3 Cuba-focused Podcast Episodes That Are Worth Listening To
Learn about some fascinating historical and contemporary stories about Cuba via these three podcasts
I have been hooked on podcasts a lot since the last couple of years. Sure, there was a dip in my listening patterns ever since strict lockdowns were announced in India, as my commute time had gone for a toss. But over time, I think I am back on track.
One thing that I love about podcasts is that they open your mind to a vast variety of topics.
Just like my bookshelf and my Kindle downloads, I have subscribed to a lot of podcasts and am not able to do justice to many. But every once in a while some podcasts stick.
Recently, I heard two podcast episodes on certain aspects of Cuba which were light bulb moments for me. But first, here’s an episode I had heard a couple of years ago.
Cuba’s Digital Revolution, BBC Documentary
Whenever I used to hear about Cuba, the first things that came to my mind were Fidel Castro, Cuban cigars, the vintage cars that are used as cabs, and the buildings in ruins which form the backdrop of any travel-related photo of Cuba.
I used to think that the excesses of the Castro regime were part of the past and the internet revolution had swept this island nation as well. In 2014, I was working on a story around internet censorship and was shocked to learn that only 5 percent of Cubans had access to the open internet.
Last year, I came across this podcast episode on BBC Documentary which spoke about conditions improving. More Cubans are getting online but under the strict eye of the communist regime there. The podcast interviews youngsters and how they use the open internet and the disruption being brought on by mobile internet.
It’s an interesting to look at how the young Cubans are getting on social media, how podcasting on general news works, and how getting online is giving voice to many…to an extent.
Did the CIA plant a virus in Cuba?
With the ongoing pandemic, anything related to viruses has our attention. This two-part episode of Science Vs revisits a chapter in Cuban history from the 1970s when the Cuban government killed hundreds of thousands of pigs. There was also a conspiracy involving the CIA and rumours about it having planted the African Swine Fever virus in Cuba. This virus, which isn’t as dangerous for humans is fatal for pigs and boars.
The interesting bit about the episode was the hosts getting a response from the CIA, albeit heavily redacted. I won’t spoil it any further.
Bacardi and the long fight for Cuba
This is easily one of the coolest podcasts I discovered this year. This episode, in particular, focuses on a chapter in Cuban history where one of the top bosses on one of the most famous Rum brands in the world, Bacardi, had to flee Cuba. Jose Bosch was running Bacardi when the Castro regime came to power and took over the rum plant.
Bosch would never return to Cuba. But thanks to knowing about intellectual property rights, managed to save Bacardi from being relegated to the pages of history. He also supported the sentiment to overthrow Castro.
As expected, there are some anecdotes about CIA involvement as well.
I hope you liked these three podcast episode recommendations.
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