El Capitolio is styled and named after the US Capitol building in Washington DC, and houses the Cuban Academy of Sciences. Before the Cuban Revolution of 1959 it was the seat of government.
It's only my third day in Havana and I'm curious to know what Cubans really think of Fidel Castro. As my Capitolio tour guide is friendly I decide to start with him but make the mistake of telling him I used to work for the BBC. He clams up and tells me he could lose his job if he were to speak out against the government. I also learn quickly that the word 'regime' puzzles Cubans.
Reading up on the subject of press censorship I discover that Cuba has one of the highest number of incarcerated journalists in the world. Speaking out against the government leads to job/home loss and social ostracism at the very least, if it doesn't land you in jail.
The only newspaper available is the thin tabloid, Granma, mostly filled with political propaganda churned out by the ministries of the Cuban Communist party.
There are three national TV channels and a radio network. Internet costs USD six an hour therefore making it too expensive for locals to use, although I later hear that many Cuban professionals have access at home.
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