Yusimi Rodriguez

Something strange often happens when I am with a foreigner and I criticize the system in my country. They’re taken aback and rebuke me for being ungrateful, naive, and ignorant, in daring to criticize the reality in which I live because I don’t know what the reality is like in other countries.

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard and read the word revolution throughout my life. I don’t know how many slogans with the word “revolution” are batted around in school. But never until now have I wondered what exactly the revolution really is.

For years I’ve worked hard to understand the role of trade unions, at least those here in Cuba. In history classes they taught us that these had emerged as vehicles for workers to stand up against factory owners and companies. I assumed that membership was voluntary here as one of our rights as workers.

I didn’t spare words or irony to question the existence of a single political party here in my country. The same goes for a constitution that only allows us freedom of speech and the press in accordance with the aims of “socialist” society, and an electoral system designed so that we can’t choose.

It’s a good thing there are people who remind us that Cuba’s political system is organized in such a manner that there’s no need for parties, campaigning or money to win an election.

We love to remember the part in which so and so is discovered or what’s his name escapes. These are shows where we jump for joy, bite our nails (over what we already know will or won’t happen), or stomp on the floor in frustration over the bad guy’s victory (temporary, of course). In some ways we act like well-trained dogs.