What if I told you?

You can't move to another state; even stronger you can't move to another city within your state. The ACLU would probably come to your defense and accuse the government of violating your civil rights. You probably have never even thought about moving within the US as "immigration".

In Cuba however, it is illegal for you to change cities or provinces without government approval. An recently, about 20K "illegal" residents of La Habana got "deported" back to their places of origin.

But don't fret, after all they have free health care.

Changes in Cuba

The media is abuzz and in a frenzy about all the changes taking place in Cuba under Raulito. Cubans can now buy cellphones. Cubans can now go into tourist hotels. Do you see a pattern? CAN NOW as in they COULDN'T BEFORE. Yet no matter how many times we spoke of the Cuban apartheid, we were laughed in our faces; dismissed as Batistianos or an elite group of exiles that wanted to take Cuba back to the Vegas era. Huh?

Not long ago I watched a "documentary" in the Discovery channel of The Mafia in Cuba. I love all things Cosa Nostra so I watched in order to visualize the stories I had heard from my father, the tropical ganster, about Meyer Lansky. Papi was a big Cosa Nostra fan. I digress. Somewhere in this documentary, because you know Batista had allowed the gangsters and Americans to take over Cuba, and I quote "Cuban women had no choice but to turn to prostitution" because of lack of resources - food, shelter, etc.

Ah, the typical propaganda I thought as I screamed at the TV. How bad Cuba was before Fifo and what a fucking paradise it is today. So much of a paradise that things that had been called lies for years, the apartheid in Cuba in favor of foreigners, are now agents of change. Look at the new freedoms! Look at how good Raulito is!!! Look we are changing!

Where was all this press heralding when Cubans couldn't own cellphones nor couldn't go into hotels?

Signs of "Democracy" in Cuba

Ever since Raulito took over, there has been much balihoo that things are "better" with Raul; that he is willing to be a "softer" ruler if such a thing exists.

Apparently, one dissident thought it would be a good idea to try out just how receptive Raulito is and submitted a request to parliamient to issue amnesty to political prisoners and take down the exit permit doctrine.

This in the same week that Cuba accuses another dissident of being a "mercenary" and making up numbers. Yet they didn't deny the existence of political prisoners.

Interesting.

Cambio

If you are in any of these cities (Havana, Miami, Los Angeles) please participate in the CAMBIO movement. Speak now, when even the parrots of the regime are afraid enough to ridiculize these dissidents as mercenaries.

Dr. Ferrer states, “The current constitution supposedly recognizes the rights and freedoms of the Cuban people. The penal code characterizes apartheid as a felony. In practice, both are systematically violated by the established public policy.”

Dr. Ferrer continued, "People around the world were horrified with the ghettos of South Africa. It is time to condemn the apartheid suffered by the Cuban people.”

Protest marches will be held in Havana at the park on Calzada between D and E (Vedado), in Miami at the Graham Center at Florida International University (FIU), and in Los Angeles at 202 West First Street. The marches will begin at 11:00 am EST (8:00 am PST).

Apartheid in Cuba

Because, you know, us the Cuban Hardliners make this stuff up about there being apartheid in Cuba in regards to tourism.

Henry over at Babalu, has video sent in by Darsi from Cuba of this "non existent" apartheid.

Awarding a Dissident

I didn't want to let this pass on my blog, so I too honor Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and congratulate him on winning the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. In light of recent events in which 70 youths were arrested for wearing a bracelet that said "cambio" I believe this becomes even more relevant for the dissident movement.

Marc @ Babalu, has a great post on what it is that Dr. Biscet believes.

"To defend the inalienable rights of the human race, we understand the need to put limits on government to prevent the undermining of those rights. It is because of this that we have become activists in this organization – to establish in our country the rule of law, so that each man and woman may be fulfilled as complete human beings."

For more on this man you can go here.

Now that's a good picture!

The Young America's Foundation, a conservative movement, has come up with what has got to be the best and most accurate picture of che guevara. The picture emulated Korda's but with the difference that this one is built with the faces of guevara's victims,

all individuals used in this photo montage were murdered by Che and the Cuban
regime, revealing the truth of Che's cruel murderous hypocrisy and acknowledging
his countless victims -- known and unknown.

You can purchase it for $5. I don't think I ever would buy it - I hate that image - but it is the best image of che so far.

(H/T The Real Cuba)

Cubans in the U.S.

One thing I love about blogging is the stories I get to read; in particular those of Cubans who have reached success.

Such is the story of Juan Alonso. A great story of a working class family who sent their 9-year-old boy to the states. Juan worked hard and discovered he was gay; later he channeled his artistic spirit into painting and now has a collection on exhibition at a gallery.

While Juan and I don't agree on everything we do share one thing in common:

About Seattle friends who visit the island and come back full of praise, he's
ambivalent. "I don't think they realize that Cubans working in the tourist
hotels are not allowed to eat there or even talk freely to the customers. I have
a nephew in that position. It's real. But Americans visit and say the place is
lovely. I say, yes, my island is lovely. It's a lovely police state."

Hey it's Seattle, I'll take any sane argument about the apartheid in Cuba.

Racism in Cuba

Not everybody is equal in Cuba, racism still exists. Some say even more so than before. The Miami Herald has an article on the subject where a staff journalist without journalist credentials interviewed blacks in Cuba as part of a series of blacks in Latin America.

Pretty good read. If you prefer Spanish, then go here.

This always makes me think. I remember my parents and grandparents discussing race in Cuba pre 1959, but I don't remember them ever discussing segregation in Cuba, or Cuban blacks not being able to vote. Both my parents had black classmates and friends. Sure, families may not have approved of their company, and race was a strong factor in marriage, but I don't remember ever hearing from them the stories I've heard from blacks here in the states.

If anyone around can shed more light on the subject I'd appreciate the comments.

Gestapo Tropical

Cuban dissident Darsi Ferrer who has been arrested more times than I can count, and whose child Cuban police tried to murder, sends us this great piece on the Cuban Gestapo. As soon as I have time, I will translate. For now it is only available in Spanish. Enjoy.

Los métodos represivos de la policía política del régimen de los hermanos Castro incluyen todo tipo de aberraciones e ilegalidades, sin que se observen los límites de su actuar, en función de someter a la sociedad mediante el terror.

El deterioro de la quebrantada salud del gobernante vitalicio incrementa los temores de la cúpula en el poder. La inseguridad en las altas esferas también es generada por la falta de legitimidad de la sucesión dinástica.

Se percibe en el país un incremento de la tensión social subyacente motivada por la grave crisis económica que ahoga al pueblo, una tensión que se transforma en insatisfacciones y descontento general en la medida que el inmovilismo oficial impide soluciones a la acumulación de problemas sociales.

Hasta ahora, la actitud de los castristas es evadir la responsabilidad ante la tragedia que sufre la nación por el afán de poder de unos pocos. Derivan las culpas a factores externos mientras aferran su política a la supervivencia.

La opinión pública internacional se distrae con espejismos respecto a Cuba. Centran la atención en qué hizo el Sr. Moratinos, qué dijo la Sra. Rice, discuten sobre el pragmatismo y la capacidad reformista de un viejo militar, si alguien posee o no dotes de periodista, y si ese alguien tiene mejor o peor semblante, entre otras insignificancias.

Lo cierto es que el régimen desempolva métodos represivos más brutales mientras se le agotan los mecanismos de dominación relativamente pasiva, amparados en el poco reproche y tolerancia internacional devenidos de sus atropellos.

Salvo pocas excepciones, en las valoraciones y políticas de los diferentes gobiernos referidas al tema de la situación en Cuba priman los intereses económicos en detrimento de la ética y de las necesidades de los cubanos, como se demuestra en la actualidad con la posición asumida por el gobierno socialista del Sr. Zapatero.

Durante los últimos tiempos el ataque a la disidencia pacífica incluye el incremento de las campañas difamatorias, el retorno a los encarcelamientos masivos, las torturas físicas y psíquicas, el terrorismo de estado mediante los actos de repudio, etcétera.

La población es aterrada con los frecuentes allanamientos de moradas de las brigadas de policías y trabajadores del ministerio de comunicaciones que persiguen la captación de señales satelitales por todos los barrios.

Otra modalidad rescatada recientemente por la seguridad del estado es el asalto de un vehículo en la vía pública y secuestro de todos los pasajeros (una anciana, una joven universitaria, una señora y un adulto, ajenos a la situación) para enmascarar el arresto de un disidente, con la intención de impedir su asistencia al lugar donde tenían preparada la filmación del programa News Today, de la cadena televisiva NBC.

El colapso progresivo del sistema totalitario amenaza la concreción del traspaso hereditario del poder. En esta etapa, los gobernantes se enfocan en ganar tiempo enviando mensajes banales hacia el exterior y para el interior desatan lo peor de la brutalidad de sus sicarios de la policía política.

Los acontecimientos señalan que la desesperación en las altas esferas del régimen reproduce el círculo vicioso: miedo-terror-inconformidad-pérdida de legitimidad social.

Es de esperar que, ante la ineficacia del modelo represivo acostumbrado, las cosas cambien…para mal. A nadie asombre que en cualquier momento la escalada represiva dispare la cantidad de nombres en las listas de desaparecidos o comiencen a aparecer disidentes baleados en las cunetas. El preludio lo constituye los centenares de presos políticos que lentamente y con impunidad están matando en las cárceles de la Isla.

Cuba in the News

While Mel Martinez introduces a bill to punish companies who help Cuba drill for oil, someone, somewhere is saying that Castro will run for re-election in 2008.

Excuse me? Re-election? He was never elected. It seems the press has forgotten the big headline of "Why run an election if the people have already voted". I cannot believe any serious paper or journalist would even consider such a headline.

Re-election my ass.

Tourists Beware

In you are ever visiting Saudi Arabia, make sure you don't dance in public. Why? Well, partying can get you in a lot of trouble.

A Saudi Arabian judge sentenced 20 foreigners to receive lashes and spend several months in prison after convicting them of attending a party where alcohol was served and men and women danced

Excuse me? But they are foreigners! The news doesn't say if they were Muslim foreigners, which would then of course invalidate this post (if you are a Muslim, in a Muslim country, breaking Muslim rules then you are just plain stupid).

However, you'd think foreigners would enjoy certain rights. Apparently not.

The religious police, a force resented by many Saudis for interfering in personal lives, enjoys wide powers. Its officers roam malls, markets, universities and other public places looking for such infractions as unrelated men and women mingling, men skipping Islam's five daily prayers and women with strands of hair showing from under their veil.

I'll keep that tidbit handy the next time someone dares put the US, civil rights violations, and separation of church and state in the same sentence in a negative way.

I'll say what I've always said. Americans have NO CLUE as to HOW GOOD we have it here. Sure we are not perfect, but we are not that bad either.