Posted on 07/19/2004 8:45:17 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
The following is an editorial reflecting the views of the United States Government:
Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, one of Cuba’s most prominent jailed dissidents, is reportedly being starved by the regime of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Dr. Biscet’s wife, Elsa Morejón Hernández, has released a letter from her husband which was smuggled out of Kilo Eight prison. The letter alleges that prison officials have denied Dr. Biscet food since mid-June. Ms. Morejon Hernandez says the withholding of food started after Dr. Biscet joined other prisoners in an act of civil disobedience. They shouted, "Down with the Castro-Communist dictatorship." Dr. Biscet is the founder of Cuba’s Lawton Center for Human Rights. In October 2002, he completed a three-year prison term on trumped-up charges of "insulting the symbols of the homeland," "public disorder," and "instigation to commit crime." In fact, he merely participated in anti-abortion protests and hung a Cuban flag upside down during a press conference he held to discuss the regime's treatment of political prisoners. In December 2002, Dr. Biscet and other Cuban dissidents were arrested following a pro-democracy meeting at a private home in Havana. This time, Dr. Biscet was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison.
The past few years in Cuba have been particularly difficult for those who oppose Fidel Castro's Communist regime. The regime has arrested hundreds of dissidents who have called for democracy and respect for the human rights of the Cuban people. President George W. Bush says the United States will continue to pressure the Castro government to change:
“Today, the struggle for freedom continues in cities and towns of that beautiful island, in Castro's prisons, and in the heart of every Cuban patriot. . . . In all that lies ahead, the Cuban people have a constant friend in the United States of America. No tyrant can stand forever against the power of liberty, because the hope of freedom is found in every heart."
In his letter from prison, Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet wrote, “I have the spiritual sustenance and the strength that God provides to all those who love him in justice and truth." The Cuban government should deal justly with Dr. Biscet. He and hundreds of other prisoners of conscience in Cuba should be immediately released.
First things first - have any pictures been taken of him that would embarrass him? If so, please call the NY Times and advise them of this horrific prioner abuse. Now with respect to gaining his freedom, maybe John F Kerry can call on his friendly international leaders whom he meets from time to time at restaurants - surely they would be willing to all hold hands, sing kumbaya and have the French lead us in a non-sectarian prayer.
Lifting the embargo and travel restrictins would hasten the demise of the Regime.
Fidel Castro is the #1 supporter of the US embargo and travel restrictions.
I agree... flood Cuba with ex-pats and Americana.
Let Fidel do something stupid, like take hostages, and bingo! We have our reason.
We wouldn't need to invade.
A flood of Americans with their dollars and ideas would trigger a revolt.
Eliminating the US embargo will only add more wealth to Castro and his cronies...and do nothing to eliminate him.
The Embargo has not loosened Castro's grip on power even one iota in the 40+ years it has been in effect.
It strenghtens him, as it is his major "cause."
His whole regime stands on the premise that it is the US "blockade" that keeps Cuba in poverty.
Dollars in Cuba causes corruption, and what we need is more corruption in his regime.
How so?
The point of the embargo is to keep him from having billions of dollars with which to buy missiles and support American enemies as he has done numerous times in the past. It has actually been very effective. The large majority of Cubans inside of Cuba support the embargo because they realize that lifting it wouldn't bring any more money to them, yet billions to the Communist regime.
I think it would in many ways.
First, Cubans for years have been told that America is evil and bound to invade at any moment. Many Cubans actually believe this. It's a surprise to many Cubans when they actually do meet Americans to find out that we're not evil imperialists looking to enslave them. Once more and more Cubans find out we're their friends, because we're friends of Liberty, it would foster a climate of revolt.
Second, dollars cause corruption inside the Regime. The more dollars in the country, the more division it causes among the Party. One of the Regime's main concerns now is how much corrpution is caused by tourist dollars, and tourism officials are getting sacked left and right. Raul Castro has even threatened to "militarize" the tourist industry.
Cubans are very dissatisfied with the Regime and their poor living conditions, and are more apt to speak out about it then they have been in years past. I believe revolt could be right around the corner. It just needs a little push.
Just curious, but have you been to Cuba?
*"The large majority of Cubans inside of Cuba support the embargo"*
Not true.
Is China less of a threat than Cuba? America spends billions per year on Chinese goods.
I was just there.
I spent the vast majority of my waking hours speaking with Cubans, and I could find very few people who "pro regime."
Most people are very sarcastic about their government.
But, they do view the US with great suspicion.
This one conversation we (myself and my father) had with this fellow was quite telling of the attitudes in Cuba:
We walk into a bar in the middle of the day, to get some water. The guy behind the bar has a very long face. My dad asks him "Why the long face?" The guy says "They just lengthened my shift and the amount of days I have to work each week." My dad says, "Well, we all have to work. I work, he works, that's a simple fact of life." The guy looks at my dad and says "Yeah, well, at least you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Here I work, and have nothing to show for it, ever."
Have you ever spent time with Cubans that have gotten to know you well enough to tell you what is really going on, what they really think, etc... in the relative safety of their homes?
(The percentage of Cubans who support or oppose the embargo is conjecture on both sides I realize.)
Lifting the embargo would do very little to change things in Cuba. That money would still go almost entirely to the government, and the majority of Cuba would see very little increase in tourist dollars, yet still have to buy everything (food, clothes, etc) from the government at the government's mandated prices. They would still be barred from changing homes. They would still be barred from traveling outside their district without special permission. And on and on... At the same time the Communist government would have billions more dollars to foment Communist insurrections in Colombia, Venezuela, etc.
I spent enough time with Cubans to get a pulse of how they feel.
And yes, I did spend time in the homes of several Cuban's.
If I had a visa to give to everyone I spoke with, I doubt that any of them would have refused the offer.
Lifting the embargo wouldn't put any more money in the regime's hands. They have nothing more to sell to the US than they already sell to others.
Cuba isn't funding anything in Venezuela or Columbia. They have plenty of their own oil and drug money.
Cuba isn't funding anything in Venezuela? Are you serious? Cuba just recently sent 50,000 TV sets to Venezuela. Cuba has in the past sent tons of weapons to Central America to help Communist rebels and dictators there.
I spent enough time with Cubans to get a pulse of how they feel.
Did you leave Havana? Where in the country did you go? How did you come to the conclusion that a majority of them are opposed to the embargo? Do you think Cubans in bars in Havana can freely tell you what they truly think about everything?
Lifting the embargo wouldn't put any more money in the regime's hands.
I thought your whole point was that it would put dollars into "the system", thereby corrupting it.
Venezuela has sent millions of barrels of oil to Cuba, at reduced or no cost. Cuba sends a few doctors...who is getting the raw end of the deal?
I did leave Havana, I went to Pinar del Rios, and several small towns in between.
Yes, people do speak quite freely in Cuba. No, they do not shout "We hate the Regime" but it's clear that they do not like it. Cubans are very talkative, outgoing people. Most tourists simply don't take the time, or have the ability to talk to them.
Who wants an embargo against their country? No one, except for the regime, as that is by far their biggest crutch.
I never said lifting the embargo would put more dollars into the system. But the net effect of tourist dollars is more corruption in the regime. That's why there's been such high turnover among tourist officials, and the threat to militarize the entire industry.
Cuba is poor (lacking hard currency) not because of the US embargo, but because they're communist.
Even the most minor capitalist industries that were once tolerated (to a very small limit) are now illegal (again because of the corruption it created in the regime).
Most Cubans live in fear...and that is the primary reason for his continued existence.
The embargo is symbolic but more importantly undermines the Cuban state apparatus and in the end that is what will self destruct.
This article sums up my position keeping the embargo intact.
http://www.cubacenter.org/media/archives/2000/summer/totalitan.php3
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