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The Two Cubas

governmentdirt.com — The contrast between the shrouded Communist Party line and the candor of the kind and hospitable people could not have been starker.

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  • mikeyrock, on 10/11/2007, -6/+15The whole dual currency thing blows my mind.. "In one evening a pretty prostitute can make five times the salary that a doctor makes in a month"
    • foxhaze, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4I guess that's a pretty good suggestion about whose "services" are more valuable.
    • Nougat, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3If I only had to work twelve days a year to make five times what a doctor makes, I'd be all over it.
      • NSResponder, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Even if the doctor was only making $21/month?

        -jcr
      • wageslaven, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Some people might find the notion of being a public servant an honour. But, I guess in America, it doesnt matter if your a prostitute or a doctor -- just as long as you make money.

        That said, I think prostitution should be legalized and is a job like any other. But, I think one's ability to help is community is eclipsed by being a medical doctor.

        Id rather be poor and respected than rich and loathed.
    • FongoBongo, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6I've been to Cuba and let me say, there are Russian born 3rd generation cuban speaking prostitutes all over Habana. They're pretty hot.
      • KnightWhoSaysNi, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1What the hell is a "Cuban speaking prostitute"?
        How can you visit a country an not even know what language they speak there?
        • pp7k, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2What do you mean? He speaks American, they speak Cuban. Simple.
    • arjie, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I went to Egypt last December. There a man in a papyrus shop told me he could make more money on a few papyrus sheets than a doctor could in a month. Euros, you know. Bigger than the Egyptian Pound.
  • SeraphTrev, on 10/11/2007, -6/+16I have a few friends who teach here in my university that are from Cuba, they get paid 350 Cuban pesos (that's about 25 dlls or less i think) a month in there country, and what they get paid here in Mexico they get taxed 80% in customs when they go back.
    Its not strange to find the guy who drives your taxi or performs on the street is actually a doctor, engineer, physicist, etc etc.
    • arjie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Hey that happens in Iran too. In fact, around last year that was on digg, I think. Here in India, there was this autorickshaw driver we met just a couple of days back who was remarkably well-versed. An autorickshaw driver! It's a third-world phenomenon.
  • digits12, on 10/11/2007, -5/+10A dual monetary system created further discrimination in this supposedly egalitarian society
  • gsmaster, on 10/11/2007, -7/+34excellent contrast, for all those whole believe that communism rocks...
    • orvtech, on 10/11/2007, -7/+19I would love to see those communist-wanna-be live 1 year in Venezuela a country turning to the communist side. They can go to Vzla and get their ID for $1 or less and no legal papper work nesesary as long as you support the goverment. so as a Venezolano (arrecho ya de tanta mariquera porcierto), I would like to extend an invitation to all those communist-wanna-be. here is my Oppen Invitation:

      You�re American You Live in USA You don�t like American Goverment. Me Neither, I�m Venezuelan.
      You�re American You Live in USA You like Venezuelan Goverment. I don�t like Venezuelan Goverment. I�m Venezuelan

      Which are our diferences?

      You�re American, I�m Venezuelan.
      You live in USA. I live in Venezuela.
      You know American Goverment. I know Venezuela Goverment.
      You like Venezuelan Goverment. I don�t like Venezuelan Goverment.

      My proposal:

      You should Move to Venezuela for 1 year living like a Venezuelan, I would like to move to USA and live for 1 year and live like an American.

      Diferences?

      This are you�re you�re rights living like a Venezuela citizen:

      you have the right to be victim of crime.
      you have the right to be beated if critizcs the goverment instead of Chavez supporters.
      you have the right to be called "escualido" if you�re not Chavez supporter.
      you have the right to go to "Perez de Leon Hospital" and buy medicines byyourself, right from your poor pocket
      you have the right to wait for 1 year and buy a brand new cheap car
      you have the right to eat meat, as soon you could find some
      you have the right to drink all milk you want, as soon you could find it
      you have the right to work as a goverment employee, only if you�re are or simulate being a Chavez supporter.
      you have the right say wharever you want, but be carefully talking ***** of goverment close to "Esquina Caliente" in Caracas Downtown.
      you have the right to see any tv program you want it, only if our President is not talking ***** as he uses to in all tv chanells and saying stupid jokes or if he has not closed the channel.
      This terror movie saga, we call it "Cadenas".
      you have the right to dream having a new home, and save as much money you can like a rat race behind inflation.
      you have the right to get help from goverment, as soon you wear a red shirt, say Chavez is on earth and perfect almost a living saint, and you hate Americans and American Empire (but you still use Levis, Nike, etc..).
      You have more rights, but you will know them as soon you stay here like a Venezuelan(as matter a fact, like a poor Venezuelan).

      Now you know some reasons i don�t like a Goverment with a communist system, I wish I could have the oportunity to know your Goverment better and I would like to know if I like an 'Imperialist' goverment as you 'like' a Communist goverment.

      I�m sorry my bad English, i could improve it when i could work there and earn enough money for paying english studing.
      • keenada, on 10/11/2007, -3/+5Thanks for your perspective. It's so nice to hear directly from a person living in a country, and not a spokesperson.
        • orvtech, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7that is what i say... is not the same the opinion of a turist that expended 2 weeks on the country in Puerto La cruz o Los Roques and like 3 days in the city than having to make a living in Caracas for example.

          I will also like for people to think about my oppen letter when they put gasoline that comes from Venezuela (Citgo, PDVSA, etc..). their money is being use for propaganda whyle we, Venezolanos live in these conditions: http://www.noolvidaremos.com/Fotos.html
          • wageslaven, on 10/17/2007, -3/+5It must be nice to have a computer, in a Nation with an average individual income of $7,166. Behind such "wealthy" nations as China, Namibia, Panama, Columbia, Bosnia, Kazakhstan or, about 30% behind the world average.

            No wonder you dont like Chavez, he's trying to build a middle class in an otherwise poor nation.
      • JohnInMT, on 10/10/2007, -7/+3Welcome to America (and no this isn't a YAY Chavez post...):

        You have the right to be victim of crime, then further victimized by the justice system if the criminal has lots'o money and can afford one of the MANY high priced attorneys out there. You also have the right to be accused of a serious crime, and if you aren't one of the wealthy, not be able to afford an attorney, get stuck with the public defender, and quickly shipped off to jail.

        You have the right to be tear gassed, tazed, beaten, etc (occasionally shot...Kent State) if you protest the actions of your government.
        You have the right to be called "liberal", "commie", "hippie", "troofer", "moonbat" if you're not a Bush supporter.

        If you are one of the 40+million without insurance, you have the right to go to a doctor, get screwed, then go to a pharmacist and get further screwed all out of your own poor pocket. If you have insurance, you have the right to have your claim denied and be screwed again on multiple levels.

        You have a right to not be able to afford a new car since you work at walmart or some other employer who pays well below a living wage and you need the money to afford a craphole of an apartment and food (That will most likely cause some horrible cancer for you years down the road).

        You have the right to eat bovine growth hormone laced meat, even though BGH is banned in most other countries. Oh by the way, According to the us health department, 1 out of every 2 males in the US will develop some sort of invasive cancer in his life, and 1 out of every 3 females will too. Welcome to America..have some cancer..sponsored by Monsanto!

        You have the right to drink all milk you want, from BGH, sickly cows, with quite an unusual amount of PUS allowed in the milk by the FDA. Would you like Pus and Cancer with your hormone & chemically enhanced milk?

        You have the right to work as a Judge here in the US, but if you don't agree with Bush you have the right to be fired by someone like Gonzales. You also have the right to work for the government, as long as you aren't a convicted felon who got nabbed with some drugs back when you were 18 and tossed in prison in a country that holds close to 25% of the worlds prison population.

        You have the right say whatever you want, but be careful talking ***** about the government close to Police officers, outside of "Free Speech Zones" at protests, or if you talk ***** about Bush that could be by any stretch of the imagination be viewed as hostile intent towards him, near any person that may report you.

        You have the right to see any tv program you want which are all owned and controlled by 6 enormous corporations that are run for profit and not for the public benefit by any stretch of the imagination, most, if not all of them with serious ties to defense contractors and oil companies.

        This terror saga, we call it 9/11, is used for stripping our rights away every day and scaring the crap out of our nations population so they don't seem to mind their rights being taken away as long as they are kept safe.

        "You have the right to dream having a new home, and save as much money you can like a rat race behind inflation." Um...not much I can change here, you pretty much summed this one up perfectly for the US too.

        You have the right to get help from government IF you are a big corporation like Boeing, American Airlines, AT&T, etc etc. You hate foreigners (but you still use Nikes made in sweatshops in other countries and shop at walmart where damn near everything is sweat shop made).

        You will have a great understanding of your rights as soon as you stay here like a poor American. You will also then have a great understanding that you are nothing more than a wage slave and everything you've earned be taken away from you at any time (or washed away like during Hurricane Katrina). Oh you didn't have insurance because you couldn't afford it? Too bad...your house is gone. Oh, you had insurance, but not Flood insurance..well since it was the flood that destroyed your house *Claim Denied*. Oh..you had flood insurance, but...the damage was actually caused by the Wind from the hurricane.. *CLAIM DENIED*.

        Good luck in our corporate controlled capitalist country! You'll need it....
        • wageslaven, on 11/03/2007, -4/+2Welcome to America (and no this isn't a YAY Chavez post...):

          You have the right to be victim of crime, then further victimized by the justice system if the criminal has lots'o money and can afford one of the MANY high priced attorneys out there. You also have the right to be accused of a serious crime, and if you aren't one of the wealthy, not be able to afford an attorney, get stuck with the public defender, and quickly shipped off to jail.

          You have the right to be tear gassed, tazed, beaten, etc (occasionally shot...Kent State) if you protest the actions of your government.
          You have the right to be called "liberal", "commie", "hippie", "troofer", "moonbat" if you're not a Bush supporter.

          If you are one of the 40+million without insurance, you have the right to go to a doctor, get screwed, then go to a pharmacist and get further screwed all out of your own poor pocket. If you have insurance, you have the right to have your claim denied and be screwed again on multiple levels.

          You have a right to not be able to afford a new car since you work at walmart or some other employer who pays well below a living wage and you need the money to afford a craphole of an apartment and food (That will most likely cause some horrible cancer for you years down the road).

          You have the right to eat bovine growth hormone laced meat, even though BGH is banned in most other countries. Oh by the way, According to the us health department, 1 out of every 2 males in the US will develop some sort of invasive cancer in his life, and 1 out of every 3 females will too. Welcome to America..have some cancer..sponsored by Monsanto!

          You have the right to drink all milk you want, from BGH, sickly cows, with quite an unusual amount of PUS allowed in the milk by the FDA. Would you like Pus and Cancer with your hormone & chemically enhanced milk?

          You have the right to work as a Judge here in the US, but if you don't agree with Bush you have the right to be fired by someone like Gonzales. You also have the right to work for the government, as long as you aren't a convicted felon who got nabbed with some drugs back when you were 18 and tossed in prison in a country that holds close to 25% of the worlds prison population.

          You have the right say whatever you want, but be careful talking ***** about the government close to Police officers, outside of "Free Speech Zones" at protests, or if you talk ***** about Bush that could be by any stretch of the imagination be viewed as hostile intent towards him, near any person that may report you.

          You have the right to see any tv program you want which are all owned and controlled by 6 enormous corporations that are run for profit and not for the public benefit by any stretch of the imagination, most, if not all of them with serious ties to defense contractors and oil companies.

          This terror saga, we call it 9/11, is used for stripping our rights away every day and scaring the crap out of our nations population so they don't seem to mind their rights being taken away as long as they are kept safe.

          "You have the right to dream having a new home, and save as much money you can like a rat race behind inflation." Um...not much I can change here, you pretty much summed this one up perfectly for the US too.

          You have the right to get help from government IF you are a big corporation like Boeing, American Airlines, AT&T, etc etc. You hate foreigners (but you still use Nikes made in sweatshops in other countries and shop at walmart where damn near everything is sweat shop made).

          You will have a great understanding of your rights as soon as you stay here like a poor American. You will also then have a great understanding that you are nothing more than a wage slave and everything you've earned be taken away from you at any time (or washed away like during Hurricane Katrina). Oh you didn't have insurance because you couldn't afford it? Too bad...your house is gone. Oh, you had insurance, but not Flood insurance..well since it was the flood that destroyed your house *Claim Denied*. Oh..you had flood insurance, but...the damage was actually caused by the Wind from the hurricane.. *CLAIM DENIED*.

          Good luck in our corporate controlled capitalist country! You'll need it....
      • aptimass, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3No country is perfect, and people vote with their feet. The USA still has more people coming to it than most other countries. I just noticed Canada has more coming in (on a per capita basis) hopefully it is guys like you that are leaving.
    • xyplex2, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1I would love to go to Venezuela for a year, and come home with a wife.
  • ScoobyG, on 10/11/2007, -5/+16This just in: dictatorship actually unfair.

    I mean, good article, but how is this the least bit surprising?
    • jonnyeh, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7Some Commie supporters truly think Cuba is a paradise. I've heard people tell me how the Cubans are so much happier, they don't have to worry about mortgages. I'll take a mortgage, if it means I can be free. Prisoners don't pay rent either.
      • geddon, on 10/10/2007, -7/+2God Bless the Capitalist Right Wing agenda for showing us exactly what human life is worth.
      • wageslaven, on 10/10/2007, -4/+2You are dillusional. Goto Cuba. You'll see _with your own eyes_ that they are Free. They arent trapped by debt and consumerism. Do they have vast piles of Shopping Mall Products(TM) all over their houses? No. But they have food, simple TVs and Radios, and everything else they _need_.

        The USA's current status as wealthiest nation isnt a product of USA domestic policy being correct. Its a place in history, did the USA get bombed to rubble during WWII? What of the slaughter and theft of the Continent from the First Nations? Virgin lands free for the stealing tends to build a good amount of instant wealth.

        You are absolutely BLINDED with jingoism. The USA is a product of a place and time in history, not a testimoney to the "Rightness" of your system.

        Their are plenty of places with better systems. Cuba is close to being one of them.
        • Takalth, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1How come you don't have a clue what freedom is? Debt and consumerism are results of a person's bad choices that they were FREE to make.
          Freedom means that the government lets you make your own choices, limiting them only when they stop others from being able to do so. Freedom has nothing to do having your needs or wants met. Freedom also has the trait that you must live with the consequences of your choices, which is the part that a lot of people can't handle.
          As so many other people in the world today, you viciously oppose freedom, but since speaking against it sounds so bad, you redefine it. If you wish to openly oppose freedom, I'm sure we'll have a great debate, but don't oppose it by redefining it.
        • pp7k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1They most certainly are not free. Can free people be imprisoned indefinitely for speaking against the government? Or for being homosexual, in any other way being labeled "defective" by the state? Yes, the U.S. is ***** up in a lot of ways, but it's wrong to look at Cuba through rose coloured glasses because of that.

          Who the ***** are you to tell people what they "_need_"? What could make these people leave their blissful existence on an overloaded dingy into open seas? People just like you were apologists for Russian communism as well. Fidel Castro threw down as corrupt US puppet government, that's true. He replaced it with something just as bad. He is a murderous megalomaniac. His death should be celebrated throughout the world.

          By the way, the article is correct in that every opening into every home is covered with metal bars and lattices. Strange that these are necessary in a land utterly devoid of materialism where everyone has everything they need.

          There are many kinds of jingoism. You aren't free of it, you've just subscribed to a different provider.
    • geddon, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2We're taking a cigar break from discussing the American Totalitarian Regime. Oh, no we're not! American's can't smoke in public. My bad.
  • pishy12, on 10/10/2007, -13/+5Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if America didn't sabotage communism...
    • aptimass, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10Take a trip to a communist country and then come back and tell us.
    • iduridur07, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9It would SUCK as it always does. Your romantic views of Communism is smashed by the cold hard reality of an always corrupt powerful few. Look at Russia. power corrupts. Go to capitalism where hard work works!!!
      • fucayama, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Ha ha good one.
        Like there's no chance of "an always corrupt powerful few" doing anything nasty in a good old fashioned capitalist state like in the US, jeez.
        I doubt communism will ever work either but the western states I live in and love are by no means perfect either.
      • TWINFM, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I don't really think that working hard is the goal of capitalism. I would say that the goal of capitalism is to make the easiest buck you can.
        "Go to capitalism where hard work works!!!" Sounds like a propaganda poster from the 50's. Maybe you should look at your own romantic views.
      • geddon, on 10/10/2007, -2/+1I had no idea that Anti-Capitalists existed on Digg! I thought the whole "work hard and some day you'll be able to pay off your mortgage" crap had sunk in to the next generation of morons with no idea they're the product of WWII propaganda. Makes me wanna pull their gold plated nipples right off their bible belt!
    • geddon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3America: Land of Ring Wing Conservative Freedom!
      • Ebulating, on 10/10/2007, -2/+2Digg: Land of Left Wing Radical Idiocy.
        • geddon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Somewhat conflicts with Rawn Pawl: Poster Boy for Anti-Socialism, don'cha think?
  • t1m0j5, on 10/11/2007, -4/+6And this is NEW news?
  • sphigel, on 10/11/2007, -3/+14"It was explained that Cuba is an island without drugs, crime, or prostitution, where the people can speak freely and are not burdened by a free press."

    I'll take the "burden" of a free press any day.
    • wageslaven, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Look up how "free" the US of American Press is:

      http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=47

      And, just because the USA government isnt beating and jailling journalists, doesnt mean that the information isnt controlled. The corporate control of the USA media does more to influence its content than Americans understand.

      • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1look at the realy of Venezuela a country turning communist (Capitalismo de estado en realidad) http://www.noolvidaremos.com/Fotos.html
      • pp7k, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1But Americans have a choice. They choose not to care. If they lose their freedom, it will be through their own inaction. The truth is not banned there, just harder to find.
  • ereg, on 10/18/2007, -7/+4You all know ware I stand on Communism: I'm agenst it!
    Frankly when the Castro kicks it, I'm takeing the 4 hour drive to Miami to join in the parade.
    • dukrous, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4As a cuban living in miami, I will not celebrate. No one, no matter how evil, should have their death celebrated. Instead we should silently reflect on the untold number of deaths caused by the world's acceptance of socialist Cuba.
      • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -2/+4Thumbs up for you but i do think it is something really personal how to take the end of a life who took to many lifes, destroyed families and did that much evil.

        Me, personally will celebrate the day that Chavez goes down. and i will feel Happy for Cuba the day that Raul together with the cuban regime recognize that Fidel is death. how ever i will not 'party' on that.
      • ZenMojo, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1Chavez. Do you even know anything that Chavez has ever done, or are you going by the Bush Administration's party line. No, seriously, name one thing off the top of your head other than that he's Communist because he WAS elected after all and REINSTALLED after a failed coup by Big Business.
        • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1No, he did won the first elections fair and scuare, how ever the Asambela Nacional is 100% pro chavez (talk about a bi-cameral goverment) the CNE (the entity that controls the elections) is 100% pro chavez. the day that they where going to do a check ont he voting machines... mistriously the 2 flors burned at Torres de Parque Central. and just so you have your facts clear it was an auto cup planed for him G2 stile to clean the Military from people that where honest and actual venezuelans (no los traidores de mierda de hoy en dia), this same cup was and have been used by F. Castro Many times and it will be used in Bolivia shortly.

          Please read and document your self before putting your self to ridicule.

          Un Venezolano Arrecho.
  • FongoBongo, on 10/18/2007, -4/+15As a Canadian I have been to Cuba many times and every time I have enjoyed it thoroughly. Although I stayed on a resort, I did venture into Habana where locals invited me for dinner and thereafter we all went out to the bar district and partied - I even stayed the night. Needless to say, the conception of Cuba as a completely repressive Regime is not completely true. There were many occasions where Cubans spoke to my friends and I. Hell, we even went to a "Cuban" club (one where no tourists go to). At no point did I ever feel like my life was in danger or I was being exploited whatsoever. These people treated me with genuine hospitality and asked for nothing in return. My experience in Cuba with the locals was amazing and I would definitely do it again.
    • TWINFM, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4I imagine a large reason that so many were nervous to speak with these reporters was because of the fact that they are reporters.
    • wageslaven, on 10/18/2007, -1/+4Exactly my experience. Ive travelled extensively, and Ive never met a more informed, pleasant and welcoming people.
    • Kikinou, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Try straying outside Havana, see how great it is there. Havana is like what Moscow was in the Soviet Union under Stalin. Great! But the rest of the country...
      • FongoBongo, on 10/18/2007, -0/+2I've also been to Veradaro and Caya CoCo, regardless of where you go people are kind. I didn't talk about the living conditions, which compared to what we are use to, is really bad.
  • SilentSpyder, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4Why is this under Offbeat news? I think World News would be better. I'm tempted to bury but I wont.
  • ronaldst, on 10/11/2007, -5/+7The US should lift the embargo against Cuba. IMO it would torpedo the fascist island. Cubans living in Florida would have the chance to fight castrator the dicktator.
    • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2how do y ou compensate for the big money that the goverment will be getting in ? you really think that the exposure to the 'imperialistas' will help? take a look at venezuela and the big money that goes in because of oil as an example of a dictator with a big checkbook.

      PD: i am really asking, not being ironic. i just dont get how will that work.
      • spinchange, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I'll take a shot at it. It's not guaranteed to work, but nothing is. However, by opening up trade, fostering more economic ties, the country and it's people at least have a better chance at prosperity and economic freedom. If a country is run by a dictator, trade or not, they have problems. Generally speaking though, when the people, including the rulers, get a little taste of capitalism and see it's benefits, they like it and at least loosen the noose of central economic planning which simply doesn't work in a globalized economy. Additionally location and proximity to the US would give Cuba even more economic advantages than Venezuela.
        • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i see your point but i dont think that it will be a good think ro that it will work seeing how the cuban goverment have behave. how ever i think that is for the cubans to deside. it is a shame that they can not express them self freely.
  • diggerman, on 10/10/2007, -4/+1Here is a good video about life inside Cuba http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-108055279 ...
  • diggerman, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Here is a good video about life inside Cuba http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QEa9OrDGFQ
  • mahdaeng, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Oh, but the free health care is worth it.

    Isn't it?
  • wageslaven, on 10/31/2007, -6/+5Ive been there too. This article is 100% BS.

    "The locals are not allowed to speak with the tourists. In fact it felt as though no one could speak freely."

    *****. When I was there, we made friends with some local boat workers. We ran around in their cars. Visited their houses for dinner on more than one occasion. Walked around their towns, stopped at the local Shop and had coffee with the old people. We visited the most amazing pristine beach (massive, not a single building, it was amazing).

    Up the road (750 meters?) from our string of resorts was the village for the employees of the resorts. We walked up there, day or night, on more than one occassion and milled about chatting with the local people.



    "Prostitution, addictive indulgences, and other ‘crimes’ were common entrepreneurial activitie"

    *****. Any other city would have had people wisper "girls", "weed" as you pass. Happens everywhere. Guess what? I didnt hear it a single time. If there were prostitutes, they were a fcuk of a lot less visible than the ones a half a dozen blocks from where I am sitting right now.

    We were clearly tourists, if there was prostitution, we'd have gotten some attention at the beach-side bars. Anyone who has travelled to a "poor place" knows how the dealers swarm you. Happened to me in Mexico and the Domincian, you can forget about any peace in Jamaca, totally over run by aggressive dealers -- our party remarked just how PEACEFULL it was not having people trying to sell you all the time. There were some in our party that were *wanting* to find a little big of pot, no luck. I've NEVER been to a place where it was *MORE* difficult to get drugs.

    We were in plenty of places, looking plenty like a cash-flush tourist where we could have been approached. Not once. Ask me about Europe, or Amerian Cities, or Costa Rica or other islands. Girls and Drugs everywhere -- *TOO* much (if you can imagine) in all Cuba's neighbours for sure (CR, DR, Mexico).

    "A dual monetary system created further discrimination in this supposedly egalitarian society."

    Cuba has pegged its currency. Whats the issue? Now, this guy is a Fiscal Policy Analyst?

    "It was glaringly obvious that the Communist Party Members enjoyed things and privileges not available to the general population of Cubans."

    *****! I couldnt have told you who was a party member or not. I travelled all over the place, there were no local despots and petty dictators. Perhaps in the Capital, you'll see dignitaries in a string of new cars -- but how is that different than here? The gap between "Party" and "citizen" doesnt exist there any more than "Ruler" and "citizen" exists in N.America. Are American Politicians all middle class and humble?

    "It was evident that the choice to not burden the people by a free press was the Party’s means of controlling and withholding awareness"

    They were more than aware. They knew much more about international history and international current affairs than your average American. I spoke at great lenght, with many people at politics, and they were anything less than "controlled" and "unaware".

    At our hotel, there was a series of free-access computers -- without any filters, setup in public. I used them for email and such, and on many occassions, I saw the employees sitting, reading the news. Not a problem.

    "Leaving Cuba may be possible but the difficulty to do so, combined with the living conditions certainly makes a small crowded boat.."

    People want to leave everywhere. I dont support the policy of forbidding Cubans to emmigrate. But, if they didnt have this policy, imagine what chaos the USA could cause by saying "Any Cuban can have $100,000 if he leaves Cuba and comes to the USA." Dont think for a second that both nations arent aware of this weapon.

    Further, ask _YOURSELF_ "as an american, why does _MY_ Government forbid me from emmigrating or visiting Cuba"? Read your Domestic Press (this kind of propaganda included), and then ask _YOURSELF_ "is my press being honest? What awareness is being withheld?"

    This whole article, from top to bottom, was written by a paranoid old cold-warrior. Totally fabricated from his myopic, jingoist worldview.

    I've been to Cuba. The people do _VERY_ well considering what far worse fate they could have. Look all around the rest of the world -- hundreds of millions in absolute poverty. Why isnt magic capitalism working for Haiti? Why not Africa? How about Central and South America? Where is the American-style affluent Middle Class in those nations?

    Cuba is doing _VERY_ well. USA, EU, Japan and some other places do better, but Cuba does a fcuk of a lot better than might have been the case if it continued to be a american mafia controlled american annex.

    Is it perfect in Cuba? No. I dont agree with forbidding the free press. But goto http://www.rsf.org/ and lookup the USA. I dont agree with their non-transparent judicial system. But you only have to look at the current state of Citizens Rights in the USA, American foreign invasions, Domestic Spying, Extraordinary Rendition, Torture and Abuse across their "Judicial System".

    Americans get a _VERY_ healthy does of domestic propagnada and discourse framing.

    Finally, regarding my travelling to Cuba. Dont take my word for it. Fly to Cuba via Mexico. When you arrive at the Cuban Borders, they will *NOT* stamp your passport, they'll give you a single-sheet visa to put inside your passport while you are there.

    Cubans will welcome you just as they did me. They *do* know what fantasies Americans are told about life in Cuba, many of them were very eager to show ordinary US citizens how well they live, and what they have to be proud of.

    Go, visit yourself. You'll love it. You'll be amazed. You'll know, 100% without a doubt, that this article is 100% fcuking bullshiat.

    This guy has a right wing nutcase, a nocon, libertarian idiot. Look at the memes all over the rest of the site. "Cynics guide to policits", "Federal Bureau.." blah blah. He's a sociopathic nutjob. I'd be surprised if he even _WENT_ to Cuba.
    • geddon, on 10/31/2007, -3/+2Thank you for putting the human quality back into Cuba.

      Americans are programmed to put horns on the forehead of anything akin to Socialism. I think it's sad that a Socialist would have no chance of running for office in the States, but I think it's unforgivable that the younger generation continues to swing nooses from the political trees to hang on to their Conservative ideals.
    • topapito, on 10/31/2007, -0/+1wageslaven? You've been to Cuba what? Once? And this one time vacation in a tourist hotel and a US passport in your pocket gives you all this untold knowledge? try living there like I did for 36 years as a Cuban! You are wrong in most of your assumptions. There is no truth to your statements of how well we live. What the ***** do you know what Cubans have to live through? Your answers are very insulting. The fact that we do not cry about how we live and are a dignified people does not mean that we are continually starved and repressed. Cuba is doing very well, yeah, so is Haiti and Darfur I guess then too, right?
  • ElCheM0, on 10/31/2007, -3/+3What USA want? another Caribbean democratic country like Haiti?
    Too many people wants to leave Cuba... and Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador...
    The USA government starts the embargo before the communism was fully implemented just because Castro does not want to reestablish the "US Factory friendly" politics.
  • ZenMojo, on 10/31/2007, -1/+1As long as the United States prevents me from traveling to Cuba and trading, they don't get a free pass.
  • BenderRodriquez, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0The embargo if Cuba is ridiculous. I am no friend of dictatorship nor communism, but I really question the point of this embargo for many reasons:

    1. It surely cannot have anything to do with freedom since the US happily trades with both China and Vietnam, both communist one-party states.

    2. It restrains the freedom of Americans who cannot travel freely to Cuba. I would be very angry if my country would refused me the right to travel to a certain country. This is undemocratic!

    3. The embargo does not only affect US-Cuban trade. It affects all trade since the US policy is to punish all companies trading with Cuba no matter country of origin.

    4. Many say that the embargo has no effect and that Castro is to blame for everything. Then why do you have an embargo in the first place?
    • geddon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You're no friend of Dictatorship nor Communism? How do you feel about Totalitarianism and America?
    • topapito, on 10/31/2007, -0/+1The embargo was put into place when castro nationalized and stole all the properties belonging to US citizens and large companies. It was the proper thing to do at the time. In my opinion, it lasted way too long and has been maintained by the very companies and people who lost everything, who coincidentally, maintain their level of power over US policy towards Cuba. The only thing the embargo accomplishes today is to make castro look like a hero for withstanding it. Basically, it helps him more than it hurts him.
  • jodido, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2Wageslaven is exactly right. This original post is nothing but repetition of US govt/big business media propaganda that's all we've gotten since 1959. Anyone who's actually been there knows how ridiculous his description is. For example, "Cubans are forbidden to talk to foreigners." Think about this for a second--how could it possibly be enforced? Who knows who's a foreigner? What about waiters in tourist hotels, or taxi drivers? Or the staff at museums? Also--I'd stack Cuban high school students up against US to see who knows more about what's going on in the world. The fact is that if Cuba were the way it's described here the US wouldn't be trying to overthrow it, it would be a close US ally. Can you spell Pinochet?
    • orvtech, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1i w'd rather have a picnochet than a Hugo chavez or a Castro.
    • topapito, on 10/31/2007, -0/+1jodido, if I could guess your ip, I would say it comes right from the state security department in Havana. And if you live in Havana, I know why you call yourself jodido.
  • Error601, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I'm in the anti-embargo crowd. Economic growth and the rise of the private sector is the best way to eliminate government control and give it back to the people.
    • kaelyiesta, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Yep. See china for a nice example of that(granted, it's still a work in progress). Now, the problem is when the private sector begins to mesh with government, then corruption runs rampant. You get the worst aspects of socialistic and capitalistic ideals. The FCC, FDA etc are good examples of what I mean.
  • rmeddy, on 10/31/2007, -1/+1QUE?
  • flaterates, on 10/31/2007, -2/+1I had a girl friend in the early 1970's who went to Cuba with the "Venceremos Brigade". This was classified by the CIA and FBI, at the time, as a "terrorist training camp". They made these young American adults cut cane all day, then have political discussion 'till bed time. So if a machete is a weapon of mass destruction, god save us all.
  • Anglemona, on 10/31/2007, -1/+1Prostitution, addictive indulgences, and other ‘crimes’ were common entrepreneurial activities.
  • RoadTipper, on 10/31/2007, -1/+1Homosexuality is illegal in Cuba. And, sodomy is a crime that lands lots of people in jail.

    At one time Cuba was the hope of the Western Left as the model of socialism.

    Things may change eventually but probably not while Fidel rules.
    • topapito, on 10/31/2007, -0/+1Hate to dispel rumors, but homosexuality has not been illegal in Cuba for some time. It used to be, and it was really tough for gays and lesbians, but not any longer.
  • ximiei, on 10/31/2007, -1/+1retain Kevin's current complaisance

    BURIED
    HANDS
    SECTION—mŽq
  • topapito, on 10/31/2007, -0/+2Just found out today that in Havana, if you are a Cuban, you can now call for an ambulance if you get sick. Service is wonderful I hear. The catch? You must pay in CUC. The castro rant is ***** people. Just a bunch of lies. The story of the two Cubas is an old joke in Cuba. We ask people who speak about how great Cuba is which one they visited, cause the one we get to live in sucks.
  •  

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