My business partner Fidel Castro: Cuba: from the dream to reality - Tapa blanda

History, business, love, eroticism, power, economics, politics, black magic and revolution: all these ingredients are featured in this foreign businessman’s intriguing account of his adventures on the Caribbean island. This book is the first objective assessment of the Cuban economy from the viewpoint of a joint venture – the partners being Fidel Castro on the one hand and Michel Villand and his co-investors on the other. In addition to highlighting the commercial opportunities and pitfalls, it includes vivid portraits of local characters and candid anecdotes about the terrible struggles Cubans face in their day-to-day lives, with emotions running the gamut from happiness to hopelessness, anxiety to dreams, passion to resignation. Havana is lovingly depicted: the scent of cinnamon and tobacco wafts through the air and the atmosphere brims with exoticism, humidity and sensuality. A real political thriller, an insider’s analysis of the shipwrecked system and an admirable people’s struggle to survive. The English edition is an updated and expanded version. Previous editions have appeared in French (Mon Associé Fidel Castro) and Spanish (Mi socio Fidel Castro).

Michel Villand was born December 9, 1938, in Saint-Malo (Brittany). As a businessman working in the banking and real estate sectors, he has travelled to fifty-three countries. In 1992, he was named a Knight of the French Legion of Honor. He is also a veteran of the French Army. Married to a Cuban woman, he currently lives in Andalusia (Montefrio, Granada). In addition to enjoying retirement, he has dedicated time to writing and translating his memoirs. Francis Matéo, born September 21, 1967, is a freelance journalist specializing in economics and tourism. A devoted traveler and lover of literature, his research has taken him to spots all over the world. He lives in Barcelona, where he works for various French newspapers. In addition, he has a great passion for history, politics and Cuban culture.