Damas de Blanco, not going to help change things anytime soon

So who gains and who is the loser?

Cuban people lose. Right wing politicians and friends in the USA WIN!! Embargo? Strengthened. Point made? NOT to the Cuban government who see these women as paid by the USA.

Once again: who puts themselves in the shoes of the Cuban governmnent and who has enough knowledge to judge? If Cuba feels itself at war with the USA it will defend itself from undermining. I remember when the USA undermined the Sandinistas, successfully.

This is not going to change a thing. Only harden the forces against change, what a shame.

CHANGE has to come from the USA. Here is proof: we trade with China and Vietnam and they have more dissidents in prison than Cuba. American citizens are allowed to travel to North Korea!
What more proof that this is just a game played out on the backs of the poor in Cuba.

http://cubantriangle.blogspot.com/2010/03/damas-week.html

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Damas' week

A week of daily protests for the release of political prisoners by the Damas de Blanco ended on Sunday. It was “unprecedented,” according to Mauricio Vicent of El Pais, who described the daily pattern: “mass, a march through the streets, a spontaneous acto de repudio from the indignant people, a police cordon to protect the women, all organized to perfection.”

The protests, marking the anniversary of the 2003 arrests of 75 dissidents and independent journalists, came just after the death of Orlando Zapata and coincide with the hunger strike of Guillermo Farinas, who is seeking release of 26 political prisoners with health problems. If Farinas dies, dissident Felix Bonne has said he will start a hunger strike of his own. It all adds up to a cascade of public opposition activity that hasn’t been seen in some time.

What is the impact?

Internationally, it’s clear. Whereas one year ago the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean were unanimously pushing President Obama to end the embargo, today’s events have put the President of Brazil on the defensive and elicited statements of concern (or stronger) from the governments of Mexico, Costa Rica, and Chile – plus one from the UN Secretary General.

A more concrete impact could be the derailing of Spain’s effort to change European Union policy toward Cuba during the first six months of this year, during which Madrid holds the EU presidency. This situation is hard to read – the issue had not yet been joined in the EU and no Spanish proposal has yet come to light. EFE is reporting, with no quotes and no sources cited by name, that Spain has already decided to abandon this effort. I have seen nothing on-the-record from the foreign ministry.

Inside Cuba, we have seen another set of actions showing Cuba’s bloggers moving beyond on-line commentary to public activism, this time in solidarity with Farinas and the Damas de Blanco. See this post from Claudia Cadelo, in addition to the numerous items from Yoani Sanchez that appear at Penultimos Dias.

Whether there will be lasting political effect, I’m not so sure.

This analysis by Ernesto Menendez-Conde at Diario de Cuba points in that direction, saying that the government miscalculated and that Zapata’s death, “far from scaring the dissidents, energized them and expanded their political space.” The comments that follow include some contrary views.

This comment by the BBC’s Fernando Ravsberg, “Suicide as a political weapon,” is also worth reading, as are the comments that follow.

Finally, if you like trying to figure out what is on the Cuban government’s mind by deciphering the messages and coverage in Cuban media, these two videos show how these events are being presented to the Cuban public: from the Mesa Redonda and from the nightly news program.

The Solidarity trade union led by Walesa was seen as a simple group of workers, who would have imagined that, together with the Afghan mujahideen, and the idiocy of the engineers operating Chernobyl, they would bring the mighty Soviet empire down. Sometimes these events by small groups of individuals do have an enormous impact on history, if they happen to link to Black Swans or unusual events.

For example, Venezuela today is suffering from a serious economic crisis, which is just starting. The crisis has been brought on in part by the drop in oil prices, in part by government policies, in part by the electric power crisis which in turn is driven by a record breaking drouoght. But if the Venezuelan economy falters as it is likely to do, then Cuba will not be receiving all the cash it does receive from Venezuela today. And this is likely to induce changes in the government. If, at the same time, dissidents put pressure on the international community to warn the Cubans to change or else, this may indeed be the small flutter of a butterfly's wings needed to make the whole deck of cards collapse.

Think about a slightly different event, 19 men attacked the USA in 2001, and dealt it a major defeat. But then the USA reacted stupidly, and invaded Afghanistan and Iraq, putting itself into quagmires from which it doesn't seem able to extract itself - this may indeed be one of the causes historians will list as the reasons for the fall of the mighty US empire. And yet, when we look at the record, it seems the USA could have stopped the attacks simply by putting reinforced doors on their airplanes. Or they could have been a bit smarter catching the culprits. Or they could have stayed at the UN conference on racism in Durban, rather than walking out when israel did. Which was seen by so many as a sign that Israel controlled US foreign policy, that Palestine would never be free as long as the USA foreign policy was controlled by the israel lobby - and which in turn sealed the minds of the men responsible for the September 11 attack.

Thus, such a simple act, in Durban, when a US representative walked out of the room, or a simple decision by a bureaucrat not to require reinforced doors on airplanes, may have led to the demise of the US as we know it today. And a simple act by a dissident or a group of dissidents in Cuba may, in the end, be what is needed for the Castro regime to fall.

50 years have passed my brother and NOTHING has caused a change in spite of many attempts at creating black swan events.

This will just make things harder for the Cuban people. Don't ya'll in Miami ever think that a tad of respect would gain a world of compromise?

No.

My friend flaming, the black swann can never be created, it just happens...as Nassim Nicholas Taleb explains, it is a predictable event, but only in retrospect. Many years ago, I learned that one can change things with persistence, forbearance, and some luck. Andrew Wiles did solve Fermat's last theorem, Barak Obama did make it to President of the USA, and Jamal Malik did win his 20 million ruppees...

For the English-only speakers: Silvio Rodriguez declared it's time for change in Cuba. And hundreds of people gathered to listen to him applauded. I will leave the conclusion of this event to history.

The quote in Spanish is found below

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El cantautor Silvio Rodríguez dijo que Cuba "pide a gritos una revisión" al presentar el viernes su nuevo disco, que dedicó al medio siglo de la revolución liderada por Fidel Castro.

Rodríguez, considerado la voz de la revolución cubana, dijo que la idea de "reinventar" el sistema socialista de la isla no es nueva, pero "no siempre se ha conseguido".

"Yo creo que este es un momento en que sí, la revolución, la vida nacional, el país pide a gritos una revisión de montones de cosas (...) desde conceptos hasta instituciones", dijo el músico de 63 años durante una conferencia de prensa en La Habana para presentar su disco "Segunda Cita", informó Reuters.

"Hay muchas cosas que hay que revisar en Cuba y que he escuchado, siempre extraoficialmente y jamás por supuesto lamentablemente en nuestra prensa, que esas cosas se están analizando", dijo Rodríguez.

"Dios quiera que así sea!", agregó, arrancando aplausos a cientos de personas reunidas en la Casa de Las Américas de La Habana.

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of the quoted article:
http://lta.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idLTASIE62P1OT20100326?sp=true

Just read the entire article and see where the word "cambio" (change) does not appear anywhere. Rodríguez used the word "revisión" of the Cuban Revolution which means "to revise or modify some aspects of the revolution, not a complete "change." In other word, some concepts and institutions need to be tweeked, not thrown out altogether.

The article also contains this sentence:

"Conozco todo eso que ha pasado. Sigo teniendo muchas más razones para creer en la revolución, que para creer en sus detractores", dijo Rodríguez.

"I am aware of all that has occurred. I keep having many more reasons to believe in the revolution than to believe in its detractors."

He was talking about the international criticism (including from Obama) directed against Cuba after the death of the hunger striker.

It truly didn't seem possible the one who has had so many fans in Cuba so very long for very good reasons would EVER go completely wacko and suddenly take a position contrary to everything he has ever done before now.

It really takes all kinds.

It is so kind of you to look through the Reuters entire article and share what it said. It's so totally more rational and consistant with what has been the man's history.

http://mmendiola.net.nyud.net:8090/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/silvio10dic.jpg

Silvio Rodriguez

He was being very polite, to revise means to review. What is left unsaid is that after a review, one can decide to change everything. he also referred to the lack of freedom of the press, when he mentions the Cuban media don't talk about things they know are needed and may be taking place. It seems to me the Cuban regime is crumbling, and it is doing so from within.

The Cuban people themselves are going to change things. Let's hope it's not like in Romania, where the demand for change led to the Timiosara massacre and the subsequent violent acts which led to the demise of their communist dictator, Caesescu.

These women's husbands were on the US payroll, the US being the self declared enemy of Cuba. They were being paid directly from the US interests section in Havana. It was also discovered that Luis Posada had funneled funds to certain members of "the 75" using the diplomatic shield of the US ambassadors and staff there.

Its like "dissidents" in the USA receiving funding from Al Queda, the self declared enemy of the US. Not legal.

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I don't know if there is any proof about their wives but the perception is that they might be receiving money.

Here is a video shown on the Mesa Redonda, it's from the link I posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNUn-0nXU8

Here they show German diplomats showing up at the march and they are questioning this - what role are they playing - and then someone on the street says that his impression is that they get money from the USA and that is why they don't work.

Europeans can be all over the map about Cuba. There are always those who want to undermine them at all costs. I did not think the Germans were involved but who knows.

I tend to think that the Damas are fairly noble and want their husbands released like anyone would. However their husbands and other dissidents were unfortunatey snared by undercover security and they were receiving money or support.

I'm interested in learning more about who sent money to them from the USA.

As well as some aiding and abetting terrorists residing freely in Miami (Posada, Frometa of Alpha 66 & Commandos F-4, etc).

This was not an "unfortunate" bust. No more so that if the US breaks up an Al Queda cell in the USA.

It was a fortunate bust - Miami based terrorists groups like the CANF, BttR, Alpha 66, Commandos F-4, Brigade 2506, have set off bombs in Cuba killing innocent civilians. Not to mention Posada blowing up a Cuban airliner killing all aboard (mainly children that Posada called "collateral damage" in a NYT interview with Ann Louise Bardach).

These are not supporters of democratic processes. They are terrorists, and those that aid and abet terrorists and self declared enemies of Cuba are breaking the law and endangering Cubans and visitors and they deserve to be busted up (just as they would be if they were in the US aiding and abetting enemies of the US).


Of course the mewling supporters of those who aid such cretins spin this bought-and-paid-for "dissident" operation into me saying that all opposition in Cuba are considered US lackeys. Not so. There are many opposition groups in Cuba that will have nothing to do with US based financing, because it will taint their legitimacy. Elizardo Sanchez and Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo are leading domestic Cuban opposition leaders who operate this way now.

Notice how they aren't celebrated dissidents in the anti Cuba media. Because they are a domestic product who denounce external influences/funding (especially from the US). Not easy to fit into the fantastical fabricated "dissident" paradigm created and funded by anti Cuba interests.

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It has been more than 50 years...I do believe your time will be up soon. And as Cuba changes, hopefully Venezuela will avoid the same fate the poor Cuban people have suffered for so many years.

U.S. Ambassador to Cuba, Michael Parmly, impersonates a Cuban “Lady in White” impersonating an Argentine “Mother of the Plaza de Mayo”

http://machetera.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/dialing-for-dollars-in-cuba/

None other than No. 1 terrorist in Miami, Luis Posada Carriles. Facing 73 counts of homicide in Venezuela, accused of terrorism in Cuba and Panama.

BTW, judge in El Paso this month postponed Posada's immigration-violation trial again. There is no date for the trial now.

Don't forget his Italian tourist murder victim in a Havana hotel, as well.

Not content to pick off helpless, unarmed citizens, clearly these pieces of human filth expect to continue their plan to overturn the revolution of the people who wanted them OUT and GONE from the positions they grossly abused already.

If Cubans didn't want them GONE they'd still be there. They are lower than simple trash. They are disease-ridden, murderous scum.

That goes for ALL their advocates.

The bottom photo shows him as he is. His character is written all over his face.

The trial's postponed again? Someone should remind the US shadow government Posada Carriles knows where a lot of THEIR bodies are buried, too.

and no one will take responsibility for the hardheadedness and the criminal behavior and greed.

And this is Cuban against Cuban! I find it despicable, I want to vomit when I'm in Miami sometimes because some Miami Cubans don't have a baseline of humanism to work with, they hurt their own on the island!

I have to ask, like the teabaggers, are they incapable of analytical thinking??

What does the Cuban government think when they see the offspring of a Batistiano and a terrorist responsible for the death of Cuban children marching with SMUGNESS down the streets of Miami?

Silvio would never condone that or anyone else with half a brain.

The overwhelming majority of Cubans in Miami are just Cubans who got sick and tired of the communist regime. They have a tendency to be right wing and rabidly anti-Castro. I myself don't like their attitude, but I understand it - it's the mirror image of your buddies the communists and Castro regime apologizers who post here.

There was a very lucid post by Dutch Liberal in which he discussed cognitive dissonance, and our tendency to become extremists, and avoid information inputs which are contrary to our deeply held beliefs. It's this problem which makes us so easy to turn into a mob, and go and tie some poor slob to a stake, and burn him alive. Just be aware that you have the problem, I have the problem, Judy definitely has the problem. If we are aware of this problem, we can fight it.

You've proven repeatedly that you know nothing about Cuba, and now Miami. Nada. But yet you accuse others who have been to both places and actually lived in both places of what you suffer from, cognitive dissonance.
:dunce: :dunce:

Bendixen and Associates
NATIONAL POLL OF CUBAN & CUBAN AMERICANS ON CHANGES TO CUBA POLICY
http://www.bendixenandassociates.com/Cuba_Flash_Poll_Executive_Summary.html

**A substantial majority of Cuban and Cuban American adults in the United States - 64 percent - support the changes in Cuba policy announced last week by President Barack Obama that lift all restrictions for Cubans in the United States on travel and remittances to Cuba. Fifty percent of Cubans said that they "strongly support" the policy changes while only 20 percent said that they "strongly oppose" them.

**Approximately 240,000 Cuban adults would like to travel to Cuba during 2009-2010.

**Two-thirds of Cuban and Cuban American adults - 67 percent - support the lifting of travel restrictions for all Americans so that they can also travel to Cuba freely.

**The Cuban American community splits on the issue of the commercial embargo against Cuba. Forty-two percent believe that it should be continued while 43 percent believe that it should be terminated. The PowerPoint report clearly indicates the generational and "decade of arrival" gaps in Cuban American public opinion on the embargo issue.

**The number of Cubans sending money to their relatives in Cuba (remittances) will not increase significantly because of the new policy (44 percent have been sending money regularly and another 2 percent will start sending money now). Nevertheless, the amount of money that is sent to Cuba should increase substantially because 30 percent of Cubans indicated that they were planning to send more than $1,000 to their family members every year and 7 percent said that they would send more than $3,000 annually. The old policy allowed Cubans to send no more than $1,200 to Cuba every year.

**President Barack Obama receives surprisingly high ratings from Cuban Americans - a group that has very strong ties to the Republican Party. Two-thirds of all Cuban adults (67%) give him a favorable rating while only 20 percent give him an unfavorable rating.

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Nothing you said contradicts what I said. Let me repeat: The majority of Cubans in Miami are not bastistianos, nor descend from bastistianos. They are Cubans who left the island because they didn't want to live under communism.

Now that we clarified that point, what do you think about the calls for change we keep hearing the Cuban people repeat? It seems more and more of them are not afraid. I wouldn't give the Fidel Castro era 12 months. It's time for change. After 50 years, communism is over.

They claim to hate all things socialistic. But when one asks questions and takes a look at the demographics of the hard line RW exiles you will find that many are full of contradictions - just like teabaggers - getting SS, Medicare, Medicaid, receiving Sec 8 housing subsidies, food stamps, no insurance (relying on socialized emergency room treatment), etc etc.

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threw a tantrum in government offices when a government employee didn't show her enough groveling respect when she went to sign up for her own supply of food stamps.

She told Senator Rivera the employee made her angry, and he got SIX levels of employees all FIRED, starting with the employee herself, then the employee who hired her, and the employee who hired that employee, all the way up the ladder.

At a later time Senator Rivera tried to pass legislation which would allow the government to withdraw these expensive financial supports from Cuban immigrants for six months if it became learned they had visited Cuba. He tried to use the financial gifts to only Cuban immigrants as a weapon to use against them to keep them from visiting their home country.
g
They feel just FINE about socialized gifts as long as they are only extended JUST to Cuban immigrants, an no other group. Your may recall that during Reagan's bloodbath in Central America some people here tried desperately to get temporary shelter here for Nicaraguan people in grave danger from the conflict, and Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen fought that initiative like a wild woman. Same with citizens from Haiti.

They expect to keep those socialized gifts they give themselves from the US taxpayers all to themselves!