaraderie, bonds of friendship and community built amongst classmates who lived and studied together for years was strong and has endured. There are countless alumni groups on Facebook and Whatsapp, and everyone I spoke with shared how some of their best friends to this day are friends they met while studying at La Lenin. 

Mónica, who first met her current fiancé at La Lenin 16 years ago, shared: “…we used to have a lot of fun. I learnt how to dance there, and danced as never before or after. I don’t think I have ever talked as much as I did those days…I think I got a piece of an idea of a wide variety of human beings. I learnt what loyalty was, and learnt to be more tolerant and respectful of others… We were discovering and developing our own identities.” 

Arturo, whose current roommate is also a former friend from La Lenin shared: “I remembered being overwhelmed with all the people I started meeting, I found them all interesting… Once I got to meet some of them, and to share experiences and laughs with them the magic of the school appeared. It was a marvelous place to share with others, a beautiful age… I always remember living in the dorms, the chats, the studying, the tales and histories, the sharing of food, soap, shoes or whatever was needed. The new and old loves… We were like brothers and sisters.”

When I asked him if he thought La Lenin was the best school in Havana at the time, he said, “I don’t think so, I know so! [Laughs] Best years of my life — really the best!” 

At its prime, the school campus included great facilities, including a sports field, Olympic-sized swimming pool, laboratories, accommodation buildings and much more. Pictures from the late 70’s show the bloque central with museum-style displays for biology class, a big library, big gym, language classes (“el laboratorio de idiomas”), and even an athletic “factory.” Those were the heydays of La Lenin. Over the years the school campus changed a lot.

As Monica recalled: “We went through a major maintenance process of the school, when I was in 10th grade (2005). For that reason we spent some weeks out of those buildings, in another boarding school closer to the city. Before those renovations, the school looked old but there was a certain atmosphere around it. Maybe what we call today “vintage.” Afterwards, there was air conditioning in every room, and the school was renovated. We had new bathrooms, WC, painted walls, nice gardening… Sadly most of the labs continued to look abandoned. We loved the open spaces, parks, squares, football fields, pool areas, etc.”

Arturo added: “It was a 1-km long campus, with interconnected buildings, usually painted in white and blue. When there were students, the halls were full of life, it wasn’t difficult to find some friend around. Lots of laughs, jokes, games in small groups of students. Vast terrains to practice sports, walk and chill.”

Besides the students’ relationships and the campus environment, teachers were also integral to the experience that students had. It was a happy coincidence that José, Josefina and Yosué all had the same favorite teacher. 

“I believe what made that school so special was the quality and human kindness of those professors,” says José. “Rosa Alicia spent 3 years teaching us math and was also in charge of our group, Grupo 33… She always looked out for us to achieve our full potential.” Josefina adds, “She was a special woman, who knew a lot and most importantly she enjoyed teaching, and when I was sitting in her class I could feel that.” 

Related Post: What Punk Culture Means in a Country Like Cuba

“In terms of learning, I think the most important were those things related to daily routines,” Josefina adds. “Of course the academic knowledge I learned there was very important for my future studies, but there are other aspects of my behaviour and thoughts which come from that school, and I appreciate them a lot.” 

Over the decades, La Lenin’s modern facade and overall student experience has deteriorated. A lack of maintenance has caused extensive structural damage, so much so that two years ago a few of the buildings were closed down permanently. In 2018, one report cited that out of six buildings, only two were in use, but had serious water and sanitation problems. 

Some reports state that the school continues to be open, although it has a much smaller student population than it used to — approximately 1,000 versus the 4,500 it used to have.

Eric explained: “I remember the government used the school for some other government programs. For example, when Cuba and Venezuela started their medical cooperation program the school underwent renovation not to give students better facilities but to be used as residential facilities for the patients that came from Venezuela. At that time  ¼ of  the living space and facilities were used exclusively for this program. The interesting thing is that the facilities that were used for this program were the only ones that were renovated, the students did not see any improvement in the classroom, dormitories, dining room or sport areas…”

In recent years, pictures circulating on social media show the extent of the deterioration and some media channels have published various video reports on the state of the school campus. 

Due to the lack of maintenance and investment, there is some confusion about how the school is operating and whether it is completely closed. 

Some reports state that the school continues to be open, although it has a much smaller student population than it used to (approximately 1,000 versus the 4,500 it used to have) and that students study in other school buildings in the municipality. 

“As far as I am concerned the school is not closing,” said Mónica. “The Ministry of Education said it was reduced and some of the buildings would be devoted to another institution. Still, it was sad news for all of us, because that school’s strong identity is very space-related, space-linked. The fact that it deteriorated so much over the years was almost unbelievable. It takes a huge amount of abandon to get there. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw pictures a couple of years ago.”

“Many teachers decided to leave the school not only because of the low pay but because the direction the school was taking did not resonate with the idea that it was created for.”

Eric, La Lenin alum

Eric added: “Many teachers decided to leave the school not only because of the low pay but because the direction the school was taking did not resonate with the idea that it was created for. Then we started to see less funding and programs such as music, theater or even sports were suspended. Then the living conditions were so bad that actually it was not safe to have students living in the residence. On top of that, the school couldn’t afford to feed the students so at some point in recent years they decided it was no longer going to be a boarding school any more, just a day school.” 

“Now that it might be closing, it feels like an important part of Cuba is gone,” said Arturo. 

But Jose brought up a different point: “as disappointing as it is to hear, it was very expensive to keep that school running. I would have liked it to remain the same and keep its reputation but that was unquestionably impossible. I think perhaps it might be better to distribute those resources in all the schools in the country and improve the education system for everybody.”

While La Lenin school might not be completely closed down, the way it currently operates is completely different. It is definitely no longer the elite, idyllic boarding school that it used to be.  

Images of the deteriorated campus and reduced educational offerings sadden alumni but the strong and positive impact that the school had, while it was still in its prime, on the lives of countless students and families is undeniable.

Photo: Facebook

The feelings of community and enrichment that are often associated with time spent at La lenin continue to live on through the memories and strong friendships that continue today, both in Cuba and amongst the Cuban diaspora. 

Despite the current sad and decaying chapter in La Lenin’s evolution, the school continues to occupy a special place in Cuba’s educational history and the hearts of former alumni. All the alumni I spoke with shared that many of their best friends are still friends from their La Lenin years — regardless of where they currently live around the world.

*not real name, pseudonym used 

Independent and unaffiliated, Startup Cuba exists to amplify the community of voices in the Latinx space throughout the US. Through a mix of video, photography and written content we tell stories that bring us closer together.

Any headline with the letters C.I.A. in it gives us a funny feeling but alas, the agency claims that Russia doesn’t have anything to do with the so called Havana Syndrome.

A head scratching headline coming from the New York Times this week, with the C.I.A. claiming that the ailments known as Havana Syndrome are unlikely to have been caused by Russia or another adversary. While believing a statement the C.I.A. puts out could be parallel to believing in Santa Claus, it does seem that nobody knows will say what the real story is.

Look to the southeast and you’ll find a kidnapped Cuban doctor in the D.R. This is after a ransom payment was made (and that my friends is why you don’t negotiate with terrorists). Six mass trials have concluded, leaving Cuban protestors to await potential lengthy prison sentences. Tensions remain high between Russia and U.S. leaving many to ponder Putin’s plans for Cuba. Spain’s EFE is likely to have to leave Cuba. A Miami Herald opinion piece calls out Miami politicians for calling for democracy while acting like fascists. And, Puerto Rico has received judge approval for its debt restructuring – the largest public sector bankruptcy deal in U.S. history. Read on… it gets juicy this week.

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.

Relatives show pictures of relatives in prison. Photo: Ap/Ramon Espinosa

Cuban courts have wrapped up the hearing phase of six mass trials for people accused of involvement in the largest and most unruly protests on the island in decades, leaving more than 100 defendants awaiting potentially heavy sentences. Read more at apnews.com.

December 1, 2023

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.

Cuban doctor Daymara Helen Pérez Alabedra was kidnapped in Haiti, a fellow doctor confirmed. Photo: Facebook

More than a week after she was kidnapped, a Cuban doctor is still being held for ransom in Haiti, where violent gangs keep disrupting essential services. Read more at miamiherald.com.

People demonstrate against war on October 27, 1962 in front the White House in Washington, DC, during the Cuban missile crisis. Photo: AFP

Bringing Communism to Washington’s back yard meant dealing a double blow to the White House and raising the stakes in the Cold War. Read more at aljazeera.com.

A November protest outside the federal court in San Juan, where a bankruptcy judge was considering a debt adjustment plan for Puerto Rico. Photo: Carlos Giusti/Associated Press

Puerto Rico received approval from a federal judge on Tuesday to leave bankruptcy under the largest public-sector debt restructuring deal in the history of the United States, nearly five years after the financially strapped territory declared it could not repay its creditors. Read more at nytimes.com.

February 10, 2023

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.

Soberana is one of Cuba’s homegrown vaccines Photo: Yahoo! News file

For almost half a century, Spain’s EFE news agency has reported from Cuba, covering everything from the historic visit by President Barack Obama to the death of Fidel Castro. But its independent coverage in one of the world’s most censored societies could be about to end. Read more at voanews.com.

Guantanamo Bay Camp 5. Photo: Thomas Watkins/AFP/Getty Images

The C.I.A. has found that most cases of the mysterious ailments known as Havana syndrome are unlikely to have been caused by Russia or another foreign adversary, agency officials said, a conclusion that angered victims. Read more at nytimes.com.

Gov. Ron DeSantis gives opening remarks flanked by local state delegation members before signing legislation to make it harder for social-media companies to punish users who violate terms of service agreements. Photo: Carl Juste Miami Herald.

I hardly recognize you, Cuban-American Republican lawmakers from Miami. You are a shameful bunch. How can you call for democracy in Cuba with a straight face — and any measure of credibility — when you subscribe and indulge the fascist, racist impulses of Gov. Ron DeSantis in Florida. Read more at miamiherald.com.