Latest about Cuba

For more than 40 years, through all the talk about boatlifts, embargos and, occasionally, economics and freedom, one thing has remained constant: Any discussion about Cuba can be exploited and turned against the United States.

One sees a similar manipulation in news coverage of the U.S.'s handling of post-Hussein Iraq. Were one to go only by much of Indymedia--and countless intelligent persons do--one would believe that Iraq is in total chaos today not because of Saddam Hussein's three decades of brutality and irresponsibility, but because of the U.S. military's liberation of the Iraqi people.

You see, it's not Saddam Hussein's fault that the Iraqis are facing hunger and poverty; Saddam only ran the place. The fault lies with U.S. foreign policy, which has enabled CNN to broadcast such stories without either the hungry Iraqi interviewee or the CNN interviewer being tortured, as was done in the past.

Returning to Cuba, some interesting information about the reaction of Castro's stalwart apologists:

The executions shocked European governments that have tried for years to coax Cuba toward democratic change with a policy of engagement through trade, investment and aid. The crackdown was a terrible slap in the face for the European Union, which had opened an embassy in Havana just three days before the arrests began, a European diplomat said. In other words, the Europeans are appalled that a communist dictator would behave like a communist dictator.

Perhaps honesty of action on Castro's part will lead Europe and the rest of the world to honest discussion regarding U.S. policy toward Cuba. Perhaps they will realise that isolation and the embargo have done no worse than any other country's approach. Along with the same old pack of lies and willful misunderstandings that have always accompanied debate on Cuba, there has emerged a new set that, while shifting blame for Castro's misdeeds directly to the U.S., reveals a more disturbing trend in discussions about Cuba.

Before examining that, however, let's retire one particularly tired and self-contradictory "argument" against U.S. policy toward Cuba: The embargo is a convenient "excuse" for the Castro regime's failures.

At the minimal risk that a generalization like this creates, nobody who believes in (or at the very least understands) capitalism still holds that Cuba is an economic sinkhole because of U.S. foreign policy. As such, it is foolish to claim that the embargo is an "excuse" for the Castro regime's economic failure. This argument shifts blame to the Cuban people, for their implied stupidity. No émigré I've ever met believes their hardship resulted from U.S. policy. The embargo is an "excuse" only to the Left.
Everyone in Havana knows they receive one bar of soap per month because of decisions made by Castro, not Washington. To argue otherwise is to deny the Cuban people an "insight" most Americans take as common sense.

The most recent way to blame the United States for Castro's brutality is by criticizing the actions of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana. The argument goes that were it not for U.S. diplomats--invariably portrayed by the media and the Left (quibble, quibble) in C.I.A.-like terms--supporting pro-democracy forces in Cuba, Castro wouldn't have to hand out life sentences like candy.

This is an insidious form of blaming the victim, along the lines of a domestic abuse counselor inquiring, "Why didn't you stop complaining after your husband hit you the first time?"

If only those pesky Cubans didn't want freedom so badly and the U.S. government wasn't so willing to help them, Castro wouldn't have to play the stern father.

What appears to be an attack on American actions turns out to be a much harsher attack on those who support American values from abroad. Imagine blaming the Berlin Wall jumpers for forcing the guards to pick them off like tin ducks in a carnival.

Moral relativism is a valued tradition for the Left, but some on the Right also equate a principled policy decision with the type of restrictions on freedom implemented by Castro.

While I strongly affirm the right of individuals to travel freely, I also believe in the right of our government to place restrictions on those "freedoms" in the name of a good higher than cheap sun, surf and child prostitution.

If indeed our government were to lift the travel ban on Cuba, it is the Right's responsibility, especially among those supportive of such policy change, to speak out against the tourist apartheid that exists on the island. For visitors to the island would be free, finally, to enjoy the Cuban beaches and hotels still denied the Cuban people.

If those advocating free travel to Cuba are comfortable with such a degree of honesty--rising above principle, as it were--then I say they've already paid a much higher price than any travel restriction could impose.

It's time for a lot of things in Cuba: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, elections. But first of all, it's time for honesty and that begins with an end to blaming the victim for actions only the bravest among us would attempt.

A little while ago three of the men involved in hijacking a Cuban ferry in order to flee to America were executed under the regime of Fidel Castro under the charge of terrorism.

The incident with the ferry follows a series of airline hijackings in the past several months where Cubans have been fleeing Castro's paradise to get to evil Capitalist America. The ferry incident was particularly tragic though as the men who took over the boat pointed it towards Florida and hit the throttle. The problem was that there wasn't enough fuel and the boat stalled thirty miles away from Havana.

We now have real, brutal, and systematic oppression of all human rights in Cuba while the world's media ignores it or even praises Fidel Castro's regime, with ex-US Presidents Carter and Clinton hamming it up with the dictator personally.

The island of eleven million has no particular loyalty to the Stalinist police state Castro runs and it's proximity to the US means they have a moral obligation to overthrow the regime in Cuba, Just as it would be unacceptable to not help fleeing slaves from the South in 1860 or Jews from the Nazis in 1942, one cannot morally stand by to watch fellow human beings slaughtered when they can stop it.

Of course the same people who opposed the war to oust Saddam will not support a war to oust Castro because, like Saddam, he's a socialist and therefore, their intellectual ally. But as they are so often wrong on everything I think listening to them on this matter would be just as stupid as it would be for anything else. For proof of this try getting one of these Peace Protestors to denounce Fidel. Good luck, because even if they say he is oppressive they'll throw in a "BUT" and then proceed to tell you how great the education, health, sanitation, and power systems are in Cuba.

As one final caveat against this communist thug who runs Cuba, let us not forget that he is an international supporter of terrorism. And not the "terrorism" he accuses his poor people of (trying to flee his country) but real terrorism. Angola is a prime example of Cuban intervention and the training of communist militia units who then perpetrated terrorist acts on the Angolan people to affect a communist takeover and start a whole new brand of terrorism, a communist state. Luckily this was thwarted by U.S intervention in favor of the other side in the Angolan civil war, but why didn't we just destroy the source of the problem, Fidel Castro?

Evil exists and there are hardly clearer examples of it than in Cuba. Perhaps we'll someday deal with it and save the unfortunates who have and will continue to escape or at least attempt to do so. To not do so when we can is an implicit endorsement of Castro's right to rule which he gave up when he took power.

for your well rehearsed trashing of cuba. now, let's hear it from some people who live there.

"let's hear it from some people who live there"

You idiot that's what the article was making clear the daily denial of human rights in Cuba which includes restrictions on communications and access to the internet. The only people able to have unrestricted (although monitered) use are senior military and government peole - do you think they are going to tell the truth ?

I wonder why socialist countries have to impose restrictions to stop their citizens leaving while capitalist countries do not ? I expect it's just a coincidence.

Geraldine Lievesley has a long history of promoting Cuba. I'm not quite sure why anybody would wish to support a dictator that denies democracy, human rights and freedom to his people while living in luxury himself (the third Bentley Continental sold was shipped to Cuba).

"It's time for a lot of things in Cuba: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, elections."
I couldn't agree more with this comment. However, I think that the same applies to the situation in the US. Claims of freedom of speech, freedom of the press and "democratic" elections in the US are simply a sick joke. Freedom of speech is fine as long as you follow the govenment's line of arguement. Stray from this line and one is deemed "unpatriotic" and "unamerican". Freedom of speech is there - just dont use it.

"Evil exists and there are hardly clearer examples of it than in Cuba."
I would suggest that you take a look at the history of US foreign policy from Vietnam, Chile, Nicaragua up to the war crimes that took place in Falluja during the current war in Iraq. The lives lost due to the US's stive for hegemony are simply breathtaking and certainly constitute in my opinion, and I am sure in the opinion of the peoples affected by US intervention, a great evil. I am sure that you are aware of the devestation that US policy has caused abroad and the motives for it - I mean surely the "free press" keeps you informed of such atrocities?

I agree that Castro must be held morally responsible for his actions and the suffering that they cause. It is about time that the same moral standards were applied to US policy with the US being held to account for the suffering that it has caused.

Steve,

The situation between the US and Cuba is simply not comparable. I am not an American but I did briefly live there. As someone bought up in Britain I was amazed at the level of democracy that exists in the US. Judges, Police Chiefs, Public Officials all were subject to regular public scrutiny and vote. In Cuba no such democracy exists. Let us not forget Castro is dictator for life and he appointments to ALL major positions.

US citizens have unlimited, unregulated access to any and all forms of media, Cubans are restricted in what they watch, read, listen to and see.

US citizens may leave the US at any time, Cubans are shot if they leave.

I'm not suggesting the US is a perfect society but given the choice between the it and cuba I know which I would prefer to live in.

"The U.S. government continues to fortify what Jon Hillson called 'its iron curtain aimed at quarantining Americans from all things Cuban,' hammering hardest at the right to travel. Washington is strengthening its de facto travel ban --eliminating the license that covered 85% of all legal trips, refusing to renew other licenses, and surveilling foreign airports for Americans getting off planes from Cuba, among other recent measures. At the same time Washington blocks invited Cuban artists, musicians, and speakers from visiting the United States.

For more than 40 years Washington’s been trying to put up a wall around Cuba. While telling everyone Cuba’s a terrible place, the U.S. won’t let its citizens go there and see for themselves. It bars nearly all Cubans from visiting the United States – and confines Cuban diplomats to New York City and Washington DC – to further cut off communication between Americans and the island.

Meanwhile the vast U.S. media machinery won’t present Cubans’ own words and ideas. (No hour of free TV time here for a Cuban to address the nation, as Cuba gave former president James Carter.) All this means that the overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. have never read a single speech by, or interview with, a Cuban."


 http://www.cubasolidarity.com/aboutcuba/cubaspeaks/index.htm
 http://www.cubasolidarity.com/aboutcuba/lies/index.htm#

Well, could it be Cubans poor economic situation is due to the sanctions imposed on it by the US? Fleeing form poverty is a natural response. But they're not fleeing because Castro is an evil dictator.
While we're talking human rights, tell me, which nation routinely executes people, even people other countries would classify as minors. The US. Who is holding people without trial and committing torture, ironically in a militiary base on Cuba. The US!!! To criticise Cubas human rights record is pretty hypocritical, considering the US routinely tortures, murders, sponsors terrorism.

Now people may want to flee to the wealthier US, for material reasons. But the US is wealthy, not through it's higher ethical and moral standards, but through it's imperial exploitation of the rest of the world, including here in Latin America.

Now, consider the draconian security measures the US has imposed on the country following September 11th.
Now also consider the fact that since the Cuban revolution, the US has routinely tried to assassinate Castro, has sponsored invasions, and funded dissident movements. Is it any wonder security is tight in Cuba? And still, despite all this pressure from the US empire, the human rights situation in Cuba is not as bad as the US. And that's a fact.

So, you can go shove your US 'democracy' up your arse. Latin America is bristling with revolutionary fervour, and the revolution in Cuba will not only survive, but spread. Castro and Chavez are going to be a thorn in the side of the empire for years to come.

Viva la revolucion siempre. Fuck Bush.

try this:

 http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0506,hentoff,60822,6.html

...a comparison between the relative rights and prosperity of Cuba and the US is not really fair. A far better comparison is between Cuba and countries which have "benefitted" from US involvement in Central America. Countries like Haiti, Columbia, Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras have all been blessed with US aid, trade and often military intervention. A number of them have had elections, a couple almost have a free press, and one or two like Haiti and Honduras are on the verge of complete collapse.

I'm all for getting rid of Stalinist dictators, but you only have to look at the results of other US interventions to see that it's not usually happy free people running around starting their own newspapers and begging the US for more Coke factories and MacDonalds...

Compare Cuba to, yes, Haiti, Colombia, so many of these countries where the US has 'intervened' to bring democracy, and you can see the quality of life in Cuba is much better for the majority of people. At least they have their basic needs, good healthcare and food, and this under sanctions. For those living in Latin America under the US sphere of influence, many live lives of complete and utter poverty and deprevation, and surprise surprise, many flee, and try and emigrate to the US as well.
Poverty causes emigration more than Castros policies, which are tame compared to the US. In the US, I may be able to say what I want, within reason, ( although peace groups are always monitored by the FBI...and the US has a history of supressing and destroying left-wing groups like the Black Panthers for example ), but then, the US isn't being threatened by a super-power sitting just next door to it, with more money, arms, and expansionist policies.

The US practices torture, imprisonment without trial, it spies on it's own population, it wages war against other countries, it has sponsored death-squads in Latin America, it has capital punishment, an abnormally large percentage of it's population live in poverty. And it's getting worse.

Well I, in any case, have fled an increasingly Americanised Britain to live in Venezuela, another country commiting the grievious crime of giving health-care and food to it's poorest people, and which the US are constantly trying to interfere with.

Seriously, the US can go stuff itself. It can keep it's McDonalds, cluster bombs and naked human pyramids thankyou very much. I'd rather Castro than Bush any day.

Jake,

You seem to have misinterpreted the main thread of my posting. I am not attempting to draw a direct comparison between the US and Cuba, I am simply trying to emphasize that the US also has a lot to answer for morally. To justify harmful US actions by simply stating "but they are even worse!" is simply a playground mentality and should have no place in a discussion of morality.

I belive that states are morally responsible for their own actions and should be held duly accountable. To excuse US policy by simply pointing out the deficiences of others is, to me, a morally weak excuse.

Why do elements of 'the left' always have to bring shame upon themselves by acting as chief apologists for the Cuban dictatorship? Yes economically there have been some fine achievements under the circumstances - health care being the obvious one - but all this is nothing without freedom. What good are high literacy rates when writing a letter of complaint to the government is forbidden? or when 'unacceptable' books are burned and their librarians imprisoned?

For sure, the US have long used criminal and perhaps terrorist tactics to overthrow the regime. No doubt they would prefer a Batista type dictatorship. Does this however excuse the lack of civil liberties? of course not.

We criticise, rightly, the US and Britain for shredding freedoms in the form of the Patriot acts and similar in response to the exaggerated, manipualated, but genuine terrorist threat. Yet when Castro does the same, and worse, using a threat as an excuse to deny civil liberties, elements of the left suddenly do an about-turn and consider it acceptable. It isn't. It's sheer double standards to pretend otherwise.

Is a IMC Havana! :-)

I suspect that it would have to be done underground, but it could be great, but it would be hard -- I expect that internet access is somewhat limited? (I have never been there...)

A friend of mine, from Shefield, was on a Cuba solidarity trip when the Carlo Guilani was murdered in Italy,  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2001/genoa/ and she and the people she was with wanted to do a protest outside the Italian embassy but this wasn't allowed by the Cuban government (I can't remember the exact details). But the point of the story is that I expect that Indymedia activists in Cuba would face serious repression...

"US citizens have unlimited, unregulated access to any and all forms of media"

This is simply nonsense and a gross distortion of the truth. Adbusters have tried to run a few ads on US TV and for the most part that 'unlimited, unregulated access' has been denied.

Exclusive and limited access to the media in the US is one of the most essential parts of the US's elite holding on to power.

So Peter, the blockade is to save you poor Americans from sunburn and under age sex.And the well adjusted , cultured and happy Cubans I met on my travels around the island were a figment of my imagination.I also wonder whether it is fair to discuss freedom of thought and expression with someone from a region where the majority of people are totally or functionally illiterate. But I will anyway.
Many people in the world not only lack freedom of thought but also the capacity to think, because it has been destroyed. As is the case in the U.S.where people are told what soda to drink, what cigarettes to smoke, what brand of food to eat. Their political ideas are supplied in the same way.
Every year a Trillion Dollars is spent on advertising.This rain pours on the masses that are deprived of the necessary elements of judgement to formulate opinions. Primitive humans enjoyed greater freedom of thought.To be educated is to be free. And what the Revolution in Cuba has offered in abundance to its people is EDUCATION and CULTURE.
Living in a consumer society does not necessarily make people educated.Infact its amazing, how superficial and simplistic their knowledge can be.(Recent U.S.Presidents)
In a few years average cultural levels of Cubans will be those university graduates creating people with cultivated and profound political culture, something that is obviously lacking in the U.S.(for example of this see G.W.BUSH)
The Cuban Revolution never stops and is relatively quite young. Remember this is a third world island on a long and lonely road away from the days of Batista, American gangsterism and an Apartheid system of yankee riches and extreme poverty.
It would perhaps be better to wait a while before talking about true freedom of expression and thought, because that can never be reconciled with a brutal economic and social capitalist system that fails to respect culture, solidarity and ethics.
Furthermore, do you really believe that Cuba and the Revolution would exist without a maximum degree of peoples participation?????

"Exclusive and limited access to the media in the US is one of the most essential parts of the US's elite holding on to power"

So presumably there is no Indymedia in the USA but a flourishing set up in Cuba.

In the US a film maker like Michael Moore is banned from showing his work and publishing his books while in Cuba his style of anti-government dissent is open to all

is suffering from the contagious cancer of communism. That's why it needs to be in isolation. No need to worry about being rude to Cuba on the internet cos Cubans aren't allowed to read it.