Laura Roque Valero

Darkness swallows the streets of Aguada de Pasajeros; but it swallows some more than others. In this municipality in Cienfuegos province—as in other Cuban towns—prolonged blackouts are causing exhaustion, and citizens are questioning how decisions are made about which areas lose power and which keep it. They also cast doubt on the credibility of local authorities.

Given the scarce civic spaces in which Cubans can express how they would like that hypothetical dialogue between Cuba and the United States to be conducted—and with the aspiration that the results serve only as a first exploration of an issue that must be studied in more depth—we asked the audience of elTOQUE for their opinion.

In Cuba, there is hardly any electricity. That is a fact. But the workers in this field also lack the means to perform their duties. A lineman told El Toque: “The conditions in which I work are awful and dangerous, lacking all safety and protective equipment.”

Life in Cuba’s towns is fading away. A set of photographs from San Antonio de Cabezas, in the municipality of Union de Reyes, Matanzas, bears witness to the decline. The streets show barely any movement: few people and no vehicles appear in public. A park without people, buildings without paint. The monotony of nothingness.

Cuban banks are withholding euros from Spanish pensions and aid programs, forcing recipients to accept Cuban pesos or MLC at unfavorable rates—causing financial hardship for thousands of elderly citizens.

When Amelia Calzadilla landed in Madrid with her three children one November day, she had not only overcome the fear of flying but also bid farewell to a place she didn’t want to leave.

The stories of elTOQUE began to be told in another format on July 4, 2022. The Historias al Oído podcast was born with the intention of reaching a different audience, the visually impaired and those who prefer oral storytelling.

The ways in which power structures in Cuba control public discourse explain the extent of a domination that leads to the abuse of power and of which the official media have been a part.

Between September 29 and October 1, 2022 there were more than 50 protests in Cuba. They took place in Holguín, Las Tunas, Mayabeque, Artemisa and most of them in almost all the municipalities of Havana.

The appeal to history -to a patriotic and victorious past- has served for the representatives of power in Cuba as a strategy of legitimization.

On countless occasions, the Cuban government's political discourse not only justifies poverty, but also romanticizes it.

In the official Cuban discourse there are enough examples of this segmentation, which has created a barrier not only between Cuba and a part of the world, but also among Cubans themselves.

The Cuban government congratulated the new leader after the announcement of his victory. However, Boric has publicly declared his stance against human rights violations in Cuba and the Government’s response to social protests on July 11th.

Many of the people detained for having protested against the Government, have been tried in summary hearings and others are awaiting trial, charged with crimes such as sedition and public disorder. Sentences in some cases could reach up to 30 years in prison.

She has over 5,000 followers on her Facebook page now, and she sometimes dresses up, sings, dances and even offers mini-classes in her Livestreams on how she thinks you can educate your children on political matters. She slowly answers these questions as her little girl Virginia draws.