Odds and ends

• Former national intelligence officer for Latin America Brian Latell looks back at political crises in Cuba, says the Cuban government is a “doddering regime” today, but predicting its end has been a “losing proposition” for 51 years. His monthly essays, published by the University of Miami, can be found here.

• Cuban-born pitcher Mike Cuellar passed away, and his Orioles teammates remember him in this story in the Baltimore Sun.

• Cuban Colada sums up recent coverage of an apparent corruption scandal at the Cuban national airline, translating reports from BBC correspondent Fernando Ravsberg (and linking to his original reports). Employees apparently operated an off-the-books, we-keep-the-money cargo business on Cubana aircraft.

• The Herald explores the cost of traveling to Cuba, and the benefits that Miami retailers are reaping from travelers stocking up on things to bring to their relatives in Cuba.

• Cuba’s national ballet performs in London and is reviewed by the Independent and the New York Times.