Adrian Leiva Dies Meeting his Dream of Returning to Cuba

The circumstances regarding Leiva's death remain unclear, however, Miguel Saludes informed the world of Leiva's passing yesterday.

He died, tragically, attempting to return to Cuba, quite a noble endeavor in my view. It's difficult to come to terms with the fact that his return ended the way that it did. It's as if it ended before it should.

As I stated, it is unclear how he died. His sister says there was not even a scratch on his body. The others accompanying him are currently being detained in the political police station of La Habana, Villa Maristas.

The fact that they are alive and Leiva is not raises concerns about how exactly this came to be. I don't put it past the Cuban government to be responsible for this.

My Apologies

I have been taking a break from the blogosphere due to the pace of my life, which seems to increase its speed monthly.

I think this will continue through the end of the year.

Should any of my commitments end before then, I will post more regularly.

Several important events in Cuba have been occurring and I have not posted about them, not because I am not still just as passionate about the subject as before, but because I simply have not had the opportunity.

Until next time,
V

Thoughts on “el Concierto de la Paz” and our Unfounded Optimism

After nearly a week of euphoria, I think it’s time the overly optimistic Cuban-American community put their feet back on the ground. For the past week, I’ve heard all sorts of claims about the value of the Juanes concert, how it will build hope amongst the Cuban youth, how it’s a sign the regime is changing, how it’s a sign the exile community is changing. I must respectfully disagree.

Hope derived from this concert is from the mistaken impression that Cuba’s youth will be motivated to pursue its freedom and the Cuban government will not be able to control it.

I’m not quite sure what concert people saw, but here’s the one I saw:
· The only performers given any leeway in what they said were foreigners, and even then, they were obviously limited in their freedom of speech.
· The two “questionable” (in the eyes of the Cuban government) Cuban artists that were allowed to perform, X Alfonso and Carlos Varela, were kept on the tightest of leashes (particularly Varela) and their combined performances lasted fewer than 30 minutes. Varela was chaperoned off stage by security as soon as both songs were over (as his performance was divided in two…God forbid the Cuban people see him on stage for longer than 7 minutes at a time.
· The final group performance of the concert allowed only the foreigners to keep microphones in their hands; the microphone stayed far away from Varela and Alfonso.
· So, again, we see that foreigners are given more rights than Cubans, even Cuban artists…it’s nothing new for Cuba, but perhaps we can point it out and not pretend like this was some major tumbling of walls.

So, my question is: How do the Cuban youth derive hope from this? It remains obvious to any Cuban who watched the concert that nothing had changed in Cuba or its government.

Yes, the exile community was mentioned for perhaps the first time in 50 years. But again, how does this encourage hope for freedom for Cubans? What occurred was a concert, nothing more, nothing less. The Cuban people were able to enjoy the performances of world-famous mega stars, all the while knowing that the following day would be the same as the previous.

I am heartened to see that the Cuban government did not politicize the concert the way that it could have, that it did not manipulate the statements of the artists that performed. I sincerely thought that they would and am glad they did not.

But the Cuban government persists in being a repressive, near-totalitarian dictatorship. Hundreds of “questionable” Cuban youth were told by state police that they could not attend the concert. This is not freedom. This is not a changing government.

The message was sent loud and clear to the Cuban people: if you’re a foreigner, you’re safe; if you’re Cuban, you will continue to be unable to speak your truth…just like Alfonso, just like Varela.

Cuba’s Youth: The New Opposition

ICCAS' latest Cuba Focus, by Dr. Andy Gomez:

Cuba’s Youth: The New Opposition

Since the start of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro and his government have transformed Cuba’s educational system into an indoctrinating tool to program Cuba’s youth to accept and promote Marxist ideology. Every student begins his school day by reciting in his school courtyard “Pioneros por el comunismo, seremos como el ‘Che’.” (“Pioneers for communism-we will be like ‘Che’”). However, the ideological ties of the youth are weak, to say the least; they have only a distorted version of what “El Che” actually represents. They also consider Fidel Castro to be a symbol of the past, not representative of their generation. There is a huge gap between the Cuban youth and the “Generation of the Revolution.” The older generation insists on remaining in the past and uses the revolution as an excuse to empower themselves and survive the rigors of everyday life in Cuba.

About 2.2 million out of 11.2 million Cubans on the island today were born after 1991. They have no real perspective of the true purpose of the Revolution and very little knowledge of Cuba’s long history and culture, since most of Cuba’s history books focus on 1959 and beyond. People that live under totalitarian regimes survive within a “culture of fear.” They have developed a set of values and attitudes that define their daily behavior in order to meet their own wants and needs which are not compatible with the restrictions imposed by the state; the Cuban people are no exception.

Since 2002, we at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, have interviewed and surveyed hundreds of recently arrived Cubans, in addition to communicating regularly with Cuban youth groups on the island, in an effort to better understand their values and attitudes as a consequence of living in a totalitarian state. To better comprehend their patterns of psychological and social behavior, we used C.C. Hughes’ methodology (1993) which defines culture as (1) A socially transmitted system of ideas (2) that shapes and describes experiences, (3) gives names to surrounding realities, (4) is saved by members of a particular group, and (5) coordinates and determines behavior. We followed many of these individuals for a six month period and found that many began to adopt new values and attitudes that are expected in a free civil society.

Today, the values imposed by the totalitarian regime of the Castro brothers are being challenged by a new opposition—Cuba’s youth. To them the values of the Revolution are not relevant; they have started to contradict the purpose and principles of the current socialist system. Cuba’s youth are an opposition that wants “change,” even if that change is not fully defined. Most want their basic needs to be met such as better housing, more food, jobs, etc. They all want hope for the future, freedom and the right to pursue their own happiness.

Even though some of the youth have become apathetic or distrustful of politics, many do want to play a role in shaping Cuba’s future government. Yet, the space provided by the current government is very limited and controlled. Some of these youngsters have been expelled from universities or fired from their jobs simply for questioning the Cuban government’s policies and practices.

The biggest challenge for Cuba’s youth, and anyone else on the island, will be to figure out how to psychologically transform their values and attitudes in order to develop and sustain a democratic society in the future. We have learned many lessons from Central and Eastern European countries that have gone from a totalitarian regime to a more “democratic” system. Their outcomes have been mixed—it is not easy; it takes time, tolerance, compromise and a willingness to learn from the past to build a better future.

Finally, one last essential challenge will be how to keep the young in Cuba. Their patience is running out, understandably so. In interviews recently conducted with young people on the island, it’s clear that there is some hope that once Fidel Castro is dead, General Raul Castro could very well introduce new reforms; these reforms may be too late and deal mostly with the current economic crisis. In the eyes of Cuba’s youth, Raul Castro will try to preserve the failed ideology of the Revolution. For them, this is unacceptable. The Cuban youth’s demands go much beyond what Raul Castro is willing to give. The frustrations amongst Cuba’s youth remain deep and the reality of the everyday struggle for freedom persists. How much longer can the system survive?
_________________________________________________
*Dr. Andy S. Gomez is Associate Provost, University of Miami; Senior Fellow, Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.He was assisted in this article by Vanessa Lopez, Research Associate at ICCAS, and Giselle Recarey-Delgado, UM student.

Weirdest Job Posting Ever...

I wonder if there's a shortage of people willing to do this?

Cuba seeks applicants for secret police

Havana, Aug 19 (EFE).- Cuba's national police are inviting applications for the force's OTOS secret operations unit, the official AIN news agency said Wednesday.

The process is open to men and women ages 18 to 40 who have high-school diplomas and suitable "political-ethical characteristics," AIN said, citing a police statement.

OTOS needs "motivated" individuals with a "taste for investigation, risk," who are capable of dealing with cases in which there are no obvious suspects, the police statement said.

Recruits will have the opportunity to earn a law degree while on active duty with the force, the national police said.

"OTOS works in the uncovering, prevention and solution of criminal and economic offenses through the use of the methods and means of secret operations work," the statement said.

Besides OTOS, the communist-ruled island has a State Security force that deals with perceived threats and challenges to Cuba's one-party political system. EFE

Gugulandia returns!!!

Click to enlarge:

From Gugulandia:

Not Enough $$$ for a Party

With Fidel not completely out of the picture (read: dead) Raul cannot call a Party Congress...the problem: Fidel is officially the First Secretary, and one cannot hold a Party Congress without the First Secretary present (well, one could, but it just wouldn't be proper).

Raul called for this Congress in 2008, undoubtedly assuming Fidel would have died, thereby making his assension to First Secretary a defacto occurance. With Fidel alive, Raul most certainly feels that the internal politics would not allow him to strip the title from his brother.

So, to try to save face, Raul is blaming the bad economy for the Party's indefinite suspension...although, I can't quite see how one has anything to do with the other.

Cuba suspends plans for Communist Party congress
WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer Will Weissert, Associated Press WriterHAVANA –

Cuba on Friday suspended plans for a Communist Party congress and lowered its 2009 economic growth projection to 1.7 percent — nearly a full percentage point — as the island's economy struggles through a "very serious" crisis.

In a closed-door meeting of the Communist Party Central Committee, officials agreed to postpone indefinitely the first congress since 1997, which had been announced for the second half of this year.

The gathering was to chart Cuba's political future long after President Raul Castro and his brother Fidel are gone. Instead, top communists will try and pull their country back from the economic brink.

Cuba lowered its 2009 growth estimate from 2.5 percent to 1.7 percent, but even that figure is dubious given that it includes state spending on free health care and education, the food Cubans receive with monthly ration booklets and a broad range of other social services.

The revision downward was the second of its kind this year. As recently as December, central planners said they thought the Cuban economy would grow by 6 percent in 2009.

The country's economic problems began last summer, with three hurricanes that caused more than $10 billion in damage. The situation has worsened with the onset of the global financial crisis and subsequent recession.

The 78-year-old Raul Castro succeeded his brother as president more than 18 months ago, but it's the soon-to-be 83-year-old Fidel who remains head of the Communist Party.

Party congresses historically have been held every five years or so to renew leadership and set major policies, but the government has broken with that tradition over the past decade.

Information about the Central Committee meeting occupied the entire front page of the Communist Party daily Granma and a full page inside cited Raul Castro as reporting that "things are very serious and we are now analyzing them."

"The principal matter is the economy: what we have done and what we have to perfect and even eliminate as we are up against an imperative to make full accounts of what the country really has available, of what we have to live and for development," the newspaper said, citing the president.

It said authorities would postpone the sixth Party congress "until this crucial phase ... has been overcome," but did not say when that might be.

Waiting for his copy of Granma when it hit newsstands at 7 a.m., Raul Salgado, a 72-year-old retiree, said, "I want to know what's happening, or better yet, what's going to happen."

"I don't think it matters much to the people if there is a congress or not. What the people want here in Cuba is to know what the government is going to do to get out of such a terrible situation like the one in which we're living," Salgado said.

Cuba has begun a major push to conserve energy in an attempt to save some of the imported oil it uses to run power plants. State-run factories have been idled during peak hours, air conditioners have been stilled at government offices and some work hours shortened.

Granma made it clear more cutbacks were coming, but did not give details. Cuba's rubber-stamp parliament convenes Saturday for one of its two full sessions a year and could unveil new energy-saving plans then

Biscet's 48th Birthday

In his sixth year of incarceration, Oscar Elias Biscet turns 48 today.

Let us hope he will soon be able to celebrate as a free man.

In other words, it's nothing new...

Disaster Drill Illustrates New Approach To Cuba (Rosenberg, MH)
Monday, July 20, 2009; A1
Miami Herald
By Carol Rosenberg
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVY BASE, Cuba -- About 150 U.S. and Cuban troops worked side by side last week, testing collaboration across a minefield that has long divided the Cold War adversaries.

A Cuban Army helicopter flew over this Navy base and dropped 500 gallons of saltwater on burning plywood to extinguish a simulated raging wildfire. American sailors crossed into Cuban-controlled turf to set up a mock triage center run by both nations' militaries, should catastrophe strike.

Nearly anywhere else, the event would have been a run-of-the-mill training exercise. And although U.S. forces at this remote base have engaged in the annual rite with the Cuban Frontier Brigade for more than a decade, the Bush administration forbade the disclosure of information. The Southern Command usually answered questions about the time, date or operation scenarios with ``no comment."

This time, the U.S. military struck a different tone. It provided details but refused to let journalists already on the base for war-court hearings observe the "mass casualty exercise." Sailors photographed the event but were forbidden to release the images, said U.S. Navy base spokesman Terence R. Peck.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Jack Sheehan called the calibrated exposure a likely "trial balloon" by an Obama administration experimenting with expanded relations with Havana.

The White House has moved on a number of initiatives involving Cuba this year, including increasing the frequency with which Cubans could visit the island and voting for a process that could return Cuba to the Organization of American States after almost 50 years. And this summer, the administration resumed U.S.-Cuban diplomatic talks on migration issues, which the Bush administration abandoned seven years ago.

`INCREMENTAL'
Sheehan, a 1994-97 commander of the U.S. Atlantic Command, and advocate of deeper U.S.-Cuban military relations, told The Miami Herald he instituted the mass-casualty drill as part of an outreach to a military that, he said, would have a critical, trusted role in any future transition in Cuban society.

He said the Obama administration was now likely engaging in "an incremental process" of exposing and potentially exploiting the military relationship at Guantanamo. "We've never advertised it in the sense of the term because it was very controversial," he said.

Pentagon policymakers refused to comment on the new approach. Navy spokesmen said only that the U.S. Navy base ``has fostered a positive relationship with the Cuban Frontier Brigade . . . as one outcome of our shared responsibility for this region of Cuba."

Sheehan said all sorts of military engagement began in the mid-'90s when both sides agreed to migration accords to stem the tide of rafters trying to cross the Florida Straits for Miami, a time he said, ``when hard-liners on both sides of the Straits were looking for reasons not to advance a dialogue."

Discussions then, he said, included minefield removal and scenarios for what would happen if a U.S. fighter jet strayed into Cuban territory.

`BENIGN'
The talks increased when the Bush White House decided to open the war-on-terror prison camps at Guantanamo, said retired Navy Capt. Bob Buehn, a former base commander.

The Americans informed their Cuban military counterparts ahead of the Jan. 11, 2002, arrival of alleged enemies in orange jumpsuits, and the Cuban government permitted large U.S. military aircraft carrying al Qaeda suspects from Afghanistan to fly over portions of Cuba rather than perform risky corkscrew landings.

But these drills and exchanges were mostly kept secret and mentioned cryptically by base commanders long afterward to illustrate what they cast as a "benign relationship" along a 17.4-mile fence line where cameras, motion detectors and stadium lighting now augment a leaner U.S. Marine force than those portrayed in the Hollywood hit, A Few Good Men.

CIRCUITOUS ROUTE
Another example: Last month, the U.S. Navy provided a special flight to an American archbishop, Timothy Broglio, from the base at Guantanamo to Grand Cayman -- in time to catch a connection to Havana.

From there he flew on to Santiago, in time to tell worshipers at a Mass the next day, across the minefield, that U.S. troops would welcome ties with the Cuban people.

"Many of the servicemen in the Guantanamo base wanted to make this trip with me," he told Cuban Catholics in a homily reportedly delivered in flawless Spanish by Broglio, a former Vatican delegate to the Dominican Republic. ``Let us pray to God that someday we may share a service together, without separations."

Broglio is head of the Vatican's diocese that ministers to Catholics and their families in the U.S. military.

He told The Herald that the U.S. Navy made his trip easier, but it was initiated by the Bishop of Guantanamo, in the Castros' Cuba, who had been told the American archbishop would visit the 45-square-mile Navy base that Fidel Castro ordered evacuated more than 40 years ago.

Cuba declined a proposal by the Guantanamo Archdiocese to let Broglio cross the minefields, through a road that connects Cuba to the Navy base.

In Case You're Not Too Busy Standing in Line

When will they realize that salaries will not substantially rise until they break away from the dictums of a centralized, socialist economy?

June 30, 2009 Cuban Colada, The Miami Herald.
New law: It's OK to hold more than one job
Cubans may hold more than one job, says Decree No. 268, approved June 26 by the Council of State and announced Monday in the Communist Party daily Granma.The Council calls the concept "pluriemployment," explaining that "the workers, after fulfilling the duties of the post they hold, may enter into more than one work contract and receive the corresponding salary."

The announcement does not say how many jobs a worker may hold.Pluriemployment "is linked to the rational use of human resources and labor contracts" and is intended "to attenuate the effects of an aging population, stimulate work in society" and provide "the chance that the workers may increase their income."There are some exceptions. Multiple jobs are out of the question for "cadres and functionaries, health technicians and professionals, researchers, professors, teachers and auditors, except in the case of teaching or scientific research posts or others that are approved" by their current employers.High school and college students old enough to work may hold more than one job but only part-time and for a specific length of time.The City of Havana is empowered to hire workers who live in other provinces "to cover its work needs on a temporary or permanent basis," the decree says, citing the need "to stimulate the productive forces, make possible an increase in income" and enable "work to be the principal source of satisfaction for [Cubans'] material and spiritual needs."

The average monthly salary in Cuba is 415 pesos, about US$19. While the Cuban government subsidizes many food products and provides education and health care at no cost, that amount is not sufficient for most wage earners. Decree No. 268 appears to be a way to help Cubans to help themselves. To read the announcement in Granma, in Spanish, click here.

---Renato Pérez Pizarro.

To See this along the Malecon...

And Our Riots?

Just a thought for today:

After a seemingly fraudulent election in Iran, we have seen large scale riots in the streets of Tehran the past couple of days. It makes me wonder why we don't see the same thing after our (Cuba's) more obviously fraudulent elections.

Rationed Rations

Quotas of beans, peas, salt are reduced
The individual quotas of three rationed food products -- beans, peas and salt -- have been reduced, effective June 1, according to the e-zine Progreso Weekly's blog.An official note by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, posted in every grocery store, states that the quotas of beans and peas, each set at 20 ounces per family member per month, have been cut to 10 oz.The salt quota -- 2 kilograms every three months for a 3-to-4-member family -- has been reduced to 1 kilogram.Black beans can be purchased in farmers' markets for 10 ordinary pesos (US 38 cents) per pound; kidney beans for 12 pesos (US 45 cents) per pound, but salt is sold only in convertible-peso stores, for the equivalent of US 70 cents per kilogram, the blog says."Many Cubans wonder if the rationing of what's already rationed will be limited to beans, peas and salt, or if this is the beginning of new cutbacks," Progreso Weekly's Havana correspondent writes. "Some people understand that peas are rationed because they are imported -- but beans? They don't understand the motive. To other compatriots, the measure is an unequivocal sign that the ration card will be around for a long time. And the card, even when prudently managed, is not enough to furnish [a family's] needs for two weeks."---Renato Pérez Pizarro.
Posted by Renato Perez at 01:00 AM in Economy

Cuba Free to Reintegrate OAS if Abides by Practices, Proposals, and Principles

OAS votes to readmit Cuba after 47 years
By NESTOR IKEDA – 54 minutes ago

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) — The Organization of American States voted by acclamation on Wednesday to revoke the 1962 measure suspending communist Cuba, overturning a landmark of the Cold War in the hemisphere.

"The Cold War has ended this day in San Pedro Sula," said Honduran President Manuel Zelaya immediately following the announcement. "We begin a new era of fraternity and tolerance."

The action doesn't mean Cuba will return to the 34-member body that helps coordinate policies and mediates disputes throughout the Americas.

Cuban officials have repeatedly insisted they have no interest in returning to an organization they consider a tool of the United States.

And if Cuba changes its mind, the agreement calls for "a process of dialogue" in line with OAS "practices, proposals and principles" — a veiled allusion to agreements on human rights and democracy.
...

"The historic action taken today eliminates a distraction from the past and allows us to focus on the realities of today," State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said in Washington.

He said it would let officials "continue with the president's efforts to support the desire of the Cuban people to freely determine Cuba's future consistent with our core principles and those of the Americas."

Wood also portrayed the resolution's reference to OAS principles as a victory for U.S. diplomacy, noting that most countries had favored automatically readmitting Cuba.

"The United States worked tirelessly," he said, to ensure "that the return of Cuba to participation in the OAS will be done consistent with the principles and purposes of the democracy and human rights."

Only hours earlier, State Department spokesman told reporters than failure to reach an agreement was "a clear sign of how the president's approach to relations in the Americas is paying dividends."

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro wrote in state newspapers on Wednesday that OAS should not exist and historically has "opened the doors to the Trojan horse" — the U.S. — to wreak havoc in Latin America.

UNhappy Birthday

78.

Male life expectancy in Cuba: 75.19 years.

If only!

Llamamiento al gobierno cubano

We call on the Cuban government to:

--Free all political prisoners

--Lift all restrictions for Cubans to enter and leave their country

--Lift all restrictions on access to the internet

The Blind Leading the Blind:

Business Recorder
May 17, 2009 Sunday
PAKISTAN AND CUBA TO SIGN AGREEMENT FOR JEC
BYLINE: MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
Pakistan and Cuba are to sign an agreement for the establishment of a Joint Economic Commission (JEC), official sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday. They said that Federal Cabinet in its decision on April 23, 2008 had allowed the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) to start negotiations on the draft agreement that would establish the JEC between the two countries.
Accordingly, the draft agreement was negotiated through diplomatic channels between Pakistan and Cuba. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Law and Justice proposed major changes in the first version of the agreement, which have been incorporated in the final version. Sources said that the Ministry of Industries and Production had proposed inclusion of specific/priority areas like co-operation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector in the agreement.
The EAD was of the view that since the JEC agreement would be an umbrella agreement for economic co-operation, it should cover the entire gamut of economic co-operation and specific areas/agenda may be decided at the time of holding of the JEC meeting. As such, it is not necessary to mention each and every sector in the main agreement.
Under the above agreement, co-operation will be undertaken in accordance with the national laws of both contracting parties pursuant to general principle of international law and will include;
(a) the undertaking of feasibility studies to identify viable investment projects;
(b) incorporation of international economic associations;
(c) the granting of scholarships for specialised studies, professional development, technical education and vocational training;
(d) the provision or exchange of specialists and other professionals to provide services for defined projects and programmes on mutually agreed terms and conditions by the parties;
(e) the provision or exchange of the required equipment and appliances for the implementation of defined programs and projects of technical co-operation; and;
(f) any other co-operation modality that is convenient and of mutual interest to the parties. Sources said the final draft of the proposed agreement had been submitted to the Federal Cabinet in its meeting on May 6, 2009, which was approved as recommended by the EAD.

GISELLE RECAREY: La política es de todos

Below, find an excellent article by Giselle Recarey.

Desde hace algún tiempo resuenan en mi cabeza las frases ''la política no es para mí'', ''yo no soy político''. Cuando las escucho, mi mente se traslada a La Habana, ciudad que tuve que dejar un año atrás. Lo contradictorio y sorprendente a la vez es que estoy en Miami, pero los voceros de estas frases son los mismos cubanos, algunos con mucho o menos tiempo que yo acá, pero todos actores de una sola historia, el exilio.

En recientes conversaciones con amigos aparece el retórico tema de la política y es que no lo podemos evitar, de una forma u otra siempre ella está ahí. Es que la política, como expresa una de sus definiciones, es un conjunto de ideas y valores que ejecutan los individuos con un propósito. Muchos de mis amigos me repitieron una vez más las mismas frases, ''yo no tengo nada que ver con la política'', ''yo no soy político'', pero fueron esos amigos quienes con sus opiniones me impulsaron a escribir este artículo. Si cada uno de no-
sotros pensáramos que la política no nos pertenece, yo me pregunto para quién es entonces. Si no nos interesa como individuos, ¿por qué sufrimos sus consecuencias? ¿Seremos los cubanos realmente apáticos? ¿Qué tanto nos importa Cuba?

Después de buscar, creo encontrar parte de la respuesta. Los cubanos que hemos vivido bajo un sistema totalitario, donde las consignas políticas, los discursos, las marchas y los actos de ''reafirmación revolucionaria'', que no son más que actos de repudio contra personas decentes, hacen el día a día, hemos desarrollado un sistema sicológico de defensa en el cual, para librarnos de esa maquinaria demoledora, utilizamos la apatía para buscar algo de respiro y tranquilidad.

Pero después de muchos años de usar este mismo mecanismo de defensa casi de forma inconsciente, ni cambiando de sociedad podemos cambiar nuestra mentalidad. Por lo que a veces en sociedades democráticas seguimos actuando como si viviéramos bajo regímenes totalitarios. Este es el origen de comentarios como estos que oímos a diario. El gobierno cubano ha inculcado en el ciudadano común la idea de que la política es para unos pocos y que para no tener problemas es mejor estar al margen. Este mensaje lo ha difundido usando diferentes vías: cárceles para los que ejercen las libertades cívicas, expulsiones de centros de trabajos y educativos y hasta las más subliminales, como el control de casi todos los espacios cívicos, por ejemplo el arte, la música y el cine, donde cualquier política que no sea la gubernamental está vedada.

Todas estas técnicas implementadas por el sistema totalitario le han hecho creer al cubano que verdaderamente este es un tema prohibido. ¿Cuántas veces no hemos escuchado a nuestros mayores diciéndonos: ''Si no quieren problemas, no se atrevan a dar criterios políticos''? Es que en nuestro afán de escapar del dolor y olvidar las malas memorias, estamos cayendo en pozos aún más profundos y negros como la indiferencia.

Si nos sentimos orgullosos de las palmas tan verdes y erguidas, de la hermosura de nuestras playas y de la hospitalidad de nuestra gente, y si en cada rincón fuera de Cuba gritamos a viva voz que somos cubanos, entonces no podemos dejar en manos de unos pocos lo que por derecho también nos toca, la política, ésa que es libre y no la dicta nadie. Esto no quiere decir que tengamos todos que ejercer políticas de Estado ni convertirnos en politólogos. Pero velar por Cuba y su gente, brindar ideas y opiniones es parte de nuestro deber.

Usemos la misma fe, a la que recurrimos para progresar en tierras extrañas. Vivimos exiliados por la falta de libertad de nuestra tierra, que muchos enmascaramos con motivos menores como necesidades económicas, falta de desarrollo profesional, ausencia de proyectos de vida, entre otros. Emprendamos nuevos caminos y vayamos al fondo de los problemas. Los cubanos no somos apáticos, sólo que hemos dudado por la oscuridad de la tormenta. La sociedad también es nuestra y tenemos derecho a cambiarla, rescatemos la conciencia ciudadana dormida dentro de nosotros. La libertad tiene un alto precio, pero no dejemos que el miedo nos brinde una cómoda silla para pararnos en nuestra lucha por alcanzarla. Nunca es tarde para comenzar.

But I Thought Fidel Said Ethanol was Evil...

Cuba building six sugar mills under ALBA plan

HAVANA, May 4 (Reuters) - Cuba is building six sugar mills for countries participating in a Venezuelan-led cooperation program called the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), the official trade union weekly Trabajadores said on Monday.

Reporting from the heart of he country's machine-building industry in Villa Clara province, the paper said some of the mills would be fitted to produce ethanol and the industry was also supplying spare parts for ALBA countries.

"Six mills are being built, and some will be fitted with technology to convert them to ethanol producers," the paper said.

ALBA, begun by Venezuela and Cuba, also includes Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominica, but the article did not say where the mills will be located.

The contract is a boom for Cuba's machine-building industry, which built eight sugar mills for domestic use between 1965 and 1985, and has seen supply contracts for the domestic sugar industry dwindle as it is downsized.

Since the decade began Cuba has closed some 90 mills, all built before the 1959 revolution.

Some of the closed mills and parts were sold to Venezuela. (Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

JAMA!!