The Cuba Obama’s Eyes May Not See
Photo Feature by Juan Suarez
HAVANA TIMES — At a feverish pace, the Latinoamericano Stadium in the Havana municipality of Cerro and its surrounding streets were spruced up to receive President Obama and the Tampa Bay Rays.
It is common these days to hear favorable comments in the capital in this time of change that has given the stadium an intense blue on its walls, fixed pot holes, brought lighting to the adjacent park, and other improvements in its nearby surroundings.
But since we’re here, let’s take a look a few blocks away from this big blue stage and see the other reality of this municipality.
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We must never give up, even when all looks lost. The Cuban people deserve better, the Cuban people deserve respect and honesty from members of their government, this government and its ministers owe so much to the country and all the people of Cuba. Mr Castro the time to do your duty for the people of Cuba is now! They deserve so much better!
Disagree. We do not have buildings held up by timbers with families living in them. Unfortunately, those families are living in their cars.
I agree with part of your last two comments Mr. Patterson. I have seen those half collapsed buildings in Havana while the other half still standing is some family’s dwelling. Such buildings would be condemned in the U.S. & no one would be allowed to live there. However, we are not without problems ourselves. Homeless encampments along freeways and bridge overpasses are much more prevalent here than in Cuba. Our drug, prostitution, and gambling is much worse than Cuba’s, its just underground. At least in Cuba, if the women had other means of making even a mediocre living, I have no doubt prostitution would not be as wide spread as it is now. I have not witnessed the drug and gambling problems in Cuba, but the prostitution is much more visible on the streets. I do agree that it is failed government policies that has prevented the average Cuban from being able to make a decent living. Although, I have to also admit that while they have failed at some things, one cannot argue that as a tourist/visitor, I have not felt safer in ANY other country in the world. They got something right. 🙂
As an American, I can tell you we do have sights like this in American cities. Maybe not as widespread and systemic as in Cuba, but it is there…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/10191002/Detroit-in-pictures-the-urban-decay-of-Motor-City-as-it-files-for-bankruptcy.html?frame=2622264
Acceso a capital y apertura de la propiedad privada cambiaran este panorama de la noche a la mañana.
None of the cities in the US that you named have the urban blight suffered by the Havana neighborhood around the ballpark. It would be against the law to leave buildings standing in the condition many of these buildings are in. Most of them still have people living in them!
I’m sure the streets will be swept clean of any dogs and cats, thrown away and poisoned like week-old garbage! Damned Cuba and its backwards mentality!
Surprise surprise Obama is used to slums like this . Just go to any large city in Usa and you will see the same .
Detroit , cleaveland , Dallas ,Los Angees etc etc . So what is useless states offering …more of the same believe you me . The rich get richer , the poor poorer .
Dot get your hopes up !
I know this neighborhood very well. Everything that went wrong with Castros revolution is visible within blocks of the ballpark. Collapsed buildings, vacant storefronts, pharmacies and grocery stores with empty shelves, pockets of prostitution and drugs, gambling, it’s all there.