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One for the Castro fan club

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Via The Miami Herald:

"a new poll indicat[es] that more than four out of five Cubans surveyed inside the country are unhappy with its direction.  The survey, conducted by the International Republican Institute, also found that one in five Cubans named food scarcity as their biggest worry, and 82 percent said life in Cuba was going ``so-so, badly or very badly.'' That was up slightly from 80 percent in November 2008, the last time the study was conducted....The poll had to be conducted surreptitiously on the island, and was done by a Latin American polling firm that the institute won't name, citing the ability of the firm to keep working in Cuba. The interviews with 432 Cuban adults, ages 18 and over, were conducted face-to-face from July 4 to Aug. 7 in 12 Cuban provinces. The poll carries a margin of error of 5 percentage points...

There was little unanimity on the question of how to improve Cuba's economy: 20 percent suggested changing the political system; 15 percent cited ending the practice of requiring two forms of currency; and 10 percent said changing the economic system.
The survey also indicated that, if given the chance, 75 percent of those surveyed would vote for democracy -- an increase from 63 percent in November 2008. Support is highest among those 40 to 49 years old, with 82 percent saying they'd vote for a democracy. Of those 60 and older, 64 percent said they'd vote for democracy -- an increase of nearly 20 percentage points from November 2008.
Given that answering edgy poll questions honestly in a police state is rather riskier than in these parts, it is safe to assume that these results underplay the real sentiments of the unfortunate Cuban people.

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posted by Croydonian

Turning back the clock with Fidel Castro

Wednesday, February 18, 2009
20th century? Pah. Fidel prefers 1879:

"Cuba’s Fidel Castro opened some historical wounds last week when he publicly asked Chile to return land Bolivia lost in a war 130 years ago that cut off its access to the Pacific....the ailing former president compared right-wing supporters of the late General Augosto Pinochet to the same Chilean “oligarchy that robbed Bolivia of its coastline” in 1879. “Bolivia suffered an extraordinary historical humiliation in that struggle,” Castro wrote. “Not only was [the country’s] coastline and access to the ocean stolen away from it, but extensive territories were also taken away from it.”....Meanwhile, Bolivian President Evo Morales thanked Castro, who has become a close ally. “With the utmost respect to the Chilean people, we may have to take this [dispute] to the international level,” he said in a statement from Russia, where he is on a state visit" (El Pais - link will only work today though).

Details on the War of the Pacific here, but note that it was Bolivia that made the first declaration of war, 1/3/79. Chile did the same 5/4/79. Anyway, it is still a bone of some contention, with the Bolivians taking it badly, and Chilean football fans chant "Vamos a la playa" ("Let's go to the beach")' when playing Bolivia, apparently.

Anyway, Bolivia at its greatest extent:

(Atlas of Territorial and Border Disputes, NEL 1980)

And going that little bit further, South America in 1883:



(The Student's Atlas, Collins, circa 1880. Every home should have one...)

Fidel should be wary of this revisionism, as Cuba was still a Spanish colony in 1883, and did not abolish slavery until 1886. However, this is all about sucking up to one of his mate's on the continent, obviously. Further, a quick glance at the respective militaries of Chile and Bolivia - should Morales fancy upping the ante - suggests that Bolivian forces would face annihilation. Plus the Chilean Army has never lost a war, marking this with the motto, "siempre vencedor y jamas vencido".

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posted by Croydonian

Is a closet case in charge of Cuba?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008
It is widely believed that Castro jr prefers the company of gentlemen (or perhaps preferred, given his age), with this apparently well known in Cuba and among emigres.

Jokes about Castro Street etc to one side, perhaps Raúl Castro will be a little more sympathetic to Cuban gays than his brother.

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posted by Croydonian

Che Guevara does something useful

Friday, October 26, 2007
Dead Marxist criminal, thug, terrorist etc Che Guevara, has some years after his death done his bit to ease the retirement of Gustavo Villoldo, a CIA / Bay of Pigs veteran, who snipped a lock of Guevara's hair and has just auctioned it for $100,000.

"A lock of Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara's hair -- secretly preserved for years by a Miami exile who buried the rebel leader 40 years ago this month -- garnered a winning bid of $100,000 at an auction Thursday night....Reached after the auction, Villoldo told The Miami Herald he was amused by the sale. ''...To me, Che is a criminal. It's a surprise to see somebody pay that amount of money for the hair and a few photos of a dead Che.''

And it has been sold to a Texan, of all people - "Bill Butler, 61, a book dealer from Houston who called Che ``one of the greatest revolutionaries of the 20th century.'' "Said Kelley Norwine, spokeswoman for the auction house, Butler was proud of winning this lot. He's ''never been to Cuba,'' Norwine said, ``but would love to go.''

Well Bill, maybe you could swap places with one of 11 million or so who would just love to get out of the Caribbean's largest open air prison.

Butler intends to display the hair in his shop, and while I would not wish to encourage the good people of Rosenberg to lob the odd half brick through his window, one might note that Fort Bend County might not be the best place to flirt with the extreme left: "No Democrat has carried Fort Bend County in the presidential election since 1964, when Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas won his second term". Furthermore, this county has launched the careers of Ron Paul, Phil Gramm and Tom DeLay, and "every elected countywide office in Fort Bend County is held by Republicans, who also control a majority of precinct-based positions". Perhaps Butler would be happier in Vermont.

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posted by Croydonian

The Cuban approach to internet access

Saturday, February 17, 2007
Over in Havana, they have taken the 'walled garden' approach to the internet further than AOL ever did, with the launch of Cuban search engine, or more correctly a Yahoo style directory that only 'finds' Cuban sites. More here.

A search for Free Cuba on google brings up the Free Cuba Foundation as its first hit, while Infosoc presents a lengthy anti-Yanqui tirade.

The 'Latin Paradise' has the lowest level of net access in Latin America - 1.7 users per hundred, and "accused of voluntarily restricting free access to the Internet..., the Cuban authorities claim that this is due to the US blockade which prevents any connection to the marine backbone".

If the photocopier and the fax machine helped to break the Soviet Union, then the net is my weapon of choice for finishing off Castro. Time for a derogation from the blockade to facilitate net access?

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posted by Croydonian