Waiting for Fidel in Cienfuegos, Cuba

11 thoughts on “Waiting for Fidel in Cienfuegos, Cuba”

• I suppose they had to wait because the MININT goons pushing the broken down jeep were getting tired. But waiting is a national habit in Cuba. Folks have to wait for up to an hour to get a 5 peso loaf of bread. But that is a relatively short wait compared with waiting for a licence – whatever it is for. That can take a couple of hours. Going to the bank similarly inevitably involves a wait, but that has to be done outside in the heat, because ‘security’ will only let people in one at a time – but inside there is air conditioning whilst the customers swelter in the sun.
  The so-called ‘security’ is everywhere. To enter a shop one has to leave any bags or other possessions with ‘security’ at the door and having made your purchases keep the receipt because ‘security’ will inspect your purchases and check them against the receipt before permitting you to leave. All this ‘security’ provides a lot of people with non-productive employment. But then in Cuba there is little production of anything.
  When taking a taxi to the airport at 5.30 a.m. we have been stopped three times by the police prior to getting out of town and another time on the autopista at one of the checkpoints (none as far as I can ascertain are named ‘Charlie’. This too provides non-productive employment.
  Who is responsible for creating such lunatic behaviour and systems. – none other than Fidel Castro Ruz and his little brother Raul.
  There are people who will praise the Castros for their much publicized so-called achievements, but the reality within Cuba is much different. Fidel Castro lived a very comfortable life in contrast to those he repressed within his own country. To call such a man a hero demonstrates a marked degree of ignorance of the facts related to him.

• CUTE! You never give up. I’ll give you that.

• GOOD!
  The truth makes you sick Ben Weaver!

• Ooops, I just lost my lunch.

• Correction Moses – he owned two islands. One for him where he kept the yacht Aquarama II and the other for his guests.

• You think that Fidel Castro’s legacy is AVOIDING war and ADVANCING justice? The same Fidel Castro that urged the Soviets to initiate a nuclear war? The same Fidel Castro that unjustly imprisoned thousands of people whose crime was disagreeing with him? Wow? That’s nuts!

• So is the Mennonite Church in support of your views Ben Weaver, or are you out of step? You speak of avoiding war – but under Fidel Castro the Cuban military was involved in military action in thirteen countries including invasion without warning on a recognized religious day. . You speak of “promoting peace” when it was Fidel Castro who urged Nikita Khrushchev to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike upon the USA. You speak of educating the masses in support of the indoctrination policies which are the very essence of education in Cuba as defined by the Castro Constitution.
  All this you say is in support of a failed economic system, an attack upon individual rights and freedoms and a policy of social repression.
  Don’t pose as being concerned for humanity, just be honest and admit that you are an ardent admirer and supporter of the dictatorship that is inherent with communism!
  Of course your views are exactly the same as those of Kennedy Earle Clarke both of you are disciples of Marxism/Leninism and opposed to the rights of the individual – which is the very essence of human development. Your views are reflected in George Orwell’s 1984 where BIG BROTHER is a fore-runner for Fidel Castro.

• While I am willing to oblige you the opportunity to mourn that tyrant any way that you choose. I can’t allow you to lie about what Castro did and didn’t do. The recent cholera outbreak in eastern Cuba debunks your liberation from disease comment. The Cuban army did not defeat the South African forces at Cuernavale. At BEST, they fought to a draw. Fidel did NOT prevent US forces from intervening militarily anywhere on the planet, let alone South America. Fidel FORCED Cubans to love in poverty. All the while, he owned yachts and owns an entire island. While there are Castro sycophants around the entire world, it is a lie that the entire world mourns his death. I certainly don’t. Given that he murdered hundreds of Cubans whose only crime was that they didn’t agree with him, his afterlife is likely to be very hot.

• Thanks for this Kennedy. Well said. My sentiments exactly. What a tremendous legacy Fidel Castro has left us. We must continue to carry his ideals forward in every country of the world. Avoid war, promote peace and educate the masses on the possibilities of advancement to a more just, enlightened and peaceful society. To allow for the economic, social and cultural development of society, for the equal benefit of all its citizens.

• So when are you going to leave the land of the Obama’s, the Clinton’s, Reagans, the Bush’s, the Johnson’s, the Nixon’s and all the other US President’s who have maintained you freedom of speech Kennedy Earle Clarke and move to Cuba where you will be relieved from the privileges you currently enjoy?
  Don’t hesitate Kennedy Earle Clarke, follow your convictions, stand up for them and prove your manhood! The Castro communist dictatorship needs all the supporters like you, that it can get because the people of Cuba are tired and weary after 58 years of repression. Raul needs people like you to aid him in retaining that power and control and inhibiting the expression of common humanity that he can get.
  Don’t let those of us who oppose dictatorship and repression preferring freedom and the rights of the individual to stand in your way – we don’t wish to deter you from moving to live in Cuba. In that wonderfully short sentence of Winston Churchill: “GO TO IT”
  Failure by you to pursue such a move may be construed by many as an indication that you are merely pontificating from your comfortable position protected by capitalist society to enjoy seeing others live in the miserable conditions and crumbling living standards consequent to the Castros iron rule.

• The Obama’s, the Clinton’s, the Reagan’s, the Bush’s, the Johnson’s, the Nixon’s and all the other US Presidents would never impact the world the way this hero of the people has done! He has liberated his people from ignorance and disease; he has liberated the Black people of Namibia, Angola from the perilous tentacles of Apartheid South Africa; he defeated the so-called invincible army of Apartheid South Africa which was equipped and supported by the USA. He educated Third world Professionals free of charge; he sent Doctors to places where living human beings have never received medical attention in their lives.

  He sent his Medical Brigades to the remotest corners of the globe to attend to the injured; he prevented the advancement of the USA into Latin America. Here was a man who was born into Privilege who forsook his privileged position to eliminate illiteracy, ignorance and disease from 70% of his people who were kept that way by Batista. He untarnished the good name of Cuba which was known as the whorehouse or brothel of the world where little girls aged 13 years were abducted on their way to school and forced to work in brothels owned and operated by USA mafia. He showed the Cuban people that man can live without the abundance of material things; he survived over one hundred attacks on his life which were orchestrated by the USA CIA.and an illegal economic embargo of over 50 years.

  The whole world mourns the Loss of this Colossal Giant of a MAN and we, the Freedom Loving Peoples of the world can only repay him by looking for that FIDEL CASTRO which lies within us all, so that we can continue to transform the Planet into the Beautiful Paradise it was created to be. May his Soul be blessed for the OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS he has made to his fellow men and women!

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