Cuba Isn’t US Property
Elio Delgado Legon
HAVANA TIMES – When I heard the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech, criticizing the OAS because they were dealing with women’s reproductive rights, announcing that they would cut funding for this reason, saying that the OAS should be dealing with the crisis in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, I couldn’t help but be reviled by this figure of the Empire, the same disgust I feel when I see OAS Secretary-General, Luis Almagro.
They are both loathsome beings in my eyes; the first for his arrogance, thinking he is the owner of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, as well as of the OAS. The second, for his submission to the Empire, turning the organization he leads into a real ministry of colonies, like our “Foreign Minister of Dignity”, Raul Roa Garcia, so accurately called it back in his day.
So as to interfere in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua’s national affairs, they call these governments dictatorships who violate human rights; however, there is more democracy in any one of these three countries than there is in the US, a country where international consortiums rule, where corruption is so deeply rooted that it is no longer considered corruption.
Let’s take one example: every year, thousands of people die in the US every year, victims of gunshots, and large groups of citizens are demanding laws that at least limit and control the sale of firearms. However, the National Rifle Association bribes congressmen and congresswomen and even presidential candidates, so that people are still free to own a firearm, without any restrictions, as stipulated in the second ammendment of the Constitution, which dates back to the 18th century, when times were different. This is called corruption is any other country, so they have no right to call leaders of other countries “corrupt”, without any proof.
When it comes to democracy, when understood to be the people’s government or for the people, there is more democracy in Cuba than there is in the US, where they don’t take their citizens’ opinions into account at all.
Just because there are different political parties, that doesn’t mean that there is democracy. The Cuban government doesn’t have electoral parties, yet it has been approved by the vast majority of the Cuban people, and when the new Constitution was recently held up for a referendum, it won over 86% of the vote. And, every law and important decision is consulted with the population, their opinions being taken into consideration.
In Venezuela and Nicaragua, their presidents were also elected in the first round of elections by the vast majority. What really ticks off the Imperial “boss” is the fact that these governments are more concerned about workers, the poor, the people who have always been exploited, than they are about large transnational corporations, which only plunder the wealth of our nations.
Cuba has been threatened with the full application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, which would tighten the blockade that has the country in a noose even further, because it is more like a genocidal economic war that violates the rights of an entire population, rather than just a blockade.
US attacks on Cuba have led in past decades to over 3000 fatalities and almost 3000 cripples. Plus, they have introduced plagues into this country so as to do away with our people’s food source, such as the plague of African swine fever, which wiped out all the pigs on the island, one of the main sources of protein in Cubans’ diets.
Other plagues have causes great damage to different crops, severely harming national food production. Listing all of the damage done to our economy would be a never-ending task, but I can’t forget to mention the introduction of dengue hemorrhagic fever, which resulted in the death of 101 children and also many adults. It’s a criminal act that words cannot describe, but it must be weighing heavily on the consciences of the governments that authorize such dreadful acts.
Even so, even if we were to forget all of these attacks, Mike Pompeo is talking about the crisis in Cuba, and what he says the OAS should be doing, but I want to remind him that neither this organization, nor Cuba, are US property.
Absolutely right ! Not US property, Castro family is the only owner for the last 60 years.
Yes, majority of Cubans can read and write. No access to information and not even a dream to publish.
80 years old and still defending mindless oppressive dictatorship, pathetic.
I see a number of people in the replies that are frustrated with life in Cuba. That frustration is exactly what the American foreign policy intends. Create difficult times, one after another, month after month, year after year. Create chaos and the population of Cuba, or any country they intend to gain or regain control of, will do the groundwork for them.
This article we’re commenting on here is from a Cuban man, 80 years old, and it is worthwhile keeping in mind that he lived the in pre revolution era. He remembers. Talk to him and people like him. As to the other 80 year old talking here I’m betting he’s live in Florida ever since the revolution. It wasn’t just the Batista years that led to the revolution. It was centuries of rule by Spain that was replaced by the invasion of the US more than a century ago. It merely led to a different flavour of repression.
It might be useful to know that during the Batista years before the revolution Cuba was known in North America as the best little white house in the western hemisphere. Your land and labour we’re a great, cheap deal. Your daughters, all your children, were for sale to serve your breakfast or warm your bed.
Then your revolution happened. The U.S. began planning immediately to retake the island, your island, your Cuba. Your government had to hold hard to what version of self determination that had been won. Yes, freedoms you hoped for were not delivered. That’s all the ruling class of the US need. If let just enough freedom to move they’d have poisoned the Cuban people with sedition. Or if a country they want to occupy, like post revolution Cuba, seals off that influence then the freedoms that are lost as a consequence of that kind of defense against a far superior military does the ruling class’s work for them. Cuba has endured 6 decades of a hostile siege. I look at most of the comments here, most of the articles in this Havana Times that I’ve read and I’d say from the outside either this publication is US propiganda or if these are the opinions of real Cubans then after 60 years of siege you are doing the US ruling class’s work for them.
I am reading here a lot of opinion but few to no facts that are worked into a historical context. There are a lot of specific complaints but broader historic vision. Look at the history of the world for the last 200 years and be open to the facts, they are obvious after a time and undeniable.
There is a danger off your shores. It is far stronger than your country, it is waiting for your guard to fall. It goes by the name of US foreign policy. Over the last century they have kill millions of people in Vietnam, North Korea, Russia, Iraq, Iran, all across Latin America from Argentina to Mexico, the island nations between Australia and Asia, the Philippines, Syria, Libya, Haiti, the list doesn’t stop here. These killings were done for their own corporations. Where do you think the expression, “Banana Republic” comes from? They have suppressed freedoms in any place that does not follow their program. Look at Venezuela, at the actual facts. If you let the US into your country it will devour you.
US power is dying. It has less than 10 years left. If it hasn’t started a nuclear holocaust by then, if we are not beyond the point of no return with global warming, then Cuba will finally be free on its own terms.
Total poppycock. Why do you suppose many people are trying to get into the USA?
I hope the author of this article found a new way of inspiring new revolution in cuba without being prosecuted. It is very clear that he can’t be right in his mind if he believs in the current system in Cuba. Hopefuly his intentions are to inspire negative comments and some might reach the souls of younger new generation cubans to stand up against this evil system that prevents them from basic human rights.
Just Got Back From 5 months of Cuban Hell. A Good Cuban Man & Police Translator explained to me that There are Now Many Many Cubans that Hold Canadians Responsible for there Lower Quality of Life, Canadians are Not Respected as we once were, But if we Canadians keep spending & Giving our $ to the Cubans they will Pretend they are our Friends. I am Just Repeating The Words of A Cuban Translator that I belive was telling me the Truth Of How Cuba is Changing For Canadians. When a Canadian has been Threatened with a Large Knife used to cut Sugar Cane & photo,s Provided to the Cuban Police, Then I was Told I was lying. This all came from Cuba this Feb 13th 2019 & as I left the Police when finished my statement at road side in the rain to find my way home,The Translator Explained I was held longer with police then the Cuban that Threatened me. Think Again Canadians About Your Next Cuban Trip. Oh & if you think The Canadian Embassy can really Help us when we need them the most, Forget That. The Police Would Not Except A phone Call From The Canadian Embassy. Yes Cuba is Cuban Land & They sure showed me what that means when a Canadian Missionary that Provides & Helps Many Cuban Children & there Family,s. I Have Spent as much time in Cuba in the Past four years as in Canada with a Family VISA Provided By the Cuban Minister of Interior & this last five month stay was at 25$ cost total. Canadians are being Swindled into Cuba to help Cuban Family,s with our $ we Provide. Wake Up Canadians We are Being Taken for a Ride. I Have Much too have Questioned & I will Reply to all an anyone if you want to Read the Truth about Cuba From A Canadian That has Seen & Herd Too Much
Why you don’t go to Cuba to live from a ration card to eat or get clothes from another card or to vote for only the government’s candidate(socialist democracy?)also you can go to Maduro’s Paradise,but be aware of no power,no water,no food,no medical care,no supplies in others words socialismo in action!!poor Venezuela!!with Cuba as a Mentor what else you can get?God bless America from this comunist plague!!
Sorry, Elio. You have survived 80 yrs in total darkness and totally blind. Your Castro was a dictator, a terrorist, a bully, a murderer, a sneak, a liar, a cheat, and a thief. He was never a man of his word. One of the first things he pretended to get offended about was that people thought he was a communist and accused him of it. He “took offense” to that and screamed that he wasn’t. Lie #1 of 1,000s. He froze peoples’ bank accounts and stole the money for “the people” (meaning himself). He shot innocent people by the thousands. Their crime? They disagreed with him. He incarcerated thousands more for “crimes” such as selling their cattle. I could go on and on, but I dream of celebrating my 100th birthday in a free and democratic Cuba where abject poverty, suffering and misery is a thing of the past, where people will have the basics in life: food, clothing, decent shelter, hot water, toilets that flush, toilet paper, a car and anything else they want. Where they will be free to express their opi icons and vote for the candidate of their choice. You may have lived 80 years, but so have I. You can’t fool me or manipulate me. Cuba would have done millions of times better remaining a Spanish Colony, because the country has never truly been free. All those heroes of the War of Independence died in vain.
I would not agree with all of Elio’s opinions.
But I would 100% agree that Cuba is not the property of the USA.
The USA has a multitude of its own problems. For instance, this article refers to the catastrophic amount of people in the USA who are victims of shootings each year. Every time there is a mass shooting in the USA, people want to buy more guns which causes the profits of the gun industry to go up.
This internal arms race and abhorrent murder rate continues because of the simple fact that those who profit handsomely from the suffering have enough dollar to purchase huge political influence.
This profiteering from the tragedy of bullet ridden corpses on US streets therefore continues with impunity and with the full blessing of the people’s political representatives.
Serious, spiralling problems like these are not at all easy to unravel and solve.
The USA should concentrate on dealing with its own grave problems.
Let Cuba deal with Cuban problems themselves.
Being from Nicaragua I can also say that Nicaragua is not a Cuban property. The same can be said of Venezuela.
Cuba’s economic indicators before 1959 were the best in Latin America. Their form of government wasn’t the best but all Cubans lived in Cuba, the same can be said for both Venezuela and Nicaragua. Going to the ballot doesn’t feed your people.
As I did ask someone else=why are you not going to live in Cuba,or Red China?
Why are you not going live in Cuba? And leave Toronto? How come do you want democrats for Americans?you want a certain form of leadership for the USA which is not the country you are living in and to whom you are no citizrn
Tell it like it is Elio. I agree with you 100%. The U.S has been bullying Cuba for 60 years. Before that the US was occupying Cuba and instituting the Platt Agreement.
I am so sadly fed up to see that everybody is right and then wrong. One blood brother loves while another one hates. Me, as a Cuban man I want no more Che Guevara’s revolutions in the world, but more Jesus Christ’s peace speeches. Life is so short and so full of natural obstacles such as diseases shortening our survival and still we human beings do not help when putting barriers we men create. I pray God every single day, so he takes his final decision to come to Earth and end the suffering. We are nothing, but the non-existing souls from yesterday, the living souls of today and the dead bodies of tomorrow and limited life goes on because we still do understand why and what we stand for.
Purxankti
Elio is at it again. Elio (by that I possibly mean someone employed in the Castro Propaganda Ministry) uses the most extreme examples of US life as a comparison. Gun violence, racism, economic inequality, etc. are very real problems in the US. BUT the lack of freedom in Cuba “trumps” all of these inequities.
Rosita. I agree that Mr Hale should try to live like a Cuban, but not in Varadero. I think Guanabacoa. La lisa or San Miguel de Padron, would be a better option. Mr Hale’s comments are valid. In your post you say “There is no embargo bigger than than the one the cuban government against it’s people” If this is the case how is it possible that Cuba has a lower Infant mortality rate than the USA. and a higher literacy rate.
Infant Mortality Rate Cuba-5.8 USA-6.2
Literacy Rate Cuba-99.75 USA-99
Why do you write in Spanish when the article is written in English??
Are you related to Marco Rubio ??
I am a Canadian too we aren’t all fools.
Cuba is undemocratic dictatorship run by a criminal communist oppresive regime.
Hola. Rosita.
I do understand some of the internal issues that the average Cuban has to deal with.
I have made many friends during the many years I have visited Cuba.
I have gone to their homes for dinner, meet there family members & talk about the
real issues in Cuba.
I was shocked when I went to a store in Matanzas & it was hard to find many common
I’m also sad that Cubans cannot leave Cuba to visit friends or family outside Cuba
without piles of paperwork & politics. I asked a friend to come visit me in Canada and
he told me that I would have to submit papers to indicate when & why I was asking
for him to visit Canada, where he would be staying & for how long & that I would be
financial responsible for him during his stay & that I would assure his return to Cuba.
WOW how crazy. I understand that the Cuban government also can deny a Cuba citizen
from leaving Cuba. I don’t understand the ways of the Cuban government as the Cuban
people are so beautiful with the most amazing love & compassion of any people
I have ever met.
I do hope that one day soon the people of Cuba will have all the freedoms that we
as Canadians have.
I am a Canadian and I am disgusted with Trumps idea to tighten the embargo. To put it bluntly he is a dumb jackass and an outright liar. Corruptions runs rampant and trump is leading the pack. You can turn the TV on, no matter what time of the day or night and Trump is caught in lies, making ridiculous statements, or just being made fun by his own people on most of comedy network channels. What does that tell you! Hope and pray this term is the end for him.
Obama had the right idea but just ran out of time.
I’ve been to Cuba four times and have completely enjoyed myself. The people are wonderful!
That is correct. When you look back to what Jose Martí said: “you cannot replace a dictatur with a new one”, is this comment more than correct.
Also, to blame the US embargo for all the issues occurred in the country is wrong.
I leaved 30 years of my life on the island and could experience both sides of the coin. The need of the poor people and the decadence of those belonging to high spheres of the government or working in the so called “firmas extranjeras”.
In my personal experience the embargo was only an internal issue, this picture was only posted to the population after the fall of the communist block. It is true, we all know about Torricelli’s law, but denying the freedom of the population to have access to information and its free movement, makes the Cuban government not a better thing next to the poluded American intentions to regain control of the island.
It is hard just to blame Castro, this story begins when US denied Cuba to have access to their fonds placed in US banks.
What would it has been of my beautiful island then?
There is a lot of information hidden to the public about why these things happened. Nevertheless we have to be ashamed of Castro’s eager for power and furthermore, we need to wonder how come a population, who always fought against evil governments have been able to withstand not one, but 3 dictatorships in a raw?
https://www.academia.edu/38676281/Scientific_Arts_versus_Political_Oily_warfare
Bruce Hale,,se nota que “Te gustan muchos los cubanos”,,y Varadero donde vas de vacaciones todos los años,,se nota en tú forma de escribir las maravillas de Cuba…Estás harto del dictador?,,,Cual dictador?,,Castro? Deverias mudarte a Varadero y vivir como un cubano más de a pié y no como turista.No hay embargo más grande q el q tiene el gobierno cubano contra su gente,,,donde un turista vale más q 100 cubanos.
I’m a Canadian man whom travels to Varadero, Cuba every year for vacation.
I love the Cuban people as they are so warm, trusting & hard working. I feel safer in Varadero at 2am than I do in Toronto, Canada where I live.
I’m so sick of the worlds biggest dictator, the USA going around the world & screwing with all these countries in the name of democracy.
President Obama had the right idea, engage Cuba & the changes for the betterment of the Cuban people would come from within. How does the USA think by starving & hurting innocent Cubans that this will somehow bring positive changes to this island nation.
I hope President Trump & his disgusting cronies like Marco Rubio get kicked out of office in the next election & the Democrats take control & return normal relations with Cuba & lift the inhumane embargo. that has been on Cuba for far too many years.
Bravo mon amie!! The truth has never sounded better!! Let them know that we won’t be bullied by donkeys!! Viva!! Viva!! Viva!!!?????????????????????????????????????????
The title says it all. But remember, Fidel Castro told the Cuban people they would get their democracy back after nearly 7 years of dictatorship by Batista, but eventually replaced Batista’s dictatorship with another form of tyranny because he feared that free elections would interfere with his agrarian reforms.