cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/51513883

Duration - 3:02

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Havana has a garbage problem. El Rampeño has a solar-powered solution.

Meet the Cuban initiative using renewable energy to collect garbage with tricycles in the face of fuel shortages caused by the U.S. oil blockade.

The result, which yields encouraging figures —2,000 tons of naphtha and 10,000 tons of fuel oil— , not only improves upon the records of the two previous tests (March and May), but also introduces key technological adjustments in the handling of a high-density oil with strong acidity and a significant presence of sulfur, as explained by the specialists.

Irene Barbado Lucio, the facility's general manager, emphasized that each processing cycle provides essential lessons for designing safer and more efficient procedures. "It's not just about quantities," she clarified, "but about consolidating a methodology that meets the demands of our raw materials and, at the same time, pays homage to the vision of the Commander-in-Chief, who in 1988 spearheaded the modernization of this plant with a view to Cuba's energy future."

Meanwhile, engineer Cristóbal Acosta Blanco explained that the work teams have focused their efforts on protecting the integrity of the process lines, heat exchangers, and pumping systems, which are subjected to extreme conditions due to the crude oil's composition. " Each run requires us to rethink maintenance protocols and anticipate potential wear and tear, which involves continuous learning that we are already capitalizing on for the next phases ," he stated.

The innovative component was not overlooked. Yadira Parada Villalón, director of science and innovation, highlighted the contribution of the rationalizers movement, whose proposals have allowed, for example, a partial redesign of the new pumping station to guarantee a more stable flow and reduce operational risks. “These are solutions born from daily practice, demonstrating that collective intelligence is our main resource,” she emphasized.

The confidence in the Santiago industry was summed up by Félix Torres Pérez, a 45-year veteran at the refinery, who stated that "this plant has known how to respond in the most complex moments, and today it demonstrates once again that, with limited resources but with will and knowledge, we can take firm steps towards technological sovereignty."

The completion of this run does not represent an end point, but rather a platform for the next stages. Specialists anticipate that the data collected will allow them to scale up the process and diversify the resulting products, always with the premise of maximizing the potential of Cuban crude and reducing external dependence . Hermanos Díaz, with its history spanning more than half a century, thus reaffirms itself as a bastion of creative resilience and a commitment to a more self-sufficient energy future.

Duration - 12:08
[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

The United States announced $100 million in humanitarian aid to Cuba, some of which is now being distributed to vulnerable families through the Catholic Church.

So we went to Bejucal, one of the towns where the aid first arrived.

In a town of 22,000 people, the Church delivered 380 boxes of aid. Those who received it expressed their gratitude. But there is a stark contradiction at the heart of the U.S. aid effort: Washington is offering relief from a crisis its own policies have brought about.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/51373967

August 14, 2026

Taken from Rednote!

The facility, which operates completely independently of the National Electric System, was built and is operated by the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise Solguara, and is part of the country's policy to promote the increase of renewable energy sources.

The new solar charging station has two service levels, one for fast charging and the other for ultra-fast charging, as well as connectors compatible with different international standards, all of which will favor the provision of a more efficient and sustainable service.

In addition to cars, the solar charging station created by Solguara will facilitate the charging of cell phones, fans, and rechargeable lamps, the latter free of charge, according to the ONURE Facebook page in Villa Clara, the province that is leading the way in this initiative in the country.

Previously, in this central territory, other solar power plants had already come into operation, including the one inaugurated in the Virginia popular council, which has 56 solar panels, 30 kilowatts of power and 60 kilowatt-hours of storage; and others in the basements of one of the 12-story buildings in the Sandino neighborhood and in the José Martí and Ciro Redondo neighborhoods.

The proliferation of solar charging stations is an important step in solving the energy crisis the country is experiencing due to the oil embargo imposed by the United States government against Cuba, by offering a decentralized solution that allows citizens to charge devices, cook, and recharge electric vehicles sustainably.

This initiative, which has Santa Clara as the epicenter of the unprecedented energy transformation, is part of a territorial strategy that brings together different economic actors, the government and the community to face the limitations of the electricity service, while recovering public spaces and strengthening the social fabric in the city's neighborhoods.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/51207022

Duration - 2:44

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Six years ago, Liz Oliva Fernández nearly walked away from journalism. Then she joined a new independent media outlet called Belly of the Beast. The rest is history.

Support the independent journalism of Belly of the Beast by subscribing to our newsletter, joining our Patreon or making a tax-deductible donation below.

•Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BellyoftheBeastCuba

•Donate: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/help-sustain-our-work

•Newsletter: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/signup

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/51185333

August 8, 2026

[weekly newsletter about Cuba from the Belly Of The Beast news collective. Their videos can be found at: https://peertube.world/c/cuba_botb_videos/videos]

The Trump administration's Cuba playbook made its way into major U.S. media outlets this week.

Anonymous U.S. officials detailed intelligence operations, possible military action and the "hunt" for Cuba's next leader.

The articles read less like journalistic scoops than messages Secretary of State Marco Rubio wants delivered, with the reporters serving as couriers. As one anonymous official told Axios about a leak, the administration is simply “letting the regime know we’re watching.”

Also this week:

• Long Lines, Not Enough Fuel for Cuba's Taxi Drivers
• The Spanish Flotilla That Broke the U.S. Blockade
• Cuba Suffers Three Blackouts In 48 Hours
• Colombia’s Outgoing President Visits Havana

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50978893

Duration - 3:27

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Open Arms @openarmsong set sail across the Atlantic carrying seven tons of solar panels, batteries and medical supplies bound for a children’s hospital thousands of miles away.

This hospital, which treats children with cancer, neurological conditions and severe burns, is facing its biggest challenge: a lack of electricity.

---

Support independent journalism from Cuba by subscribing to our newsletter, joining our Patreon, or making a tax-deductible donation below.

•Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BellyoftheBeastCuba •Donate: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/help-sustain-our-work •Newsletter: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/signup

•Website: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/ •Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellyofthebeastcuba/ •Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellyofthebeastcuba •TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bellyofthebeastcuba •X / Twitter: https://x.com/bellybeastcuba •Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bellyofthebeastcuba.com •WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb9o9eP7oQheND87Gn2H •Telegram: https://t.me/bellyofthebeastcuba

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50978001

Duration - 1:02 

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

After visiting Cuba, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro delivered a message directed at Washington.

What did he ask the United States? And why did he say it now?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50840415

July 24, 2026

[weekly newsletter about Cuba from the Belly Of The Beast news collective. Their videos can be found at: https://peertube.world/c/cuba_botb_videos/videos]

The State Department released a 100-page report Monday accusing Cuba of influencing virtually every major progressive movement, organization, protest and activist in the United States over the last 65 years.

Media outlets, including Belly of the Beast, are also implicated in the vast conspiratorial screed, which one member of Congress has called the “stupidest” thing he’s ever read.

Also:

• Ramped Up Sanctions Target Doctors, Ports and Oil
• US Economic War Drives Hotel Chains Out of Cuba
• Congressional Democrats Push Back
• No Electricity, Garbage Everywhere
• First Shipment of U.S. Aid Arrives to Cuba

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50806225

Duration - 21:31

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Is Russia operating a spy base in Cuba again?

Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and major U.S. media outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal all say so.

But none of them bothered to go to the alleged site of this spy base. We did — and here’s what we found.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50778506

July 30, 2026

cross-posted from: https://expressional.social/users/Peter_Link/statuses/117012205205318248

Let Cuba Live - Help #Teamsters deliver desperately needed aid to save lives in Cuba
A discussion and fundraiser this Saturday, August 1 at 9am in #Martinez, #California, #USA

#LetCubaLive #EndTheBlockadeEmbargo #OilForCuba #union #labor #workers #solidarity #politics @cuba

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50678005

Duration - 2:53

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Since January, the U.S. oil blockade has worsened the living conditions of the Cuban people.

Lines of taxis stretch for hours outside Cuba’s gas stations — when fuel is even available.

Even when it is, they struggle to find clients due to the lack of tourists.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50638668

The U.S. oil blockade has deepened a humanitarian crisis, forcing Cubans to lean on the island’s long tradition of community solidarity to provide a cushion.

July 7, 2026

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50636966

President Trump has tried to strangle Cuba by blocking its oil imports. But six months later, the island is finding ways to endure.

“We have not reached the point of having a humanitarian crisis precisely because of the strength of our society,” Mr. Fernández de Cossio, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, said in Havana’s Fidel Castro museum, where the lights were on but the air-conditioning had failed. “The intimate expectation in political circles in the United States was that Cuba could not survive beyond April. And here we are.”

July 27, 2026

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50578806

Duration - 1:19:42

[A video podcast about Cuba from the podcast team Cuba Analysis Podcasts]

In this episode of the Cuba Analysis Podcast, co-hosts Helen Yaffe and Nina Blodau speak with Professor Isaac Saney, a Black Studies and Cuba specialist, historian, professor at Dalhousie University, author of two books about Cuba, and spokesperson for the Canadian Network on Cuba, which is among many groups named in the new US State Department report ‘Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism’.

Professor Saney breaks down the 100-page report which, despite lacking evidence, depicts Cuba as a global subversive force guiding the US and international left over decades. Saney explains that the objectives of this McCarthyite document are to justify the genocidal US blockade and lay the groundwork for future military aggression, as well as to revive Cold War-era repression of the left domestically and beyond. 

We discuss the suffocating US sanctions imposed in 2026, their impact on Cuba’s economy and the population’s access to essential goods, and the muted international response. Professor Saney points out that 136 countries voted against the US blockade at the UN, despite US pressure, although Canada and several EU countries shamefully abstained.

We also talk about Cuba’s historic contribution to African liberation struggles, with a focus on Cuba’s support of the struggle for Angolan independence and the defeat of the invading South African army, which contributed to the end of Apartheid – the focus of Isaac’s book, Cuba, Africa, and Apartheid's End. This historic contribution is ignored in the State Department report, which Saney describes as a white supremacist. 

Saney concludes by calling for more concrete international solidarity with Cuba, arguing that defending Cuban sovereignty, self-determination and socialist development, is also a defence of international law, opposition to normalisation of genocide and resistance to imperialism.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50573167

Duration - 2:56

[a video on Peertube about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Camila Guevara Milanés carries two legendary last names. But she wants to be known for her music. The Cuban singer-songwriter talks about how she's forging her own artistic identity.

cross-posted from: https://expressional.social/users/Peter_Link/statuses/116986725901159397

March on Sunday in Mexico City in Defense of Cuba

from La Jornada on FB July 24, 2026
[translated from Spanish by FB]

Social organizations hope that the march in defense of #Cuba this Sunday in #MexicoCity will be massive, with a participation higher than that they have had in the mobilizations held every July 26 for decades, mainly to protest the hardening of Donald #Trump's government policy against the island and Washington's measures aimed at other countries and progressive movements.

Olivia Garza Joa, vice president of the Association of Cubans Resident in #Mexico José Martí, explained that for more than a month, solidarity organizations with Cuba, social movements, urban and popular collectives, #unions, parties and other groups have come together to organize a unitary march.

More information at: https://www.jornada.com.mx/noticia/2026/07/24/politica/colectivos-marcharan-este-domingo-en-defensa-de-cuba-y-el-antimperialismo

#NoWarOnCuba #USHandsOffCuba #OilForCuba! #CubaIsNotAlone #EndTheBlockadeEmbargo #CubaSolidarity #EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #news #politics
@cuba

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/50533130

Press release - July 23, 2026

WASHINGTON - Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Peace & Security Taskforce Chair Rep. Ilhan Omar and 10 other CPC members—Representatives Greg Casar, Maxine Dexter, Jesús "Chuy" García, Jonathan L. Jackson, Jim McGovern, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Pocan, Delia C. Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, and Nydia M. Velázquez—issued the following statement in response to the Trump State Department's release of the 100-page report, Cuba: Capital of 21st-Century Communism:

“Trump appears hellbent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.

“Trump has repeatedly threatened to take over Cuba and has deployed U.S. military ships to seize fuel vessels attempting to arrive on the island. And yet, in an Orwellian move, this administration now claims it is Cuba carrying out the ‘assault’ against the United States, by turning ‘Americans into instruments of their own nation's undoing.’

cross-posted from: https://expressional.social/users/Peter_Link/statuses/116971428025091280

Syringes donated to Cuba stuck in Jamaica, because of US sanctions

from Punto y Aparte on FB July 18, 2026
[en español - https://expressional.social/@Peter/_Link/116971465860466440]

⚠️ 3.5 million syringes remain in Jamaica, due to the refusal of a French ship to bring them to #Cuba

Due to #sanctions imposed by the #US government, the French ship CMA CGM recently canceled the transfer of cargo to #Cuba; and left dozens of containers in Kingston, #Jamaica, that were supposed to arrive in our country, including one with 3.5 million syringes and needles donated by the Spanish non-governmental organization SODePAZ to #PublicHealth institutions in Santiago de Cuba.

#NoWarOnCuba #USHandsOffCuba #OilForCuba! #CubaIsNotAlone #EndTheBlockadeEmbargo #CubaSolidarity #LetCubaLive
#EndSanctionsAgainstCuba #OffTheList
#news #politics #USpol
@cuba

cross-posted from: https://expressional.social/users/Peter_Link/statuses/116971465860466440

Permanecen en Jamaica 3,5 millones de jeringuillas, ante negativa de naviera francesa de traerlas a Cuba

de Punto y Aparte en FB
18 de julio de 2026

Debido a #sanciones impuestas por el gobierno de #EstadosUnidos, la naviera francesa CMA CGM canceló recientemente el traslado de cargamentos hacia #Cuba; y dejó en Kingston, #Jamaica, decenas de contenedores que debían arribar a nuestro país, incluido uno con 3,5 millones de jeringuillas y agujas donados por la organización no gubernamental española #SODePAZ a las instituciones de #SaludPública en Santiago de Cuba.

#CubaNoEstáSola #VivaCuba #CubaSí #AbajoElBloqueo #SolidaridadConCuba
#PetróleoParaCuba
#noticias #política #España #Francia
@cuba

[en inglés - https://expressional.social/@Peter/_Link/116971428025091280]