The government of Cuba is all set to launch its own online encyclopedia with features and search facilities similar to Wikipedia, aiming to present its leftist view of the world and world history. An official launch of the new Spanish language website ( which is already up and running with 20,000 entries under name ecured.cu) is expected this week.
The site as it says has an aim to spread knowledge without a profit motive and allows updates from all over the world with administrator’s approval. It is clearly stated in the home page of ‘Ecured’ that it aims to disseminate information from a ‘de-colonizer’ point of view paradoxical to the current presentation style of information and knowledge. For example the entry on the United States portrays it as the ‘empire of our time which has historically taken by force territory and natural resources from other nations to put at the service of its businesses and monopolies” .
Even though the diplomatic relation of Cuba and the US has improved appreciably, the decades-long trade embargo still remains. Is it all set to start an information war between the two conflicting social systems? We have to wait and see if EcuRed can compete again Wikipedia or other online encyclopedias.