Padura’s ‘Die in the Sand’ Chronicles 60 Years of Cuban Life,and a Nation in Crisis
Award-winning Cuban novelist leonardo Padura,celebrated for his detective fiction featuring the character Mario Conde,is currently promoting his latest work,Die in the Sand,across Latin America and Spain,offering a stark reflection on the realities of contemporary Cuba. Speaking from Chiapas, Mexico, during a book tour culminating at the Guadalajara International Book Fair, Padura detailed the novel’s exploration of the island nation’s trajectory over the past six decades.
Padura, recipient of the 2016 Princess of Asturias Award, clarified that the character of Fumero, a detective novelist within Die in the Sand, is not a direct representation of himself. He explained that Fumero’s career began in the 1970s, a period marked by significant repression of cultural expression in Cuba – a situation Padura believes has evolved in its tactics, but not its core nature.Unlike Fumer
The author addressed the evolving identity of the “New Man” in Cuba, noting the paradoxical blend of faith and pragmatism now prevalent. He observed that while small businesses were outlawed in 1968, their reintroduction in the 1990s has led to a situation where individuals concurrently embrace Catholicism, Santería, and entrepreneurial pursuits. “Before, you could also have serious problems in Cuba for having religious beliefs, and today, tho, that is almost a virtue,” Padura added, quoting a friend’s observation: “all this has happened to us with the same people.”
This shift coincides with a significant wave of emigration from Cuba. Padura revealed that over 1.2 million Cubans left the country between 2021 and 2024, driven not by desire, but by necessity. He highlighted the prohibitive cost of leaving – upwards of $10,000 when traveling through Chiapas to reach the United States – characterizing it as a “visible,mathematical reality,it is not propaganda.”
Despite the challenges facing Cuba,Padura continues to reside on the island,a decision he attributes to a deep connection to his homeland. He echoed a sentiment from his novel Like dust in the wind, stating the importance of understanding both those who stay and those who leave. “I stay as it is indeed where the language I speak, the spirituality I understand and my place in the world is.” He also recalled the words of poet Dulce María Loynáz, who when asked why she hadn’t left, responded: “I have not left, because I arrived first.” “And I arrived first,” Padura emphasized.
Padura views the role of art, as articulated by Milan Kundera, as an exploration of the human condition, and believes that the specific struggles of Cuba resonate universally. “To the extent that as a writer you delve into that human condition, you delve into a worldwide projection of conflicts; what happens in Cuba, happens to all human beings.” He further invoked Miguel de Unamuno’s idea of finding the “universal in the bowels of the local,” asserting that this is the guiding principle of his novels.
When questioned about the possibility of cuba descending into a state comparable to Haiti, as suggested by characters in his book, Padura clarified that this was a figurative expression. However, he expressed concern over the visible deterioration of Havana, describing “precarious businesses” lining the streets and a pervasive sense of poverty. He also cited an “epidemic” of mosquito-borne diseases – including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and oropuche – linked to widespread garbage accumulation, even near his own home. This decline is compounded by frequent and prolonged power outages, lasting up to 16 hours at a time. He recounted a local comedian’s quip: “summer has not arrived, because they promised that in the summer there would be no blackouts.” Padura concluded with a poignant observation: “summer has not arrived yet; we are an island without summer.”
