Leonardo Padura: “All the reasons to leave or stay in Cuba are valid” In “Todas las razones para salir de Cuba son válidas y todas las razones para quedarse también lo son” [All the reasons to leave Cuba are valid and all the reasons to stay are valid too] José Carlos Cueto (Hay Festival Digital Colombia@ BBC Mundo) interviews the bestselling Cuban author: 2021 started out “complicated” for Leonardo Padura. He says that his car broke down and that “that in Cuba, this is something very serious.” This setback, however, is not what the famous Cuban writer (who recently added the prestigious Carlos Fuentes Medal to his collection of literary awards) regrets the most. “The pandemic has canceled trips, meetings with the readers, and the public presentation of my latest novel,” he tells me by phone, with a tone of resignation.