Castro's Cuba Nearing Collapse (Widespread Protests in the Streets!)

The Real Cuba ^ | 7/26/05 | Unknown Dissidents

[FormerACLUmember]

For the first time in 46 years there was not going to be an outside mass rally to celebrate the 26 of July, the date in 1953 when Castro and a group of his followers attacked the Moncada barracks in Santiago de Cuba. And now the rumors have been officially confirmed. It seems that Castro is afraid to hold a mass rally under the present conditions in the island, where there have been many protests taking place during the last few days. He feels more secure inside a theatre, where no one can get in without an official invitation.

Record heat and power cuts of 12 hours or more a day led to scattered protests, vandalism and rare anti-Castro graffiti this summer, veteran human rights activist Elizardo Sanchez said. Authorities have responded by mobilising rapid deployment brigades of militant supporters to disperse pockets of protest with batons, he and other dissidents said. "I have not seen such widespread discontent in four decades," said Mr Sanchez, head of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights.

[dfwgator]

Celebrities get the "Thereisenstadt" view of Cuba. They see a facade, but behind that facade is very ugly indeed.

[RayChuang88]

Those pictures you posted of Old San Juan is what Havana should look like if they had a thriving representative republic.

Can you imagine what Havana would be like within one generation after Communism falls? The famous Old City would look absolutely FABULOUS, and other parts of the city--especially along the waterfront--would be completely rebuilt into a huge tourist area that could rival the South Beach area of Miami Beach, FL.

[Mr. K]

The only problem is that when cuba falls the libs will say it is because we starved them out of success with our embargo.

[FormerACLUmember]

In the darkest, bluntest warning to Cuban dissidents yet, Fidel Castro said Tuesday that ''acts of treason'' would not be tolerated and warned that attempts to destabilize would be confronted by the population ``whenever traitors and mercenaries go one millimeter beyond what the revolutionary people . . . are willing to permit.''

Castro's strong words on the 52nd anniversary of the start of his revolution came on the heels of a new roundup of more than 50 dissidents who tried to participate in two separate protests this month.

Most of the would-be protesters were released after clashes with government supporters, but as many as 16 remain behind bars, including six charged with ``public disorder.''

Castro, whose speech was broadcast on Cuban television and radio, specifically named the Assembly to Promote Civil Society. That group's leader, Martha Beatriz Roque, who was released from custody over the weekend, has publicly stated that dissidents across the island were ready to take to the streets to bring international attention to their plight.

Castro again accused government opponents of being paid U.S. mercenaries playing a dangerous ``game.''

''The much-publicized dissidence, or alleged opposition in Cuba, exists only in the fevered minds of the Cuban-American mafia and the bureaucrats in the White House,'' Castro said to resounding applause.

He added that foreign news reports have falsely portrayed ``an image of crisis and chaos.''

''You would think that the revolution only had a few hours left,'' Castro sarcastically told an audience of government officials, military personnel and other loyal followers gathered at the Karl Marx Theater in Havana.

The audience, including hundreds of Americans who arrived this week with an aid shipment, gave Castro a standing ovation.

But even as Castro tried to minimize the relevance of dissidents, the 78-year-old ruler acknowledged that a lengthy drought, a crippling energy crunch and devastation from Hurricane Dennis has made life more difficult on the island, and he asked the Cubans to be patient.

The population has grown increasingly weary from blackouts that last for hours, spoiling already depleted food supplies. Small, sporadic antigovernment acts have been reported across the island.

Tuesday's gathering was to commemorate the July 26, 1953, assault led by Castro in a failed attempt to seize the Cuban army's Moncada Barracks in the eastern city of Santiago. The annual celebration has traditionally been a large public affair but was scaled back this year.

[null and void]

Damm them!

[dfwgator]

Cuba after Castro is going to have many of the same issues that Germany had after reunification. The Miami Cubans are like the West Germans, who were smarter, have business sense and will dominate the economy of Cuba. The people now under Castro will be at a huge disadvantage because their educational system is so bad, like how it was in East Germany. They are conditioned to allowing the government to run their lives. The conditioning does not get undone very easily, if ever. This is another reason to curse Castro and his infernal regime. It will take generations for Cuba to recover after he is out of the picture.

[Thombo2]

Protests?Vandalism?Power outages?Could Fidels days be numbered?

[Terabitten]

This should be headlined or Fox news Alert.

No, that'd cut into the 24-7 Natalee Holloway coverage.

[GAB-1955]

38special wrote:
"Nobody down there has any guns...except the gov't."

However, if the Army decides that it's time for Castro to go, then Castro goes. I've always thought that the post-Castro government would be a military junta. Of course, for Cuba, that would be a step UP in freedom from a totalitarian regime.

And I agree: When Cuba becomes free, I will take a vacation there.

[RockinRight]

I have a feeling he won't last much longer...

...too bad we haven't just sent in a sniper to take his a$$ out...years ago...

[fortunecookie]

And some celebs buy the lie. Others feel they are the priveleged ones who deserve such treatment and quite easily overlook the communist induced suffering of the locals. Made easier by Cubas segregation of the locals from the tourists and commie elite.

[CharlieOK1]

I noticed her, and hope so too. I'm not sure it was a smile, just caught her at the wrong angle. I bet she fears for her life if she saw that picture.

[AD from SpringBay]

Kissing Fidel

About once a year,
like a global classified,
there is a photo of a child
kissing Fidel Castro.

This was done before Elian
and has been continued.
Is he greasy
does his forehead shine
is his beard wirey
doe he smell like smoke
and armpit
under that field jacket
worn, accoring to the photos,
even in Cuban summers?

One year he had his photo taken
with Dan Rather. Dan was standing,
smiling like a goof,
like a kid with big ears
next to Santa Clause.

They are nice photos
of any dark-haired,
dark-eyed son
or daughter.

There are also photos
of opponents
put into custody.
We don't see these.

If he's so happy and jolly
and wonderful for the kids
why do people leave his island
on corrugated tin rafts and inner-tubes
across patrol boat and shark-infested
waters?

It must be we misunderstand
that we don't get his paradise
that if only the embargo were lifted
good will would roll
like fine cigars
and everyone would be allowed
to sit on his lap, kiss him
for the papers.


From Almost Conservative, a book of poetry

[Dr.Deth]

I remember the Spanish-refugee grafitti here when Spain's Franco died: "Franco ha muerto. Viva Guernica!"

Is there any graffiti out there saying "Franco still ha muerto!"

[smiley]

Must read article in National Review, July 18, 2006 reported by Jay Nordlinger. Basically paraphrasing here, but the Bahamian government has a very cozy relationship with Cuba. They return all refugees who drift into their country only to be held as a political prisoner (torture, rape, starvation -- Gitmo is a 5 star hotel compared to these prisons) in the Bahamas, or returned to Castro for execution. Any Freeper know who the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas is? Why it's none other than the husband of Rep. Maxine Waters who is one of the staunchest supporters of Fidel Castro in the U.S. Information about the refugees obtained by the Bahamian interrogators is turned over to the Castro regime. How about the Red Cross, did you say? It doesn't exist. The U.S. should help these protestors overthrow Fidel....period.

[smiley]

2006 = 2005. sorry

[proudofthesouth]

I wouldn't be surprised if Fidel's buddy Jimmy Carter goes down there to tell the Cuban people how wonderful and how lucky they are to have Fidel in charge.

[XR7]

Thanks for the link.
It is worth spamming to every DU member's e-mail address.
Might wake some of them up from el Padrino's spell.

[Dr.Deth]

How a Cuban dictator deals with the enemy: "Fidel Castro said Tuesday that ''acts of treason'' would not be tolerated... on the heels of a new roundup of more than 50 dissidents who tried to participate in two separate protests this month"

How liberals deals with the enemy: "The audience, including hundreds of Americans who arrived this week with an aid shipment, gave Castro a standing ovation."

[snuffy smiff]

I hope you get your wish!