Cuban Exiles in Puerto Rico Hopeful about Change in Their Country’s Government

PONCE - Although it has been decades since they left their country, Cuban exiles today feel the same nostalgia and yearning for their land since the first day. For this reason, they attentively observe from a distance the allegedly temporary relinquishing of power by revolutionary Fidel Castro, following Monday’s announcement that his brother Raúl will take charge of the neighboring island while the former recovers from surgery.

Jacinto Vallejo Urgelles and Francisco Sabatier Castro, two Cuban businessmen who left their land separately in 1969, agreed that “change is coming”, as the latter said and went one step further by describing Fidel Castro as a highly intelligent man, “the most intelligent, but he used intelligence for evil.” He also recognized that only Fidel Castro “was able to do that [dominate the people]. Not everybody does what he did.”

“The Cuban people are very anxious for political change and freedom. This situation is no longer bearable, even for the new generation,” Vallejo responded to a question on what he expects will happen with the transfer of power to Castro’s brother. This businessman left Cuba at age 30 years, where he worked in cooking and headed the kitchen at the Tropicana Club, for which he undertook studies according to the diploma he keeps in his office at [the] Vallejo Discount [store]. They said that a transition to democracy would be possible since “Raúl does not have the same charisma and strength his older brother [has].”

About the news he heard on CNN and other media outlets, Vallejo stated that it is “something very significant because the value of freedom is not known until it is lost.” He himself feels “the pain the people feel due to this dictatorship. We Cubans feel it, because we have witnessed the pain of leaving our country and our loved ones.” With tearful eyes, he confessed that “I yearn for the people of Cuba. It is a feeling you take with you, of a people who have suffered a lot and, believe me, I yearn for that people’s freedom,” he told EL VOCERO.

The businessman and his wife still have close relatives in their native Baracoa and, although they have visited several times, he decided after a 2000 trip that he will not return “until there is political change.” His younger sister Gilsa recently arrived at Puerto Rico with his two children by way of Spain. Vallejo has the Cuban and Spanish passports his sister used to travel. She had to make the trip before his son turned 18 because, otherwise, he would not have been allowed to leave. Left behind were two sisters and one brother with whom he keeps in touch by telephone, he told. “The heart goes through pain and suffering when there is no freedom, when the human being is not worth a cent,” he added.

This may be the juncture at which the United States will enter Cuba and end the Castro regime, both said. “I don’t think it will be in an aggressive way, but they are going to help economically and in other ways,” Vallejo indicated as he pointed out that one million Cubans live in the United States. “I believe that [America] should come and help, now more than ever.” Meanwhile, Sabatier and his wife assured that Raúl Castro is receptive towards doing business with the United States.

“The people are going to be divided,” Sabatier predicted. He also speculated that, “sure, the United States can take advantage of this opportunity. That is what we Cubans in Puerto Rico and in the whole world wish.”

Meanwhile, Amado Hernández, owner of Meca Car Wash, disagreed with his compatriots' optimism. His opinion is that Castro’s true condition “is an unknown”, since “in Cuba, what is happening there is not known, it’s not like here where you are interviewing me....but, over there, you cannot go to the hospital bed to know the truth.”

“[The Cuban president] may as well be in surgery, dead, or in a freezer for 6 or 8 months, with nobody knowing where he is, as it may be a strategy of his to find out the people’s reaction and surface 16 or 20 days from now, because this man is unpredictable. And, over there, so many things have changed that is it hard to believe and to know what is happening over there,” added Hernández, who left Cuba in 1966 and never returned, since, upon his departure, his passport was stamped “Null”.

Sabatier’s wife Migdalia Lazo, who is also Cuban, said that “for over 40 years, [Castro] has had many crises, but, come on, he had never given charge to his brother Raúl.” She also remembered that Che Guevara was killed in Bolivia after Castro sent him there, and she also attributed [revolutionary leader] Camilo Cienfuegos’ death to Castro.

Thanks for the ping!

Mrs. Reb and I have been discussing various scenarios, all of which start with one assumption: Fidel is either dead or dying. The nature of his government is such that we really do not know his condition. We hope he has assumed room temperature, but have no solid information upon which to base that premise.

OTOH, spokespeople from the US Government have been very careful to say that we are prepared to help Cuba transition to a free and open society, but that we are NOT pushing. We certainly do not want good people killed for promoting democracy if Fidel is able to reassume power.

China has been courting Cuba for years. When I was there in '99, Chinese suits were everywhere. Now they are drilling for Cuba's offshore oil. Nevertheless, Cubans feel much closer to Americans --not many are trying to escape to China, after all. They would welcome our participation in modernizing this desperately poor, downtrodden, and debilitated country.

Many American businessmen and companies --notably ATM -- have been trying to set up deals with the Castro regime for years....don't we export some foodstuffs to Cuba now? But the big problem with dealing with Cuba is dealing with Castro. He's notorious for reneging on deal after deal. A Spanish firm was royally reamed when they purchased a tall apartment building on the Malecon, restored and remodeled and expected to profit by selling condos. The deal was of course signed sealed and delivered....but when the building was completed, Castro said, "sorry, the building is mine. Get lost." And there's no legal recourse. You cannot sue Castro, he'll laugh in your face.

When we were there, beautiful old three-story Colonial buildings on a tree-lined thoroughfare near the ocean were "for sale" by the Cuban govt. for $10,000. Would have made fabulous homes or condos. FABULOUS. But of course the deed would be worth exactly zero the minute Castro reclaimed the buildings for himself.

So the problem for everyone doing business in Cuba is getting their money out. Will take a lot of legal work to straighten out that mess...plus, of course, obtain monetary settlement for or return of properties stolen by Castro from citizens who left Cuba when he came in. If I were an attorney with international law experience, I'd be standing in line at Miami International ready to take the first plane out when travel is legalized.

I was there in '98. On a river cruise, our guide seemed very pro-American as he pointed out a beautiful bridge constructed by Americans during Batista. He said every bridge built by Russians was falling down.

He said Castro demands 50% of gross receipts from any international corporation. The hotels can manage this with very low labor costs and very high rates. However, the mining of gold and nickle cannot be undertaken under these circumstances.

Havana was covered in soot because of poorly refined gasoline. Every old man we spoke to had taken part in Castro's invasion on the Granma. Prostitutes were abundant, as were cigar sellers. Ironically, Castro stoked his revolution by decrying the number of prostitutes the gambling industry created.

One interesting thing that differentiates Castro from the average brutal dictator: no images of him anywhere. It was Ché everywhere.

I hope one day Cubans will be able to recover the massive fortune this man stole from his people. It will still be a pittance compared to what could have been developed during his 47 years.

Unfortunately, right now Cuba Libre (aka "Mentirita") is just a tasty alcoholic beverage.

Watching news reports from Miami a couple of days ago, my only thought was "wow, can you imagine what the scene will be like when Fidel actually dies?" It's freaking surgery. I refuse to get my hopes up yet.

I hope the old bastard dies soon and that his death is painful as hell, and I'll drink a mojito to celebrate that when the day comes (I'll probably do it indoors, though; maybe I'll throw a party for my mother and grandmother, who've been waiting over 45 years for this). But I'm not going to drink a Cuba Libre in celebration until Cuba has a democratic government.

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