Cuban bus in 2005:
Posted on 10/26/2005 11:27:55 AM PDT by AmericaUnite
Cubans defect in Toronto Leave patriotic choir on tour By TOM GODFREY, TORONTO SUN
More than 20 members of Cuba's world-famous national chorus are singing songs of freedom today after defecting in Toronto.
Members of the National Chorus of Cuba dodged security officers and jumped into waiting cars, some on Sunday and others yesterday, said Cuban exiles who planned the defections.
"These people are scared for their lives," said Ismail Sambra, president of the Cuban Canadian Foundation. "They are worried about their families back home.
"It took a lot of planning to get this far."
The highly acclaimed 40-member group, which travels the world promoting the Communist regime, arrived in Canada last week and performed in the Toronto and Port Hope areas.
The singers appeared at a downtown church last Sunday, were to perform this Saturday in B.C. with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and were scheduled to leave Canada next week.
The booking agent in Canada for the group, Robert Missen, said he was only aware of 11 defectors and that the rest of the group would perform in B.C.
The singers, who are hiding out at the homes of Cuban exiles in the city, are expected to apply for refugee status today in Toronto.
Gaining their freedom is worth any danger they may face, the singers said.
Ernesto Cendoya-Sotomayor, 27, a baritone, said he left his wife and young daughter behind.
"Cuban police will probably tell my family I am a traitor to the revolution," he said. "They will put pressure on my family."
bttt
From 'free' Cuban healthcare to 'free' Canadian healthcare. I wonder which is worse.
They are allowed out of the country because the presumption is that they are too loyal or too cowed to defect.
Yet the only American leftists who have decided to settle there permanently are a handful who fled there to avoid life sentences in the US for murder and armed robbery.
"But...but...but...I thought Cuba was a worker's paradise, with free healthcare, education and happy citizens all around."
Yea -- just ask Peanuthead Jimmah, Danny Glover, and all the other Castro and Cuba lovers. BUT, take note, all you dem/lib/socialists/communists, this sentence says volumes:
"Gaining their freedom is worth any danger they may face, the singers said."
Ooooh...I hope they brought their free rice cookers with them!
the only difference between gitmo and the rest of cuba is...the AL Q guys are fed better....and have better healthcare
Cuban bus in 2005:
Castro wants his property back!
Freedom trumps all! I truly hope these brave few remain safe from Castro's clutches!
Less people to feed and give great health care and education to. He hates his people, and doesn't care if they fled.
He does care when he loses face.
Did they say whether it was the altos that defected or what? If it was the sopranos, they're in trouble. You've gotta have a saprano line and a base line. If the altos and the tenors defected, maybe they can carry on.
The rice cookers weren't distributed because there was no electricity, but papa castro is sooooo beloved for having had the thought and made the announcement.
I hate commies like any other conservative, but if I had a wife and kid back home I couldn't defect. I couldn't just up and leave them to be, and dance around shouting "whoo hooo Im free". What's he going to do in Canada or the US, overthrow Castro from here... hahahaha...
Seems selfish to me, but then again I've never been in his shoes...
Would you leave your wife and kids to live in a free country, or would you stay and try and make your country free perhaps at the sacrifice of your wife and kids?
Ref. post #36.
I also found that strange.
"If communism is so great, why didn't they install a picture window instead of an iron curtain?"
- Alfred E. Newman ("What, me worry?")
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.