Latin America

Mika

(17,751 posts) Thu Dec 18, 2014, 12:57 AM Dec 2014

Miami reacts to Obama's Cuba move: Tears of joy, cries of 'traitor'

Miami reacts to Obama's Cuba move: Tears of joy, cries of 'traitor'

In Miami's Little Havana, Versailles Restaurant hosted hard-line Cuban exiles railing against President Obama’s decision to establish full diplomatic ties with the Cuban government. They waved placards and hurled insults bilingually, putting on the show they’ve been rehearsing and staging for half a century.

The show at Versailles involved megaphones and pickup trucks, national news outlets parked in front of a spot that serves tasty espresso, and a handful of outspoken Cuban Americans who yell loud enough to scare viewers in Nebraska. Whenever major news breaks about Cuba, the media flocks to Versailles to take the pulse of the Cuban community.

Meanwhile in Hialeah, a city with a far larger number of Cubans and Cuban Americans than Little Havana, Tropical Restaurant served cafeteria-style meals to a quieter, more sanguine crowd. Here, many welcomed Obama’s decision.

“It’s going to be better for the Cuban people. It’s going to be better for the United States,” said Reinier Oropeza, 33, an accountant who to came to the U.S. from Cuba in 1998.

Whole article here --> http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-cuba-little-miami-20141217-story.html

9 replies

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Miami reacts to Obama's Cuba move: Tears of joy, cries of 'traitor' (Original Post) Mika Dec 2014 OP

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #1

A generational divide. silverweb Dec 2014 #2

I think the younger generation understands that Cuba will not change for the better hack89 Dec 2014 #4

That's a 2-way street. silverweb Dec 2014 #5

All that will be overshadowed until Cuba embraces democracy and has free elections hack89 Dec 2014 #6

Of course. silverweb Dec 2014 #7

I think it is an excellent move on the President's part hack89 Dec 2014 #8

Agree 100%! silverweb Dec 2014 #9

So cool seeing this video. Beautiful! Bless that beautician in the 2nd source. Judi Lynn Dec 2014 #3

Response to Mika (Original post)

Name removed Message auto-removed

silverweb

(16,402 posts)

2. A generational divide.

Reply to Mika (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 03:15 AM

Dec 2014

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]The article points that out right up front.

The older folks are still wallowing in their bitterness, refusing to see any good at all in Cuba's evolution.

The younger ones can appreciate Cuba's remarkable achievements and benefit to the world in recent decades, and are much more pragmatic.

Hardly a surprise, but I'm very glad the young are leading here!

hack89

(39,171 posts)

4. I think the younger generation understands that Cuba will not change for the better

Reply to silverweb (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:19 PM

Dec 2014

without coming out of their isolation. As contact between Americans and Cubans become the norm, the pressure for political and economic reform in Cuba will become overwhelming.

silverweb

(16,402 posts)

5. That's a 2-way street.

Reply to hack89 (Reply #4)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:30 PM

Dec 2014

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]As Cuban-American contact and understanding increases, Cuba's extraordinary humanitarian ideals and service at home and around the world will (I dearly hope) force some serious American soul-searching and change here, as well.

hack89

(39,171 posts)

6. All that will be overshadowed until Cuba embraces democracy and has free elections

Reply to silverweb (Reply #5)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:36 PM

Dec 2014

because the combination of one party authoritarian rule and "humanitarian ideals" is a hard sell to most Americans.

silverweb

(16,402 posts)

7. Of course.

Reply to hack89 (Reply #6)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:45 PM

Dec 2014

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Their reality will have to match our illusions. That's okay. Hopefully both sides will benefit greatly. More openness and mutual understanding are always good.

hack89

(39,171 posts)

8. I think it is an excellent move on the President's part

Reply to silverweb (Reply #7)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:50 PM

Dec 2014

I am under no illusion that it will be easy or that things will turn out exactly the way either side wants but the status quo had to change - it was toxic to both countries.

silverweb

(16,402 posts)

9. Agree 100%!

Reply to hack89 (Reply #8)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 06:08 PM

Dec 2014

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I'm so proud of President Obama and so happy for Cuban-American relations!

Judi Lynn

(160,542 posts)

3. So cool seeing this video. Beautiful! Bless that beautician in the 2nd source.

Reply to Mika (Original post)

Thu Dec 18, 2014, 05:32 AM

Dec 2014

She's probably as old as the policeman in the first one, but she is so much more tuned in, clear-headed, well-balanced. Good example it's not just the age in every case, either! She said her late father would also have loved to see this day.

So glad to see the sweet Cubans of Miami. It's wonderful seeing their faces, hearing their voices.

Thank you, Mika.

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