Combinado Del Este

Combinado Del Este
Author: Mireya Robles
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
Total Pages: 110
Release: 2010
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1426924224

In 1981 I was an Evaluator at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, a center for the relocation of the 7,500 refugees that remained there, who had left Cuba from the Port of Mariel and for that reason were later known as Marielitos. My job there was to interview the refugees and make recommendations regarding their relocation. This was not an easy task because many of these 7,500 refugees had come from prisons or mental institutions. I heard their stories, their struggle to survive in or out of jail. This is the story of Victor who was taken from Combinado del Este prison in Havana and forced by the Cuban government to leave the country. The book depicts the everyday life in the Cuban prison and the socio-political situation in Cuba in 1980, year of the exodus through the port of Mariel. In 1980 the Cuban government withdraws the guards surrounding the Peruvian Embassy in Havana. In a few hours, ten thousand people were crowding the Embassy to request political asylum. Soon, hundreds of inmates were being transferred from jails in the Island's Interior to prisons in Havana. The government then announces that everyone who so wanted, could leave the country. When what was later known as the Freedom Flotilla arrived in Cuba, the government compelled the exiled Cubans from Florida who had gone to the Island to fetch their relatives and friends, to also load their vessels with people selected by the government: dissidents, prisoners, the mentally ill, homosexuals. Many of the prisoners had been given false documents by the Cuban government to hide the fact that they had come out of jails. In less than two months, the waters of the 90 miles of sea conveyed, from Cuba to Key West, some 125,000 Marielitos. Mireya Robles COMBINADO DEL ESTE by Mireya Robles Review The title of this work, which refers to the name of the most infamous prison in Cuba, known for its extreme infringements of human rights, only partially describes the contents of the novel. This is the story of almost seven months in the life of a Cuban young man, from the time preceding his arrest and his incarceration in the prison at the end of 1979 to his release and embarkation for the United States during the Mariel operation of May 1980, in which Fidel Castro forcefully expelled undesirable elements from Cuban society. Thus the novel Combinado del Este is not only a valuable historical documentary, but also a poignant story about the precarious nature of the human condition. Written in an easy conversational style which is skillfully reproduced by the translator, Mireya Robles's novel, with its vivid characterisation and its sensitive insights into human relationships, is compelling reading and has a universal quality. Anna Diegel Translator and Literary Critic

Tales of the World's Most Dangerous Prisons

Tales of the World's Most Dangerous Prisons
Author: Hseham Amrahs
Publisher: Mahesh Dutt Sharma
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2024-01-10
Genre: Architecture
ISBN:

inmates and the unique dynamics of each perilous environment. The narrative takes readers on a journey across continents, exploring the chilling atmospheres of maximum-security prisons that have gained notoriety for their formidable reputation. Through vivid storytelling, the book paints a detailed picture of life behind bars, depicting the struggles, dangers, and human stories that unfold within the confines of these formidable institutions. Each chapter of the book is a standalone tale, focusing on a different dangerous prison and its distinctive challenges. From high-security facilities notorious for housing the most dangerous criminals to prisons plagued by corruption and violence, the narratives are both enlightening and disturbing. Readers are immersed in the stark realities faced by inmates, shedding light on the impact of incarceration on individuals and the broader society. The book doesn't merely recount the harsh conditions and dangers within these prisons but also explores the systemic issues that contribute to their notoriety. It delves into the socio-political and economic factors that underpin the existence of these dangerous institutions, raising questions about the efficacy of punitive measures and the possibilities for reform.

Cuban Political Prisoners

Cuban Political Prisoners
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations
Publisher:
Total Pages: 112
Release: 1986
Genre: Civil rights
ISBN:

The Dissidence of Reinaldo Arenas

The Dissidence of Reinaldo Arenas
Author: Sandro R. Barros
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2022-02-22
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1683403096

International Latino Book Awards, Honorable Mention, Best Biography (English) American Educational Research Association, Division B: Curriculum Studies, Outstanding Book Award Focusing on the didactic nature of the work of Reinaldo Arenas, this book demonstrates the Cuban writer’s influence as public pedagogue, mentor, and social activist whose teaching on resistance to normative ideologies resonates in societies past, present, and future. Through a multidisciplinary approach bridging educational, historiographic, and literary perspectives, The Dissidence of Reinaldo Arenas illuminates how Arenas’s work remains a cutting-edge source of inspiration for today’s audiences, particularly LGBTQI readers. It shows how Arenas’s aesthetics contain powerful insights for exploring dissensus whether in the context of Cuba, broader Pan-American and Latinx-U.S. queer movements of social justice, or transnational citizenship politics. Carefully dissecting Arenas’s themes against the backdrop of his political activity, this book presents the writer’s poetry, novels, and plays as a curriculum of dissidence that provides models for socially engaged intellectual activism. Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Revolution In The Balance

Revolution In The Balance
Author: Debra Evenson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2019-06-04
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1000310051

This book is the product of more than four years' work, during which I receivedthe generous help and support of many friends and colleagues both inthe United States and in Cuba. I express my special gratitude to Raul GomezTreto and Emilio Marill Rivero for opening their libraries to me and for theirvaluable insights and suggestions. To the librarians at the Supreme Court ofCuba, the National Union of Cuban Jurists and the DePaul University Collegeof Law for their help in finding materials. To the National Union of CubanJurists, especially Magali Rojas and Rosario Fernandez, for doing somuch to facilitate my research in Cuba. To my research assistants StacyPochis, Tracy McGonigle and Lisa Acevedo for their painstaking work trackingdown information. To those who read drafts and provided critical comments,especially Jules Lobel, Carole Travis, Esther Mosak and MarcPoKempner. To Bill Montross for doing the copyediting. To DePaul Universityand Dean John Roberts of the College of Law for their support of thisproject from its inception and for providing funding for the research.

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures

Encyclopedia of Contemporary Latin American and Caribbean Cultures
Author: Daniel Balderston
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 1833
Release: 2000-12-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1134788525

This vast three-volume Encyclopedia offers more than 4000 entries on all aspects of the dynamic and exciting contemporary cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean. Its coverage is unparalleled with more than 40 regions discussed and a time-span of 1920 to the present day. "Culture" is broadly defined to include food, sport, religion, television, transport, alongside architecture, dance, film, literature, music and sculpture. The international team of contributors include many who are based in Latin America and the Caribbean making this the most essential, authoritative and authentic Encyclopedia for anyone studying Latin American and Caribbean studies. Key features include: * over 4000 entries ranging from extensive overview entries which provide context for general issues to shorter, factual or biographical pieces * articles followed by bibliographic references which offer a starting point for further research * extensive cross-referencing and thematic and regional contents lists direct users to relevant articles and help map a route through the entries * a comprehensive index provides further guidance.