Source: Castro Set To Resume Duties May 1

[Mika]

Source: cBS

Bolivian president Evo Morales announced on Friday that he had been told Fidel Castro was set to resume his duties as president of Cuba on May 1.

"On May 1, I'm almost certain that comrade Fidel (referring to Fidel Castro) will return to administration, to govern the Cuban people, a revolutionary people," Morales told reporters during a visit to the district of Pando.

When asked by a local reporter whether he had any contact with the Cuban leader, Morales said he had not, but he went on to say he "was informed that a big mobilization is being prepared in Cuba".

Read more: http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_118155503.html

[Botany]

1. Monty Python???

"I am not dead yet" is a famous line from the Monty Python movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
the line comes during the Plague scene where an old man, who is still alive, is delivered to the cart
driver who is shouting "Bring out your dead!"

[UTUSN]

2. "It's the Spanish Inquisition!!1" n/t

[Botany]

3. I'm feeling much better.

[UTUSN]

4. IN before the FLAMES!!1 Plus, matching outfits!!1

*******QUOTE*******

http://people.csail.mit.edu/paulfitz/spanish/t2.html

(The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain (Palin) enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang (Gilliam) is just Cardinal Fang)

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

(The Inquisition exits)

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

(JARRING CHORD)

********UNQUOTE*******

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mika]

6. Oh yeah. We're turnin' the corner.

This from, the wapo article..

Among those at the commencement were some of the most vocal anti-Castro politicians in the U.S. Congress: Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. All three are Republicans from Florida.

Bush also made a push for Congress to take up his proposal for broad immigration reform that would include steps to tighten the border along with a guest worker program.

Tighten the border except for smuggled-in Cubans having failed a US legal immigration visa.

[UTUSN]

15. Le me count the ways: "thread hijackers" - "cubanet"

Poster #5: No opposing views are ALLOWED. It must be "thread hijacking" and TALKING POINTS furnished by (here) "cubanet," but it can always be WHATEVER source-- the NYT, the Associated Press-----anybody who dares dissent on the topics of Hu-del (Hugo + Fidel). I have NO earthly idea what "cubanet" is.

It's always amazing how Hugo and Fidel are invariably touted by their followers as being PARAGONS of the democratic spirit incarnate, yet these followers instantly display the authoritarian tendency of SHUTTING PEOPLE UP!!1 There is always the slur that anybody who dissents is spouting talking points. It is inconceivable that anybody would disapprove from their own anti-authoritarian soul--whether the object of disapproval is a Leftist-gone-wrong like these dudes or winguts like Juan and Eva PERON, BATISTA, innumerable others, and Shrub.

And #6: Now, now, no smearing of good DUers with the names of Exiles-of-the-WINGNUT-VARIETY and SHRUB to top things off!!1 I love MENENDEZ, but if he turns out to be crooked, too (as has been alleged), I will dare to criticize him, TOO!!1

And Mika, I love you and Judi Lynn, and all the PURE Liberals who (I believe) are TRULY speaking from your great humanitarian heart. I don't crash ALL of these threads. You get plenty of free rein. This one just seemed like fun.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[roody]

18. I think you can link to Cubanet here

http://www.walterlippmann.com/

[Mika]

32. cubanet.org

Cubanet is funded by USAID, USIA, Freedom House (also USAID and NED), and the founder of the CANF Jorge Mas Canosa (Mas Santos) family. They pay "journalists" exorbitant fees (by Cuba standards) to file propaganda stories for Cubanet's website. They supply HRW and AI with "information" about Cuba & Castro.

[roody]

54. Does that mean that Walter Lippman does not

have a link to it? He is definitely not on that side of Cuba issues.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lithos]

7. May Day

How appropriate.

Not a big fan of Castro as I don't like most of his politics, but he is at least a lot more benevolent to the Cuban people than what would happen should the Batista-wannabe's come back from Havana.

L-

[Mika]

8. May Day appropriate indeed.

A quick question for you (in light of your "benevolent" comment.. What do you know of Castro's politics?

[Lithos]

9. His practices

He has pretty much shut down honest criticism of his government (not the left over Batista criticism) and has a long record of human rights abuses. On the flip side, he has done much to make Cuba a color-blind society and established probably a better medical system than anywhere else in Americas.

Pragmatically, he is an incredibly smart man whose longevity on the world stage provides a type of insight that only a handful of individuals can provide, especially when it comes down to things not related to the US-Cuba situation. For instance, his views on Ethanol are incredibly interesting and I think valuable in the bigger gestalt of trying to formulate a sustainable energy policy.

L-

[Billy Burnett]

10. Mika, where's your 'Castro did this Castro did that' banner?

Perfectly applicable to the response from L.


Those of us who've actually been to Cuba can say confidently that "he {Castro} has pretty much shut down honest criticism of his government" just isn't true. First of all, it isn't "his" government. It is the Cuban people's government. Second, there is an open political debate going on in Cuba now. The dishonest "debate" is funded by the enemy state and operators who oppose the system of government in Cuba. That bought and paid for opposition is just about the only group that gets any press in the US. They enjoy near zero popularity in Cuba.

Mr Castro didn't/doesn't create the infrastructure that the Cuban people wanted. The Cuban people did and do it today. Claiming that Castro did it disparages the great works of the millions of Cubans who make it happen for all Cubans.

[Lithos]

11. Amnesty International would disagree with you

http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR250042000?open&of=ENG-CUB

INTRODUCTION

In Cuba freedom of expression, association and assembly are severely limited in law and in practice. Those who attempt to express views, organize meetings or form organizations that conflict with government policy are frequently subjected to punitive measures including short term detentions, interrogations, summonses, official warnings, threats, intimidation, eviction, loss of employment, restrictions on travel, house searches, house arrests, telephone bugging and physical and verbal acts of aggression carried out by government supporters.

Although the number of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience has decreased in recent years and long prison sentences for those considered by the government to be counter-revolutionaries are less common than in the past, other forms of punishment such as those mentioned above have become more frequent. Some dissidents, including journalists, members of independent political parties and human rights defenders, have gone into exile to escape continual persecution.

In a 1997 resolution, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights urged the Cuban Government ''to ensure freedom of expression and assembly and freedom to demonstrate peacefully, including by allowing political parties and non-governmental organizations to function freely in the country and by reforming legislation in this area.''(1)

Following Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba in January 1998, there was a brief improvement in the human rights situation and about 100 political prisoners were released, including 19 people declared by Amnesty International to be prisoners of conscience. However, in late 1998 frequent detentions and harassment resumed.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[otherlander]

66. Oh, but

Amnesty International is only trustworthy when they're exposing the crimes of America's government! Don't you know that anything they say about a leftist government is just propaganda?
:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[ProudDad]

68. With very minor edits that INTRODUCTION is still true

Due to post-9/11 legislation, "in the United States freedom of expression, association and assembly are severely limited in law and in practice. Those who attempt to express views, organize meetings or form organizations that conflict with government policy are frequently subjected to punitive measures including short term detentions, interrogations, summonses, official warnings, threats, intimidation, eviction, loss of employment, restrictions on travel, house searches, house arrests, telephone bugging and physical and verbal acts of aggression, torture in foreign prisons, and indefinite detention in GITMO carried out by government supporters.

Although the number of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience has decreased in recent years and long prison sentences for those considered by the government to be counter-revolutionaries are less common than in the past, other forms of punishment such as those mentioned above have become more frequent. Some dissidents, including journalists, members of independent political parties and human rights defenders, have gone into exile to escape continual persecution."

Pot, meet Kettle.

[hack89]

13. That certainly explains all the second and third party politicians

presently holding office - hard to imagine a more open political system than Cuba's.

[Mika]

14. Here

http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/cu.html

* Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) {Communist Party of Cuba}
* Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Cuba (PDC) {Christian Democratic Party of Cuba} - Oswaldo Paya's Catholic party
* Partido Solidaridad Democrática (PSD) {Democratic Solidarity Party}
* Partido Social Revolucionario Democrático Cubano {Cuban Social Revolutionary Democratic Party}
* Coordinadora Social Demócrata de Cuba (CSDC) {Social Democratic Coordination of Cuba}
* Unión Liberal Cubana {Cuban Liberal Union}

Plenty of info on this long thread,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=6300&forum=DCForumID70


http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

--


The Cuban government was reorganized (approved by popular vote) into a variant parliamentary system in 1976.

You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQDemocracy.html

Or a long and detailed version here,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books

[harun]

56. Yah like all the third party candidates in the U.S.

that hold seats in the House and Senate.

[ProudDad]

69. Oh, it's much better here

with the appartchiks of the two right-wings of the business party holding sway.

[Mika]

29. Here it is

Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that
this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that Castro did this Castro did that

[robcon]

59. I laughed until I cried, Billy Burnett

I enjoyed your post, with the usual fact-free adoration of Castro and his unelected government.

When someone is allowed to run against Castro, and isn't thrown in jail for doing so, then what you wrote would be more believable.

Here's the money quote: "irst of all, it isn't "his" government. It is the Cuban people's government. Second, there is an open political debate going on in Cuba now. The dishonest "debate" is funded by the enemy state and operators who oppose the system of government in Cuba. That bought and paid for opposition is just about the only group that gets any press in the US. They enjoy near zero popularity in Cuba."

[Mika]

60. Fact free?

Where's your facts? Why the unsubstantiated personal attack on Billy?

The Cuban government was reorganized (approved by popular vote) into a variant parliamentary system in 1976.

I was in Cuba for the entire 1997-98 election season. From candidate selections to nomination to election to the final step in Cuba's democratic electioon process - the ratification elections.

http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

--

Representative Fidel Castro was elected to the National Assembly as a representative of District #7 Santiago de Cuba.

Here's some of the other candidates on the 2003 slate for Santiago de Cuba (Castro's home district).


http://www.granma.co.cu/secciones/candidatos/prov-13.htm

JUAN ALMEIDA BOSQUE

Nivel Escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Miembro del Buró Político, Vicepresidente del Consejo de Estado, Comandante de la Revolución. Se incorporó a la lucha revolucionaria desde el 10 de marzo de 1952. Participó en el Asalto al Cuartel Moncada. Formó parte de los expedicionarios del Granma. Fue ascendido a Comandante y en marzo de 1958 organizó el III Frente de Operaciones en la Sierra Maestra. A partir del 1o de Enero de 1959 ha ocupado distintas responsabilidades. En octubre de 1965, al constituirse el Comité Central del Partido Comunista de Cuba, fue designado miembro del mismo y de su Buró Político. En septiembre de 1968 fue designado Delegado del Buró Político para la atención al sector de la construcción y en septiembre de 1970 Delegado del Buró Político en la provincia de Oriente. Es presidente de la Asociación de Combatientes de la Revolución Cubana. Se le otorgó el título de Héroe de la República de Cuba y la Orden "Máximo Gómez" de 1er. grado. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

ADRIÁN FONSECA QUESADA

Nivel Escolar: Medio Superior. Ocupación: Estudiante. En la Enseñanza Primaria y Secundaria alcanzó resultados docentes satisfactorios y ocupó diferentes cargos en la organización pioneril. Presidió la FEEM en Bayamo e integró su Secretariado Nacional. Participó en el XIV Festival Mundial de la Juventud y los Estudiantes. En el SMG obtuvo varios estímulos y condecoraciones. Estuvo al frente del trabajo de la UJC en su compañía y perteneció al Comité UJC de la Brigada. Comenzó sus estudios universitarios en la Universidad de Oriente estudiando Comunicación Social, en 1er. año fue Secretario General de su Comité de Base, integró el Consejo de la FEU en la Universidad, siendo su Vicepresidente, y al comenzar el 2do. año fue Presidente. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

FIDEL CASTRO RUZ

Nivel escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Primer Secretario del CC del PCC. Presidente de los Consejos de Estado y de Ministros. Comandante en Jefe de las FAR. Desde 1945 se integró a las luchas políticas estudiantiles. Concibió y dirigió el asalto al Cuartel Moncada. Fundador del Movimiento 26 de Julio. Organizó la expedición del Granma y dirigió la guerra de liberación que culminó con el Triunfo de la Revolución el 1o de Enero de 1959. Dirigió y participó en la defensa de Playa Girón. Fue Presidente del Movimiento de Países No Alineados. Ha impulsado y dirigido la lucha del pueblo cubano por la consolidación del proceso revolucionario, el avance hacia el socialismo y la unidad de todas las fuerzas revolucionarias. Ha sido electo Diputado a la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular desde la creación de aquella en 1976 y desde entonces ha ocupado por elección los cargos de Presidente del Consejo de Estado y Presidente del Consejo de Ministros. Es el principal impulsor y organizador de la intensa Batalla de Ideas que hoy libramos, dirigiendo las campañas, programas y acciones que desarrolla nuestro pueblo. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

CARLOS ALBERTO CABAL MIRABAL

Nivel Escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Director de Biofísica Médica. En 1971 inició su vida laboral como Jefe del Departamento de Física Electrónica en la Escuela de Física, en este mismo año fue promovido a Subdirector de la escuela y luego a Director. Fue Subdirector de la Unidad Docente de Moa; Decano y fundador de la Facultad de Física Matemática, jefe de grupo de RMN. Desde la fundación del centro de Biofísica Médica en 1993 ha sido su Director. Milita en el PCC desde 1976. Desde 1991 es miembro del Comité Provincial del Partido. Fue Delegado al IV Congreso del PCC y Delegado Directo al V Congreso. Ha participado como ponente y autor en más de 70 eventos científicos a nivel nacional e internacional. Desde 1993 es Diputado a la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

MISAEL ENAMORADO DÁGER

Nivel Escolar: Superior. Ocupación: Primer Secretario del Partido en la provincia. De 1977 a 1981 trabajó como Ingeniero y Jefe de Mantenimiento de la Empresa de Automatización del MINAZ, del municipio de Palma Soriano. Luego laboró como inversionista del Central Tunas 1. De 1985 a 1988 se desempeñó como Jefe del Departamento de Industria del Partido Provincial de Las Tunas y fue Director de la Empresa Estructuras Metálicas. Desde 1992 a 1994 ocupó el cargo de Primer Secretario del Partido del municipio de Las Tunas. Teniendo en cuenta los resultados de su trabajo fue promovido a Miembro del Buró Provincial. En el IV Congreso del Partido fue electo miembro de su Comité Central. Fue elegido como Primer Secretario del Partido de la Provincia de Las Tunas desde 1995 al 2001. En el V Congreso fue elegido Miembro del Buró Político. Desde octubre del 2001 se desempeña como Primer Secretario del Partido en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba. Es actualmente Diputado a la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

JULIO CHRISTIAN JIMÉNEZ MOLINA

Nivel escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Vicepresidente Primero del INDER. Desarrolló su etapa estudiantil con excelentes resultados hasta alcanzar el título de Lic. en Ciencias Políticas, destacándose por su participación activa en el deporte, especialmente en baloncesto, donde ha participado en eventos nacionales e internacionales durante toda esa etapa. Integró el Equipo Nacional de Baloncesto hasta ocupar distintas responsabilidades en la Dirección Nacional del INDER, otras instituciones y escuelas pertenecientes al deporte hasta agosto del 1997, que es designado Vicepresidente Primero del INDER. Fue militante de la UJC e ingresó al PCC en 1978. Ha cumplido diferentes misiones gubernamentales por lo que fue seleccionado en el 2000, Cuadro Destacado del Estado. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

LUIS ENRIQUE IBÁÑEZ ARRANZ

Nivel Escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Presidente de la Asamblea Municipal. Fue dirigente de la UJC a todos los niveles y dirigente del PCC hasta 1992 que es promovido a Primer Secretario en el municipio de Julio Antonio Mella. En 1996 fue designado Vicepresidente del CAM hasta el 2001. Posteriormente, fue elegido Presidente de la Asamblea Municipal del municipio de Santiago de Cuba. Participó como Delegado al IV Congreso de la UJC e invitado al IV Congreso del PCC. Es el Vicepresidente del Consejo de Defensa del municipio de Santiago. Por su trayectoria revolucionaria y los méritos acumulados ha recibido varias condecoraciones y reconocimientos. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

VIRGEN ALFONSO RODRÍGUEZ

Nivel Escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Secretaria General FMC Provincial. Ingresó en el ISP "Frank País", de Santiago de Cuba, donde obtuvo los sellos de Oro y de Plata, fue dirigente de la UJC en el Comité de Base y de la FEU a nivel de aula. Participó como Delegada al XIV Festival de la Juventud y los Estudiantes y a su regreso fue promovida a Directora Municipal de Cultura en ese territorio. Se trasladó al municipio Songo-La Maya como Metodóloga de Español-Literatura desde 1991-1994. Al finalizar este año fue promovida a Cuadro de la FMC, donde se desempeña actualmente como Secretaria General de la provincia. Pasó la Escuela Provincial del PCC en el año 2002. Ha sido condecorada con el Sello Educadora Ejemplar, Medalla por 5 años de trabajo ininterrumpido como cuadro de la FMC y Medalla 30 Aniversario de los CDR. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

LARIS CORRALES ROBERT

Nivel Escolar: Superior. Ocupación: Primer Secretario del PCC Municipal. De 1981 a 1983 cumple misión internacionalista en la República Popular de Nicaragua. Laboró como maestro en la escuela "José Martí Pérez". En 1984 fue promovido a Director de la Escuela Primaria "Rubén Díaz", labor que realizó hasta 1987, en que pasó a ocupar el cargo de Metodólogo Inspector de la Dirección Municipal de Educación en Palma Soriano. En 1993 fue promovido a trabajar como cuadro profesional del Partido, desempeñándose como Instructor y luego como Miembro Profesional del Buró de Palma Soriano. En 1997 fue promovido a Primer Secretario hasta octubre del 2001. que pasó con igual función al Comité Municipal en Santiago de Cuba, es miembro no Profesional del Buró Ejecutivo del Comité Provincial. Fue Delegado al V Congreso del Partido. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba.

--

ERNESTO STIVENS LAGART

Nivel Escolar: Superior. Ocupación: Ingeniero en Minas de Cobre. En 1984 ingresó al SMG en la U/M 3227 de la provincia de Holguín, estando en las FAR fue designado a cumplir misión internacionalista en Angola donde le fue otorgada la militancia de la UJC. A su regreso a Cuba, se incorporó a trabajar en la empresa minera del cobre, manteniendo una actitud destacada, motivo por el cual cursó estudios superiores, incorporándose en 1989 al ISMM de Moa a la especialidad de Ingeniería de Mina y se graduó en 1994. A partir de entonces se incorporó a la empresa nuevamente en el cargo que ocupa. Ostenta la medalla de Combatiente Internacionalista de 1era. clase, distinción Servicio Distinguido, medalla Victoria Cuba- Angola. Es miembro de la ACRC. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

VILMA LUCILA ESPÍN GUILLOIS

Nivel escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Presidenta de la Federación de Mujeres Cubanas y Miembro del Consejo de Estado. Fue una de las primeras mujeres que se graduó como Ingeniera Química Industrial. Una de las más cercanas colaboradoras de Frank País en la lucha revolucionaria. Miembro de la Dirección Nacional del 26 de Julio, y Coordinadora Provincial de Oriente, hasta que pasó al II Frente Oriental "Frank País". Ha sido elegida, Congreso tras Congreso, como Presidenta de la FMC. Es miembro del Comité Central del Partido desde 1965. Fue elegida suplente del Buró Político en el II Congreso y efectivo en el III, y ratificada como miembro del Comité Central en todos los Congresos. Actualmente preside la Comisión Nacional de Prevención y Atención Social; la Comisión Permanente de Atención a la Niñez, la Juventud y la Igualdad de Derechos de la Mujer y orienta el Grupo de Educación Sexual. Es Diputada a la Asamblea Nacional y del Consejo de Estado desde 1976. Se le otorgó el título de Heroína de la República de Cuba y la Orden "Mariana Grajales". Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

SONIA DURÁN ROJAS

Nivel Escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Metodóloga Provincial de Educación. Comenzó su vida laboral en la Escuela Vocacional Antonio Maceo en 1981, donde ocupó varias responsabilidades, entre ellas: Jefa de Departamento de Literatura y Español. Participó en diferentes eventos Municipales y Provinciales de Pedagogía, Lingüística y Comunicación. En 1991 fue promovida a Metodóloga Provincial, donde ha obtenido resultados positivos. Ha sido Presidenta de la Comisión de Ingreso a la Educación Superior desde el año 1991 hasta la fecha. Es Profesora Adjunta del ISP Frank País García. Recibió la Distinción por la Educación Cubana. Es Delegada de circunscripción. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

ALBERTO LEZCAY MERENCIO

Nivel escolar: Superior. Ocupación: Presidente de la Fundación Caguayo para las Artes Monumentales Aplicadas. Es fundador de la televisora Tele Rebelde, donde inició su vida laboral como pintor escenográfico, así como del taller de diseño y textos del DOR. En 1973 se graduó en Escultura en la Escuela Nacional de Arte y en 1979 de Maestro en Arte, Academia de Escultura, Arquitectura, Pintura y Gráfica "I. Repin" en Leningrado. Fue nombrado miembro de la UNEAC y de la Asociación Internacional de Artistas Plásticos. Es autor de varias obras de arte. En 1981 pasó a Director del Taller Cultural en Santiago de Cuba y en 1982 dirigió el equipo multidisciplinario para el proyecto de la Plaza Monumento Antonio Maceo. En 1985 fue delegado al XII Festival Mundial de la Juventud y los Estudiantes en Moscú. Ha participado en eventos nacionales e internacionales. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

--

JOSÉ RAMÓN BALAGUER CABRERA

Nivel escolar: Universitario. Ocupación: Miembro del Buró Político del Partido y del Consejo de Estado, fundador del PCC. En 1958 se incorporó como Combatiente al Segundo Frente Oriental "Frank País", tomando parte en varios combates. Al triunfo de la Revolución ocupó los cargos de Segundo Jefe y Jefe de Sanidad municipal en La Habana. Más tarde fue designado Director General ejecutivo y Viceministro de Higiene y Epidemiología del Ministerio de Salud Pública. A partir de 1962 ocupó varias responsabilidades en el MINFAR. Fue Primer Secretario del Comité Provincial del Partido en Santiago de Cuba y delegado del Buró Político en Granma. En 1985 fue promovido a miembro del Secretariado del Comité Central. Fue Embajador de Cuba en la URSS. Es miembro del Comité Central del Partido desde 1975 y Diputado a la Asamblea Nacional desde su constitución. En reconocimiento a su labor, le han sido otorgadas varias condecoraciones. Municipio: Santiago de Cuba

You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQDemocracy.html

Or a long and detailed version here,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books

[Billy Burnett]

62. You can cry us a river, robcon. But do provide some facts as you tear up.

Those of us who have actually been to Cuba and have seen political parties involved in the electoral process don't think much of the offshore accusations from those who have little factual information to offer. Mika has provided you the slate of candidates from Santiago de Cuba who ran for the seat in the national assembly. None have been "thrown in jail" as you speculate (and claim as unsourced fact). He has also provided links to information on the structure and functions of the Cuban (not Castro's) government.

Where are your facts to back up your wild claims?

Go ahead and cry us a river, but please provide some factual information that might make what you wrote more believable.

[shenmue]

23. I would say Canada's health system is better...

and they didn't go Communist to do it.

[Judi Lynn]

26. Anyone with the ability to learn about Cuban history is aware that the conditions which lead to the

revolution in Cuba in the 1950's were as different from Canada's history as night and day.

Your post doesn't actually make any sense.

[shenmue]

39. Sure it does.

You understood it, right?

You don't agree, so I've got to be senseless?

And you've got to imply that I'm not aware of Cuban history? How would you know?

I do know that the Canadian system is not running short on supplies, does not have long waiting times, and does not have decrepit hospitals like the Cuban system does.

I do know that Canadians are better off because they do not live under Communism.

A lot of supporters of Cuba have a chip on their shoulder. You are plainly one of them.

If Cuba is so great, why don't you live there?

Maybe the two systems are as different as night and day. Canada would be the one in the light of day.

You do not see Americans trying to sneak into Cuba to get medicine.

Now who's aware or not?

[Judi Lynn]

42. DU'ers have long been well informed on the 45+ year old EMBARGO on Cuba, which has

made medical products difficult to obtain. It's been discussed here exhaustively.

"Denial of Food and Medicine:
The Impact Of The U.S. Embargo
On The Health And Nutrition In Cuba"
-An Executive Summary-
American Association for World Health Report
Summary of Findings
March 1997

After a year-long investigation, the American Association for World Health has determined that the U.S. embargo of Cuba has dramatically harmed the health and nutrition of large numbers of ordinary Cuban citizens. As documented by the attached report, it is our expert medical opinion that the U.S. embargo has caused a significant rise in suffering-and even deaths-in Cuba. For several decades the U.S. embargo has imposed significant financial burdens on the Cuban health care system. But since 1992 the number of unmet medical needs patients going without essential drugs or doctors performing medical procedures without adequate equipment-has sharply accelerated. This trend is directly linked to the fact that in 1992 the U.S. trade embargo-one of the most stringent embargoes of its kind, prohibiting the sale of food and sharply restricting the sale of medicines and medical equipment-was further tightened by the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act.

A humanitarian catastrophe has been averted only because the Cuban government has maintained a high level of budgetary support for a health care system designed to deliver primary and preventive health care to all of its citizens. Cuba still has an infant mortality rate half that of the city of Washington, D.C.. Even so, the U.S. embargo of food and the de facto embargo on medical supplies has wreaked havoc with the island's model primary health care system. The crisis has been compounded by the country's generally weak economic resources and by the loss of trade with the Soviet bloc.

Recently four factors have dangerously exacerbated the human effects of this 37-year-old trade embargo. All four factors stem from little-understood provisions of the U.S. Congress' 1992 Cuban Democracy Act (CDA):

1. A Ban on Subsidiary Trade: Beginning in 1992, the Cuban Democracy Act imposed a ban on subsidiary trade with Cuba. This ban has severely constrained Cuba's ability to import medicines and medical supplies from third country sources. Moreover, recent corporate buyouts and mergers between major U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies have further reduced the number of companies permitted to do business with Cuba.
   
   
2. Licensing Under the Cuban Democracy Act: The U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments are allowed in principle to license individual sales of medicines and medical supplies, ostensibly for humanitarian reasons to mitigate the embargo's impact on health care delivery. In practice, according to U.S. corporate executives, the licensing provisions are so arduous as to have had the opposite effect. As implemented, the licensing provisions actively discourage any medical commerce. The number of such licenses granted-or even applied for since 1992-is minuscule. Numerous licenses for medical equipment and medicines have been denied on the grounds that these exports "would be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests."
   
   
3. Shipping Since 1992:The embargo has prohibited ships from loading or unloading cargo in U.S. ports for 180 days after delivering cargo to Cuba. This provision has strongly discouraged shippers from delivering medical equipment to Cuba. Consequently shipping costs have risen dramatically and further constricted the flow of food, medicines, medical supplies and even gasoline for ambulances. From 1993 to 1996, Cuban companies spent an additional $8.7 million on shipping medical imports from Asia, Europe and South America rather than from the neighboring United States.
   
   
4. Humanitarian Aid: Charity is an inadequate alternative to free trade in medicines, medical supplies and food. Donations from U.S. non-governmental organizations and international agencies do not begin to compensate for the hardships inflicted by the embargo on the Cuban public health system. In any case, delays in licensing and other restrictions have severely discouraged charitable contributions from the U.S.

Taken together, these four factors have placed severe strains on the Cuban health system. The declining availability of food stuffs, medicines and such basic medical supplies as replacement parts for thirty-year-old X-ray machines is taking a tragic human toll. The embargo has closed so many windows that in some instances Cuban physicians have found it impossible to obtain life-saving medicines from any source, under any circumstances. Patients have died. In general, a relatively sophisticated and comprehensive public health system is being systematically stripped of essential resources. High-technology hospital wards devoted to cardiology and nephrology are particularly under siege. But so too are such basic aspects of the health system as water quality and food security. Specifically, the AAWH's team of nine medical experts identified the following health problems affected by the embargo:

1. Malnutrition: The outright ban on the sale of American foodstuffs has contributed to serious nutritional deficits, particularly among pregnant women, leading to an increase in low birth-weight babies. In addition, food shortages were linked to a devastating outbreak of neuropathy numbering in the tens of thousands. By one estimate, daily caloric intake dropped 33 percent between 1989 and 1993.
   
   
2. Water Quality: The embargo is severely restricting Cuba's access to water treatment chemicals and spare-parts for the island's water supply system. This has led to serious cutbacks in supplies of safe drinking water, which in turn has become a factor in the rising incidence of morbidity and mortality rates from water-borne diseases.
   
   
3. Medicines & Equipment: Of the 1,297 medications available in Cuba in 1991, physicians now have access to only 889 of these same medicines - and many of these are available only intermittently. Because most major new drugs are developed by U.S. pharmaceuticals, Cuban physicians have access to less than 50 percent of the new medicines available on the world market. Due to the direct or indirect effects of the embargo, the most routine medical supplies are in short supply or entirely absent from some Cuban clinics.
   
   
4. Medical Information: Though information materials have been exempt from the U.S. trade embargo since 1 988, the AAWH study concludes that in practice very little such information goes into Cuba or comes out of the island due to travel restrictions, currency regulations and shipping difficulties. Scientists and citizens of both countries suffer as a result. Paradoxically, the embargo harms some U.S. citizens by denying them access to the latest advances in Cuban medical research, including such products as Meningitis B vaccine, cheaply produced interferon and streptokinase, and an AIDS vaccine currently under-going clinical trials with human volunteers.

http://www.cubasolidarity.net/aawh.html

[shenmue]

52. So why don't they get help from China? The U.S. is not the only country on the planet.

Stop whining like everything that happens to Cuba is our fault.

It's not.

And your post makes no sense because it does not relate at all to my point about the Canadian health care system's superiority. Which still stands.

The embargo is from us. Not the rest of the world.

Why doesn't Cuba simply ask for help from anyone else?

Why don't other Communist countries help them?

And why is your entire post an irrelevent, accusatory, misleading tangent?

Just change the subject if you can't win. You have a chip on your shoulder, and you obviously can't win the argument any other way.

[Judi Lynn]

53. You're unaware of the extraterritorial aspects of the embargo, apparently.

You really need to acquaint yourself with this. If it isn't too much trouble, do your homework on the Helms-Burton Act.

Helms-Burton Act

The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 (Helms-Burton Act, Pub.L. 104-114, 110 Stat. 785, 22 U.S.C. § 6021-6091) is a United States federal law which strengthens and continues the United States embargo against Cuba. The act extended the territorial application of the initial embargo to apply to foreign companies trading with Cuba, and penalized foreign companies allegedly "trafficking" in property formerly owned by U.S. citizens but expropriated by Cuba after the Cuban revolution. The act also covers property formerly owned by Cubans who have since become U.S. citizens.<1>

The Act is named for its original sponsors, Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina, and Representative Dan Burton, Republican of Indiana.

The law was passed on March 12, 1996 by the 104th United States Congress. The bill, which had been tabled in late 1995 after Senator Helms was unable to overcome several Democratic filibusters, was reintroduced prompted by an episode that happened a month earlier. On February 24, 1996, Cuban fighter jets shot down two private planes operated by a Miami based anti-Castro Cuban refugee support group called Brothers to the Rescue (Hermanos al Rescate).
(snip)

The Helms-Burton Act was condemned by the Council of Europe, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and other U.S. allies that enjoy normal trade relations with Cuba. The governments argued that the law ran counter to the spirit of international law and sovereignty.

After a complant by the European Union with the World Trade Organization, a dispute settlement panel was established. Later, the work of the panel was suspended to find a solution through negotiations. After a year, the panel lost its jurisdiction over the matter, and the EU did not pursue the matter anymore before the WTO.

The law has also been condemned by humanitarian groups because these groups argue that sanctions against an entire country will affect only the innocent population.
(snip/...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms-Burton_Act

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 26 2000

Denial of Food and
Medicine – the Impact of
the U.S. Embargo on
Health and Nutrition in
Cuba

By Dorothy Guellec

(snip)
The AAWH study for the WHO was conducted over a yearlong period between 1995 & 1996, and then published in 1997. A multi-disciplinary research team traced the implications of the embargo restrictions on health care delivery and food security in Cuba. The team reviewed key U.S. regulations and their implementation, conducted a survey of 12 American medical and pharmaceutical companies and documented the experience of Cuban import firms with the embargo. The team assessed the impact of U.S. sanctions on health in Cuba through on-site visits to 46 treatment centers and related facilities; it conducted 160 interviews with medical professionals and other specialists, government officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, churches and international aid agencies. In October 1996, the AAWH sent a delegation of distinguished medical experts to Cuba to validate the findings of the draft report through first-hand observation. The full report of more than 300 pages is the first comprehensive study of its kind.

The embargo is very stringent, and most other countries would have had a major catastrophe, but this has been averted because the Cuban government has maintained a high level of budgetary support for a system designed to deliver primary and preventive care for all citizens. The Cuban constitution makes health care a right of every citizen and the government’s responsibility. The infant mortality rate is roughly half that in Washington, D.C. There are 440 polyclinics and secondary and tertiary facilities include 284 hospitals and 11 national institutes with impatient and research capacities. The 1992 Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) outlawed subsidiary trade with Cuba and imposed severe restrictions on foreign ships that visit Cuba before attempting to enter U.S. ports. The CDA gave the Treasury Dep’t for the first time the authority to levy civil fines up to $50,000 for violations of the embargo.

The report states that “ four factors have dangerously exacerbated the human effects of this 37-year-old trade embargo” All four stem from the little-understood provisions of the U.S. Congress’ 1992 CDA.

(1) A Ban on Subsidiary Trade “beginning in 1992, the CDA imposed a ban on subsidiary trade. This restriction has severely constrained Cuba’s ability to import medicines and medical supplies from third country sources. Moreover, recent corporate buy-outs and mergers between U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies have further reduced the number of companies permitted to do business with Cuba”.

(2) Licensing “under the CDA the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments are allowed in principle to license individual sales of medicines and medical supplies, ostensibly for humanitarian reasons to mitigate the embargo’s impact on health care delivery”. In practice, according to U.S.corporate executives, the licensing provisions actively discourage any medical commerce. The number of such licenses granted or even applied for since 1992 is minuscule. Numerous licenses for medical equipment and medicines have been denied on the grounds that these experts “would be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests.”

(3) Shipping “Since 1992 the embargo has prohibited ships loading or unloading cargo in U.S. ports for 180 days after delivering cargo to Cuba.” Shipping costs have risen dramatically. From 1993-1996 Cuban companies spent an additional $8.7 million on shipping medical imports from Asia, Europe and South America.

(4) Humanitarian Aid. Charity is an inadequate alternative to free trade. The level of donations pales in comparison to import needs. Donations are inconsistent; contributions only reach a part of the population, benefiting those with relatives in the U.S.

Taken together, these four factors have placed severe strains on the Cuban health system. The embargo has “closed so many windows that in some instances Cuban physicians have found it impossible to obtain life-saving medicines from any source, under any circumstances. Patients have died.” In general, a relatively sophisticated and comprehensive public health system is being stripped of essential resources.
(snip/...)

http://www.zmag.org/ZSustainers/ZDaily/2000-04/26guellec.htm

[ProudDad]

73. Ah, Judi Lynn

you beat me to it.

I was going to inform out little friend about the secondary boycott provisions of Helms-Burton...

On Edit: IN case you missed the meat of the legislation:

(1) A Ban on Subsidiary Trade “beginning in 1992, the CDA imposed a ban on subsidiary trade. This restriction has severely constrained Cuba’s ability to import medicines and medical supplies from third country sources. Moreover, recent corporate buy-outs and mergers between U.S. and European pharmaceutical companies have further reduced the number of companies permitted to do business with Cuba”.

(2) Licensing “under the CDA the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments are allowed in principle to license individual sales of medicines and medical supplies, ostensibly for humanitarian reasons to mitigate the embargo’s impact on health care delivery”. In practice, according to U.S.corporate executives, the licensing provisions actively discourage any medical commerce. The number of such licenses granted or even applied for since 1992 is minuscule. Numerous licenses for medical equipment and medicines have been denied on the grounds that these experts “would be detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests.”

(3) Shipping “Since 1992 the embargo has prohibited ships loading or unloading cargo in U.S. ports for 180 days after delivering cargo to Cuba.” Shipping costs have risen dramatically. From 1993-1996 Cuban companies spent an additional $8.7 million on shipping medical imports from Asia, Europe and South America.

(4) Humanitarian Aid. Charity is an inadequate alternative to free trade. The level of donations pales in comparison to import needs. Donations are inconsistent; contributions only reach a part of the population, benefiting those with relatives in the U.S.

Taken together, these four factors have placed severe strains on the Cuban health system. The embargo has “closed so many windows that in some instances Cuban physicians have found it impossible to obtain life-saving medicines from any source, under any circumstances. Patients have died.” In general, a relatively sophisticated and comprehensive public health system is being stripped of essential resources.

[ProudDad]

71. I would live there in a minute

but I'm busy undermining the corrupt capitalist system here in the good ole' U.S. of A...

It's my life's work.

[Bacchus39]

86. France too

for whatever reason the Castro fanatics believe that universal health care is endemic to communist societies.

[ProudDad]

70. Actually Cuba's system is better than Canada

the main difference is that Cuba's is more de-centralized with easier access to medical care while Canada's is more well financed (thanks to the Embargo on Cuba).

Check out the Health Care Olympics...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y755IP5R8Hg

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

63. Dude

Don't shoot friendly fire. Reserve it for the likes of robcon et caterva.

[Mika]

64. Huh? Please explain how I was shooting friendly fire?

Jeez. I was just asking a simple straightforward question. :shrug:

I got an answer (however inaccurate and/or underinformed it was). No attack from me.


:hi:

[Vidar]

17. Ahh, the poor gusanos will have to dust off some old

assassination plots again. Vova Fidel!!

[UTUSN]

21. Good for you!!1 At least you didn't apply the "gusano" slur to good DUers here. That's what gets

posts deleted.

[shenmue]

24. Excuse my lack of understanding on this word...

but what does that mean?

[Judi Lynn]

27. Avail yourself of an online dictionary, as the rest of us must when we need answers.

Here's one:
http://www.spanishdict.com/AS.cfm?e=gusano

[shenmue]

38. You didn't have to be patronizing

Just the answer would have helped.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Judi Lynn]

51. Another view of the word offered in a book by author, and former NY Times journalist,

Ann Louise Bardach:

In Cuba, one used to b either a revolucionario or a contrarevolucionario, while those who decided to leave were gusanos (worms) or escoria (scum). In Miami, the rhetoric has also been harsh. Exiles who do not endorse a confrontational policy with Cuba, seeking instead a negotiated settlement, have often been excoriated as traidores (traitors) and sometimes espías (spies). Cubans, notably cultural stars, who visit Miami but choose to return to their homeland have been routinely denounced. One either defects or is repudiated.

But there has been a slow but steady shift in the last decade-a nod to the clear majority of Cubans en exilio and on the island who crave family reunification. Since 1978, more than one million airline tickets have been sold for flights from Miami to Havana. Faced with the brisk and continuous traffic between Miami and Havana, hard-liners on both sides have opted to deny the new reality. Anomalies such as the phenomenon of reverse balseros, Cubans who, unable to adapt to the pressures and bustle of entrepreneurial Miami, return to the island, or gusañeros, expatriots who send a portion of their earnings home in exchange for unfettered travel back and forth to Cuba (the term is a curious Cuban hybrid of gusano and compañero, or comrade), are unacknowledged by both sides, as are those who live in semi-exilio, returning home to Cuba for long holidays.


Page XVIII
Preface
Cuba Confidential
Love and Vengeance
In Miami and Havana

Copyright© 2002 by
Ann Louise Bardach

(Her book was published before _Bush's ban on travel to Cuba by Cuban "exiles" and their families was tightened.)

[Bacchus39]

87. the resident DU latin america expert speaks NO Spanish

she should take her own advice.

[roody]

55. worm eom

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[UTUSN]

48. No, not that SPECIFIC word, just OTHER insults directed at GOOD DUers.

I know you're too smart to misunderstand.

[Mika]

50. Wow. Just wow.

Trying to clear up a misunderstanding seems impossible.

:banghead:

[Eugene]

19. Cuban leader Fidel Castro is "in charge:" Chavez

Source: Reuters

Cuban leader Fidel Castro is "in charge:" Chavez

Sun Apr 29, 11:56 AM ET

BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Cuban President Fidel
Castro is back "in charge" after undergoing intestinal surgery
in July, his friend and protege Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez said on Sunday.

An intestinal ailment has kept the Communist leader out of the
public eye for the past nine months, sparking speculation about
whether he will return to power, which he ceded temporarily to
his brother Raul on July 31.

"He is charge, he is in charge, he is doing a lot of thinking,"
Chavez said in a speech at a Latin American summit.

Chavez has already said that Castro, 80, has taken back much
of his governing role informally.

Bolivian President Evo Morales has said he is sure Castro will
attend a May Day parade in Havana, but Chavez said he did
not know whether his mentor would be there.


Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070429/wl_nm/cuba_castro_chavez_dc

[Iceburg]

20. Glad to hear the good news. Viva Fidel /nt

[Subdivisions]

22. And Michael Moore will be along soon with a new

film about the Cuban healthcare system that was able to get him back on his feet.

[Show_Me _The_Truth]

31. Weekend at Fidel's

[cal04]

33. Castro 'In Charge' Again, Chavez Says

Source: Associated Press

President Hugo Chavez said Sunday his friend and political ally Fidel Castro is ``in charge'' again nearly nine months after undergoing intestinal surgery.

The Cuban leader has not been seen in public since before July 31, when he announced he had undergone surgery and provisionally ceded power to his younger brother Raul. With Cuban officials giving increasing positive reports about Fidel Castro's health, there has been speculation recently that he could soon be back in the public eye.

``Fidel is in charge. Fidel is in charge,'' Chavez said, revealing that he received a ``philosophical letter'' from Castro the day before and that it ran to nearly 10 pages.

Speaking during a meeting of leftist leaders, Chavez laughed as he said that Bolivian President Evo Morales ``is determined that Fidel will come out on May 1.''

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6597038,00.html

[Colobo]

34. Don't worry, he'll die eventually

and hopefully that stupid "revolution" will die with him.

[UnseenUndergrad]

36. There are, of course, differences of opinion.

Some see Castro's reign as brutal, repressive and lacking in political and press freedoms. They may be right.

Others view it as not the greatest of Western Nations, but as a might heap better than what it was under Batista, which was, for all intents and purposes, a sugar economy garnished with a giant Mafia whorehouse/casino culture. Then there is the complication of the Exile community in Miami, an aging segment, bolstered by new immigrants, but whose descendants often do not share their ancestors obsessions with overthrowing Castro and reclaiming property that, in all honesty, they would likely never live on.

And then there are those who tout the reforms of the government without talking about the downsides (repression, 'ten million ton' sugar scheme) with increases in basic literacy and health-care, often touted as leading in Latin America, and rapidly catching up to an American system going down the toilet.

But to call the revolution itself 'stupid' would be a grave insult to those who fought to rid the island of Batista and organized crime (perhaps to be replaced by bureaucratic crime, but like I said, differences of opinion).

[shenmue]

40. They got rid of Batista...

only to replace him with what they have now?

Yes, some might see that as stupid.

So much for allowing differences of opinion.

Go ahead, try to do anything but post unswerving love of Castro here.

If it's so great in Cuba, what are we all doing here?

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[roody]

67. Our government does not allow us to go there.

Not that that will stop me.

[ProudDad]

77. Aw, shenmue

don't pitch softballs at us... :shrug:

[joshcryer]

89. I've been to Cuba, I've felt safer there than any other Latin American states.

It's a nice country, there's no doubt about that. But there is not an overwhelming support for the state, and I won't believe anyone here who makes such claims. I've talked to Cuban's. It's a mixed message.

[ProudDad]

76. Gee

That's what Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, nixon, ford, Carter, ray-gun, bush I, Clinton and bush II said.

Anyhoo, I've been to Cuba and sorry to inform you -- they're nearly all Socialists there. They're not about to give up the Revolution. In addition, they have a number of strong allies now.

The U.S. imperialists should give it up, they've lost the South...

[skyounkin]

35. Jeebus?!!

Have we won this war yet?!! We showed him!! Take THAT Castro.........







sigh.

[G_j]

37. "a cruel dictatorship that denies all freedom in the name of a dark and discredited ideology"

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no...

Bush predicts change is near for Cubans

Published: Monday, 30 April, 2007, 09:05 AM Doha Time


President George W Bush is applauded as he takes to the stage to deliver the commencement address at Miami Dade College Kendall Campus in Miami, Florida, on Saturday

MIAMI: President George W Bush took fresh aim on Saturday at Cuba’s communist government, calling it a “cruel dictatorship” and predicting that democratic change was near.

The US president’s comments came amid signs that Cuban leader Fidel Castro was recovering from an intestinal ailment that has kept him out of the public eye for the past nine months and may soon resume some government duties.

Bush, who has tightened economic sanctions on Havana and boosted aid to dissidents with a goal of hastening the end of Castro’s grip on power, said in a commencement speech at Miami Dade College that many Cubans were dreaming of a better life.

“Unfortunately, those dreams are stifled by a cruel dictatorship that denies all freedom in the name of a dark and discredited ideology,” Bush said, noting that many people at the graduation had roots in Cuba, which is just 90 miles (140km) from Florida.
“Some of you still have loved ones who live in Cuba and wait for the day when the light of liberty will shine upon them again,” Bush said. “That day is nearing.”


..more..

[gorbal]

41. Required reading on Cuba-This weeks Nation Magazine

Pick it up at a new stand or get it here-

http://www.thenation.com/

[Judi Lynn]

85. Really interesting link. gorbal.

It pointed out something a lot of people don't know. Fidel Castro lost in his bid to keep Cuba as it was, and rejecting the move to establishing individual, personal farmers' markets for small private businesses. He opposed that, and lost.

This reminded me of the information which has also been around a long time to people doing any investigation at all, that Fidel Castro also vigorously opposed the move to accept the dolarization of their system. From what I've heard, he fought that like a trooper, and lost unceremoniously.

The round-table converstion including Saul Landau was very thought-provoking.

[Judi Lynn]

43. Looks like first on the agenda will be the following item! Interesting to see this now,

considering I've read in articles, and have heard from a Cuba traveller that the move to accept the dollar was an action by the Cuban government which Fidel Castro strongly opposed.

Posted on Mon, Apr. 30, 2007
Cuba hopes to return to single currency
BY ANDREA RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA -- Cuba's economics minister has said the government hopes to return to a single currency, a departure from the current two-currency system that makes many consumer goods unattainable for most Cubans.

Communist Cuba's dual economy emerged more than 15 years ago after the country lost most of its preferential trade and aid with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

''We have been advancing toward monetary unification,'' Economics Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez told reporters during a briefing Saturday on the Cuban economy. ''That's the path.'' He did not provide specifics.

Today, the regular Cuban peso is what Cubans use for virtually all government services -- including utilities, transportation and a monthly food ration -- and it is the only currency accepted at popular farmers markets.
(snip/...)

http://www.miamiherald.com/579/story/91519.html

[Judi Lynn]

44. From the former head of the American Interests Section in Cuba:

Keeping academics out of Cuba
By Wayne S. Smith
Originally published April 30, 2007

The Bush administration's restrictions on academic travel to Cuba are so harsh that they have brought such travel virtually to a halt. Now, about 450 professors and academics from colleges and universities across the nation have banded together to take the federal government to court and challenge their legality.

The stated purpose of these restrictions was to deny hard currency to Cuban government coffers. But visiting professors and students are not exactly known as big spenders. The pittance they might have left behind would have had little impact on a Cuban economy registering strong growth rates.


Most of the restrictions are simply inexplicable. One says that courses in Cuba can be taught only by full-time, permanent members of the faculty. I have taught every semester at the Johns Hopkins University for 24 years and am the director of the Cuba Exchange Program. But because I am an adjunct professor, the new regulations ban me from teaching courses in Cuba - even were it possible to organize such courses.

How does that deny hard currency to Cuba? Did I, and other adjunct professors who may have been involved, have such reputations as high rollers that U.S. officials believed keeping us off the island was a good way to bring down the Cuban economy? Absurd. So what was the purpose?

More:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.cuba30apr30,0,4747509.story?coll=bal-oped-headlines

[LiberalFighter]

46. I hope Castro lives at least until 2009 when Bush leaves office

[rinsd]

57. Castro a no-show at May Day celebrations.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18409264/

[robcon]

58. Why do we hear this from Morales or Chavez?

Why doesn't Castro speak for himself?

[Mika]

65. Maybe he's too busy because he's resuming his duties as Head of State of Cuba.

The May Day celebrations did just fine without his attending.

[gorbal]

61. Chomsky's take on Cuba is facinating-

http://www.walterlippmann.com/Chomsky-rhc-10-2003.html

[UTUSN]

72. He's too BUSY!!1 Yaas, THAT's it!!1 He's BUSY!!1

What, Raul's not UP to the job?? Sorta like Shrub and Jeb??!1

[UTUSN]

74. Oh!!1 I forgot!!1 The doomsDay didn't happen EITHER!!1

The End o'th'Worl' didn't happen EITHER. Wait, I'm going to start a thread: Did BahBWAH WAHWAH have a LOVE CHILD?????????????

[Mika]

79. Cubans in Cuba don't obsess on Castro the way people on this side of the Gulf do.

Look at what the head of one of the domestic Cuban opposition political parties says about Fidel Castro.


http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=63249&cat=Headlines&more=/news/more-news.asp

Oswaldo Paya, a leading Cuban dissident who heads the Christian Liberation Movement, said that for many Cubans, it matters little whether Fidel Castro appeared at Tuesday's May Day events.

"I don't think Cubans await anything special on May 1st, although some will be interested in whether (Fidel Castro) appears," said Paya. "But my impression is that they're not preoccupied with it."

[joshcryer]

75. Interesting how silent this thread is since Castro didn't show.

[ProudDad]

78. Viva Fidel

He'll outlive bush II too.

[Judi Lynn]

80. Something sounds fishy, all right. The thread is only 4 days old.

Can't imagine why it's winding down. I'm sure you're right. Those liberals are socially embarrassed because Fidel Castro didn't show up for the festivities on May 1st.

Maybe Mika's post #79 will be helpful to you:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2827389#2832413

[joshcryer]

81. Not really.

It's more or less just dismissive and doesn't address the overwhelming support for Castro when it was *thought* he'd show, and the complete silence when he didn't. It was like, well, you guys were obsessing about him, huh?

[Judi Lynn]

83. I'm, unaware of overwhelming support for Castro when it was *thought* he'd show.

Would you check around and point out a link from someone orgasming over the thought Fidel Castro might show up last May 1st?

You are attempting to make cartoonish figures of people whose principles are far, far different from yours.

I've noticed that the truly idiotic people are right-wingers, not readers, like the rest. The liberals at DU are the only ones who bring continuing new information to this forum. The not-so-democratic faction only comes with a host of worn, trite, uninformed slurs.

Address the information being discussed, and spare everyone your attacks on posters, a last resort which is actually contrary to DU rules, anyway.

The people who "obsess" are the ones who intend to keep promoting the right-wing intention to keep Latin America captive to their own nasty, grubby selfish, and inappropriate, often wildly violent domination.

It's a new day, and that's going to change, eventually, as Latin America grows past the place it can be divided and conquered by greedy, racist, lunatic right-wingers in American politics.

On edit: spelling wreck!

[joshcryer]

88. This thread?

Hello? Am I losing my mind?

[joshcryer]

90. Unless I'm misconstruing the "return to power" as thinking he'd show.

In which case I conceed that I misinterpreted the hubhub of this thread. :)

[Mika]

91. If Castro doesn't show up for a parade, then he can't be resuming his H.o.S. position.

:rofl:

[joshcryer]

93. I didn't say that. But certainly if he showed it'd be more convincing.

[Mika]

94. I didn't say that you did. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

I was just affirming your point. That being: resuming his position in government has little to do with attending a parade.

[joshcryer]

95. Basically I felt as though there was some disappointment with him not showing on May Day.

Perhaps it was unfounded but you guys are regular Cuba posters and it seemed strange that after May Day the thread *seemingly* died. Seemed unusual given posting history that I have seen. I know he's pretty much been a regular at May Day for a long time now. Not to say they worship him or anything. Sorry for any confusion on my part, too. No hostilities intended.

[rcdean]

82. I think our people got to him. Bush knows something.

Bush's cryptic remark last week that he sees a change coming very soon in Cuba suggests our CIA poisons or whatever finally found their target in the process of Castro's recovery from illness.

My guess is he's either gone or close to it.

I expect another massive invasion of Miamians once it becomes clear he's checked out.

Sure hope I'm wrong.

[Judi Lynn]

84. I wish they WOULD leave, but Cubans don't want them, from everything I've heard.

What you said could be true, as it is probably always a possibility they will finally find that one corruptible weak spot in the government to exploit for their own purposes.

Very ugly, dirty business. They are going to be very surprised to learn how completely resistant the Cuban population is to being re-dominated by the same people they threw out in the first place.

[Mika]

92. Yeah. Castro's dead. All of the pics and vids of him, and articles by him are faked.

Where's the DU crowd that were INSISTING just that. :shrug:

[rcdean]

96. How many pics and vids have you seen from the past week?

That's the period I'm talking about.