A gangland style kidnapping
(Note from blog editor: This video is of the demonstration that Yoani was prevented from attending.)
Near 23rd Street, just at the Avenida de los Presidentes roundabout, we saw a black car, made in China, pull up with three heavily built strangers. “Yoani, get in the car,” one told me while grabbing me forcefully by the wrist. The other two surrounded Claudia Cadelo, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, and a friend who was accompanying us to the march against violence. The ironies of life, it was an evening filled with punches, shouts and obscenities on what should have passed as a day of peace and harmony. The same “aggressors” called for a patrol car which took my other two companions, Orlando and I were condemned to the car with yellow plates, the terrifying world of lawlessness and the impunity of Armageddon.
I refused to get into the bright Geely-made car and we demanded they show us identification or a warrant to take us. Of course they didn’t show us any papers to prove the legitimacy of our arrest. The curious crowded around and I shouted, “Help, these men want to kidnap us,” but they stopped those who wanted to intervene with a shout that revealed the whole ideological background of the operation, “Don’t mess with it, these are counterrevolutionaries.” In the face of our verbal resistance they made a phone call and said to someone who must have been the boss, “What do we do? They don’t want to get in the car.” I imagine the answer from the other side was unequivocal, because then came a flurry of punches and pushes, they got me with my head down and tried to push me into the car. I held onto the door… blows to my knuckles… I managed to take a paper one of them had in his pocket and put it in my mouth. Another flurry of punches so I would return the document to them.
Orlando was already inside, immobilized by a karate hold that kept his head pushed to the floor. One put his knee in my chest and the other, from the front seat, hit me in my kidneys and punched me in the head so I would open my mouth and spit out the paper. At one point I felt I would never leave that car. “This is as far as you’re going, Yoani,” “I’ve had enough of your antics,” said the one sitting beside the driver who was pulling my hair. In the back seat a rare spectacle was taking place: my legs were pointing up, my face reddened by the pressure and my aching body, on the other side Orlando brought down by a professional at beating people up. I just managed to grab, through his trousers, one’s testicles, in an act of desperation. I dug my nails in, thinking he was going to crush my chest until the last breath. “Kill me now,” I screamed, with the last inhalation I had left in me, and the one in front warned the younger one, “Let her breathe.”
I was listening to Orlando panting and the blows continued to rain down on us, I planned to open the door and throw myself out but there was no handle on the inside. We were at their mercy and hearing Orlando’s voice encouraged me. Later he told me it was the same for him hearing my choking words… they let him know, “Yoani is still alive.” We were left aching, lying in a street in Timba, a woman approached, “What has happened?”… “A kidnapping,” I managed to say. We cried in each others arms in the middle of the sidewalk, thinking about Teo, for God’s sake how am I going to explain all these bruises. How am I going to tell him that we live in a country where this can happen, how will I look at him and tell him that his mother, for writing a blog and putting her opinions in kilobytes, has been beaten up on a public street. How to describe the despotic faces of those who forced us into that car, their enjoyment that I could see as they beat us, their lifting my skirt as they dragged me half naked to the car.
I managed to see, however, the degree of fright of our assailants, the fear of the new, of what they cannot destroy because they don’t understand, the blustering terror of he who knows that his days are numbered.
Diciembre 3rd, 2009 at 01:53
Carbo-
The guy is a liar.
You’re right, it wasn’t 7%..It’s 2%..with that said, it’s 2% more people with internet in their home than the 0% you claim..
http://www.rsf.org/Going-onlin.....ernet.html
My statement is not based on the website alone..it’s also based on a friend of mine in Cuba who teaches and has a computer with internet in his home for work. We talk to him regularly thru web cam.
Yoani has internet service on her personal lap top too..see-
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=85152
Yoani claims in this blog that she had cuts and bruises-
“We cried in each others arms in the middle of the sidewalk, thinking about Teo, for God’s sake how am I going to explain all these bruises.”
They grabbed her “..by the wrist forcefully..” that would leave a mark..
“an evening filled with punches…”
“…then came a flurry of punches and pushes…”
“I held onto the door…blows to my knuckles…” that would DEFinately leave a mark..
“Another flurry of punches…”
“One put his knee in my chest and the other, from the front seat, hit me in my kidneys and punched me in the head…” Lots of marks there..
“…thinking he was going to crush my chest until the last breath.” she was specific on where they hit her on some of it, so far we got her knuckles bashed and at least some serious bruising on her chest and head…
Yet when they finally show the liar, not a mark..not a cut, nor bruise. Nothing but a claim that all her bruises are on her rear end, which is why she won’t show us…so tell me genius, why believe a woman who first claims rather clearly that she has cuts and bruises everywhere, even getting specific as to where, then when the camera shows there are no marks, she completely changes her story? Are you really that plain foolish?
I can’t believe this page hasn’t been taken down yet out of embarrassment over how bad a liar she is.
Noviembre 27th, 2009 at 10:22
Hi,after thanksgiving day,in america any people doing diferents thins,some peaple returning to work,or anothers from home after the celebration,but everybady have somethins in comun ,we have freedom to celebreting in peace,and doing any activity in any parts of america,whit respect.i want that for my cuba to,i have 16 years in america,am very happy,and im living my life in total happyness.THAT WILL BE POSIBLE IN CUBA ONE DAY,NOT TO FAR.keeping move ms.Yoanis,whit peace: everythins are comings,be pacients and persisting in yours dreams.
Noviembre 26th, 2009 at 13:42
yoany happy thanksgivig. por el dia del pavo, salud.
Noviembre 26th, 2009 at 13:40
los cdr en cuba son aquellos que chivatean a sus propias madres contra el regimen castrista,estas personas son de recurso bajos y no dejan a los vecinos vivir en paz acusandolos de cuanta cosa puedan.en todas las esquinas aqui en cuba hay un c.d.r.estos son los primeros que hay que desmalentar cuando se acabe la tirania castrista.tambien se venden cuando les conviene a su conveniencias partidas de descarados y sinverguensas.
Noviembre 26th, 2009 at 09:12
la derecha y sus posiciones no generan ningun avance en cuba.dejen a la juventud hacer las cosas a su manera,ya en el tiempo gue les toco a ustedes no supieron hacer las cosas,fijense si las hicieron bien gue todavia en cuba se mantiene la misma situacion.YOANIS NO IMPORTA LO GUE TE DIGAN ALGUNOS ODIOSOS GUE NO REPRESENTAN AL EXILIO CUBANO EN SU TOTALIDAD,SIGUE ADELANTE.tu estas en cuba y solo ustedes los de alla pueden cambiar las cosas.
Noviembre 26th, 2009 at 09:06
hi ,happy thanksguivings for everybady in my habana city.
Noviembre 25th, 2009 at 20:23
HI YOANY FROM CHINA. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU ARE A VERY VALIENT AND UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL I PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU COMING FROM. THE CASTROS BROTHERS SHOULD LEAVE THE ISLAND IMMEDIATLY AND LET THE CUBAN PEOPLE LIVE IN PEACE. THE CASTROS BROTHERS HAVE DIVIDED ALL THE CUBAN FAMILYS THEY ARE ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY IS TIME FOR SOME ONE TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TELL THE TRUTH, THEIR REVOLUTION IS ALL BASED ON LIES.
Noviembre 25th, 2009 at 20:15
HACE UN RATO HABIAN 165 COMENTARIOS AHORA NADA MAS HAY 153 PARECE QUE LA MAFIA DE CASTRO MANEJA ESTA PAGINA. HIJOS DE PU.
Noviembre 25th, 2009 at 20:11
A LOS HERMANOS CASTROS HAY QUE SACARLOS A PATADAS.
Noviembre 25th, 2009 at 19:43
http://www.cubamania.com/cuba/.....mp;t=26045
Noviembre 17th, 2009 at 13:38
Saludos desde Iran Yoani!
What happened to you is exactly a copy of what’s happening to us in Iran. WE(Iranians and Cubans) struggling for the same ideals. We should join forces and ideas and tactics. Is interesting that the march you were going to join, on November 6th was exactly 2 days after Iranians march for freedom on November 4th, where it was massively repressed and many were beaten and arrested. I hope you’ve heard about our struggles for being able to share in deciding the destiny of our society exactly like what you’re trying to achieve. We also here, after 31 years of so-called “revolution” decided we as a whole deserve better. Don’t we all do??
Noviembre 17th, 2009 at 06:14
can somebody aswer me. why the goverment has change the police city for palestinos orientales?no doubt most of them are from oriente probably becaouse the hate habaneros? is that right?
Noviembre 15th, 2009 at 12:24
Caro Fidel,
Why? why are you making yourself responsible for this?
To millions of people in the world, your revolution means HOPE, the possibility that we can achieve a better and fairer way of living. Si, se puede; it came before Obama.
For 50 years, the world has been looking you. I have read what you have done, what you have written, I know that deep inside, you are animated by the best intentions.
How is it possible then that you don’t see how it all comes down in ashes when your men oppress civil liberties? The very goal of socialism should be love for fellow men; where do beatings come in towards that goal?
I am sorry you can’t or don’t want to see this.
Lo siento pero - esta vez - la historia no te absolvera’.
Hopeful to see things change
Marco
Noviembre 14th, 2009 at 23:28
Vergognati Massimo , la democrazia sai solo misurarla dal consenso elettorale o pensi che si possa anche liberamente manifestare ? Che misera figura fai , da propagandista castrista e ti fai anche sfottere….almeno ti pagano , scambio merce o sei indottrinato da qualche politico locale nostrano ?
Fatti furbo e pensa con la tua testa invece che con i portafogli di qualche approfitattore.
Noviembre 14th, 2009 at 19:29
Don’t know if you’ll read Massimo’s post, he just wrote in Italian, may be it’s better for you so you won’t understand his pathetic post. To Yoani and all the braves who faced Cuba’s government at their own risk all my respect, I know you won’t give up till the end and one day you’ll be free!!!
And now only few words in italian for Massimo the idiot.
Sei proprio un ignorante, ma dove vivi sulla Luna? Ma lo sai cosa significhi esporsi personalmente a Cuba? Le persone che vedi nel video, non importa quante siano, hanno rischiato più di quanto tu non abbia fatto in tutta la tua vita! Proprio perchè erano in pochi hanno dimostrato il loro coraggio e la forza con cui portano avanti i loro ideali. Magari saranno di esempio ad altri cubani che prenderanno coraggio e forse alla prossima manifestazione ci saranno più persone. Impara ad avere rispetto di chi lotta per i propri ideali e se ti sono sembrati troppo pochi per abbattere Castro, allora sbattiti anche tu perchè la prossima volta siano di più.
Noviembre 14th, 2009 at 17:06
complimenti vivissimi, una vera manifestazione oceanica! In tutta la mia vita non ho mai visto tanta gente manifestare contro il proprio governo, ma quanti eravate 2,3,4 o forse 5000000 di persone? Con un così vasto dissenso come quello che ho visto nel vostro video immagino che Castro abbia le ore contate! Vi devo solo domandare una cosa: i patrioti e martiri Armando Valladares Perez ( a proposito sta ancora soffrendo sulla sua sedia a rotelle per la brutalità della polizia cubana? )e Posada Carrilles erano con voi?
Noviembre 13th, 2009 at 01:22
Jay Nordlinger, writing in National Review Online: “Who is more admirable than people under dictatorship who stick their necks out for freedom and decency? Not many, you will agree. I have taken special note, over the years, of people in Cuba who stick their necks out, and who often suffer horrible consequences for their efforts. Not a few of these people are young. For example, there is a group called Jóvenes sin Censura, or Youth without Censorship. I wrote about them once, in a piece for National Review, paying special attention to Liannis Meriño Aguilera and Luis Esteban Espinosa. Another person to know — there are so many — is Yoani Sánchez. She is a blogger, and was going to an anti-violence march with some of her fellows. This was on Friday. On their way to the march, they met with violence, at the hands of the state. Yoani and another blogger were seized and beaten, but they resisted mightily, and the goons apparently considered them more trouble than they were worth that day. They dumped them on the sidewalk. And Yoani has written about the episode here. You may well be amazed. Some have observed that the Obama administration is trying a very soft approach to Cuba — they have softened up, even cozied up, in multiple ways. And what are we getting for it? Any relaxation of the chokehold that the dictatorship has over the people? If there is to be a payoff — when will it come? It would be pleasant to say that “The whole world is watching,” to borrow an old line, but, unfortunately, when it comes to Cuba, this is rarely true. Still, many are optimistic — optimistic that the regime will breathe its last. Here is what Yoani Sánchez says at the end of her blog entry, linked to above: ‘I managed to see . . . the degree of fright of our assailants, the fear of the new, of what they cannot destroy because they don’t understand, the blustering terror of he who knows that his days are numbered.’”
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 23:54
You said:
…..spent 8 years in jail for speaking out against the regime.
If you lived in Cuba you would know they don’t have access to computers in jail. That was an incredibly idiotic give-away. Even writing letters would never make it out of the jail as they all get read, and anything with anti-communist sentiments get’s reported and/or thrown away.
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If your fried spent 8 year in jail then he most know that people in jail always find the way to communicate with people outside….. actually there is a guy in jail in Cuba that drive his blog from jail almost with regularity:
http://vocescubanas.com/voztraslasrejas/
I believe the idiotic virus is closer of you than me!!!!!!….. jejejejejejejeje
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And you said too:
About 7% of Cuban’s have internet access from their homes. Including Yoani, as shown in the photo of her at the top of this page.
You have no idea what you are speaking of, don’t embarrass yourself further.
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7% of cubans with internet at home????!!!!…… huuuummmmm…… definitively you are out of mind……. no one have internet at home in Cuba….. there is a lot of people that have computers but to have a computer doesn’t mean you have internet, did you knew it?????……
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 15:58
We are Praying for you. we are following closely the situation in Cuba.its time for the pathethic old loco and his brother to leave the Scene.also its about time all free cubans around the world stand up and be counted. all over the world there is a cuban embassy there should be loud protest outside of those embassys. and in the united states they have an interest section we should also protest outside there too.
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 12:27
#143
Canes:
from Aix, perhaps is not “the goverment” at least not a democaratically elected one.
The knowlege of what is right or wrong is there; their reality is the represion, years long, brutal and consistent, from one generation to the next until Liberty is a thing of the past.
But if we get involved, if we encourage communication, the potential is limitless.
Not all people suffered these things but by talking, sharing ideas, working together as individuals we may make a difference.
I guess all this diatribe is to say research, read, learn talk & communicate ,,, the only way to “see” to reach & touch …
Great comments Canes, thank you
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 04:48
There are few people who are valiant enough to stand up for what is right and ethical. Ever since I first learned about this blog, I have been following it and I find Yoani to be a great inspiration. I have to admit sometimes I am astonished by what I read in these blogs, how could a government be so ignorant and hind-sighted? However, it definitely exposes some of the injustices that are happening in Cuba and countries that, like Cuba, have repressive policies. Yoani, I encourage you to keep up the good work and hopefully some day in the near future, people in the island will realize that by not standing up for what is right they are allowing a handful of people to rob them from freely living the only life they will ever have ( what a life wasted!)
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 04:40
There are few people who are valiant enough to
Noviembre 12th, 2009 at 02:15
carbo…wow…I do not live in Latvia. My family defected for obvious reasons. I’m in Miami and go to Cuba regularly (thru the bahamas, before you claim I am lying cos only Cuban’s are allowed to go once a year from the states). You do not, nor have you in your living memory, ever lived in Cuba. Cuban’s who live there are well aware of the law. I am currently sitting right next to my closest friend who grew up in Cuba, and across the table from her father who not only lived there, but spent 8 years in jail for speaking out against the regime.
If you lived in Cuba you would know they don’t have access to computers in jail. That was an incredibly idiotic give-away. Even writing letters would never make it out of the jail as they all get read, and anything with anti-communist sentiments get’s reported and/or thrown away.
About 7% of Cuban’s have internet access from their homes. Including Yoani, as shown in the photo of her at the top of this page.
You have no idea what you are speaking of, don’t embarrass yourself further.
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 20:32
I have been out of internet contact for a few weeks and have just read about this disgusting business in the Spanish El País. Very best wishes for a speedy recovery, Yoani
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 19:56
Any of the thugs involved in assaulting or forcibly confining this woman ought to be imprisoned for the next 40 years. The people responsible for such acts are a blight on your Cuban society and should be removed from it. Of course, I am not naive enough to believe that that will happen by those who administer justice in Cuba. Therefore, the U.S. State Department ought to actively seek out the identity of these individuals and put them on an international travel advisory. Once, or if, they are detained outside of Cuba, the appropriate action would be to arrest, detain and turn them over to the Americans who have a lovely “camp” at Guantanamo Bay - right in Cuba no less - where these embarassments to the human race can be deposited to rot out for what remains of their useless lives.
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 19:13
#135
Ciao Gianluca!
It is a pleassure to read statements like yours …
Holding back tears I thank you & your efforts; please keep in mind: its not just for Cuba … there are countless others who MUST not be forgotten.
That is why I say: Yoani is a symbol, for country, for liberty & freedom fo all!
viva l’Italia Gianluca!
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 18:53
Thousands of comments have been removed, no surprise.
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 18:00
[...] Desde o afastamento de Fidel Castro do poder o governo cubano vem adotando medidas políticas e administrativas de forma a minimizar a situação catastrófica pela qual passa o país. Mas até agora nada do que se fez gerou qualquer resultado significativo. E se ainda se fez e se faz ridiculamente pouco continua a violência contra os críticos do regime, como o sequestro-relâmpago e agressão física cometidos contra a blogueira Yoani Sánchez há alguns dias. [...]
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 17:57
hi Yoani,
it’s Gianluca from Italy. Sorry for english, but i speak a bad spanish.
I try to spread the news about the orrible fact you lived in the car throgh all my contacts in facebook and other internet channels. i trust your fight, we read your articles from the magazine Internazionale, that joins lots of foreign articles about italy and the whole world. even in Italy the situation is not good. We have an arrogant bastard impossibile prime minister, he’s breaking Italy, and democracy is on risk also in Italy. off course, it’s not the same that Cuba, but in Italy we have some limitations not for our personal voice, but for the media, that are more and more controlled by only one person, Berlusconi.
So, i’ll try to bring your personal message of freedom in the next protest marches in Italy.
good luck and remember you’re not alone!
gianluca
torino, italia
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 13:43
[...] they were worth that day. They dumped them on the sidewalk. And Yoani has written about the episode here. You may well be [...]
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 12:56
#130
concub:
The battle may be lost; sometimes a tactical retreat (even as an excuse for self preservation) allows those retreating to heal & live to fight another day …
The war in the other hand has not been lost.
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 11th, 2009 at 04:21
WALL STREET JOURNAL ARTICLE: Beating Rattles Cuban Bloggers
“The assault, believed to be the first against the growing blogger movement on the island, has cast a spotlight on the country’s record of repression, highlighting how little change there has been in political freedoms during the nearly three years since Raúl Castro took over as president from retired dictator Fidel Castro.”
“…according to a recent report by the Inter American Press Association, a watchdog group.
The group said Cuba currently has 26 journalists in jail, and it cited 102 incidents against Cuban journalists in the past year, including beatings, arbitrary arrests and death threats.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....ions_world
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 20:40
I meant who does NOT have an ego
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 20:19
Andy
Claudia is my favorite .Thanks for dedicating a comment to her in this section.
Andrew
I’m rereading your comment again I’m not a translator NOR and administrator of this blog. That is a job I would not take even is well paid.
I think you are new to this blog.Try to read previous posts and previous comments, so you can have an idea of who is who in this forum
Albert I commented regarding our “egos” before.
First Who does have one?
2nd ) This is not about us this is about Yoani and Claudia and others who decided to stay. We are living in exile and from the moment we left we lost the battle,.They decided to stay, and Yoani’s case, to comeback to win the war.All we can do support the brave work of these COJUNUDOS Cubans..
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 19:53
re #127 / Albert
I am sure every person has their own reasons for deciding to take a stand. Yoani went to Switzerland and realized she was Cuban, not Swiss, and so returned home having made a deal with herself “to live as a free person… whatever the consequences.”
Claudia [Octavo Cerco blog] writes that she is the most frightened person in the world, afraid to go out after dark, afraid of her shadow, afraid of everything. But when Gorki was arrested she took that fear and set it aside and decided to act. So she went to the Prostodrome with Yoani and others and helped to hold up the sign saying only “GORKI” and shouted “GORKI!” three times before the thugs moved in and started to beat them. She ran away, terrified, through the Havana night… but that was the moment for her. She would turn and face them, through her fear. Both her parents worked for MINIT… she knew these were just people… she says she is still terrified… but she does it anyway. Because she has had enough. Because she can’t take it any more. Because all her friends are leaving the country. Because she can’t stop the fear whether she does nothing or everything… so she might as well do everything.
So many others… they all have their own reasons. Some I am sure are stupid, some are brave, some are adventurists, some are unwitting (Panfilo!), some imagine themselves on top of the heap, some are tired, some are energetic… I am sure everyone has their own set of reasons.
It would be very interesting to find out, one-by-one… why? Why do these people stand up while others cannot.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 19:35
Andrew
Dyslexic was my way to be sarcastic and try to make my point .
I’m more tolerant than you can think of.
It is a matter of perception .
To debate is this forum specially among Cubans you have to have a thick skin
Regarding you being a provocateur. I thought you were one.
If you are not, well bro, What can I say , maybe I’m sorry?!…
I have been accused in this forum to put links of pornography. I have accused of being part of Cyber brigade from Castro.I have been accused of reporting to the Cuban Regime from my laptop in one hand and smoking a Cuban cigar with the other.
Just for commenting in others blogs that apparently are pro Castro or make some jokes about some of the Yoani posts
I think that is the intolerance that we have to address, but honestly there is nothing we can do about it. My way to address that is to fight back fiercely. Nobody is going to silence me, in the other hand nobody should be able to shut you up. It was a pleasure to debate with you .Hope we can have another cyber encounter
Have a great day!
el concu..
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 19:14
wonderings:
What leads people to choice of making a “stand”?
Is it courage, is it aventurism, is it stupidity, is it self agrandizing?
Or is it that they just had enough of being the victim?
Tired of being used, manipulated & and abused; robbed of their dignity, castigated for their difference of opinion and subjugated by the very people who preaches equality in a better society?
The terrible burden of being made a victim, with no cjoice in the matter, that alone
has to drive people to anger beyond the human tolerance.
Yet Yoani & the unheard ones choose not the path of bestiality and torment that the regime has chosen, they choose the path of reasoning & dialoge.
In anger & violence there is no path to solutions, in reasonong & dialoge is.
The regime may (as it has) not choos for the better path because it has no way to think itself out of it, it has as a temporary solution the path of lies.
This only prolongs their ruling but makes it more & more vulnerable to the pasage of time, to the voices they can silence, the voices that will be heard even agains viloence & death.
Like el caballo said: history will absolve me, it will: from the things you said and the things you did it will absolve you of inocence, it will hold you culpable of
exploiting your people, of liying and murdering, of misusing the venerable histoy of your country and its traditions.
In the final analysis it will be recorded in history that yours is the fault not just of the present situation but of the length of time it will take to undo all the evil you and yours have done.
Histury will not absolve you and we (I) will not forget!
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 18:56
English Translator re moderating the blog
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 18:07
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Dear and very friendly English translator…… I am sure that 99.99% of the commenter in this site will agree with me about your work, what I believe is extraordinary good and fair. Do not worry, we all have learned with the time that technical problems can conspires against your work and most of us have learned to identify these technical problems when something goes wrong and wait patiently until it is solved. Let the new guests to go through this learning process, I am sure all them will have shortly the same opinion about you and your work the most of us have today.
Regards and congratulation for your work!!!!
(I was guessing about Yoani’s “modus operandi” and the guessing was grounded in my experience and what I would done in Yoani’s place…… I was very close, it isn’t?)
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 18:13
Yoani does not post the entries on her blog in Spanish (or any other language of course). She emails the entries to friends abroad who do it for her. When she can’t get internet access she dictates the entries over the telephone. She does not give the entries to people in Cuba with internet access to post for her. When you read about her ‘taking a flash drive to a hotel with internet access’, what that means is that she has the text of the blog on the flash drive which she then emails overseas.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 18:07
I think there is some confusion here about who does what. I both translate and moderate this blog. In the course of doing that for about a year and a half, I think I have stepped in and edited/deleted comments maybe 2 or 3 times before the last little “flurry” of partial deletions.
No one else translates this blog (many people help me, but they have no access to the behind the scenes posting software) and no one else moderates this blog. So if there are mistakes in either… I DID IT! Please complain to me and help me do a better job.
And yes, my work and that of all the people who help me and all the translators for the other languages, is entirely voluntary. You see 15 languages (some are missing a translator right now) but that represents as many as 50 or so people working together around the world to keep this blog and other desdecuba/vocescubanas appearing in different languages, and of course to post the entries.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 18:02
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Rasa
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 06:16
Carbo - Yes there are those over there that are true anti-communists fighting against the government. But one must realise that the government monitors the internet for every user in Cuba, and there are strict laws. The things she has written would have gotten her a 20 year sentence a long time ago if she were not a sham. The law is very specific on it.
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“True anti-communists”???!!!….. that implies that there are false anti-communists that want to make us believe they are true ones……. OK, it is very possible….. anyway I will thanks for the services those false anti-communists do to my country while they are fainting….. I repeat: I would wish all false cuban anti-communists would be as Yoani, Paya, Vladimiro, etc…… because I know if all castro undercover agent behaves like them the tyranny days would be finished.
…..”the government monitors the internet for every user in Cuba”…….. that implies you believe Yoani has an internet connection at home!!!…… No one has an internet connection at home in Cuba….. only the gov. allows internet connections in governmental companies and institutions, in foreign companies and hotels…… Yoani “modus operandi” is the following: She writes the articles and paste it in a diskette or cd or a peace of paper, then give it to a friend with access to one of those governmental connection or with enough dollar to use a hotel connection (I guess she provides the money, she has enough because the prizes she has won) or make a phone call to a friend out of Cuba and dictate the article or give the piece of paper to a friend and this friend make the phone call. You can be sure she never repeat twice a month the way she use to post her articles. This way of blogging has a name: She is a blind blogger!!!!
Some times she goes by her self to a hotel and uses the public but extraordinary expensive internet connection there and take a look on this site to check how it is going and see us writing here all this crap.
“The law is very specific on it”……. It seem that you there up in the cold and dark Baltic Sea have much more knowledge about cuban law than we cubans despite we have spent our whole life inside Cuba….. please, can you show us the law because a cuban can be punished for writing chronicles about the daily life?????….. You can be sure that if the tyranny wore found a nail to hang Yoani they would used it long time ago but they don’t dare to put her in jail because it would not solve the problem they have with this skinny girl. She would continue writing from jail, maybe not with same regularity but surely her articles would raise much more expectation than before. The world would raise a gigantic wave of protest and many of the regimen foreign supporter would be obligated to condemn the tyranny. To jail Yoani would have the opposite result…. the tyranny knows that. The attack on Yoani was not a casual thing and the objective was nor to avoid she participate in the no-violence march, the real objective was to measure the international reaction to this barbaric act. They got what the was looking for, now they know the world is ready to mobilize for Yoani freedom.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 17:01
to english translator:
I don’t envy your gift and the position you have taken in the use of your gift.
I can’t even begin to understand the fine line you are walking while volunteering (I assume) to do the work you do.
However: I would like you to know how much I appreciate your labor, your efforts to mediate & your commitment, not by words but by deeds.
Please accept my deepest thanks, keep in mind I know you are human & as such subject like me to many errors, the difference (which you have depostrated again & again) is in your acceptance & quick apology.
For a newcomer like myself … this exercise in democracy is based in tolerance & understanding, repect & civility.
If we are unable to respect one another in such a circle … how can we pretend to do it as a country or as a world?
Again thank you for your deeds, they speak volumes.
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 16:46
Dear Concubino,
The comments has nothing with you being a translator. Your english is coherant but your tolerance is subjective and short lived. As an admin, you need to moderate this blog on objectivity and don’t assume the belief of others. Reverting to calling a commentor dyslexic etc for not agreeing or asking a question that might not conform puts the cause Yoani is trying to acheive a few steps back. I do hope you have learned from this situation and try not to make the same mistake again. When conflicts arise, there is a protocol to go about solving them.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 15:43
to comment #119
cia must pay well … for your time spent reading & participating by writing an answer.
Don’t forget to pay your taxes!
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 15:05
In the service of the Yankee dollar……hope the CIA pays well for all of this
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 11:14
here we go again …
name calling,claims of subtle knowledge,speculation …
The things we choose to use for a dialoge, intead of facts we go to what can’t be argued or is not useful for learning.
In a civil and educated disagreement we must agree to disagree to use facts, simple eh?
Rather than spend time specualting about Yoani’s legitimacy (& her associates)why don’t we value the fact of news comming out of there.
Why don’t we value the posibility however slim that something is going on?
Why not value and use the medium for the dissemination of information truthfully and honestly, without attacking each other.
No, I am not a pacifist, I seek for an engaged debate, a way to find a solution tho this problem, our lack of unity, our little egos bruised over small things.
Where is our spirit of cooperation, our tangible wish for freedom, where is our unity of purpose?
As individuals we are great, but as tolerant & understanding individuals we could do more, achive more.
I have stated my possition before … while I admire Yoani’s efforts and all her qualities, she (rightfully so) is a symbol.
We “the audience”(?) participate with ideas, conversation and support.
We’ll never know what is in her heart & mid, that’s for her.
Nevertheless: it does not change the situation in Cuba, it does not change the sitation in the world; what has the potential to change things is … US
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 07:21
Andrew… please see my comment #81. I think I went overboard and I apologize, again, to you and others.
Your Friendly (but imperfect) English Translator
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 06:16
Yubano - I know what it is truely like in Cuba, and still will tell you she is lying. It’s an nsult to those who really do get terrorised. I am in no way a communism sympathiser. My family lived in soviet Latvia and for the things they did, they are still targets in Russia by the KGB which does still exist, albeit in secrecy, as witnessed more recently with the poisoning of the spy in London a couple years ago.
Carbo - Yes there are those over there that are true anti-communists fighting against the government. But one must realise that the government monitors the internet for every user in Cuba, and there are strict laws. The things she has written would have gotten her a 20 year sentence a long time ago if she were not a sham. The law is very specific on it.
Andy - simply put, she has already worked as an infiltrator for the Cuban government in scandinavia. If she didn’t claim she was anti-communism, you think the Europeans would have trusted her? Her problem is that she is a very bad liar. Just look at the wording of this blog, it reads more like a juicy soap opera, than a serious account of a terrible incident. “‘Kill me now,’ I screamed, with the last inhalation I had left in me” …. “immobilized by a karate hold” …. “We cried in each others arms” …. “the blustering terror of he who knows that his days are numbered”………….she’s in the wrong profession..seriously.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 04:25
Apparently, the English translator was offended by freedom of speech, the very ideal be fought for on this blog. Nothing worthwhile that is so large in scale as the freedoms yearned by Cubans in Cuba is going to be accomplished by subjective interjections, Concubino. Writing to ask why my comment was deleted is plain silly. By now, you should all be beyond that stage since there are far more offensive material if you would call it that on this blog.
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 04:05
gracias yoani, por compartir lo que paso; me duele escuchar como les trataron. que sigas adelante (tus amigos tambien) y que dios te acompagne siempre
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 02:05
Andrew
I can’t delete any comments in this section that is the work of the English translator
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 02:04
Andrew
I can’t delete any comments in this section that is the work of the English translator.
you can write to concubino1@gmail.com
Noviembre 10th, 2009 at 00:51
Concubino,
You spill remarks scorning what i noted. I simply asked if you are an idiot for all that you assumed me to be and you deleted the comment. Man you guys seek freedom of speech, yet you are offended by what i said. You vomited your detest when questioned about the account of Yoani’s story. Don’t ask for what you cannot handle. Handle it and be more objective. It will help you to tolerate others opinions softly.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 23:51
[...] to us and the punches . . . kept raining down." She’s written about the attack on her blog here and if you don’t already follow it i suggest you start. She doesn’t post to the blog herself, [...]
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 21:09
106
Albert
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:21
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are welcome Albert, I hope read of you often in this site now on…. thanks again
______________________
108
Yubano
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:25
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are right Yubano, as the spanish saying says “the worst blind is the one that does not want to see”……. but when I decide to “argue” with them I do that for the thing of the passive readers as I explained…… I know it is in vain to argue with these “comrades” but our readers need to know and we can’t leave the last word to the castro lovers ….. regards
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:25
Carbo I respect your zeal in wanting to counter the disinformation that is presented here by the castro sychophants. I personally choose not to take the bait because that’s exactly what it is, just bait. There are no intelligent, well thought out arguments that can explain away or justify the unjustifiable. You cannot argue with people that are not interested in discourse but in expousing a discredited and political ideology. Most of these propaganda pushers don’t have a semblance of an original thought or concept to impart, just mindles, repititious, defeated, dogma and tired slogans…
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:23
OK Rasa, I’m getting more and more confused about where you stand. According to you Yoani is a loyal communist living in the heart of the beast doing the bidding of the government.
Please explain to me how she is HELPING “the Revolution” (aka Fidel)… what nefarious plan does he have in which Yoani Sanchez is a critical foot soldier?
I really want to know. I guess I just don’t have a mind that is twisted enough to figure it out on my own.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:21
#105
Thank you for teaching me a trick by necesity … by using the number of the comment … I can’t go making mistakes when I address myself to someone.
I’m slow and hope for your patience …
You are right, your arguments are not just of value on the contents but valuable as well in the delivery.
I belive as (I stated before) in a formal dialogue as the only way for understanding and for solutions.
In #103 I tried to convey the idea of accountability.
Accusations and put downs are evidence of intolerance not to mention a lack of valid arguments and/or reason.
Neverheless thank you for your good points & kernels of knowledge for us the new comers into this media
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 19:04
98
Albert
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Albert, thanks for you comment…… I believe your comment matches best with Rasa’s attitude then mine because my comment displays more an argument then accusations ….. unlike Rasa’s comment that is only a display of accusations and discredit intents. Anyway your advices are very welcome….. regards
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 18:32
incidetally using a proxy will prove nothing since we all know people are able to see her site with proxies. She mentioned that in one of her post. So I am not sure what Exile is trying to proof.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:47
james:
You visited cuba? good for you, I assume no restrictions, access to everything, good times even for some work eh?
The bloody history of the american democracy …
Of course … is all one sided, I can envision the “evil group somewhere” in the ivory tower planning with greed how to rape the next innocent country.
How to exploit the people, how to manipulate etc.
What mistifies me is that you have knowledge of this and I would like you to share it so we can disseminate & use it to prevent all this atrocities form this “evil group”.
Please, share the true documentedthe facts, not supositions, nor speculations; point us in the right direction and perhaps help in formulating what to with this knowledge of yours …
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:33
julio:
please forgive me for the error!
Passion got the best of me …
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:31
to comment #93
Have you ever thought about the following:
When ever you point an acusing finger at someone there are three fingers pointing at yourself.
If it is true what you are saying about Yoani and the other unheard voices, there is no threat to counter their statements right?
If what she is saying is true, what is the point in denial?
Either way, harsh words and name calling do not make a positive argument.
I invite you to use your right of free expression in a constructive manner; lets have a dialoge,; bring your points of view in an educated and civil manner … I’ll listen with an open mind.
The object (so you understand) is not to beat each other to submision over what we believe; the object is for people to exchange ideas & come to an understanding.
In a free society is called dialoge.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:27
Albert I think you are talking about Exile
I am not planning to go to cuba until there is freedom
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:25
I agree with Carbo
below
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:19
Julio:
Now that is a good proposition, as long as it is honest in its execution.
It is ovious to me that you have a vested interest in it; I will not insult your intelligence by trying to guess your interest, it would imply judgement.
Nevertheless: I hope you’have an open mind devoid of jusdgement, make your information available with fact, not tainted by your conclusions & opinions and we’ll see the truth come out.
I am glad you can afford to be in Cuba by the new year.
Keep in mind … even if she is what you belive she is … the message coming out of Cuba thru her mussings is not that flattering to the regime.
An try as I may … I can’t figure out the rational of this manuver however: I am slow … chuck it to that.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 17:11
Yubano
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 14:57
I ask a question of those of you in this blog that truly understand the situation in Cuba. Why waste your time responding to all of the doubters’ questions about the chain of events surrounding Yoani?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Yubano…… I think it is necessary to counteract on those employers of the tyranny that comes here and write lies and try to plant the doubt among the readers (millions of readers), and I think it is important because there are many readers that do not have enough knowledge about Cuba’s recent history as to understand what is true or false. Without our explanation, testimonies and prove producing many of these readers would go out this pages more confused than before arriving.
I put you the example of James and the comment # 91….. it is a very confused person that shows a wizard mixing of criteria. He is of those that still believe the tyranny is “blockaded and isolated” what seems he do not knows the fact that the tyranny never has been blockaded or isolated but exactly the opposite. That’s why I think it is needed to show people like James the facts that demonstrates what they believe is wrong:
Blockade and Isolation has never existed, first because castro tyranny received from the former USSR 1.500 millions dollars every year from 1962 to 1996….. it was the equivalent of 100 plan Marshall….. Europe raised from devastation to welfare after WWII with only one plan Marshal…. why 100 Plan Marshall did not transformed Cuba’s economy in a 100 more powerful economy than the european???….. why this huge monetary gift transformed Cuba from a rich and semi industrial country in to one of the poorest countries in the world despite Cuba could commerce with the whole world but USA??????…… USA’s commercial embargo on castro has been lifted bit by bit since 1975 until today….. today only remain certain credit concession limitations and certain travel limitations for US citizens……. today the tyranny buy 85% of the food it need in USA, USA is the biggest donor of medicine and medical supplies to Cuba, every year people in USA send more than 1000 millions dollars to Cuba….. so, what blockade????? ….. all this fact is easy to find at FOIA.com.
Isolation????….. What isolation?????….. the tyranny can commerce with the rest of the world, always has been so and for decades were the apple of the eyes of the Warsaw Pact that supplied Cuba whit all cement, iron, paper, wood, weapons, oil, machinery, technology and food they needed….. for free!!!!!!
The only effective embargo that to day affects the Cuban people is the internal embargo that the dictatorship maintains on the Cubans. This embargo that hind the Cuban people to use its ability, intelligence and laboriousness to create richness in the same way Cubans in others countries creates richness. For example, Cubans in USA are only 5% of the immigrated population but moves 35% of immigrates business.
The Cubans in the island doesn’t need any external help it has been proven through the scattered opportunities the dictatorship relaxed the hard regulation over the private initiative. Each time it happen the people self solved all their problems without the government involving. The farmers produced all food the people needed; the markets were full with vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, etc. Small industries proliferated everywhere and the vendors found theirs stands full of shoes, cloths, deodorants and all kind articles long time ago vanished from the market.
But in the same way dictatorship is afraid of information is also afraid of richness, even if this richness is account in thousands and not in millions. Because richness means independence and insubordination and leftist dictatorships needs for surviving the peoples dependence and subordination.
James says also the revolution is under siege……. well, first of all, what revolution?????…… What happened in Cuba in 1959 was a Substitution of dictators planed and executed by US dept. of State….. it is old history but declassified recently:
http://www.latinamericanstudie.....-smith.htm
Why would USA put Castro in the power and then try to take him off????…. Why would USA change a situation that became very beneficial for USA’s economy and regional control???….. It is well known that first escaped the capital from Cuba to USA, after the capital escaped the human resources, then the Sugar Industry, the commerce, the Citric industry, the Tourism industry, the Fishing industry, more human resources, the Media industry, the Rum industry, more human resources!!!!!…… why would USA to end a so beneficial status??????…. No, the tyranny is under siege but it is not USA the enemy, it is the cuban people….. It is the cuban people that wants to finish this status that made USA the owner of most cubans industries, and 20% of the cuban population….. it is the cuban people the enemy of the dictatorship that’s why the tyranny has killed tens of thousands of cubans, has jailed hundred of thousands of cubans, that’s why the tyranny, repress, beat and abduct the cuban people ….. they are not foreign agents like James says, they are the cuban people … the only enemy of the tyranny…… Which roll plays USA in this drama????…. To support the regimen they put in control of Cuba 50 years ago in order of keeping the actual status. That’s it. To accomplish this goal US gov. capture and judge all cubans that try to wage a liberation war on castro…. but not only capture them but put them in jail for 10 years, make them pay fines up to $250 000 and confiscate all weapons and transport devices….. USA continues honoring the Jrushev-Kennedy pact 20 years after the dissolution of the USSR!!!!!!…… and this is a presidential law that has to be signed by the president year after year…… until today no president of USA has refused to sign this law despite it is republican or democrat.
James call “revolution” to a bloody tyranny….. he need help to know the true….. let help him!!!!!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 16:47
Does this story sound reliable to you? Not to me. It’s hard to trust someone who only complains about the failures of the Cuban government system -what society is perfect anyways- but remains totally silent about the abuses of the U.S. blockade which forces Cuban people into extreme poverty. Yoani doesn’t protest about the Cuban unfairly imprisoned in the U.S., or the extreme poverty that thousands of Cuban exiles suffer in cities of the U.S. and other countries of the Americas, and other important issues.
http://carlosqc.blogspot.com/2.....ime-i.html
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 16:42
Julio,
I did answer the question and it is hardly my fault that reading comprehension seems to be a bit lacking. I can sling the bat in Spanish, and read it as well, but what I cannot do is write the language. The Spanish article that I quoted from said quite clearly that this woman was using her internet connection in a hotel. Given that any old idiot can use a proxy to overcome blocks, the notion that she cannot access her page from Cuba is risible. Tell you what, I will be in Cuba in the New Year. I will access her page and video that action. The clip will then be uploaded to YouTube, just to make the Miami Mafia and quislings in Cuba feel even more defeated than usual.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 15:45
StopTheBullshit
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 10:50
So where’s the photos of the bruises? This ‘democracy lady’ is playing you for a bunch of idiots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe she is waiting the tyranny decided to deny the beating and abduction to produce the proves and maybe that’s why the tyranny decided to send you and all other collaborators that have flooded the internet asking proves. We all know how works the tyranny….. they want to know first if she can produce those proves ……. and the message I get from this collaborators action is that the hit men they sent on Yoani was so afraid that after the deeds they could not explain to theirs superiors how hard did they hurt Yoani.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 15:34
87
Rasa
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 08:21
…..It’s not all that secret that she is a liar, and a loyal communist. The simple fact that she writes these blogs, despite the government knowing exactly who she is and where to find her…….
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are several oposites inside Cuba fighting the tyranny in a way or another that do not have been in jail or “too harassed” (Bladimiro Roca, Osvaldo Paya, Zona Franca Group, Claudia Codelo, Yoani, etc, etc) they are famous because a cause or another, some of them has been prized by political or cultural institutions outside Cuba. The reason this people are not in jail is a sum of factors among them the fact that they are famous people that develop a kind of opposition that do not violate any cuban law. But supposing all this opposites are “loyal communists” I tell you that I would wish that all communists in Cuba would be like them. I am sure that if all castro agents would be like those the tyranny days would be finished……. by other side I am sure that if all castro enemies would be like you tyranny days would be infinite.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 14:57
I ask a question of those of you in this blog that truly understand the situation in Cuba. Why waste your time responding to all of the doubters’ questions about the chain of events surrounding Yoani? These people that come in here and supposedly question the veracity of Yoani’s accounts are not truly doubters. Most of them are Castro sympathizers, apologists for the regimes acts, leftists ideologues who wouldn’t know the truth if it hit them in the face or just plain muckrakers looking to disrupt. After 50 years of human rights violations, systematic repression and daily acts of repudiation and thugery who would question the chain of events that Yoani and Claudia recount? If doubts cross your mind who do you give the benefit of those doubts to? To the cuban regime? Please… These so-called doubters are nothing of the sort. Why engage them, they are not serious people, they are not here to be convinced or to make cogent arguments.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 14:44
I was in Cuba for 3 weeks in August/September of this
year for the first time traveling with a Spanish-speaking
friend.
50 years of blockade, isolation abandonment
have taken their toll..not only with the lack of material
things that we in the west take for granted but also on
the spirit of the people.
We spoke to many people; few had anything good to say about
the government. There were complaints about the lack of real
information, the ossified leadership and the lack of permitted criticism.
But we must remember: Cuba in under siege from without and
agents of the Empire, both concious and unconcious, are working
to undermine the Revolution from within.
Please re-read the bloody history of “democratic” America of the past
half century: support of dictators everywhere, genocide in Vietnam,
and Iraq, apartheid in south Africa..all of the things that Cuba has
actively opposed over the years and which Cuba has paid for.
Yes, I wish things were different in Cuba..that there was food in
the stores, that everyone had a flat screen TV and could say what they
wanted. But the Empire has plans for Cuba and they are not all beautiful
and neither are things which the Revolution must do to protect itself.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 11:24
To stopthebs…
why do you feel the need to call names? why the agresiveness? why the judgement?
Yoani is using the same right you are using … the freedom of expression.
Please: since you are using, it remember there is accountability in the exercise of every right.
This is by choice, not by force.
I like to think that you have some sound contributions to offer in this forum so I urge you to use it.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 11:14
wow
it is no as the regime wasn’t going to do it, it is a question of when.
The regime doe not have to ordered it itself, there is always someone with thier private agenda willing to do what they have done; a million justifications but only one end.
The words may sound empty Yoani but … take courage & keep “talking” it may not necessarily by about you, but it is for all you have come to represent.
All other comments, about brutality, the physical harm, the fear … all that passes.
Commitment & determination stays far longer than the pain.
It is a victory, you got thru this one, don’t fear about the next, prepare yourself for what comes & be strong.
I can’t (as much as I wish to) say I know how you feel, I don’t but … I am proud of you …
a hug & a wink
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 10:50
So where’s the photos of the bruises? This ‘democracy lady’ is playing you for a bunch of idiots.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 08:21
Firstly, bruises and cuts don’t go away in minutes. I’m sure she could have found another camera by now to prove how horribly beaten she was..she hasn’t posted photos cos she is lying.
secondly- to Andy, I didn’t contradict myself. Read her blogs carefully. she never actually criticises the regime. Take this blog for instance…she never states these guys were from the government.
I don’t care how she explained it, you don’t live that close to Castro without a certain level of clearance. If you believe they would allow a counterrevolutionary to live that close, you are a fool. Any Cuban with knowledge of the area can tell you I’m right in what I say. Just like she was not denied a passport. When she returned to Cuba, it was HER who tore up her passport and said she never wanted to leave Cuba again. It’s not all that secret that she is a liar, and a loyal communist. The simple fact that she writes these blogs, despite the government knowing exactly who she is and where to find her. If she was truely an enemy of the government, she would be in jail, with the brave Cuban’s who really are anti-communist, and really do risk their lives to speak out against Fidel and Raul. It’s a total sham. On man recently decided he will refuse to leave his home in protest. His son had a brick thrown at his head, when he left the house, by the police, and his wife had her finger cut off as a warning when she left to go get food. This is what happens to people who speak out against the government.
And so you know…a lot of the Cuban’s who claim they are against the regime, and do things like write fake blogs and books (like Anita Castro) do so in order to build up a certain reputation so they can become infiltrators, get inside the CIA, and spy on real counterrevolutionaries in Miami. This is also common knowledge..
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 05:46
84
Julio de la Yncera
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 05:03
Just a reminder of how horrible and sanguinary the Cuban revolution have been
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Julio…….. I use to call it The Substitution instead Revolution because what it took place in 1959 was a dictator’s Substitution…. regards!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 05:43
78
Exile
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 03:31
Well, I don’t believe a word of it, …..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who cares about what do you believe???!!!!….. the whole world is backing Yoani…. take a walk on the spanish side of this blog and you will see, people from all over the world leaving their solidarity and regards to this valiant woman……. in the radio stations of the world, the TV channels, in churches, the Vatican, the parliaments of many countries, newspapers, magazines, work places, schools, the whole world is with her…… you are nothing!!!!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 05:03
Just a reminder of how horrible and sanguinary the Cuban revolution have been
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....Q&NR=1
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 05:01
Translator that is a Voltaire quote
am I am all for it
“I disagree with what you say, but I’ll fight to the death your right to say it!”
my best answer to the Castro supporters is if you are going to claim she lies then proof is required.
I have a links here that really show how Fidel Castro lie to the Cuban people and the World when he mentioned he was not a communist a very long time ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 04:47
Yoani muchas gracias por tu valentia y la de los jovenes que publicamente piden justicia para los cubanos. Cuidate mucho, a los comunistas solo les intereza el poder y para mantenerlo haran de todo. Cuidate mucho que Dios te bendiga.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 04:45
OK — one more note on what is “acceptable” and what is not in the comments, and then hopefully we can move on. Please keep in mind, dear readers and commentors, that I am trying to faithfully uphold norms written by Yoani, not by me, and so I have to try to figure out what she would do if she could moderate the blog herself. Partly I look at the Spanish site to see what the moderator there does.
As I have said many times — you are “allowed” to fight, yell, scream, carry on, get angry, be outraged etc etc etc. Not only “allowed”, but to my way of thinking, WELCOME.
What I think I am supposed to be avoiding… is basically calling each other names, or threatening violence against anyone. (Which means, of course, you can call non-readers names… but preferably not obscene ones… but you can’t threaten to do them or anyone harm.)
Admittedly, I went a little overboard Sunday in editing comments and for that I apologize. I think something along the lines of, “If you believe that I think you are stupid,” is allowed — but I edited it out. I apologize. I think that it’s alright to say, “I think maybe you need glasses.” But I edited it out. And I apologize again.
But the reason I did was because it seemed that suddenly the blog comments were just becoming a giant back and forth of insults.
We have some new commenters who apparently support the current government in Cuba. That is their right. It is other readers’ right to fight with them. And it is their right to fight back. As “somebody” (Voltaire? Thomas Jefferson?) is reported to have said: “I disagree with what you say, but I’ll fight to the death your right to say it!”
And clearly in many countries, including mine, the right of free speech includes the right to insult others and call them names (short of slander or libel of course), even obscene ones.
I am sure that Yoani supports free speech in all its manifestations (if you don’t, Yoani, please let me know!). But, this blog is not a “public street”, it is more akin to a “gathering at Yoani’s house.” And she would prefer that her visitors not not stand around in the living room hurling insults and obscenities at each other.
As someone has said (NOT Voltaire or Thomas Jefferson as far as I know), it’s fine to hate and insult an idea, but try not to hate and insult the living individual who stands before you. (OK, we’re only human… if we can’t keep ourselves from hating them, fine, but we can control how we express it.)
So… I will try to back off a little and I apologize for going overboard.
And I appreciate your patience with me.
Your Friendly English Translator
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 04:31
Exile incidentally you did not answer Andy’s question
How do you know what she was connecting to from the hotel on her computer?
I know from someone that belongs to the revolution from another blog the access to her blog is blocked so you are distorting reality.
If you are going to claim she is telling lies then proof is required
the burden of proof is on you.
Prove it.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 04:19
Exile so let me get this
You think Yoani has invented all this about repression by the Cuban government?
Wow you sure have an imagination or you are a very strong supporter of the Castro regime.
We believe Yoani because the Cuban government has behave that way all the time and is not about to change. What will be hard very hard to believe is what you are saying.
We have testimonies of many many people explaining the violation of human rights by the Cuban government you can even see with your own eyes how she has been denied to travel outside the country by the regime are you going to denied that too?
How do you explain that?
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 03:31
Well, I don’t believe a word of it, mainly because taking things on trust is not my style. I might also add that this bird has been caught out telling porkies about her internet access, so why believe her on this?
I have blogged about the issue in more depth at my place.
http://exile-blog.blogspot.com
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 02:29
It seems to me the government can not destroy or invalidate her message so they are attacking the messenger!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 02:28
Exile
I believe her every word because I used to live in Cuba for 26 years and her experience is my experience and what she tells is exactly what I saw over there. Alas I did not have the courage she have to tell it like she does.
I am sure is the experience of many other millions of Cubans that have decided to go into exile than to live as slave of the Castro brothers.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 02:12
Dear Friendly English Translator,
I have not break any rules as far I’m concern.Sarcasm is not forbidden in the rules. Anyway whoever reads the news about Yoani , Claudia, OLPL pick up by AP , Reuters , EFE, CNN, and anywhere else and see that the history is consistent and still are demamnding from Yoani and expalnation has to be dislexic or a provocateur.
BTW Yoani just did that.It is posted is the Spanish section.So Andrew there is the post that you are demanding.Hope you read in Spanish.Sorry I could not read your comments (they were already delated when I chcked last time) , but please bring it on at concubino1@gmail.com
Also, dear English translator if you are going to use the scissors to cut anything you find distasful, this site will become extremely boring.Just because we write in English(barely) does not mean that you are going to take the Cuban away from us.If that is going to be the case , I’m sorry but my days in section are also numbered , just like the Cuban regime.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 01:39
I see that you, americans, don´t know what is TO LIVE under a totalitary government. In Brazil we had, from 1964 to 1985, a military government, and hundreds of citizens died, much of them innocents, non-activists. Forgive my poor English, but that´s what I want to say to all of you, living in a free country, in the last 2 centuries. Here in Latin America things are quite different! You can´t realize what goes on. See Venezuela today. Catastrophic!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 01:20
MUNIP
estoy de acuerdo contigo me alegra que los troles hayan comprobado que yoanis si llego agarrar los testiuclos de sus atacantes en un acto de defensa
VIVA PANFILO POR LA LIBERTAD DE CUBA
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 01:18
es verdad es la campeona de todo
adelante
VIVA EL PODER GAY
VIVA PANFILO
VIVA CUBA LIBRE
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 01:15
Yoani,
Eres una campeona!!! Eres la Jose Martí de estos tiempos; Gracias por todos tus sacrificios y felicidades por tus escritos; rezamos por el momento en que pronto podamos celebrar juntos el derrumbe de la tiranía del régimen Castrista. De nuevo un million de gracias por ser como eres!
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 00:54
Me pregunto por que aqui hay poca audiencia, que pasa?
acaso no leen mucho.
Adelante yoanis no desmayes
saludos a todos los bi
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 00:53
Hello, greeting for Yoanis.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 00:33
63
Exile
Noviembre 8th, 2009 at 22:03
…….. why should anyone believe a word that she says about anything?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simply because the world knows how works the tyranny, simply because the world knows she is inside the monster making things the monster does not like, simply because there is enough accumulated terror history to know the regimen is capable of it and much more, simply because this tyranny has a huge record of crimes, killing, torture, jailing and repression……. simply because the regimen self hasn’t denied the denounce of Yoani…… simply because the world trust Yoani due hers moral history and mistrust the regimen due its criminal history.
No one cares what castro lovers believes or not believes….. the world comprehend perfectly the nature of those lovers and the regimen they support, that’s why yesterday and today thousands of people from all over the world left theirs best wishes and solidarity to Yoani in several places of the internet and those people also left theirs condemn to this barbaric deed.
Noviembre 9th, 2009 at 00:33
[...] I think they’ve struck because Castro can’t stand the truth coming out about his hellhole regime, Yoani’s fame is growing, and Columbia J-School recently offered her an award that the Castroites wouldn’t allow her out of the country to accept. Now these animals won’t stop till they get her. HT: Mike Carlson Update: Here’s Yoani’s own account of the “Gangland Style Kidnapping.” [...]
Noviembre 8th, 2009 at 23:25
Brotherly greetings from your friends in freedom loving New Zealand. We are watching you and your oppressors and your message is being displayed in our corner of the world.
Our indigenous Maori people here in New Zealand say to you and your friends “Kia Kaha”. Be strong. You are not alone.
Noviembre 8th, 2009 at 23:22
Reading the article it is obvious that this woman has as much internet access as she can handle, and thus the tale about texting posts abroad is so much bollocks. If she has the internet then she can access her control page via a proxy, and thus read, and update her blog - this is not rocket science!
I ask the question again: she claims to have been beaten black and blue, so where is the photo?
Noviembre 8th, 2009 at 22:13
Exile, Can you see what she’s doing in that photo where the screen is facing away from you and you only see the back of her computer? Maybe you can see it reflected in her eyes? I don’t know. The photo’s not that clear on my screen.
Yes, we know she gets internet access in Cuba… she has to… to email her blog posts to friends overseas and to send out photos and videos and so on… although we also have heard her say (read her tweets) that at times she dictates her entries over the telephone.
But we also know that her blog is blocked on computers in Cuba… it cannot be accessed… so I highly doubt she is sitting there updating it.
But really, I don’t know. I can’t see through the back of the computer to tell one way or another.
Still — you are welcome to your doubts.