Arts and Literature of Cuba

confessed to “counterrevolutionary activity,” pleaded for a chance to make amends for his “gross errors,” and denounced other critics of the Castro regime, including his friend Guillermo Cabrera Infante, whom he accused of being an agent of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. From the tone of the statement, as well as its assorted ludicrous claims, those who knew Padilla recognized that his confession had been coerced. Intellectuals across the world were outraged. Many who had previously supported Cuba’s socialist revolution turned against the Castro regime. More than 60 famous writers signed a letter to Castro decrying Padilla’s mistreatment. Though the poet was released from prison, the government blocked him from publishing any more of his work in Cuba. Padilla sought to emigrate but was repeatedly denied per- mission. Finally, in 1980, he was allowed to move to the United States. There he taught at various universities. He also pub- lished poetry, several novels, and, in 1989, a memoir of his troubles in Cuba. It was called La mala memoria , which in Spanish means “the bad memory.” The English translation appeared under the title Self-Portrait of the Other . That was also the title of a poem in which Padilla—in his usual spare style and with hints of humor—alluded to his ordeal in Cuba and described his need to continue expressing himself:

Is it anxiety, nausea, raptures? Or is it just wanting sometimes to shout out?

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Arts and Literature of Cuba