Archipelago, Forerunner of the Totalitarian System’s End…
…and the advent of democracy in Cuba
Despite the police intimidation, the arbitrary summons to State Security offices, the insults on Cuban television, Archipelago has not given up
By Benjamín Noria
HAVANA TIMES – Archipielago is an organization led by Cuban intellectual and playwright Yunior García Aguilera, and one of the moderators is Saily González Velázquez. On Facebook, it has already reached 17,485 followers, and its foundation is the expression of the intense desire of Cubans to seek political and economic change in the country.
This organization remains the most stable and well prepared since the attacks on the Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel regimes began as of the second Special Period crisis, which began in 2020.
The representatives of this group had the intelligent initiative and the audacity, unprecedented in Cuba, to send some members to request permission in government headquarters of some provinces of the country to carry out a march on November 20, 2021, with the aim of promoting political and economic transformations. It troubled the dictatorship to no end, taking away their sleep.
They decided to advance the march to November 15th (15-N), since the Government decided to carry out the Moncada Military Exercise on the 18th and 19th, ending on the 20th to celebrate the National Defense Day. with the presence of leaders and the top organs of command and direction.
A few days ago, the Attorney General’s Office sent out a public message warning of criminal sanctions for those who do not desist from the march.
The Castro and Díaz-Canel regime has stated, without reliable evidence, that the US government finances and promotes the activity of Archipelago. I would like to know what US leaders are doing to force 17,485 people to follow a group for the sake of pleasing that government.
For example, Michel Torres Corona, who hosts the television program Con Filo, broadcast through the Cubavisión channel, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, before the soap opera, occupies this space and spends the taxpayers’ money, which is the Cuban people, to speak ill of Archipelago.
I said spending the taxpayers’ money, because, in case Michel Torres does not know, the decorations, lighting, cameramen, furniture, etc., in which the program is developed, is paid with money from the people, because there is no evidence that it is from the pockets of the Cuban leaders.
It is already clear to many people that what the Cuban government is really trying to do is discredit the group and its representative Yunior García, since it is evident that they fear losing power and the luxuries with which they live.
You do not need money to buy the representatives and followers of Archipelago, because they are motivated by the legitimate idea that, if actions are not taken to remove the defective, corrupt, and inept government of the Castros and Diaz-Canel, they will preside over 60 more years of misery in Cuba, while blaming “the blockade”.
Despite the intimidation of the police, the arbitrary summons to State security offices, the insults made against it on Cuban television, Archipelago has not given up and remains firm in its objective every day, with more strength and more followers.
This organization will go down in history and will be reflected in the Cuban History textbooks within 40 years as one of the forerunners to the fall of the Cuban dictatorship and the dissolution of the communist and totalitarian system in the country and the advent of democracy.
Carlyle, we are not talking so much about individual stupidity as a result of a measurable deficiency of capacity, but a collective stupidity, which can be manifested regardless of any individual intellectual ability. And collective stupidity, while not necessarily evil in its intentions, is inherently always evil, because it always results in evil. As for individual stupidity, regardless of anyone’s measurable intellectual ability, who among us here is not guilty of multiple glaring stupidities at many times during our own lives? Certainly not I. But if anyone thinks they are guiltless on that score, then they don’t know themselves, nor do they understand their own lives—or, they are liars.
The dictatorship and it’s stormtroopers know all the thuggery tricks.
Díaz-Canel/Castro, Ortega, Maduro, Kim Jong Un, Assad, Xi Jinping , Putin, Ayatollahs.
The nasty gang are all happily chugging along oppressing at will.
As is customary, Chas writes with approval of the repression of others. He is able to write only because he has freedom of speech and unlike the people of Cuba, is not subject to dictatorship. He reflects the same syndrome as a child pulling the wings off a butterfly.
The Cuban Government stupid ? Wait, this is the Third World island of 11 million that successfully resisted 60 long, bloody years under the political, economic and military gun of the most powerful, aggressive and lawless country on earth ? Whether you like it or not, it’s hard to call the government stupid. That would be more for countries governed by reality TV stars.
What happened to N15? Today I was expecting big stories about hundreds of thousands of Cubans in the streets. Nada. Seems to me Cubans don’t think their lives are anywhere near as bad as archipelago would have us believe. Congratulations to the Cuban government for keeping a lid on the planned counter revolution. Actually, it looks like the government didn’t have to do much. The counter revolution fizzled on its own.
“if actions are not taken to remove the defective, corrupt, and inept government of the Castros and Diaz-Canel, they will preside over 60 more years of misery in Cuba, while blaming “the blockade”.
Article nailed it, now how do you get a corrupt criminal tyranny built on fear, extortion, brute force etc to move aside.
Susie Bruce claims that stupidity is a social not individual problem. that would be a great relief to supporters of Donald J. Trump, but runs contrary to reality that there is unfortunately an abundance of individuals lacking intelligence or common sense. IQ is measurable.
As for the implication that those who do not believe in God are stupid, that too runs contrary to reality, could the reverse not equally apply? Which God?
Susie, Bonhoeffer’s theory contains a good deal of truth. But I do not agree his conclusion that ” in most cases, a genuine internal liberation becomes possible, only when an external liberation has proceeded it.” The Protestant Reformation shows, indisputably, that the reverse is basically true: before that time, the “Christian” world was overspread with lies and darkness, and even cruelty, under the absolute dominion and sway of the Roman Catholic Church. But the internal liberation of the soul which occurred during the Protestant Reformation, was the precursor to a world-changing external liberation, and the spread of democracy throughout the English speaking world, and after that, to the whole world in general. Today, in democracies such as the US, we see blatant stupidity on the left, and blatant stupidity on the right, and in Cuba? Well, that’s obvious for anybody with eyes.
The photo posted with this article speaks truth. There was a time when both that building and car were new and some natural born leaders were competent enough to create both, the people capable enough to pay for them. Whoever created such long-term poverty and descuido are certainly not natural born leaders, but are in fact incompetent. Furthermore, they require that everyone who works for them be equally incompetent. To remain in this delusional state of being both incompetent and in charge, dictators have the expedient of blaming the USA for the fact that the people who allegedly voted for them, do actually hate them and wish they would go away. Dictators are of that class of inferior, incompetent people who are not born leaders. They would never under any circumstances be liked or accepted as leaders so they use violence to shut people up. I see from this article that the tired old slogans are not working anymore, and that is the only true liberation and freedom. Reading Bonhoeffer’s conclusions about stupidity, the solution that he offered is exemplified here. Communism is stupid, in that it discourages productivity. Stupidity is a social problem, not an individual problem, and stupidity is not a function of intellect, but rather a spell cast upon society through repetitive slogans. Those who live in isolation from society are much less apt to fall under that spell of slogans and catch phrases and distant scapegoats all of which turns society into a mass of morons. Those not under the spell suffer as a consequence of being the minority, so I think Democracy is just as stupid as Communism. The fact is that we need neither. I’m a believer in having a local Priest of the traditional Roman Catholic sort, as Jesus established, but I could never make such a comment on most forums, maybe this one also. Like Bonhoeffer said, stupidity is a social problem, not an individual one. He also said that our only liberation from stupidity is belief in God. Thank you for the informative journalism.
Firstly in response to Reality Check and his/her reference to Bonhoeffer. The difficulty is that Communism is both evil and stupid.
As for Nick, he appears to maintain with regard to my comments about Stalin, that history does not have relevance. Does that also apply to Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed et al, or only to communists the history of whom sycophants wish to forget?
Olga, I’ve stated that this archipelago group are not mercenaries. That would be my opinion. I’ve stated that a certain percentage of those taking part in the protests will be recipients of funding from the USA to promote unrest in Cuba. This is factual.
You respond with a whole set of very angry opinions which you present as facts.
There is a difference between opinion and fact. Let me give you another example:
Cuba and the USA are two of my favourite countries in the world despite their respective flaws. This is an opinion. My opinion.
The USA engages in activities with a view to governmental change in many parts of the world. This can be covert (such as the funding I mention in Cuba) or overt (full scale invasion and occupation in various other countries). This is factual.
The results of the USA’s many attempts to dictate governmental change in other countries are very mixed. Unfortunately, the outcome we see in these countries can often be appalling death-rate and misery on a scale entirely unimaginable in a relatively peaceful country such as Cuba.
I hope that whatever happens, this type of outcome does not transpire in Cuba. Not next week. Not next year. Not ever. I hope that whatever changes that are to come in Cuba are changes for the better and that they come about peacefully.
And what was wrong with my comment that it was not posted on the article “Who Does Your Revolution Serve ‘President’ Diaz-Canel?” It was not abusive, nor inaccurate in the context of an article which actually closed quoting Dietrich Bonhoeffer on stupidity. So here’s my comment again: “Stupidity is frustrating; arrogance is annoying; but arrogant stupidity is infuriating, and inevitably, however long it takes, it is the seed that grows its own destruction.” The problem is not with my comment, but with the moderator of the Havana Times comment pages. So here is a link where you can get a short five minute course on what Bonhoeffer’s “theory of stupidity” actually was. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww47bR86wSc
Nick, my facts is that Cuba regime is a dictatorship that absolutely nobody elected that during 62 years only has give people the choices ir exile, jail, or be quite.
Furthermore I’ve explained to you that ppl who are recipients of the funds to promote Democratic changes are few and it doesn’t come from the CIA like the Cuban regime said it does.
The Cuban dictatorship is illegitimate Dictatorship that is a fact. The Cubans on July 11 in the biggest protests that country ever had since 1933 ( across the island and an every city) said clear and loudly. Freedom. That is a fact.
Castro promised free elections and go back to 1940 constitution and when got everything tightened he said with a sneer in his face.
Elections who needs them? I think after all the provocations and acts of terrorism, guerrillas training and supply of arms by the Cuban terrorist dictatorship the USA government has been very patient with the Cuban dictatorship that is a fact.
I would agree that Cubans should have the right to peaceful protest. As I have stated many times here.
From the information available, archipelago protesters cannot accurately be described as mercenaries. However, a certain percentage of protesters are paid by the USA from a fund set up specifically to promote unrest in Cuba.
This fund has been dishing out money to Cubans who wish to promote unrest in their country for a long time now. I have myself met recipients of this funding. It is inconceivable that recipients of this funding would not take part in such protests. Absolutely inconceivable.
These are facts.
For all Mr MacDs talk of Stalin, events of decades ago and his other usual pet subjects, he has never been one to let facts get in the way of a good story.
There are those who promote their chosen orthodoxy here who have no interest whatsoever in sticking to the facts.
As an interested party who supports neither the orthodoxy of the Cuban Government nor the opposing orthodoxy represented by Mr MacD and his co-commentators here, I am interested in the facts rather than the propaganda or the mythology. This will often provoke a tirade of lazy slurs from the usual suspects who represent their chosen orthodoxy in this comments section.
Whatever protests do take place in Cuba tomorrow, I hope they remain peaceful and hope no blood is spilled. I shall follow with much interest. I am most interested to see which direction Cuba takes in the coming years.
Like a barrel of apples, the Cuban communist system will eventually rot from within. The protesters are Cubans living in Cuba, not mercenaries at the beck and call of the US or anyone else. Of course the Diaz-Canel Junta tries to foist responsibility for protests on to outside influences. What other pretense is possible?
Comrade Raul will fume behind the scene, directing Diaz-Canel with one hand and Alejandro Castro Espin and his MININT goons with the other. It is now sixty eight years since he first visited Russia a mere six weeks after the death of Stalin who he so much admired, and became a KGB puppet. But neither Raul or Diaz-Canel possess the charisma of Fidel Castro who now is but a handful of dust under a rock, rather than the demigod of Revolution Square. Jose Marti was correct when he wrote of the his wish to address: “the wealth and prosperity of all Cubans” and that: “With human nature in general however, to be good one has to be prosperous.”
It is that desire of human nature for freedom and a better life for Cubans, that now hangs over the Communist Party of Cuba like the sword of Damocles.