JP in Cuba

[SteveAJones]

There is no justification for this embargo and never has been.

You went a bridge too far when you added never has been. I am referring of course to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[Silver Rider]

(Gerardo Machado was the President of Cuba during the 1930s. In 1952, the United States recognized Fulgencia Batista's government and he became President in 1955. Fidel Castro assumed power in 1959.)

[rushzep]

There is a lot of bullshit here, I must say - and in the articles posted!

Of course, Jimmy has made no statement about Cuba's rulers, the revolution, the Communist Party or anything. He just went there, as people do. There has been organized travel over the years by Cuban Friendship associations around the world, and that's different; most of the people who have gone there via those organizations have at least some political sympathy with the (Fidel and Raúl) Castro regime. Jimmy didn't. He's a musician, and speaks a universal language understood by millions of people whatever the cultural and political differences.

Perhaps I should state a few facts. First, Castro is not responsible in any way whatsoever for the death of Camilo Cienfuegos. Secondly, he did not encourage Che Guevara to leave Cuba and resume guerilla fighting elsewhere, and is not responsible for his death either. Blame Bolivian authorities: They murdered him, and they really didn't have to. Thirdly, for those concerned with human rights, there is no gulag in Cuba, and never has been - however there is a little something in Guantanamó, for which Castro is not responsible. Fourthly, while there have been real problems with political repression in Cuba, they have never been on anything like a similar scale as in the Soviet Union or the Eastern Bloc, as it used to be called. Fifth, we have no way of knowing what things would be like in Cuba today if the revolution hadn't occurred, so the only realistic thing we can do is keep in mind the situation as it was in the era of Fulgencio Batista, when Cuba was a huge Casino/whorehouse for rich U.S. visitors and businessmen. It was one of the poorest countries in Latin America, a big part of the population more or less permanently unemployed. For decades now, thanks to the revolution, the education and health care systems are the best you will find in Latin America - and the literacy rate was higher than in the U.S. last time I checked. Sixth point - the economic difficulties are in large part (not at all exclusively, but it's a complicated story) due to the long-standing U.S. embargo on the island, which Washington has time and time again made an effort to force other countries to participate in. There is no justification for this embargo and never has been. It's unjust and ridiculous.

Aye, brother. The Batista regime was terrible.

[FireOpal]

Excellent post, Otto.

[Otto Masson]

Thanks for the kind words, people.

Steve, I realized there is a real risk straying off topic when I include remarks like these in my post. But the thing is, we all form opinions in different ways, and even if we try our best to have an informed opinion on things, we may still catch ourselves actually relying on meagre, one-sided or even bad information. So I simply wanted to point out that some of the things that had been said earlier amounted to an extremely one-sided account of the Cuban revolution, Castro's role, and all that. The short reply to your comment, however, is that the U.S. government already decided to overthrow the Cuban revolutionary government after about six months, during the summer of 1959. That's pretty quick. Right after that, violent and provocative acts were being organized and supported by the CIA in the island, and the embargo was decided upon in November 1960, - while the missile crisis, however you interpret the whole context of it, only happened in 1962, and hence didn't play a role in the justification of the embargo.

[SteveAJones]

Steve, the missile crisis, however you interpret the whole context of it, only happened in 1962, and hence didn't play a role in the justification of the embargo.

Your point of view is that the embargo was never justified. Mine is that the Cuban Missile Crisis further justified the embargo (in place since mid-1958) and quite rightfully lead to further restrictions.

[Otto Masson]

Your point of view is that the embargo was never justified. Mine is that the Cuban Missile Crisis further justified the embargo (in place since mid-1958) and quite rightfully lead to further restrictions.

I disagree, but well, there you go - if we start debating that, it would be off-topic.

[Silver Rider]

Led Zeppelin guitarist made a surprise visit to Cuba (+ Video)

Guitarrista de Led Zeppelin realizó una visita sorpresa a Cuba (+ Video)

www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2011/01/25/guitarrista-de-led-zeppelin-realizo-una-visita-sorpresa-a-cuba-video/