Glass House
Along with Brazilian soap operas, documentaries pirated from the Discovery Channel, and the boring Round Table talk show, there is another form of television reporting that emulates the saga of âBig Brother.â On our little screen we see citizens filmed by hidden cameras and get a view of the emails in their electronic in-boxes, without any of this having been ordered by a judge. As if we lived in a glass house overseen by the Stateâs severe eye, even the telephone company records the conversations of its clients and broadcasts them to eleven million shocked viewers.
The final form of this public dissection is to air the declarations of doctors who violate the privacy of what is said in a consultation to reveal the details of a medical case, an act as serious as that of the priest who betrays the secrets of the confessional. Photos of the insides of the homes and even the refrigerators of those who have dared to contravene official opinion emerge, while the paparazzi and political police are fused into a single character very close to a voyeur. It would not surprise me that some dossier â waiting to be brought to light â displays the nude body of a non-conformist, as if being naked were irrefutable proof of his âbadness.â
Images taken out of context, edited phrases, and unfavorable angles meant to generate aversion in public opinion, are some of the techniques around which these TV reports are built. In none of them is the âvictimâ interviewed, which of course prevents the run-of-the-mill viewer from finding out they have critical opinions in common. Unfortunately for the crude producers of this kind of reality show, the technology in the hands of citizens has started to make the walls around our lives transparent as well. Having been so long observed, we now see that there is hole we can look through to the other side of the fence.
Marzo 13th, 2010 at 10:37
Concubino,
Gracias!
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 15:35
Hank
Comment 110 is the right interpretation.Well done!
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 15:16
?- I guess this would be the equivalent to the any number of the US TV shows like “Cops”?
In the United States, here is what we get for entertainment:
We get to watch a TV show where the most militarized police force in the world chase down poor people (who are predominantly black people or poverty-stricken white people), slam them to the ground, mock them for their ignorance or poverty or whatever other degrading comment they can think of to make and then take them away to the largest prison system in the world.
These people end up in the world’s largest prison system — many of the prisons are owned by corporations. And, in these prisons, the “criminals” are put to work doing all kinds of things so that they can go to what is called the “commissary” — where they can buy tooth brushes, cigarettes, etc. It is hard for me to understand the difference between these enormous labor camps and any other forced labor camp that we know about in history. Except, this is one of the largest and most militarized labor camp that history has ever known.
In this prison system is a perverted subculture of White Supremacy groups (many of which are allied with the prison guards) and all kinds of other gangs who make sure that you understand quite clearly that the REAL punishment in prison is delivered by them, in the form of rape, unless you do what they say.
That’s the kind of entertainment we get in the United States!
Yoani — do you have THAT in Cuba?
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:50
Posted by KT: “I found this one fascinating and informative. Does anyone have personal accounts or knowledge of this kind of invasion of privacy in Cuba? I infer these images and footage are aired on TV and printed in the paper? I donât have the opportunity to watch TV when Iâm there, but Iâll make an effort to grab a paper next time.”
You don’t have to visit the island to verify that Cuban state media routinely violate personal medical privacy in ways that would result in severe penalties in democratic countries.
In Yoani’s hidden camera example, I’m guessing she was referring to reports on Cuban TV that showed Tamayo’s mother thanking Cuban doctors for their efforts filmed inside what appears to be a doctor’s office. Story here:
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....wD9E68JU80
Yoani herself was a victim of these tactics last November. Cuban state media aired interviews with a doctor who allegedly treated her saying she had exaggerated her injuries.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:44
Wow, Albert, well said. Poetically said. Thank you.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:44
John Two #106
Thanks for the link.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:35
KT@#120
From time to time we make an effort to bring the discussion back on track nevertheless the reality of different people from different sides of the spectrum exists as in a real community in real life.
As you can see the “nature” of the cuban is passionate & argumentative.
The principal tennet is we are all Cubans, either by birth or by commitment or by love of freedom, inspired by people like Maceo’s with his wishes to Marti’s dreams …
But w/all the shortcommings, what I want for this blogg is the exposure of our world to the rest of world.
Please, don’t be discouraged, postulate your opinion & question; talk to others about the blogg, invite your friend, share & encourage participation because the more exposure the better will be, the sooner (maybe) change will take place not just in Cuba but in all Cubas.
I think that is Yoani’s intent; I like to believe than she & all the other silent voices want their woices to be heard around the world we … just join their cries, sometime of rage, sometimes in sorrow, but like a Cuban we’ll never give up!
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:25
Text translated by Google Translate
We Brazilians are surprised by the behavior of our current president for the hunger strikes in Cuba, Brazil’s support to Iran’s nuclear program, where President Lula shrugged off the protests against the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad t with the fact that he accepted that Manuel Zelaya, who tried to promote an election, denied by the judiciary, to obtain a new mandate, is housed in the Brazilian embassy.
Until one of Lula’s lawyers, Jose Carlos Dias, who was arrested along with him and then released, during the great strikes of the auto industry in 1983, when Lula was a hunger strike fake, along with several other unions, criticized for comparing Cuban prisoners with prisoners of the state of Sao Paulo.
Lula had been imprisoned by order of a judge, because of the riots that led to the city of SĂŁo Bernardo do Campo and not by orders of the military in the end ruled with civilians, many of those still serving in politics.
Unfortunately Lula forgotten its past and bent the ideology of his political party, the party that despises democracy and prefers dialogue with the FARC, Cuba, Iran, and we have to put up with behavior that goes against our culture.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:06
If you still believe that tyrants in Cuba are saints, please read the following article.
http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2.....iente.html
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 13:05
Thank you Albert(82), Simba (5), and Vanessa (30) for your comments. I, too, would love to read and engage in a discussion about the content of Yoani’s posts.
I found this one fascinating and informative. Does anyone have personal accounts or knowledge of this kind of invasion of privacy in Cuba? I infer these images and footage are aired on TV and printed in the paper? I don’t have the opportunity to watch TV when I’m there, but I’ll make an effort to grab a paper next time (I spend most of my time in the countryside).
I also value links and articles posted here, from all points-of-view, that I can read and digest to better understand the Cuban situation and form my opinions.
I even find value in the debate between differing points of view.
However, I’ve never followed any other blog with so much flaming, insulting and verbal abusing. I realize this is a heated, personal topic, but I think we do Yoani a disservice by taking what she risks so much to share with the world and dragging it through the mud. How can we raise an outcry over the Cuban regime’s treatment of its citizens, of its disregard for human dignity, and display such disrespect here?
I don’t post much. And when I read others’ comments I have to skim over many bitter and nasty posts to get to any content or discussion. Simba put it well - it devalues the intent of this blog, not just as Yoaniâs blog but of all people who believe in freedom.
Saludos
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 11:56
A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is the English name for a person who has been elected to the European Parliament,[1] one of the European Union’s two legislative bodies. MEPs are the European Union’s equivalents of a country’s national legislators in either the lower house or unicameral parliaments, often known as MPs or Deputies. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as euro-deputy being common in Romance language-speaking countries.
EU OBSERVER: MEPs attack Cuba over human rights abuses
ANDREW WILLIS
BRUSSELS - “MEPs have condemned the recent death of a Cuban dissident hunger striker as “avoidable and cruel”, complicating the Spanish EU presidency’s attempts at normalising relations with the Caribbean island.
A parliamentary resolution, adopted on Thursday (11 March) by 509 votes to 30, with 14 abstentions, called on Cuba to immediately release its political prisoners and urged the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, to push the Communist government towards greater democracy.
“We cannot afford another death in Cuba. We call for the immediate release of all political prisoners,” Jerzy Buzek, the president of the European assembly, said.
The strong criticism from euro deputies of all political colours follows the death two weeks ago of jailed Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who succumbed after an 83-day hunger strike.”
Spanish government
“The European parliamentary resolution is a set-back for the Spanish government, which had hoped to take steps towards normalising relations with Cuba during its six-month tenure of the EU’s rotating presidency, due to expire this June.
Backed by Spain’s former centre-right prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, the EU adopted a so-called common position towards Cuba in 1996, linking dialogue with Havana to advances in democracy and supporting a stronger relationship with the country’s dissident movement.
The current Spanish government of centre-left leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero argues the strategy has failed to produce the required results, insisting that a revision of the EU position would not diminish the bloc’s call for a defence of freedoms on the island.
Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told Spanish deputies in Madrid on Thursday that the government intended to push ahead with its ambitions of revising the EU’s policy, despite the European parliamentary vote.
“What we’re going to attempt is to move that position to one that seems reasonable,” said Mr Moratinos.
Spain “has no difficulty” with this current framework, added the foreign minister, but after 13 years “different circumstances” exist and the EU would be well advised to update it.”
http://euobserver.com/9/29666
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 11:43
INTERVIEW WITH YOANI SANCHEZ, IN SPANISH THOUGHT!
SPAIN’S - EL CONFIDENCIAL: ENTREVISTA A YOANI SĂNCHEZ, BLOGUERA CUBANA
âHa habido numerosas detenciones, la represiĂłn mĂĄs grande que se recuerda en los Ășltimos añosâ-12 de marzo de 2010
http://www.elconfidencial.com/.....00227.html
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 11:42
Re Juan #108: “Interesting that one moment Fidel is a dictator and the next has popular support.”
This is not contradictory at all. Any student of human history knows that the most “successful” dictators (Hitler, Franco, Mao, Saddam, Pinochet and Fidel are only a few examples) had undeniable charisma and were able to transform thuggish leadership ability into enough popular support to keep themselves in power for prolonged periods of time.
History also shows when the charismatic leader passes from the scene, the dictatorship often follows sometimes in very short order.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 11:30
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Brazil’s president blasted for comments on Cuba’s dissidents and their hunger strikes
MARCO SIBAJA, Associated Press Writer -March 10, 2010
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) â”Brazil’s president came under withering criticism Wednesday at home and in Cuba for his deference to the island’s communist government over political prisoners and hunger strikes for human rights.
A Cuban dissident on hunger strike to demand the release of ailing political prisoners accused President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of complicity with “the tyranny of Castro.” Brazilian pundits also criticized Silva and a political ally called the president’s words disappointing.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Silva said that “we have to respect the decisions of the Cuban legal system and the government to arrest people depending on the laws of Cuba, like I want them to respect Brazil.”
“Silva said hunger strikes should not be used to free people from prison, despite the fact that he himself engaged in a hunger strike as a union leader during his resistance to Brazil’s military dictatorship.”
Brazil’s media and critics focused most on a statement by Silva that they interpreted as comparing Cuba’s dissidents with criminals in Brazil’s largest city who run lucrative drug rings from behind bars and orchestrated a wave of killings on the streets in 2006.
“I don’t think a hunger strike can be used as a pretext for human rights to free people. Imagine if all the criminals in Sao Paulo entered into hunger strikes to demand freedom,” Silva said in the interview.”
“In Brazil, a lawmaker from the ruling Workers Party â which Silva founded â told the Globo television network he was disappointed with the president’s words, though he suggested they were just a slip.
“The president expressed himself poorly or he was misunderstood,” said Mauricio Rands, a federal deputy with the party. “We don’t accept that somebody can be detained just because they have disagreements with the government.”"
http://www.latimes.com/news/na.....3624.story
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 09:31
how about reading Marti’s resignation letter to Maximo Gomez?
Really reading each carefuly writen paragraph, the vision & wishdom that inspired it.
I always wonder how, Marti & all the REAL HEROES OF THE REVOLUTION can be used in such a twisted way & out of their context just to shore up … a dictatorship ??!!
I guess the regimes hunger for legitimacy then & now allowes then to re-write history, perhaps the saying: “history is writen by the victorious” is after all true …
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 08:13
Of course I am guilty of quoting fidel’s speeches … and I sincerily ask for forgiveness; the spirit of the intention was/is to ilustrate a point of thought, not intending to insult the memory of the HEROES OF THE MOTHERLAND.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 07:54
In case there is any wondering … the author of that speech is:
IGNACIO AGRAMONNTE Y LOYNAZ.
This speech was give in the UNIVERSIDAD DE LA HABANA in 1866.
Is called:
DISCURSO DE INVESTIDURA DE GRADO EN DERECHO CIVIL Y CANONICO.
Is worth reading, is worth thinking about its contents & is worth thinking how, the present regime “uses & twists” it meaning to shore up support for its cromes …
From me … to anyone who “quotes” the worthless statements of a dictator whom by using OUR HEROES’S statements soils their memory.
WE CUBANS are not just in debted to OUR HEROES WE ARE the recipients & guardians of an illustrious inheritance … CASE CLOSED
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 07:22
am I a traitor, gusano, counter revolutionary mercenary because I believe in the following:
…” The consecuences of the intervention of society in the life of the individual are ominous & even more so when this intervention is directed towards uniformity, destroying in this way the individuality which is one of the elements essential to the present & future well being of society.
Centralization results in the disapearance of individuality, which, as we have maintained, is necessesary for the presrvation of society.
From there is but a short step to communism; it begins by declaring the individual impotent & ends by justifying the intervention of society in his life, destroying freedom, regulating his desires, thoughts, needs & most intimate affections, in sum all his actions …
A goverment that uses total centralization to destroy the open development of individual initiative, arrests the progress of society & cannot be founded on justice or reason, but only on force; such a state may, in an energetic moment announce to the world that it is stable & indestructible but, sooner or later, when men who know that their rights are violated decide to vindicate them, the roar of the cannon will anounce that its lethal domination is at an end …”
The one that thought this words … is a cuban, is “opinions” are regularly used by the present cuban regime …
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 06:26
you are right Hank … from “Nuestra America” published firts in 1/1/1891.
Is along article which from what I get rerences the need for unity as a main theme.
The part that Yoani quotes goes something like this:
…” Y ens sus cantos los ninos dice: “Ya no podemos ser el pueblo de hojas, que viv en el aire, con la copa cargada de flor, restallando o zumbando, segun la acaricie el capricho de la luz, o la tundan y talen las tempestades: !los arboles se han de poner en fila, para que no pase el gigante de las siete leguas! Es la hora del recuento y de la marcha unida y hemos de andar en cuatro apretado, como la plata el las raices de los Andes …”
I wish I could translate this to english but I am not as good as I wish w/english to do justice to such a beautiful piece as this …
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 06:08
“Como la plata en las raices de los Andes” is a quote from something Marti said.
Here is the full quote: “Es la hora del recuento y de la marcha unida y hemos de andar, en cuadro apretado, como la plata en las raĂces de los Andes”
http://es.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Mart%C3%AD
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 05:17
The verbal abuse continues:
it does not shield the abuser from what he/she is abusers are bullies who if confronted face to face would show their cowardice by running no longer protected by the impunity afforded to anonimity
Sometimes I wish the abusers would put “their cards on the table” & show themselves, face & all.
I am sure the strength of their convictions & ideals would make that easy since it is that strength that would give them the courage to opose, confront & resolve … right ?
To another subject … in the news it was reported than the latest hunger striker passed out & was taken for medical care
This time there was film “proving how dedicated & prompt the regime is caring & responding
This time, just by filming … the inevitable has happened … the regime admits the existence of the peoples (plural) who oposes it, the regime admits the need to “prove/document” its “humanity” & their respect for human rights & demokracy
The regime is reacting, being affected to the world’s outcry, perhaps the bluster of “nobody will tell us what & how to do” is changing …
Perhaps the pressure from the world (from the web) is more than the juans (with all his/hers incarnations included) can handle, perhaps the crack is widening & the inevitability of change has become a closer reality in Cuba
No abuser, nor dictatorship can deny our human rights, our freedom for ever …
There is no system in this world which has survived its denial of basic human rights for the people they subjugated … either they “evolved” or they were overthrown
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 03:17
Anonimo #97 So you think Fidel is dead, and yet nothing has changed? Does this mean the biological solution was not quite the right answer?
Well this is consistent with Wanker who recently wrote that things will change after Fidel’s death (so has he died or not - je je je) because Raoul doesn’t have ‘Fidel’s popular support’.
Interesting that one moment Fidel is a dictator and the next has popular support.
Maybe that is one factor in explaining why their was so little reaction in Cuba to Zapata’s suicide.
Marzo 12th, 2010 at 00:06
Andy,
I saw Yoaniâs tweet also and thought about what it meant.
I could be completely wrong about this and if you disagree, please let me know. Her reference to silver reminds me of the Spanish Conquistadores.
Maybe Yoani is referring to the unity native Latin Americans must have felt when they realized they were being exploited for their silver.
In this case, we have Coco Fariñas, a Cuban patriot and a hero. He is sacrificing himself and in doing so, he has become a unifying force just like Orlando Zapata Tamayo against oppression. Fariñas and OZT are the silver in the veins of Cuba. Something the exploiters who are the dictators of Cuba cannot touch and could never mine.
I remember reading about what native Latin Americans did to captured Conquistadores. They poured molten gold down their throats. For me, the death of OZT is having the same effect.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 23:10
Hank, re #72, the World Health Organization has a really cool database that tracks all sorts of health and social indicators for all UN member countries. It’s available in a number of languages including Spanish. It takes a bit of practice to generate a list of countries and time periods for doing comparisons. This is the link:
http://www.who.int/whosis/en/index.html
These kinds of comparative statistics should always been taken with a grain of salt as they are mostly self-reported by the countries themselves.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 23:09
Tweet from: antunezcuba
El lider opositor nestor rodriguez lobaina fue arrestado por la policia politica ,se desconoce su paradero.tememos por su vida about 2 hours ago via txt
But this is not such good news. This is now. Not some hoped for future:
“… Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina was arrested … we fear for his life.”
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 23:02
I think Yoani’s last tweet is extremely important:
Nunca como ahora los “inconformes” habiamos estado tan unidos. El dolor nos ha juntado como “la plata en las raices de los Andes”
Never before have we “non-conformists” been as united as we are now. The pain has joined us like “the silver in the roots of the Andes.”
[if anyone wants to enlighten the rest of us about that final expression... please do]
Of course the regime thrives on keeping its opponents divided… but now the petty squabbles and differences are being put aside for a larger purpose. And the opponents are seeing that they can differ on many things, and continue to differ, and that in fact coming together to govern across the differences is the essence of democracy… and in the case of Cuba… the essence of coming to a plural democratic society.
I am very frightened about what next… but very hopeful long term.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 22:17
If there was any ever doubt, what we are witnessing now from the Cuban dictatorship is the face evil. Pure, unadulterated evil.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 21:57
WALL STREET JOURNAL: Cuba Hunger Strikes Stir Ire
Protests Bring International Criticism of Island; Ally Brazil Also in Spotlight
MARCH 11, 2010, By JOHN LYONS AND JOSĂ© DE CĂłRDOBA
SĂO PAULO, BrazilâBack-to-back hunger strikes by Cuban dissidents have brought international condemnation to the island’s communist government and stirred political turmoil for some leaders friendly to Cuba.
Brazilian President Luiz InĂĄcio Lula da Silva, whose government is becoming a major investor in Cuba, has faced an avalanche of criticism at home and abroad after defending Cuba’s right to imprison political opponents and appearing to dismiss the plight of the protesters.
On Thursday, the European Parliament voted to condemn Cuba for the “avoidable and cruel” death of Orlando Zapata, a 42-year-old laborer who died on Feb. 23 after an 86-day strike for better jail conditions. The statement also decried the “alarming state” of Guillermo Fariñas, a dissident journalist who stopped eating after Mr. Zapata’s death, to press for the release of 26 ill political prisoners.
Mr. Fariñas passed out on Thursday and was rushed to a hospital where he was given intravenous fluids, the Associated Press reported.
Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister JosĂ© Luis RodrĂguez Zapatero, a proponent of European engagement of Cuba, has also come under criticism in the wake of the strikes, though Spain denounced the Cuban government’s handling of Mr. Zapata’s hunger strike.
Cuban leaders Fidel and RaĂșl Castro have weathered international criticisms over executions and other human rights abuses in the past, and are unlikely to be moved by the EU condemnation, analysts say. But the strikes may lead to further economic isolation for Cuba by creating political trouble for its international advocates.
A case in point could be Mr. da Silva, a former union leader who rose to Brazil’s presidency from poverty and who enjoys a global image as a champion of the common man.
Mr. da Silva was in Cuba on the day Mr. Zapata was buried. “I don’t think a hunger strike can be used as a pretext for human rights to free people. Imagine if all the criminals in Sao Paulo entered into hunger strikes to demand freedom,” Mr. da Silva told the Associated Press when asked about the protester’s death.
Mr. Fariñas, the dissident journalist, said in a newspaper interview that the Brazilian president’s comment shows his “commitment to the tyranny of Castro, and his contempt for the political prisoners and their families.”
Mr. da Silva himself staged a hunger strike during a month-long stint in jail during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the late 1970s.
Brazilian officials have sought to explain Mr. da Silva’s comments by framing it as affection for the Castro brothers formed decades ago, when Mr. da Silva was leading union strikes against Brazil’s military government, as well as Brazil’s stated policy of not intervening in the internal affairs of other nations.
Critics, however, say the president may finally be reaching the limits of a political policy that seeks to position the rising economic giant as a friendly interlocutor with all nationsâespecially poor onesâas part of a self-described “south-south” strategy.
Mr. da Silva has embraced both U.S. leaders and fierce critics of the U.S., such as Venezuelan President Hugo ChĂĄvez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Mr. da Silva’s bid to forge ties that bridge global rivalries has attracted criticism before. He was among the first to congratulate Mr. Ahmadinejad for his victory in a contested election that led to a deadly crackdown on protests. Likening the protesters to sore losers at a soccer match, Mr. da Silva later welcomed Mr. Ahmadinejad to Brazil.
“We are active supporters of the regimes with total disregard for democracy,” said Roberto Abdenur, a frequent critic who was also once Mr. da Silva’s ambassador to the U.S. “Our credibility is going to be very seriously affected in the region and elsewhere by the excesses they have endorsed.”
“Brazil doesn’t see human rights as universal rights, but rather as local issues, domestic policy issues,” said JosĂ© Miguel Vivanco, director of the Americas division at Washington-based Human Rights Watch. Mr. Vivanco has criticized Brazil for abstaining on U.N. resolutions dealing with human-rights issues in countries such as North Korea and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Hunger strikes are rare in Cuba. Cuba Archive, a human-rights organization that researches alleged state crimes in Cuba, has documented ten other cases in which prisoners lost their lives due to hunger strikes, the majority of which date to the first two decades of the Castro regime. With the exception of Pedro Luis Boitel, an anti-Castro student leader who died in 1972 after a 52-day hunger strike, the other hunger strikers went largely unnoticed by the outside world.
Mr. Fariñas, a veteran of Cuba’s military campaign in Angola, has previously gone on hunger strikes to protest the lack of freedom in Cuba. In 2006, he went on a seven-month hunger strike to protest the lack of Internet access.
Analysts say the hunger strikes in Cuba reflect despair with deteriorating conditions, especially in its prisons, along with disillusionment with President RaĂșl Castro, who had awakened hopes that he would implement gradual reforms.
Two years after he officially replaced older brother Fidel at the helm, those hopes have faded. “They are desperate. They thought RaĂșl would make changes, but RaĂșl is not making changes, they thought they could pressure the Cuban government, but it doesn’t care,” says Jaime Suchlicki, a Cuba analyst at the University of Miami.
Analysts say it represents the first big test for Mr. Castro who, unlike his older brother, isn’t known for his political skills. But it is unlikely, analysts say, that Mr. Castro will give in to Mr. Fariñas’s demands he free the ailing political prisoners.
“RaĂșl will not let them go free,” says Jorge Castañeda, a former Mexican foreign minister who knows Cuba well. “Things are so precarious in Cuba that he can’t show any weakness because of fear that things will get out of hand.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....lenews_wsj
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 21:13
I hope Shasta and other reporters start some serious reporting out of Cuba, the entire country, not just Havana.
CNN has a huge responsibilty here and I hope they live up to it.Shasta should be all over the Farinas story. She should be at the ICU reporting on his condition. She should visit all of the prisons where the 200 political prisoners are jailed. She should interview the families of the 200 political prisoners and tell their stories.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 20:35
If I was a reporter in Cuba I will start by reporting on all the myth the regime has created get the other side of the news the one the regime does not want people to see. It is time to unmask the regime. If a foreign reporter in Cuba does not report or ignores all these things happening every day in Cuba he or she should be replace by someone who will not fear doing the job they are suppose to.
News is about information. Why is the media keeping silent about the atrocious and criminal behavior of the regime I can not grasp. If they get kick out of Cuba for reporting what truly happens in Cuba then it will still show the world how repressive is the Cuban regime and hopefully the international community will put a lot more pressure on the regime.
Yes Hank, it looks like Shasta is starting to do her job.
Shasta, think of how many lifes could good reporting save in Cuba! Your role in Cuba is very unique and privilege because you are reporting from a society that does not allow freedom. People here in America an around the world need to know the facts.
It’s a big responsibility. Do it well.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 20:14
Anonimo #97 So you think Fidel is dead, and yet nothing has changed? Does this mean the biological solution was not quite the right answer?
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 20:03
sorry!COOKIE PROBLEM!! I WANT COOKIE!!!!! I am responsible for the last post! I would not want Juan to have another “SISSY FIT”!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 20:01
Juan,
I get a “feeling” that Fidel is Dead or Comatose! Wow 4 years without his 5 hour speeches LIVE? That kind of EGO would not tolorate a GAP (not the clothing store) that LONG! They did it with Stalin, and Franco! What makes you think we are not living the same STORY! YOU “ILK”!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 19:44
Julio #90
Excellent! Shasta is FINALLY stepping up. Let’s see if she keeps it up. I hope so.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 19:06
#82 “If you visit the spanish versionof this blogg youâll notice that there is over a thousand entries, here we just have 81.”
And if you reduce this no by thise who post using several names?
Or even just delete Humbug’s from the list?
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 19:04
Enema - I didn’t say it was as ‘issue’ just remakable that something that your ilk have been predicting an end to ‘tomorrow’ has withstood those predictions for so long. It certainly gives a new meaning to ‘imminent’!
Soon you will be predicting Fidel Castro’s ‘imminent’ death. Oops - that’s right you HAVE been predicting that for 30 or so years! je je je!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 18:54
Juan,
I’m 50 and have maybe another 30 years to go (I hope)! So “slowly” is NOT AN ISSUE, I’m very patient, good things happen to those who wait! THE TRUTH WILL SET ALL CUBANS FREE!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 18:44
“THE SHIP IS SLOWLY SINKING!” HUMBUG!!
Operative word is “slowly” - how many years has it been sinking…..FIFTY PLUS?
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 18:42
#81 “âŠâŠ. I am very sure every one will understand my poor English at same time everyone will understand your poor ideology.”
Ah so after all that time in the USA that is the best you can do? That must be down to their poor education system rather than anything innate?
BTW tell waht aspects of my ‘ideology’ differ from Yoani Sanchez. Be facinated to see the list. Happy to do the same for you - much easier.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 18:14
CNN’s Shasta Darlington reported on Farinas
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/vid.....=allsearch
Thank you CNN! Thank you Shasta.
You guys can make a difference exposing the cruel and bloody Cuban regime for what it is. Do it! Report on the news. Be our eyes and ears.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 15:26
Excerpt of Arturo Valenzuela
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Testimony Before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphereof the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
Washington, DC
March 10, 2010
We are concerned about the persistent erosion of democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms in several countries, particularly freedom of the press. These freedoms reflect the regional consensus and are enshrined in fundamental instruments of the Inter-American system. The recent Inter-American Human Rights Commission report on Venezuela was a complete and dispassionate review of the current state of affairs, and it represents an opportunity for Venezuelaâs government to begin a dialogue internally and with the hemispheric community. In Cuba, we want to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We have taken measures to increase contact between separated families and to promote the free flow of information to, from, and within Cuba. We have engaged the Cuban government on key bilateral matters like migration and direct mail service and will continue to engage Cuba to advance U.S. national interests, as in our effort to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. We remain deeply concerned by the poor human rights situation in Cuba, which contributed to the recent death of prisoner of conscience Orlando Zapata as a result of a hunger strike. We are also focused on securing the release of the U.S. citizen jailed in Cuba in December; a matter of great importance to the United States.
http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rls/rm/2010/138246.htm
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 14:08
THE PEOPLE OF POLAND STAND WITH CUBA FOR HUMAN RIGHT!! SINKING SHIP!!
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND!
Cubaâs dissident journalist Guillermo Fariñas on hunger strike demanding release of ailing political prisoners
2010.03.11
The Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Poland expresses solidarity with the Cuban dissident and human rights activist Guillermo Fariñas who went on hunger strike (after the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo) to seek the release of Cubaâs most vulnerable prisoners of conscience. The Foreign Ministry is deeply concerned about Guillermo Fariñasâ ill health. Poland has a high regard for the determination of Guillermo Fariñas who risks his life in defence of the basic civic freedoms and democratic values. Poland expresses sympathy with the fate of Cubaâs political prisoners, and victims of repression and their families.
While strongly supporting Guillermo Fariñasâ democratic ideals, we appeal to him not to continue his hunger strike as his own life is of the highest value. Guillermo Fariñasâ fellow countrymen need his further involvement in defending the civil rights in Cuba as an example of sacrifice for the highest ideals.
At the same time, Poland emphasises the significance of the appeal to the Cuban authorities by the European Union calling for the immediate release of Cubaâs detained political dissidents.
Piotr Paszkowski
Press Spokesman
http://www.msz.gov.pl/Cuba%E2%.....34392.html
Solidarity (Polish: SolidarnoĆÄ, pronounced [sÉliËdarnÉÉtÉ] ( listen); full name: Independent Self-governing Trade Union “Solidarity” â NiezaleĆŒny SamorzÄ dny ZwiÄ zek Zawodowy “SolidarnoĆÄ” [ÉČezaËlÉÊnÉš samÉËËÊÉndnÉš ËzvjÉÌzÉk zavÉËËdÉvÉš sÉliËdarnÉÉtÉ]) is a Polish trade union federation founded in September 1980 at the GdaĆsk Shipyard, and originally led by Lech WaĆÄsa.
Solidarity was the first non-communist party controlled trade union in a Warsaw Pact country.[citation needed] In the 1980s it constituted a broad anti-bureaucratic social movement. The government attempted to destroy the union during the period of martial law in the early 1980s and several years of political repression, but in the end it was forced to start negotiating with the union. The Round Table Talks between the government and the Solidarity-led opposition led to semi-free elections in 1989. By the end of August a Solidarity-led coalition government was formed and in December 1990 WaĆÄsa was elected President of Poland. Since then it has become a more traditional trade union.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_(Polish_trade_union)
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 13:30
“CYNICISM”? “THE MUMMY” IS THE KING OF “CYNICISM” & “LA CHINA” THE QUEEN! HOW INCESTEOUS! THE SHIP IS SLOWLY SINKING! SO JUAN-RAT, DO YOU NEED A LIFE PRESERVER?
REUTERS INDIA: Cuba slams EU parliament condemnation as “cynicism”
Thu Mar 11, 2010 , By Jeff Franks
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba accused the European Parliament of “great cynicism” on Thursday for condemning the communist island for the death of an imprisoned hunger striker, and it vowed not to bow to international pressure over human rights.
The Cuban National Assembly said in a statement that Cuba had a meritorious record in the “struggle for human life” and it blamed the European Parliament’s action on “a campaign orchestrated by powerful European media.”
The elected body of the 27-nation European Union approved a resolution condemning Cuba for the “avoidable and cruel” Feb. 23 death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who died after a 85-day hunger strike for improved prison conditions.
His death provoked an international outcry against Cuba’s government and calls for it to free its estimated 200 political prisoners. The EU parliament repeated this call in its resolution.
It also expressed concern at the “alarming state” of another opponent of Cuba’s government, Guillermo Farinas, who has been on a hunger strike at his home in Santa Clara since Feb. 24.
He has vowed to die if the government does not release 26 political prisoners said to be in ill health in Cuban jails.
Cuba said the European Parliament was guilty of “great cynicism” because it said EU members had taken actions that caused poor people to die in developing nations.
“Countless lives, especially of children, have been lost in the poor nations due to the decision of the rich countries represented at the European Parliament to avoid honouring their commitments to development aid,” it said.
The “unfortunate event” of Zapata’s death “cannot be used to condemn Cuba under the allegation that his death could have been prevented,” the Cuban statement said.
“The man refused to eat despite all warnings and the intervention of Cuban medical specialists,” it said.
“If there is an area in which our country does not need to defend itself with words, because reality is undisputable, that is in its struggle for human life and not only for those born in Cuba but elsewhere, too,” it said, referring to Havana’s practice of providing doctors to impoverished countries.
It said attempts by Europe and the United States to pressure Cuba to change would fail “since Cubans reject impositions, intolerance and pressure in the development of international relations.”
Analysts said Zapata’s death was likely to have torpedoed earlier efforts by Spain, currently leading the EU, to water down the EU’s common position on Cuba which includes a call for democracy and improved human rights on the island.
Cuba has said the EU’s position is an obstacle to better EU-Cuba relations.
Analysts say the hunger striker’s death last month has also set back efforts by U.S. President Barack Obama to improve U.S. relations with Cuba after five decades of hostility.
Cuba’s communist government views dissidents as mercenaries working for the United States to subvert the island’s socialist system. It has accused both Zapata and Farinas of being common criminals, saying they became dissidents to get material benefits and support from the United States.
http://in.reuters.com/article/.....3620100311
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 13:04
Siggy:
you are in rare form today …
I like that … “the trustiest opinion poll ever exist … free elections!!!”
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 12:50
About Bendixen “opinion poll”…….
http://www.miamiherald.com/200.....lowed.html
Hah!!!!….. Bendixen (El Bendito) polling firm is packed with Duracell batteries !!!…. It does not rest ….. every year bring out same polls with same results…… those polls of “opinions” seems to be done exclusively among Aruca’s employers and followers because - despite the insistence of Bendixen to “demonstrate”, “announce”, “predict” and “affirm” the change that castrofascism wants to see in our community - election after election cuban-americans votes for the trio (Diaz-Balart brothers and Ileana Ross) that makes possible the maintenance of the laws that grants the travel ban…….. last election was a total catastrophe for those castrofascism thugs that manages the strategy to use democracy to fight cuban-american freedom fighters out USA’s congress and senate. In spite of millions dollars spent in electoral failures and equal failing opinion polls Cuban nation in exile tells them YOU’RE WRONG DUDE!!! each time democracy runs the trustiest opinion poll ever exists……. free elections!!!!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 12:50
THE BOAT IS SINKING FOR “LA CHINA” & “THE MUMMY”! JUAN, DO YOU WANT A LIFE SAVER?
ASSOCIATED PRESS: EU condemns Cuba for rights violations
STRASBOURG, France â The European Parliament voted Thursday to condemn Cuba for the “avoidable and cruel” death of a dissident hunger striker, earning a stinging response from Havana, which said it did not appreciate the lecture and would not respond to international pressure.
The European assembly called on Cuba to immediately release its political prisoners and urged Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign and security affairs chief, to push the totalitarian, Communist-run island toward a peaceful transition to multiparty democracy.
The vote, adopted 509-30 with 14 abstentions, follows the Feb. 23 death of jailed Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who succumbed after an 83-day hunger strike.
Another opposition member, freelance journalist Guillermo Farinas, has been on his own hunger strike since Feb. 24. Farinas says he will continue the protest until his death, unless Cuban President Raul Castro’s government agrees to release 26 ailing political prisoners.
The EU parliament said it was particularly concerned about Farinas, calling his condition “alarming.”
“We cannot afford another death in Cuba. We call for the immediate release of all political prisoners,” Jerzy Buzek, the president of the European assembly, said.
Buzek said Cuba has ignored appeals for increased democracy from around the world.
The Caribbean island has been ruled by brothers Fidel and Raul Castro since they ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. There are some 200 political prisoners in Cuban jails, according to human rights groups.
“We need action,” said Buzek. “The Cuban government must respect fundamental freedoms, especially the freedom of expression and political association. Freedom of movement must also be respected.”
Cuba, which had hoped for improved relations with Europe following Spain’s ascension to the EU presidency in January, blasted the EU vote as hypocritical and wrong.
“Following a sullied debate, the European Parliament has just passed a condemnation resolution against our country, manipulating sentiments, distorting facts, deceiving people and obscuring reality,” Cuba’s National Parliament declared in a statement later Thursday.
“Cubans find it offensive this attempt at teaching us lessons,” the parliamentary declaration continued.
It said Europe was in no position to judge Cuba given Europe’s poor treatment of immigrants and the unemployed and its alleged complicity with America’s treatment of al-Qaida terror suspects.
Cuba “rejects impositions, intolerance and pressure” from abroad, the Cuban parliament statement said.
The Cuban government considers the dissidents to be paid stooges of Washington, and says most â including both Zapata Tamayo and Farinas â are common criminals.
Associated Press writer Paul Haven in Havana contributed to this report
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....QD9ECHG481
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 11:41
Just read about raul’s daughter & her support for sex changes, now apporved & done in Cuba however few …
Interesting little article, from the “macho” men from yester years to fidel’s reflections on the subject …
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 11:29
“old man’s opinion:
Verbal Abuse is a form in which our freedom of choice to exercise our freedom of speech demostrates how one’s rights end where other’s right begins …
Verbal abuse in this blogg, is used as a weapon to make irrelevant personal remarks, accusations & comments about participants’s knowledge & dedication by individuals accustomed to at least this form of abuse I believe their intentions are to control & demean whomever has a different point of view.
This poor choice does not give credit to any argument presented in such a form, it rathe devaluates he intent of this blog, not just as Yoani’s blog but of all people who believes in freedom & all cubans who disagree w/the present regime.
If you visit the spanish versionof this blogg you’ll notice that there is over a thousand entries, here we just have 81.
It is our job (my humble opinion only) to “spread” the word, share our thoughts w/the world by becoming more inviting, by encouraging participation without fear of being verbaly abused or demeaned in any way …
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 10:55
79
juan
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 05:17
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wrong as usual….. pathetic is, as very well Albert states in # 80, to present in substitution of an argument a lamentable and empty comment like #79……… it is characteristic of castrofascist agents to use aggression when the truth overrun them……. I am very sure every one will understand my poor English at same time everyone will understand your poor ideology.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 06:50
The illuminati, gladio … all of the same sometimes I think they are just one dog w/many faces … guarding the gates of Hades.
Is seems it does not matter what the discusion is about, when the oposing argument is presented in the form of an insult, a demeaning name or any form of abuse …
The argument, the discusion is lost.
Certain people likes to exercise loudly & forcefully their right of free expression; they use any form of verbal abuse & always mistifies me how the rightgeousness of their ideas justifies in their minds.
By practice that abuse is hurled w/their perceived impunity … until it is returned on them in kind.
Then it becomes unfair attack to them … from abuser to victims in fractions of seconds …
It reminds me of ho bullies behave … I get this image of the predator whom does not know when it will become the pray so … it lives by the moment.
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 05:17
#77/78 So sad, so pathetic, such a fraud.
BTW why don’t you at least write in proper english or is that that patois the best you can do after all that time in the USA?
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 00:57
60
Rainer
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 11:48
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear one…. I am sure Cuba stands behind most latin-american countries in economical and social development …..that’s why no latin-american emigrates to Cuba, that’s why half million Cubans emigrated to different latin-american countries even risking theirs lives…. to demonstrate it to you I propose you a easy business……. I will pay you $1000 for each latin-american you find living in Cuba enjoying the benefits of this marvelous place you believe Cuba is….. you will pay me $100 for each Cuban I find living in latin-american countries….. I will pay you one million dollars for each latin-american that risking the live got to Cuba using a raft……. you will pay me $1000 for each Cuban rafter that arrived to any latin-american country risking the live in such way…… I going to pay you 10 millions dollars for each latin-american child its parents took to Cuba on a raft adventure……. you will pay me $10.000 for each Cuban child that reached latin-american countries in a raft and you will pay me $100.000 for each Cuban child dead in the intent of reaching a latin-american country…….. I will pay you $1000 for each Cuban living in latin-americans countries that wants to get back to Cuba, you will pay me 10 bucks for each Cuban inside Cuba that wants to leave to a latin-american country whatever it is.
Easy money………. Deal???
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 00:37
60
Rainer
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 11:48
Julio and Siggyâ……In fact, in 2001âduring one of the âworstâ times segun YoaniâJames Wolfensohn (!), head of the World Bank and archenemy of communism, was so impressed with Cubaâs achievements that he told the developing world to âLEARN FROM CUBA.â……
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poor Rainer, your problem is that you do not understand the world where you live in….. First you have to understand that castrofascism is just that, pure and clean fascism, that had nothing to do with communism ….. castrofascism says they are socialist or communist but it is just disinformation…… you have to give a close look to the regimen to understand it is fascism……. but it is your task, not mine…… My duty is to advice you, your duty is to find definitions for all different politic-ideological system in the world and compare Cuba’s regimen with those definitions in order to find the real nature of castro system, in other words, I found the truth and gently I give you my advice; your duty is to find the truth by you self in order to understand the world and in this particular case to understand castro regimen nature…. you do not want to assume the evident truth and accept it is just fascism, well, it is your problem. I can spend hours trying to explain you why this regimen is fascist and not communist….. if your will is to not accept this evident truth , what can I do then……..that is your fundamental error, error that drives you to believe Mr. James Wolfhound was talking about a communist country when in reality he was talking about a fascist one….. maybe Mr. Wolfhound make you and much others believe he was talking about a communist country but he not……. Mr. Wolfhound, like McNamara, like castro is a gentle piece of Rockefeller, Rothschild and all others “illuminates”….. not by coincidence castro’s troops were deployed to custody Rockefeller’s oil fields in Cabinda (north Angola) when castrofascism was involved in this colonial war despite Rockefellers’ interests was same interests castro supposedly was “fighting”…… not by coincidence this Mr.James Wolfensohn was chosen World Bank president after McNamara….. the world is as it is and not as you like…… it is impossible for a so illustrated person as James Wolfhound not to know that Cuba had free and universal health care end education long before castrofascism….. of course he knew this fact…. but there are higher and powerful interests beside castro clan… remember dear one, we are fighting one of the richest mafia families in the world (#10 according to Forbes)…. that’s why most of us prefer to hide our identities behind nicknames….. that’s why Mr. Wolfensohn, in spite of being a Jew, prefers to sign beside notorious fascists as the “Illuminati” and castrofascism then sign beside truth……. conservation instinct!!!!
Marzo 11th, 2010 at 00:25
Well Yobbo if that is the best blog opinion you can find to demonstrate ” how the mafia in power in Cuba uses all of us outside” no wonder so much else you people write has no crediblity beyond the narrow confines of ‘all of your’ artificial existence.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 22:36
John Two, #72
Thank you for your post. When I read it, I was left wondering, where do the statistics regarding Cuba to which you refer come from? Is there any way to verify the numbers you cite? I am not trying to be negative or start a fight, I just would really like to know how good these numbers are. That’s all.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 22:29
If you read the article it list many of the extortions that we as Cubans outside of Cuba have to pay to the regime. From the exorbitant price for the Cuban passport that last very few years. To the slave rental fee the regime charges monthly for family visiting. All of it has the signs of MAFIA written all over it.
So yes you all can read it now thanks to Juan’s google translation and appreciate on your own what I mentioned.
the article that describe how the mafia in power in Cuba uses all of us outside.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 22:07
Juan lots of thing bad about Cuba which is a different issue
Nothing is bad with Cuba
Do not confuse Cuba with the Cuban regime or the Cuban government.
Those two thing you should agree are to different things.
Cuba is not Fidel Castro
Cuba is not the revolution
Cuba is not the government of Cuba.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 22:02
#60, the article you linked to is 9 years old, prior to the large scale export of Cuban doctors. If you look at more recent World Health Organization statistics (available on Wikipedia or on the WHO website) you will find that most Latin American countries are rapidly closing the gap when it comes to health indicators such as infant mortality and life expectancy. Some countries (e.g. Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica) are actually doing better than Cuba on some of these indicators.
Among developing countries, the Castro regime does comparatively well on a few indicators such as primary healthcare and emergency preparedness. But the state of the Cuban economy is abysmal, and none of this justifies the systematic abuses of fundamental human rights.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 21:59
A very quick, rough translation of the oponion blog for those spanish challenged.
But does it actually do as Yobba suggests viz: “this is an excellent article that describe how the mafia in power in Cuba uses all of us outside”. Other than saying that internal dissident bloggers are accused of ‘doing it for the money’ is it really doing as you suggest Yobba or rather basically describing lots of thing bad about Cuba which is a different issue(s)???
“I must confess that some time ago-in a Facebook forum that has passed into history on the sad circumstance of being “guilty” of the expulsion of a student at the School of Journalism in Havana, I was astonished to read, ” mouth “of students from the Faculty, some arguments that seemed impossible in young twentysomethings of today’s Cuba.
In the heat of the debate, some students (with internet access) accuse us, who live “out” of having sold “for money.” Our crime is thus paid for our work in all months salary in euros, dollars, quetzals, Bs or Burundi francs.
The arguments were based on the analysis of the phenomenon of the blogger Yoani Sanchez, whom all the officers accused of “writing for money.”
Each time a Cuban dissident becomes visible, the first insult occurs to the authorities is “mercenary for the enemy.” “They do it for money,” he bellowed.
When a leader wants to be “throne” appears once the argument of “illicit enrichment”. Not the “thunder” as corrupt, as corrupt military leadership is all-business that handles large incorporation of foreign companies into the country. The stop being corrupt while being faithful to remove the pretext of corruption when they become “infidels.”
Money is the “large shadow” of the Cuban Revolution. The love-hate relationship-ignorance that the Cuban system has been established with money is pathological. The discourse of the Revolution has been built for the “poor” and the main work of the revolution has supposedly been the equitable distribution of poverty.
Have or possess money, or simply earning a salary working in Cuba is a crime.
For the same reason people have stopped to ask openly modesty money (the “alms” is the national sport) and have lost all sense of what things cost, assuming-encouraged in part by some kind of return migrants Cuba to assume “that everyone who lives in another country is” rich “and has a” duty “to give away their money.
The reality is that the economic system of “social property” has proved unproductive absolutely everywhere. Cuban companies and industries do not generate wealth. As one joke, “Cuban is she works, and the state pretends to pay.” Ni is produced, nor is charged. The average salary of an engineer or a doctor in Cuba does not exceed 20 euros a month. That of an unskilled worker does not exceed 10.
One might ask then, in an economic system as well, where you can leave the money and resources to maintain the vaunted “achievements of the Revolution”: namely, education and universal healthcare and free.
We who live in developed countries know very well how costly and difficult to manage than are the public health and educational systems (which exist and function quite well in Europe). How can a poor country like Cuba with an economic system completely unproductive, boast utility models that are so expensive and difficult to maintain?
First, because conditions in the remaining hospitals and schools in Cuba today are so painful that any health inspector would close to the masonry just enter the door.
Second, because the main production items of Cuba, the main sources of foreign exchange, are external to the system, tourism and remittances from emigrants.
That is normal in many countries of the “Third World”. Remittances from migrants are a critical resource, even in large countries like Mexico or Argentina, and have come to regard “the first entry of Latin America.” This is, of course, a fair source-and yet insufficient wealth-sharing worldwide.
What is not so normal is that, beyond being the first economic resource of the country, we denigrate migrants, be accused of “worms” and enemies, deprive us of our rights in our country and we extortion constantly so that, if we want to go to Cuba to visit our families, we have to pay considerable sums of money to state permits and taxes absolutely unfair.
Excuse me pause to describe some of these very high taxes we pay Cubans abroad if we want to see our families-payments unknown to most people in the world “normal”.
To be allowed to leave the country, Cubans living in Cuba should pay a license to the Cuban state called “white card” which costs $ 150, and an invitation card that costs 250. In addition, Cubans who come to visit abroad must pay 40 euros to the Cuban state for each month! stay abroad (money paid mostly relatives or friends abroad).
The Spanish passport, for example, costs 20 euros in 10 years. The Cuban passport costs 90 euros (yes!, 90 euros to be made if 115 is a “non-personal process,” or if you do not people in the Consulate) every two years, and 150 every six years.
The Cubans “with the category of immigrants,” although we have other passports, if we must do to enter Cuba with a Cuban passport, and must also pay 80 euros for entry clearance to our own country! Prices can test them on the website of the Embassy of Cuba in Spain in the Consular Services section.
Recently it has also established mandatory private health insurance pay for entering the country from May this year, which is a sneaky tax. In addition to the tips shamelessly ask all the officials who stumble on these avatars tape.
In Cuba, the shops of commodities (hygiene and nutrition: ordinary supermarkets) sell their products in a currency that is not the same as that Cubans receive their wages. In those stores (all owned) prices are set arbitrarily, outside the law of supply and demand, and a liter of sunflower oil costs much more than in any supermarket in Europe.
This artificial currency, called the Cuban convertible peso (CUC) is a value similar to the euro. The average monthly wage in Cuba would be 20 CUCS, enough to buy in those stores 1 kg beef or 3 liters of olive oil. Therefore, the vast majority of the money collected in those stores also comes from tourists and remittances from emigrants. They also have online stores where migrants can order products for gifts to relatives.
Tourists, those evil capitalists citizens turn out in their country every four years from conservatives or Social Democrats and migrants, those “worms” anti-patriots who are sold for money and that defame the revolution, they argue with their paid work in an economy that creates wealth, the limp economy “socialist” country.
And not only with our work but with our sensibilities and our high emotional toll, which does not allow us in the lurch leave our families or have to visit our land.
None of this is news, of course. But being on Facebook with people who still maintains such slogans indecent and stupid, fascist and exclusionary, people who bite their rhetoric the same hand that feeds him, I am shocked and saddened me.
Ileana Medina Hernandez
Tenerife, Spain”
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 21:24
For those of you that can read Spanish please read this
http://www.penultimosdias.com/.....l-enemigo/
this is an excellent article that describe how the mafia in power in Cuba uses all of us outside.
We need to unite everyone outside so that we can force them to do what we want and not the other way around.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 19:24
#60 don’t rain on their parade of prejudice, irrationality and hate. Don’t expct them ever to allow facts to get in the way of their venom and self interest.
They are happy to ignore the views of people actually living in Cuba - or in the USA - including those ironically of Yoani Sanchez and her husband on issues regarding Cuban soveriegnity, US travel bans and the blockade.
When Yoani recently reiterated her views on these issues the reaction from the Miami mafia and their ilk was largely deafening silence.
As how can you expect them to know anything about comparative standards of living in Cuba compared to the rest of latin america? Most of them haven’t even visited Cuba in decades or any other countries. Much easier to sit at their desk in Miami or Washington and cut and paste ‘news’ articles that reiterate the same anachronistic views from decades past than actually do anything concrete or intellectual.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 18:42
France Diplomatie (press release): Situation of Guillermo Farinas (March 9, 2010)
We are increasingly concerned about the health status of the Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas, who is very weak as a result of the hunger strike that he began in order to demand the release of all political prisoners.
We are issuing a solemn appeal to the Cuban authorities following the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo just a few days ago.
The Cuban authorities must urgently release all political prisoners especially those whose state of health has seriously deteriorated.
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/.....13820.html
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 17:16
ASSOCIATED PRESS: UN torture expert hopes to visit Cuba this summer
Associated Press
2010-03-10 11:12 PM
The U.N. torture investigator says he hopes to make his first visit to Cuba this summer.
Manfred Nowak says he is negotiating dates with the Communist government. Cuba’s foreign minister said last week that it wanted conditions on Nowak’s visit.
Nowak told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday he was confident now, after several fruitless attempts to visit the island since 2005.
Cuba has blocked several proposed visits by U.N. Human Rights Council investigators.
Nowak also slammed attempts by council members to suppress a report he co-authored on secret prisons. Russia, Pakistan and others said the report breached guidelines they have set for human rights experts.
Nowak says “I don’t need a code of conduct.”
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn.....g=eng_news
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 16:53
BUSINESSWEEK: Cuba’s sugar industry hit by low productivity
By PAUL HAVEN-Associated Press March 10, 2010
“Production at Cuba’s sugar plants has been hit hard this year by inefficiency, a spate of breakdowns and other technical problems, state-media reported Wednesday, adding to sobering news for the Communist-run island’s crisis-addled economy.
Breakdowns and other interruptions have idled plants nearly 19 percent of the time so far in 2010, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said. A further 11 percent of production reportedly has been lost due to a lack of sugar cane.
The paper said problems were worst in the key sugar-growing region of Las Tunas, 360 miles (600 kilometers) east of the capital.
It also blamed poor planning and “a lack of discipline.”
“Overcoming delays and meeting our goals require that those production centers in crisis eradicate their deficiencies and that the rest maintain their production levels or increase them,” the paper said. “We must defeat a powerful enemy: lost industrial time.”
The harvest and milling season begins each year in January and usually ends around April or May.
Sugar — once the be-all and end-all of Cuba’s economy — now ranks no higher than third behind nickel production and tourism, contributing about $600 million a year.
Never a juggernaut, Cuba’s economy has been battered by the global economic crisis, a dip in world nickel prices and the effects of three devastating hurricanes that hit in 2008. The government controls 90 percent of the economy, paying low wages but heavily subsidizing education, housing, food and health care.
President Raul Castro has warned that the government will no longer be able to sustain such subsidies unless production increases dramatically.
Non-sugar agricultural production has also failed to meet targets this year in many parts of the country. In January and February, production around the capital was 40 percent below target, despite a major drive by the government to put more fallow land in the hands of individual farmers.
The tourism industry held up reasonably well in 2009 despite the economic crisis, with the number of visitors rising slightly but revenues falling 11 percent.
But 2010 has gotten off to a poor start: About 5 percent fewer tourists came to Cuba in January than during the same month last year.”
http://www.businessweek.com/ap.....BUNMG0.htm
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 16:42
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Brazil leader blasted for stance on Cuba prisoners
By MARCO SIBAJA (AP)
BRASILIA, Brazil â Brazil’s president is coming under criticism for his deference to the Cuban government regarding the island’s political prisoners and hunger strikes over human rights.
A Cuban dissident on hunger strike to demand the release of ailing political prisoners accused President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday of complicity with “the tyranny of Castro.” At home, Brazilian pundits blasted Silva while a political ally called the president’s words disappointing.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Silva said that “we have to respect the decisions of the Cuban legal system and the government to arrest people depending on the laws of Cuba, like I want them to respect Brazil.”
Brazil’s president went on to say a hunger strike cannot be used as a pretext to free people from prison, despite the fact that he himself engaged in a hunger strike as a union leader during Brazil’s military dictatorship.
In late February, Silva met in Cuba with Fidel and Raul Castro just hours after Cuban dissident Orlando Zapata died from a prolonged hunger strike.
At the time, Silva told Brazil’s privately run Agencia Estado news agency that he “deeply regretted” Zapata’s death. Silva did not meet with opposition groups in Cuba.
Cuban dissident Guillermo Farinas, who started his twenty-third hunger strike the day after Zapata’s death, says Silva should take a stand against Cuba’s regime instead of stating he had to respect the government’s decisions.
“With that statement, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva shows his commitment to the tyranny of Castro and his contempt for the political prisoners and their families,” Farinas said in an interview with columnist Flavia Marreiro of Brazil’s Folha de S. Paulo newspaper. “A majority of the Cuban people feel betrayed by a president who was once a political prisoner.”
Silva led worker strikes against Brazil’s military regime and was imprisoned for 31 days in 1980 for his political activities.
“I’ve been on hunger strikes and I would never do it again,” Silva said. “I think it’s insane to mistreat your own body.”
Silva said he thought there was hypocrisy at play in the criticism of Cuba.
“It’s not just in Cuba that people died from hunger strikes,” he said.
Columnist Merval Pereira wrote in Wednesday’s edition of the Brazilian newspaper O Globo that “the comments of president Lula are worrying because they denote that he made a terrible confusion between democratic regimes and dictatorships, treating them equally.”
Cuba has blasted foreign press coverage of Farinas’ hunger strike as part of a campaign to discredit the island’s political system.
In Brazil, a lawmaker from the ruling Workers Party â which Silva founded â told the Globo television network he was disappointed with the president’s words, though he suggested they were just a slip.
“The president expressed himself poorly or he was misunderstood,” said Mauricio Rands, a federal deputy with the party. “We don’t accept that somebody can be detained just because they have disagreements with the government.”
Associated Press writer Bradley Brooks in Rio de Janeiro contributed to this report.
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....gD9EBUR081
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 14:25
***
HI VANESSA MARTINEZ–#30. Many people think Castro helped the Cuban people. When I was a 22 year old university student Castro and Kruschev almost started World War III. I thought I would fight in Cuba with the U.S. Army. Communist governments start wars, kill many people, and bring misery and slavery to their people. Castro is an evil man–forever.
***
HOLA VANESSA MARTINEZ–#30. Mucha gente piensan que Castro ayudo la Gente Cubana. Cuando fui un estudiante universitario de 22 anos de edad Castro y Kruschev casi empesaban La Guerra Mundial III. Creia que iba peliar en Cuba con el ejercito de los Estados Unidos. Gobiernos communistas empiecan guerras, matan muchas personas, y dan miseria y esclavitud a su gente. Castro es un hombre malo–para siempre.
***
Juan Babero!
***
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 12:51
Not all problems started w/castro co.
What it has/is happening is the slow but sure deteriorstion of a system that does not work.
In replacing the exisiting democratic structures for what it was hoped to be a better system led to the present situation.
In the inability to admit errors, in the egotistic colored ideas of the revolutionaries what they said & thought “reflected” (they think) the people’s will, if it did not … “they didn’t know better” then & now.
The marxist revolutionary theories start from the same premise, eliminate by force, replace by imposition & create a new man, a new human nature to execute it.
The problem is … no theory can change human nature, no force, threat or punishment can change human nature.
Of course the case can be made as to the “nature” of human nature, of instinct & so on …
Foster an atmmosphere of hate, of “them against usnspiracy which works until the people gets tired; a society of excuses until they run out of validity.
I could go on … yet what is the value?
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 12:10
Socio-Economic Conditions in Pre-Castro Cuba*
Introduction
In the 1950’s Cuba was, socially and economically, a relatively advanced country, certainly by Latin American standards and, in some areas, by world standards.
Cuba’s infant mortality rate was the best in Latin America — and the 13th lowest in the world.
Cuba also had an excellent educational system and impressive literacy rates in the 1950’s.
Pre-Castro Cuba ranked third in Latin America in per capita food consumption.
Cuba ranked first in Latin America and fifth in the world in television sets per capita.
Pre-Castro Cuba had 58 daily newspapers of differing political hues and ranked eighth in the world in number of radio stations.
http://ctp.iccas.miami.edu/FAC.....cember.htm
YOU TUBE: Havana, Cuba 1930s
A tour of the city of Havana, Cuba in the 1930s filmed by Andre de la Varre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....r_embedded
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 11:51
Agence France-Presse: Cuban dissidents ask Brazil’s Lula for help
First Posted 14:17:00 03/10/2010
Filed Under: Politics, Justice & Rights
HAVANA, CubaâA group of dissidents urged moderate Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday to intercede for Cuba to release political prisoners to help save a hunger striker’s life.
The call came a day after Cuba denounced the now 13-day hunger strike of dissident journalist Guillermo Farinas as “blackmail” and rejected his demand to free 26 political prisoners needing medical care.
Farinas said he felt weak from his effort but was resolved to carry it through.
“There’s no going back. I’m going through with this until the final consequences,” he told AFP from his home in Cuba’s central city of Santa Clara.
Psychologist and journalist Farinas, 48, began his hunger strike on February 24, a day after political prisoner Orlando Zapata died on the 85th day of his own hunger strike, which Lula said he “deeply regretted.”
In their letter to Lula, the dissidents prevailed on Brazil’s regional influence.
“We believe that you can intercede with the Cuban government to end a situation that further tarnishes the efforts to create a true community of Latin American and Caribbean states focused on the rights of their citizens,” they wrote.
In Brasilia, however, a spokesman for the Brazilian presidency said Lula had not received a letter and knew nothing about it.
“Brazil’s regional influence, its confidence in the transformative potential of democratic society, and strategic patience can help Cuba begin sharing global standards in human rights,” wrote the dissidents from the newly constituted Committee for the Freedom of Cuban Political Prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo.
Farinas’s doctor Ismael Iglesias told reporters that the dissident’s health was deteriorating quickly since he suffered a bout of hypoglycemia last week that put him in hospital for emergency hydration and tube feeding.
He said Farinas was “very dehydrated… from tomorrow (Wednesday) onward, he could go into shock at any moment.”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/b.....a-for-help
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 11:48
Julio and Siggy–
Siggy first (Re: #41),
Ok, maybe it is “atrevido” of me to think I know something about Cuba, but you guys are off the chart. I mean, I look at these posts and I see statements like:
“All of the problems started with Castro.”
“Before Castro everything was beautiful. Castro came in and made Cuba poor. Cuba is poorer than Haiti now becaus of Castro.”
These kinds of statements are not only atrevido, they are totally ignorant. If you look at UN and World Bank statistics, Cuba is FAR AHEAD of the rest of the developing world in just about every category.
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43b/185.html
In fact, in 2001–during one of the “worst” times segun Yoani–James Wolfensohn (!), head of the World Bank and archenemy of communism, was so impressed with Cuba’s achievements that he told the developing world to “LEARN FROM CUBA.”
“They have done a good job, and it does not embarrass me to admit it.”
-James Wolfensohn, head of the World Bank, refering to the achievements of the Cuban Revolution. (See article link)
So, I guess you’re going to now say that the World Bank is a big castro-fascist organization, right?
“you do not know…the Cuba where no shining and clean buildings stands but just ruins, ruins of buildings built 150 years ago…”
I suppose you think that capitalist latin countries are full of shining clean buildings, public services that work perfectly, big mansions for the campesinos? We do have a few tall shining buildings in Bogota, that’s true, but that only shows us where the REAL criminals are working. In capitalist latin countries we have all of your problems PLUS no education, no healthcare, no rations, nothing, PLUS most of the country always has to worry that someone will take away their land and maybe kill their family. The human rights abuses you complain about in Cuba are happening ALL THE TIME in the rest of Latin America. How many students were killed by the police in the last 10 years at Universidad Nacional? How many union workers? How many politically conscious activistis are rotting in jail like your Zapata? It’s more than 26 I can tell you that. How many politically conscious activists have to worry that a sicario (assassin) is waiting for them outside of their house? When these things happen in Cuba it is an “international scandal.” When they happen in capitalist latin countries, it is just “normal life.” WHY?
Man, you guys really think its Charlie and the Chocolate Factory out here. Alicia y el mundo de maravillas pues.
I tell you what, I really hope you get what you want. A Cuban who says “all of Cuba’s problems started 50 years ago” DESERVES what’s coming.
Aunque–claro que eso si–si tu eres petrolero o de cierto estrato o amigo de la oligarquia vas a comer muy bien, hasta caviar y vino, y van a ser uds que dicen “Vamos bien”. Pero tus compatriotas en un 99% van a comer mierda. Atrevido usted!
Julio (Re: #32)-
“You will feel the same repugnance when you see the upper class in the current Cuba where the upper class status is given by alliance to the communist party…and your total alliance should be to Fidel Castro and whatever he says.”
I’m sure you’re right. I’m not trying to justify that. But you need to see that it’s much worse in the rest of Latin America.
“Visit over there I assure you it will be an eye opening experience.”
Are you inviting me? I would love to go. Ever since I left I have been searching for a way to come back. I even tried applying to EICTV to study film, but man that entrance test is hard!
“Cuba was not poor, at least not to the level that is now. The Castro made Cuba poor (And this has little to do with the embargo)”
See above. I’ve got UN and World Bank statistics, and my own eyes, to the contrary. What have you got? A temper tantrum is not good enough.
-Rainer
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 08:59
There is no better opinion pool than Florida’s elections for national congress and other officials that has power to maintain or lift the nominal embargo and travel ban. Castrofascism has spent billions of dollars in those electoral battles with the hope to drive the people of Florida to choose candidates backed for theirs thugs in Miami and in such way revert the anti-castro sanctions so castrofascism can become stronger and USA backed like China. Other billions dollars has been thrown for years over the communication media of Florida to make the people to believe the political-ideological orientation of Cuban community has changed. Election after election castrofascism has received a real beating and Florida’s electors has always chosen the Diaz-Balart brothers and Ileana Ross, who are responsible for giving the embargo and travel ban category of law and and are responsible too for converting in nothing all the money and efforts of the clan castro……. if Cubans in the island could vote freely they will surely vote in same way they does with theirs feet: kick castrofascism’s ass each time an opportunity appears and leave the country to relocate in other country despite castrofascism propaganda trying to make them believe other countries poverty is extreme and Cuba’s poverty is best.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 05:33
commenting about povery …
That it is a reality of many places around the world is unscapable, I’ve seen it around the world yet never will claim to be an expert by the longest shot, in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, South & Central America & lastly the old USSR; I have come to believe that it is a perception issue inspired most of the times by kindness, guilt & love for our fellow man.
For the people who has access to better confort within their environment, poverty is the result of their comparison to their life standards.
Before we pass judgement on poverty, share life with te ones called poor.
No safety net, no check from the goverment or mom & dad’s.
Poverty for the idealist is a problem to be solved; for the realist is a way of life.
One can give & give to the poor with a transitory effect at best nevertheless: one’s heart is happy (hopefully) because “something” was done.
I don’t think anyone wants to be “poor” (is a judging label I detest) but how many of the “would be saviours” have asked the poor what do they want or how would they like to do it?
Poverty is relative, observations, w/the best of intentions are just that … observations.
Most studies are created (the framework) & done by people who has never been poor; they start from a preconceived premise & definition of poverty; their minds already made up from their intelectual notion of how the world should be, their hearts unable to imagine (even honestly trying) & learn about what is to be poor, what it means, without confusing it w/the consecuences of their defined poverty.
Poverty can be blamed on many things but … if we take the blame game away (not absolution) what are we left with?
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 02:30
Just to clarify, by “shills” I mean hacks. They toil away with glee and great enthusiasm because they are not very smart and have been tricked into a fool’s errand. As has always been the case, throughout history, by the time they realize their mistake, it is too late.
The shills we see here have no foresight or regard for morals or what is right. They are motivated by self-interest — nothing more. In the end, they all end up the same. Washed-up, finished, and, if the are lucky, cared-for in some asylum as they waste away in their irrelevant old age, spouting senseless slogans from a long forgotton past. Welcome to the future jughead.
Marzo 10th, 2010 at 00:55
#54 Wank - Donât let logic or rationality get in the way of your self deluding prejudices.
BTW are you the same wanker that recently posted that Fidel unlike Raoul still has widespread popular support in Cuba today???
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 22:28
And Humbug for more than 50 years you and your ilk have been predicting imminent foundering. Guess you have to get it right eventually but not sure what that says for the integrity of the 50 years of wrong predictions?
Notice you don’t aknowledge the irrelevance of your poll to my assertions either so good to see that implicitly you aknowledge those truths.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 22:24
Oh — now this is classic! One for the ages.
Faced with being compared to one of the worst maritime disasters in recorded history, the best the shills for the murdering Cuban dictators can come up with is that they lasted LONGER than the 4-day ill-fated tragic voyage of the Titanic!? As if that proves something? We lasted longer, so we are somehow better? You have GOT to be kidding me. A-MAZING. I am literally in shock. Even I could have done better than that you idiot.
Yes, the disastrous, criminal, corrupt, murderous, incestuous, lying, syndicate that is the Cuban totalitarian regime has lasted longer than the maiden voyage of the Titanic. You got me there.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 22:07
NOW JUAN, YOU HOW “LA CHINA” & “THE MUMMY” KEEP THEIR “REVOLUTION” BOAT AFLOAT! BY EXTORSION, PROPAGANDA, MURDER, MANIPULATION, SHOULD I GO ON? NO BEST TO POST!
THE CATO INSTITUTE:The Violation of Human Rights in Venezuela and Cuba
Posted by Ian Vasquez
“Meanwhile in Cuba, the country Chavez holds as a model, political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo died yesterday after going on a hunger strike, suffering beatings and having been denied water by prison authorities for 18 days. The mistreatment led to kidney failure. According to Cuba Archive, an NGO that documents deaths attributable to the Cuban regime, Zapata âwas then held naked over a powerful air conditioner and developed pneumonia.â What will the Permanent Council of the OAS have to say about that?”
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org.....-and-cuba/
Reporters Without Borders:Authorities block websites, detain 26th journalist
http://www.rsf.org/Authorities.....etain.html
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 21:51
“Humbug, they are rearranginging the deck chairs on the Titanic while the entire ship is going down. …”
If the Titanic had lasted even 12 months that would have been 11 months and 26 days longer than it actually did.
In the case of post Batista Cuba ……FIFTY plus YEARS is a voyage of quite remarkable longevity.
Don’t let logic or rationality get in the way of your self deluding prejudices.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 21:50
ANOTHER MURDER BY “LA CHINA” & “THE MUMMY”! WHAT IS THEIR EXCUSE NOW? CANT SAY HE IS A COMMON CRIMINAL, HE IS A EDUCATED BLACK/CUBAN MAN! THEY BETTER GET READY FOR THE WORLD TO SCREAM “M U R D E R E R S”!!
UPI: Granma: Cuba can’t force-feed protester
Published: March. 9, 2010 at 8:29 PM
HAVANA, March 9 (UPI) — “The Cuban government is willing to let Guillermo Farinas, a dissident who has been on hunger strike for two weeks, die, the official newspaper Granma suggests.
In an article published Monday, Granma said forced tube feeding would be “unethical” and the government cannot give in to “blackmail,” The Miami Herald reported.
Farinas is beginning the third week of a fast without food or liquids. He began his hunger strike the day after the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo. Tamayo, a political prisoner, died after 83 days of hunger strike.
In a telephone interview from his home in Santa Clara, Farinas told the Herald a Spanish diplomat visited him and told him the Cuban government was willing to let him leave for Spain. He said he rejected the offer.
Farinas said the Granma article was effectively a “death sentence.” The article was unusual in mentioning an opponent of the regime.
“There are bio-ethical principles that require a physician to respect a person’s decision to start a hunger strike,” Granma said. “Therefore, there’s no way he can be forced to take food, as U.S. authorities do regularly at the prisons and torture centers in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and Bagram.”"
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/In.....268184578/
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 21:46
I wrote Humbug … “Why donât you post specific poll results on the US travel ban? Or refute what the large majority of Cubans want (including Yoani and her husband)?”
and you reply “That poll was the latest and out of the BBC….”
So for once the BBC is a reputable source - how morally and intellectually flexible you people are - and secondly you reiterste a poll that does NOT address the travel ban. Do you ever read anything you post? Again eveidence of your mindless job. At least I have the integrity to read even that which I substantially don’t agree with.
BTW try ..”An April 2009 CNN / Opinion Research Corporation poll showed that 64% of Americans surveyed think the U.S. should lift its travel ban on Cuba”!!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:46
Humberto, they are rearranginging the deck chairs on the Titanic while the entire ship is going down. An amazing spectacle.
Keep posting Man!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:30
///
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:18
DEDICATED TO JUAN WHO SAID!
“No Humbug apparently your âjobâ is to mindless post whole slabs of repetitive ânews articlesâ. Never to display any intellect.” DONT MESS WITH “THE AVALANCHE”!!
REUTERS U.K.: A third of world’s jailed journalists in Iran AND CUBA IS # 3 ! A BRONZE MEDAL!!
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A third of the world’s jailed journalists are imprisoned in Iran, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday after the number of reporters held in the Islamic Republic rose to at least 52 in February.
China was next after Iran with 24 jailed journalists and then Cuba with 22. The number of journalists held in Iran was the highest recorded by the New York-based CPJ in a single country since 78 cases were documented in Turkey in 1996.
Several publications in Iran have been banned and many journalists detained since street protests broke out in the aftermath of presidential elections last year.
The CPJ said the number of journalists jailed in Iran rose by five in February from January after 12 members of the media were imprisoned and then seven of them were released.
Of the 52 journalists in jail, five had been held since before the crackdown began last year, the CPJ said. Another 50 journalists have been imprisoned and released on bail during the past several months.
“Iran is entering a state of permanent media repression, a situation that is not only appalling but also untenable,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said.
“The Iranian government will eventually lose the war against information, but we are saddened every day that our colleagues are paying such a terrible price.”
The disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009 plunged the Islamic Republic into its deepest internal crisis in its three-decade history and created a rift within the ruling establishment.
Reformist opposition leaders and their supporters say the poll was rigged to secure Ahmadinejad’s re-election, an allegation the authorities deny.
Hardliners accused opposition leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi of inciting unrest and called them “enemies of God” — a crime punishable by death under Iran’s Islamic law.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/.....1B20100309
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:09
Juan, Juan,
That poll was the latest and out of the BBC, tha means Europe NOT MIAMI! I hope people here see your SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND THE SAME OF BLAH BLAH BLAH!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:07
NBC BAY AREA: Google Wants to Expand to Iran, Cuba
Thanks to a recent decision by United States to relax restrictions on software exports to repressive regimes, Google and other companies will now be able to offer more of their products to countries like Iran, Cuba and the Sudan.
The country recently threatened to suspend its operations in China, where it has been complicit in censoring search results at the behest of the Chinese government — the same government which is suspected to have aided or abetted hacking attacks on Google.
Meanwhile, Milliyet, a newspaper in Turkey, is taking aim at that government’s ban on video sharing site YouTube, a Google subsidiary. Even the Turkish prime minister has admitted to changing his computer’s network settings to route around the ban, like many Turkish citizens.
Bloggers have long criticized the ban, but now Milliyet and other national news organizations have picked up the story, saying its an embarrassment to the country which is trying to join the European Union. Milliyet has asked that Istanbul’s honorary status of being a European “Capital of Culture” be suspended until the ban is repealed.
As for the expansion of tools like Google Talk into countries with censorship-happy regimes like Cuba and Iran, Google director of policy communications Bob Boorstin “encouraged human rights activists also to rely on platforms other than the Internet for transmitting information,” reports the Associated Press.
You know, one that doesn’t store and log all your information and then turn them over to local authorities wielding warrants and subpoenas.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news.....61532.html
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 20:02
“Im not here to waste my time bantering with you.” No Humbug apparently your ‘job’ is to mindless post whole slabs of repetitive ‘news articles’. Never to display any intellect.
Note you don’t deny the factual truth of “Like the majority of Cubans who oppose the US travel bans(as do a large majority of USA citizens) and the blockade.”
Why don’t you post specific poll results on the US travel ban? Or refute what the large majority of Cubans want (including Yoani and her husband). Quite hypocritcal of you and your ilk to use this site to persistenly post venom and yet ignore when it suits you fundamental elements of Sanchez’ arguments.
And I do undersatnd that an avalanche in your case is self-depreaction for doing nothing.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:49
37
juan
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Of course I have traveled and lived in many countries in latinamerica because my business (that is not your business), of course I know how lives a construction worker, a construction cleaner or a civil engineer in Mexico, Costa Rica or Colombia…. and of course I know how lives a construction worker and a civil engineer in Cuba. I know the life cost for all them and the housing, food, medicine, transport and life expectation of all them….. and I can tell you Cubans life conditions and expectations are much worse than all other….. that’s why Cubans escapes to all other countries in the world and citizens of all others countries in the world does not even think in move in to Cuba…… if you can explain this “phenomenon” I will pay more attention to you…..
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:33
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Cuban hunger striker rejects Spain asylum offer
By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ (AP)
HAVANA â “A Cuban dissident on a 13-day hunger strike to demand the release of ailing political prisoners has refused a Spanish offer of asylum, saying on Tuesday that he is determined to continue with his protest until he dies.
Guillermo Farinas told The Associated Press that a Spanish diplomat in Havana made the offer during a visit to his home in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara on Monday.
Farinas said the Carlos Perez-Desoy, the political councilor at Spain’s embassy in Havana, told him that the offer of asylum followed a Cuban government request for Spanish help with the case.
But Farinas said he rejected the offer because he remained committed to winning the freedom of some 26 political prisoners said to be in poor health. He vowed to continue refusing food and water “whatever the consequences.”
Perez-Desoy confirmed that Spain had made the asylum offer at Cuba’s request, and that Farinas’ had rejected it. He said that the offer remains open if Farinas changes his mind.
“It is true. The Cuban authorities asked us if we would be willing to take in Farinas,” Perez-Desoy told AP. “We told them that in humanitarian cases we are willing to take anybody in.”
Farinas, a freelance opposition journalist, began his protest on Feb. 24, the day after another Cuban dissident died following a lengthy hunger strike behind bars.
The 48-year-old Farinas passed out last week and relatives took him to a hospital, where doctors administered fluids intravenously.
On Monday, the government criticized foreign media coverage of the protest, declaring in the Communist Party newspaper Granma that Cuba would “not accept pressure or blackmail.”
The Granma article said any responsibility for Farinas’ fate rests with foreign diplomats, the media and Farinas himself â not Cuba’s government.”
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....wD9EBB0V02
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:27
31
Rainer
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 15:53
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Rainer, I believe you was a Cuban castrofascist supporter but now I see you are a non Cuban castrofascism believer….. I do not blame you for falling in love with Cuba’s touristic face and underworld, even I miss this fantasy world….. but this is like Disney…. a world fabricate for taking your and mine money and heart…… each time I get nostalgic of this world I bring my self down to the black and stinky reality we all exiles try to forget in order of maintain in our memories only the good things……. this ugly and perverse Cuba that you do not experimented, the hunger, the drama of finding something to put on the table at lunch time for your kids, the diseases without medicines, the tragedy that became to find a pair of shoes or a some decent clothes, weeks without electricity and no ice to put on our scattered food reserves that got spoiled in the paralyzed refrigerators, the discrimination, the racism, the ideological and political apartheid, the repression, the killing, the jail, the beating, the margination…….. tourist like you that at same time are regimen’s lovers of course does not experiments those “inconvenience”…. your experience is unqualified and your stories are discredited because you do not know the real Cuba, the deep Cuba, this Cuba located 1.5 miles away of the touristic zone where you developed your “fascinating experience of Cuba”, the Cuba where no shining and clean buildings stands but just ruins, ruins of buildings built 150 years ago, housing where 3 or 4 generations of same family lives piled in 4″ by 4″ rooms surrounded of black waters escaped of a much older sewer system that long time ago desisted of working. Families under siege of millions of roaches and rats that claims property rights because they have lived those houses for 50 years like the humans inside….. you don’t know nothing my friend, you have to live as a Cuban first for have a minimum of credibility. I have visited a lot of countries as turist and never my mind assailed the idea of pretending be an expert in those countries real life conditions of theirs citizens…… how can you dare such pretentions??????……. fresco, atrevido!!!!
Of course they did not let you stay there…. they reasoning was……”What the hell we going to do with this useful dumb here in Cuba????….. in short time he will become a “dissident” when he learns the true about our disastrous and abusive system, then we going to have to put him in jail or kill him so he does not become a enemy of us in his homeland ….. let’s send him back to his country with all those false ideas he has in his mind so him become an apologist of our tyranny”
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:26
Juan, Juan,
You have been hit some many times by THE AVALANCHE that you are gone senile! I hate to tell you bub, but Im not here to waste my time bantering with you. My job is to expose THE TRUTH and HYPOCRACY of “LA CHINA” & “THE MUMMY”. I use my mind and the experts who are respected and are international, not my words per say. Maybe now you understand the meaning of “THE AVALANCHE!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:18
DEDICATED TO JUAN AND HIS “ILKS”
The Harris PollÂź #29, March 2, 2010
By Regina A. Corso, Director, The Harris Poll, Harris Interactive
“Now, almost one-quarter of Americans (23%) still say that the government of Cuba is unfriendly and an enemy of the United States while almost two-thirds (63%) say Cubaâs government is not friendly, but not an enemy. Just one in ten (12%) say Cuba is a friend but not a close ally while 2% believe Cuba is a close ally. There is an age difference in attitude towards Cuba. Over one-third (35%) of those 55 and older say that Cuba is unfriendly and an enemy while just one in ten (10%) of those 18-34 say the same.”
http://www.businesswire.com/po.....ewsLang=en
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:17
#34 “THE END IS NEAR…” Great prediction …and still waiting for the avalanche following my questioning your parentage Humbug. Will both take over 50 years? I guess soon you will be predicting Fidel’s imminent death. You and your hateful ilk certainly have superb prognostic powers. je je je!!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:13
#28 and another gem from Fraud “It is easy to see you have never been in any Latin American country and however you have no elements to compare”
The poor in other latin american countries (as well as africa and seasia) enviously aspire to be as poor as the poorest in Cuba. Do any of you ever actually travel beyond Miami??
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:10
#27 “The time will come ⊠the time WILL COME!” says FatALbert- 50 plus years!!
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:08
#24 Yes Fraud ” who are hardliners and who not is very easy to see” - they are the so-called “cubans” not living there but who attempt to impose their paranoid anachronsitic views on those who do live there. Like the majority of Cubans who oppose the US travel bans(as do a large majority of USA citizens) and the blockade.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 19:00
THE END IS NEAR FOR “LA CHINA” & “THE MUMMY”!! YOU HEAR ME JUAN!
EDMOTON JOURNAL: Changes pending to Cuba’s paternalistic economy, sources say
Marc Frank, ReutersMarch 9, 2010
“Cuba’s economy minister is pushing for less state intervention in one of the world’s last Soviet-style economies, saying the government can no longer afford its all-encompassing control and paternalism, Communist party sources say.
The drive by minister Marino Murillo appears aimed at overcoming resistance to new reforms under President Raul Castro, who has made extensive changes in agriculture since taking over in 2008 from ailing brother Fidel Castro and is thought to want change in other economic sectors.
Murillo told armed forces and Interior Ministry officials in January “the gigantic paternalistic state can no longer be, because there is no longer any way to maintain it,” according to a Communist party source who saw a video of the Jan. 16 event shown to party and government cadres.
Sensitive strategy and policy meetings are often not immediately made public in Communist-ruled Cuba, but videos of them are sometimes later shown to certain selected officials.
Cuba is grappling with a financial liquidity crisis triggered by the global recession which forced it to slash imports by 37 per cent last year. Inefficiencies in the centralized economy have also reduced productivity.
Murillo said the Caribbean nation could no longer afford, for example, to pay tens of thousands of people to control state barber shops, beauty parlours and services such as appliance and watch repair shops. He suggested they could be administered differently by leasing them to workers, said two people who also saw the video of his speech.
The economy minister, a former military officer appointed to the post a year ago, denounced those who might resist the changes, which appear to be underway in small experiments.
“I was called to a meeting last month and told the premises would be leased to employees soon as part of an experiment in the area,” the administrator of a state-run beauty parlour in central Havana said, asking that her name not be used.
A pilot project in Havanahas some state taxi drivers leasing their vehicles at a daily rate instead of receiving a wage, drivers said.
Universities in a number of provinces have been asked to draw up proposals to transform local state-run services and minor production activity into co-operatives.
Professors who attended a similar presentation by Murillo at Havana University earlier this year said he made clear that economic necessity, not ideological choice, was driving change and that reforms already underway in agriculture were a model for what would come.”
//www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Changes+pending+Cuba+paternalistic+economy+sources/2660832/story.html
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 18:51
THE LATEST FROM CONTRACTOR ALAN GROSS DETAINED IN CUBA FOR HELPING JEWISH GROUP!
JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY:Communications activist silenced in Cuban jail cell
By Ron Kampeas · March 8, 2010
WASHINGTON (JTA) –” Alan Gross has been about communications all his life: The call-mom-everyday son, the family newsbreaker, the message guy for Jewish groups, the get-out-the-vote enthusiast for candidate Barack Obama, the technology contractor who helped the U.S. government bring the world’s remotest populations into the 21st century.
Now, however, Gross, 60, of Potomac, Md., has been languishing for three months in a Cuban high-security prison and his rare conversations are monitored by Cuban officials.
“He spoke with my sister-in-law on a few occasions with someone standing by him,” Bonnie Rubinstein, his sister, told JTA in an interview Monday. “He was guarded, he tried to impart that he was OK.”
In fact, not so OK, Rubinstein said, correcting herself: Gross’ call last week to his wife, Judy, was to ask for the medication he needs for his gout and that is unavailable in Cuba.
“We’re hoping he got the medication,” said Rubinstein, a director of early childhood education at Temple Shalom in Dallas. “He lost 52 pounds. We’re very worried about him.”"
“After weeks of taking a quiet approach to secure Gross’ release, his family and friends launched a public campaign that is spreading to Jewish communities across the United States, attracting the support of U.S. lawmakers and high-profile media outlets. It kicked off last month when Judy Gross issued a video appeal for the release of her husband of 40 years. The Grosses have two adult daughters.
“Alan has done nothing wrong and we want him home,” she said in the Feb. 18 video. “We’re hoping that U.S. officials and Cuban officals can get together and mutually agree on a way to get him home.”
Up to that point, Judy Gross added, she had only been able to have three brief conversations with her husband.
The video marked the family’s decision to go public after several weeks of hoping to secure his release behind closed doors. Remarks by Cuban leaders suggesting that Gross was a spy were a factor in the change, said Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Latin America subcommittee, who has met with the family.
“I’m going to continue to make noise about it, it’s the only thing that can get him released,” said Engel, who raised the matter last month with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton when she testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The campaign emphasizes Gross’ Jewish commitment.
“He is helping the Jewish community [in Cuba] improve communications and Internet access,” Judy Gross said in the video. Later, after outlining his anti-poverty activism, she added that “Alan also loves the Jewish community. He’s been involved for as long as I can remember.”"
http://jta.org/news/article/20.....-jail-cell
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 16:19
Rainer
Please visit Cuba and visit Yoani. You should learn about this people before you pass judgment.
“When you look over here you see the upper-class eating caviar in the rich neigborhoods and you identify with them and feel sorry for yourself”
You will feel the same repugnance when you see the upper class in the current Cuba where the upper class status is given by alliance to the communist party (an ideology or better yet not even the ideology) and your total alliance should be to Fidel Castro and whatever he says.
Visit over there I assure you it will be an eye opening experience.
Cuba was not poor, at least not to the level that is now. The Castro made Cuba poor (And this has little to do with the embargo)
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 15:53
Siggy, Alberto,
No, I’m not a latino, I’m a gringo who has lived in Colombia since 1999. In that same year, one of the “worst” times, as Yoani says, when it was common to see neurophysicists driving taxis, I was in Cuba. I loved it and did everything I could to stay (but it didn’t work out).
I really, sincerely hope you guys get what you want man. Castro’s government obviously has its problems, the guy is not the saint that Chavez worships, but when that government goes, and when the Miami oligarchs move in and put their balls on the table they are going to shove Uncle Sam and the great “freedom” of capitalism so far up your ass you will be grinning from ear to ear.
Look at Colombia man, look at Nicaragua. When you look over here you see the upper-class eating caviar in the rich neigborhoods and you identify with them and feel sorry for yourself. Wake up! 99% of the country is living on top of a shit pile, getting kicked off their land by paramilitaries, many of their family members killed or worse. Trabajo? Seguro social? Salud? Lo que hay es hambre y terror. Sobra!! Sobran los “Zapatas” pudriendose en los carceles. Sobran las casas de cristal, las chuzadas, la corrupcion. I volunteer counseling ex-combatants (AUC and FARC). Take it from me it is f’d up out there.
So I invite you all, Yoani included, leave Cuba, be free! What are you waiting for? But don’t go to Switzerland, or to Miami, come to Colombia and try to be a farmer. Get a job with Coca-Cola or Chiquita, see your co-workers killed, etc. etc.. You’re not going to be eating caviar that’s for sure. Let’s ask Yoani–how did she support herself in Switzerland? Me huele a hija de papi y mami.
Even look at the US man. Do you think I could ever afford to have a doctor’s appointment? A dentist appointment? I have to do all that stuff in Colombia.
Anyways, please, come to Colombia, I’ll pick you up at the airport. Or you can wait for the Miami mafia to bring Colombia, or something very similar to it, to you. Your choice.
Marzo 9th, 2010 at 15:09
Esta ultima entrada la Blog Generacion Y tuve que leerla en ingles luego de haberla leido en Espanol. Como joven puertorriquena, residente de La Florida, fui incapz de registrar, de comprender, de razonar, como es posible que las vidas privadas de cualquier ciudadano pueda ser divulgada de forma tan cruda. Algo que en los EEUU constituye una absoluta violacion de privacidad, castigada por ley federal, no entiendo que llegara ser tan comun y corriente aspecto de la vida en Cuba. Gracias Yoani, por estos pequenos detalles que nos perturba la conciencia.