Friday, August 12, 2011

Requisan vivienda de disidente

Requisan vivienda de disidente
Idania Yanes Contreras
11 de agosto del 2011

Santa Clara, Cuba – www.PayoLibre.com – La vivienda del disidente Yudiel
González Villalobos fue requisada el 5 de agosto pasado, en Sibanicú,
Camagüey, producto de un hurto en el centro de trabajo donde labora.

A las 10:00 a.m., siete efectivos de la policía registraron la vivienda
de Yudiel, ubicada en la calle Jesús Menéndez #5A, entre Rogelio
Martínez y Juan Camisa, debido a un robo de materiales de la
construcción en el almacén de la empresa municipal de la Vivienda donde
trabaja.

Los uniformados inspeccionaron todas las habitaciones del inmueble, el
patio y hasta debajo de las camas, en presencia de Gonzalez Villalobos,
miembro del Partido Cubano Demócrata Cristiano, su esposa Ana, y sus
tres hijas de 3, 2 y 1 año de edad, pero no encontraron lo extraviado.

Luego el disidente fue montado en un carro-patrulla y trasladado para el
recinto policial del poblado donde permanece tras las rejas hasta al
cierre de esta información, dijo Yordán Marrero Huerta, delegado
municipal de la citada organización contestataria.

Villa Clara Press

http://www.payolibre.com/noticias/noticias2.php?id=7995

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

El dinero reordena los barrios de La Habana

El dinero reordena los barrios de La Habana

Los barrios elegantes de la ciudad, recuperados y reutilizados por el
gobierno, luego de que las familias ricas y de clase media abandonaran
la isla, y que mostraron un rostro poblacional muy heterogéneo, volverán
a exhibir su antaño elitismo.

martinoticias.com 09 de agosto de 2011

"Todo es cuestión de dinero", ha declarado en la Habana el arquitecto y
diseñador urbano Mario Coyula. "Hay una Habana con teléfonos celulares y
coches coreanos, y hay otra de gente que camina y toma el autobús cuando
se puede."

Las diferencias de clases y raciales retornarán a La Habana con las
nuevas leyes sobre vivienda que entrarán en vigor, ha asegurado este
martes un reporte del diario globalpost.

Apunta el periodista Nick Miroff que los barrios elegantes de la ciudad,
recuperados y reutilizados por el gobierno, luego de que las familias
ricas y de clase media abandonaran la isla, y que mostraron un rostro
poblacional muy heterogéneo, volverán a exhibir su antaño elitismo.

El reportero señala que las casas de la ciudad, que oscilan entre los 5
000 dólares por un pequeño apartamento hasta 120 000 por una casa grande
en un reparto residencial, se han convertido de repente en un activo de
dinero constante y sonante luego de cinco décadas sin que estos valores
se tuvieran en cuenta.

Esta apertura –señala Miroff- hace posible que se acelere una tendencia
ya en marcha en la ciudad, de reordenar los barrios de La Habana de
acuerdo a las diferencias económicas e incluso raciales, con las fuerzas
del mercado.

"Todo es cuestión de dinero", ha declarado en la Habana el arquitecto y
diseñador urbano Mario Coyula. "Hay una Habana con teléfonos celulares y
coches coreanos, y hay otra de gente que camina y toma el autobús cuando
se puede."

Los cubanos que ganan dinero en moneda fuerte o reciben remesas
familiares en el extranjero buscarán viviendas más confortables en
barrios más exclusivos de La Habana, como el Vedado y Miramar, dijo
Coyula, mientras, los menos afortunados se irán a zonas más económicas.

Las familias que son pobres en dinero en efectivo pero ricos en
propiedad -gracias a la redistribución de la vivienda realizada a
principios del gobierno de Castro- se verán tentados a vender y mudarse
a zonas periféricas y más baratas de la ciudad.

Dado que la mayoría de los cubanos que han abandonado el país en los
últimos años son de color blanco –añadió Coyula al globalpost- las
remesas van mayoritariamente a los cubanos blancos, y ello aumenta las
posibilidades de que las desigualdades existentes en la ciudad sean cada
vez más visibles.

http://www.martinoticias.com/noticias/La-nueva-ley-de-la-vivienda-en-Cuba-mostrara-diferencias-clasista-y-raciales-127313628.html

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Premeditated Eviction / Luis Felipe Roj

Premeditated Eviction / Luis Felipe Rojas
Luis Felipe Rojas, Translator: Raul G.

His name is Rubisner Utria Gomez, he resided in La Cuarteria
neighborhood of San German, in the province of Holguin. On the 8th of
July he was evicted from his workers' housing which he occupied along
with two other families, due to the overcrowding and precariousness with
which he previously lived. When, on that Sunday, a special operation
from the Ministry of the Interior and State Security arrived to kick him
out of the place, they first dropped by my house to detain me so that I
wouldn't inform the outside media about the imminent eviction. Thank
God, I had left my house the night before, apparently guided by pure
instinct. If I hadn't, I would have ended up in one of the dungeons of
the thousand demons.

That Sunday, they evicted him and took him, his wife, and their youngest
daughter three kilometers outside of San German, to a place known as the
"Rabbit Hole," an uninhabited farm where they once raised these furry
creatures, but which is now completely abandoned. But upon arriving
there, not even the soldiers had the courage to drop them off in those
roofed cages.

They immediately took them towards some huts which serve as summer
resting spots for distinguished sugar plantation workers. A few days
later they moved them again to a half of a rented house, "until we build
you a room in a run down building", he says they have told him. Two
weeks have passed and they still have not even marked his land and he
and his family are under strict vigilance.

Fifteen days later I was informed of more bad news, which was expected.
Rubisner Utria Gomez, the night guard of the "Urbano Noris" Sugar
Plantation, was fired from his Security and Protection position. His
crime was to become a non-comformist, like those Spaniards which they
put on Cuban television each night, as a slap in the face to capitalism.
The only difference is that in the case of Rubisner no one supported
him, except for some relatives and opponents of the regime. The latter,
the dissidents, were classified as opportunists and manipulators.

Rubisner Utria Gomez has a small daughter who suffers from congenital
brain problems and he has spent all of his money in tending to her and
taking her from place to place whenever her convulsions kick in. He has
spent his entire "socialist worker" salary on this, like he told a local
police official who is known for his coarseness and violent treatment of
detainees.

Now he must embark on an infinite journey between citizen processing
offices, writing letters to the Central Government of the nation, and
complaints on all sides. It is an ordeal that doesn't know the hope
without which one crosses oneself and prays to God for another Cuban
family thrown into the inferno.

August 4 2011

http://translatingcuba.com/?p=11296

It Won't be Easy for Cubans to Buy or Sell Houses / Laritza Diversent

It Won't be Easy for Cubans to Buy or Sell Houses / Laritza Diversent
Laritza Diversent, Translator: Regina Anavy

A few days ago, the newspaper Granma announced that by the end of 2011,
Cubans would be able to buy and sell homes. Despite the buzz caused by
the news – according to the announcement, the steps for conveying
property legally would be more flexible – many people still have misgivings.

According to the newspaper, "the payment of the price agreed upon
between the parties will be made through a bank branch."

"I don't like that. It seems strange that they're now making it so
easy," says Manolo, 40, who works filling cigarette lighters. He
distrusts the requirement to open a cash account at least for the buyer,
and adds: "What worries me the most is having to justify the money."

The government only recognizes as legitimate income from employment,
remittances and inheritances. "How do I show the money my brother sends
me through 'mules' or one of those private agencies that are not
recognized by the government?" asks Manolo.

Indeed, for those who can't certify the legality of their inflows of
money, there is the risk of being prosecuted administratively for unjust
enrichment, because the state can presume that the deposits are the
result of theft, diversion of state resources or activities on the black
market.

In these cases, they confiscate homes, cars, bank accounts, etc.,
acquired over a period of time that may be prior to when the inherited
wealth was verified, which allegedly enriched the individual and the
close relatives who can't justify the legal origin of their goods.

Moreover, taxes are also on the list of concerns of those who are
obliged to create a bank account to buy a home. The seller must pay
personal income tax, while the buyer has to pay for the transfer of
property.

And the tax rates make people uneasy. On the black market, real estate
is priced in convertible pesos. The price of a stone house with a room,
kitchen and bathroom, located on the outskirts, can run between 5,000
and 6,000 dollars in hard currency. In local currency, by which taxes
are calculated, it would be between 125,000 and 150,000 Cuban thousand
pesos.

The more anxious analyze the situation by comparing it to the taxes on
private businesses. "If someone who by the sweat of his work makes more
than 50,000 pesos has to pay a 50 percent income tax, can you imagine
how much it will be for selling a house?" commented the clerk at a
privately-owned cafe.

The transaction, undoubtedly, will eliminate tax evasion, but not fraud
in the affidavits. It appears that the relaxation of bureaucratic
regulations in the sale of housing will not eliminate "the
manifestations of illegality and corruption," as Granma says. And the
government waits.

Translated by Regina Anavy

August 4 2011

http://translatingcuba.com/?p=11299