Cubans defect
The week's news at a glance.
Las Vegas
Forty-three members of a Cuban dance review performing at a Las Vegas casino requested political asylum this week. It was the largest mass defection of Cuban performers since Fidel Castro seized power 45 years ago. The musicians, singers, and dancers in the Havana Night Club show got American visas and left Cuba without their government’s blessing, and said they feared they would be punished if they returned home. The troupe’s director, Nicole Durr, said the performers felt they had no choice but to stay in the U.S. “Art should have no boundaries,” Durr said. “We want to dance.”
Join 350,000+ subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.