Cuban writer Leonardo Padura on living in Havana today (legrandcontinent.eu)

• Padura identifies four distinct Havanans: colonial, 19th-century, republican (1902-1958), and revolutionary (1959-present), with the last in ruins.
• He distinguishes between 'pertenencia' (belonging) and 'permanencia' (physical permanence), claiming he embodies both.
• The writer states his works contain political readings but are not primarily political propaganda; he rejects ideological discipline.

"Leonardo Padura, one of Cuba's most prominent contemporary writers, gives an interview to Le Grand Continent about his relationship with Havana, the decay of the city, and the current political situation. He describes the city as a palimpsest of colonial, republican, and revolutionary layers, with the latter marked by neglect. Padura reflects on belonging (pertenencia) versus physical permanence, his decision to stay in Cuba despite hardships, and the role of memory in his work. He discusses the threat of US intervention and the constraints on political expression."