KillCastro - A war blog

I "think" we are back

2007-09-29T13:50:00.000-04:00

After over a week of wauting for blogger to figure out what was it that had gone wrong with our blog (we know it was something *WE* did wrong- but Jesus H Christ for 3 years of work to come crashing down with no clear solution at hand .. is just un-fuckingreal.
So .. I got to work and through a quite convoluted system I belive we are up. This is a temp measure until We find another blog software that can import the blogger stuff and we can tell blogger to go fuck themselves.
So here we are "slightly" slower" because the hoops we are jumping through to get here , but you will not notice it.
If anyone has any good suggestions to dump this piece of shit of BLOGGER and go with a REAL blog software that will import the blogger stuff.. please let us know.

Silent Bob breaks his silence vows.....

2007-09-21T10:22:00.000-04:00

Since a friend told me that the RSS showed the "test" posts we did while trying to fix this blog, we are going to let y'all know where we are now.... go to our other blog, The Black Sheep of Exile for your fix on all things KillCastro....
We hope to have our blog back soon, we will keep you posted!

So, Silent Bob Menendez finally breaks his silence vows and speaks.
Manipulated like a ventriloquist doll by Soros and the extreme left, this guy goes and blast a man in uniform General Petraeus, who is commanding the men and women fighting in Iraq. That's too much for a mamma's boy from New Jersey. Somebody bring him his Cheerios and his fucking cafe con leche please, and send him back to his corrupted Provincia del Rio Hudson, so he can keep on being involved in street corner politics with his fellow 'Rats.
Interestingly enough, this little puppet never ever protested the infamous Oliphant cartoon. Why, we better ask him one of these days.... He never protested the Dry Foot Wet Foot, or the regulations that enhance the castro-engineered separation of the Cuban family. Nah, too much of that garbage was writen by his lord and master Dollar Bill Clinton.
On these days he's the Cuban house-boy of Hitlery, and he has apparently believed that she will be offering him a ride as Vice President. Coming soon to a political theater near you: Silent Bob Menendez wearing a guayabera (or is it wi-yabehrah?) and hell bent into a pastelito-eating d, cafecito-drinking binge while butchering the Spanish language. Shame on you, damn idiot, shame on you, professional Cuban.....
This is the opening of the ad paid by MoveOn.org with George Soros' pocket change.
By not condemning this act of treason with a punishment vote, Silent Bob is aligning himself with the perpetrators of this insult to the American men and women in uniform, as if it were enough that he's aligned hilself all along with the ones who have kept in place the Dry Foot Wet Foot. Anti-American, in both counts, that's what he is.

PS: y'ain't more than a 'Rat.

Join the Punk Revolution!

2007-09-21T06:08:00.000-04:00

As y'all well know, we have been helping (or trying to help!) Porno Para Ricardo to finish their new record...
Now they are on Pandora the widely listened to internet radio station with a college audience, and we have a strong wish of being able to put them on iTunes as well.

How can you help the band?
These are a few tips:
1- Visit the band page buy the CDs and learn how about other ways of helping to get some gear the band needs.
2- Give their music to coffee shops and stores to play it, partner with the owners to sell a couple of their CDs here and there. I've done it and y'all be very surprised on how the non-Cuban non-Spanish speaking public react. I heard people comparing them to the Ramones, The Clash, Rage Against the Machine, and the Sex Pistols (and I say, yeah, but with the right kind of politics, just like the Ramones!)

Remember that music is done "with a little help from my friends" as "Billy Shears" sang in it....

For more information on the band, besides visiting Porno Para Ricardo's page, visit Cuba Underground too, and then the Black Sheep of Exile for more ranting.

Write to info@cubaunderground.com to suscribe to the band's newsletter and to learn how you can help'em out!

Hypocrite gets balls, ass kicked.

2007-09-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

Iranian ruler Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was told to go to hell after having asked permission to lay a wreath at the World Trade Center site .
NYPD sources said that the denial was issued on a security basis, but they weren't clean on whose security, we tend to think that they didn't want a mob of angry New Yorkers chasing that cross-eyed capuchin monkey out of town.
At least, somebody thought clearly and quickly and denied that terrorist the chance to have the most wanted photo op for an Islamic terrorist, that is, giving us the finger why laying a wreath as the ultimate insult in the hallowed ground were American civilians were assassinated by those ghouls from hell.
Fuck you Mahmoud.

in her own words....

2007-09-20T11:02:00.000-04:00

“I support Hillary Clinton for President because I believe politics needs more estrogen” - Glo-Hitlery Eschefan

Prison

2007-09-19T18:39:00.000-04:00

They were "processed" behind close doors and under an unprecedent security, specially when one takes into accounts that two of them are sargeants and another one is a caporal.
The secret trial was held in the Military Tribunal of the Western Army of Cuba, from August 24 to August 26.
They were given life in prison, for the Sargeants Yoan Torres Miranda (21) and Leandro Cerezo Sirut (20)
Sargeant Karel de Miranda (19) was given 30 years in prison.
Caporal Alain Forbes Lameru (19) was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Civilian Ridel Lescaille (31) was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Let's notice that Sargeant Karel de Miranda and civilian Ridel Lescaille are mentioned for the first time since the case broke the news, which tells us that there is a whole well of secrecy surrounding whatever happened for real at the Rancho Boyeros Airport.

How free is free?

2007-09-19T13:25:00.000-04:00

Hi, these are good news....
Porno Para Ricardo has been contacted by the Nobel Peace Center to be featured in the exhibition "How free is free?" about censorship, repression, and abuse of human rights of creators and intellectuals around the globe.
We are glad that the world is recognizing that in Cuba, a talent is either a slave of the tyranny propaganda machine, or it's free but grossly and dramatically endangered precisely for keeping its own independence from the regime. Gorki's voice is resonating worldwide thanks to your help, and we use the opportunity to transmit his message of gratitude to all the people who support the band.
The Nobel Peace Center has selected the song "Manuel" by Porno Para Ricardo as part of their exhibition, and they will have an audiovisual specially designed for the event running in a continuous loop.
We certainly will keep you posted with more developments about the exhibition, the upcoming album, interviews, and much more.

Cuba Underground
The Black Sheep of Exile

For more information please write to info@cubaunderground.com

Hola, les tenemos buenas noticias.....
Porno Para RIcardo fue contactado por El Centro Nobel por la Paz para incluirlos en la exposicion "How free is free?" que tratara acerca de la censura, la represion, y el abuso a los derechos humanos de creadores e intelectuales en todo el mundo.
Nos complace saber que el mundo esta reconociendo que en Cuba un talento o esta esclavizado al servicio de maquinaria propagandistica de la tirania o es totalmente libre pero esta en tragicamente en peligro precisamente por ser independiente del regimen. La voz de Gorki esta resonando en alrededor del planeta gracias a tu ayuda, y queremos usar la oportunidad para transmitir su mensaje de gratitud a todos ustedes que apoyan a la banda.
El Centro Nobel Por la Paz ha seleccionado la cancion "Manuel" de Porno Para Ricardo como parte de la exposicion y tendran un material audiovisual especialmente diseñado para este evento en constante iteracion.
Los mantendremos informados de todo lo relativo a la exposicion, el nuevo album, entrevistas y mucho mas.

Cuba Underground
The Black Sheep of Exile

Para mas informacion escribe a info@cubaunderground.com

Pontius Gutierrez or Carlos Pilates?

2007-09-17T23:14:00.000-04:00

Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez spoke at the Heritage Foundation in Washington DC.
The theme was “Cuba at a Crossroads” and Gutierrez gave his views as the co-chair of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, plus the official Administration’s perspective on Cuba.

So, this guy is the co-chair for that famous commission for a free Cuba, which has done absofuckinglutely nothing of value for a free Cuba, those are the same guys who are telling W that my five dollars to my old nanny support Castro while the business done by 34 States of the Union in Cuba apparently have given both castro's their cancers. I would love to know how many people in said commission know people in Cuba or have contacts of any value in Cuba. I would love to know with how many common Cubans do they talk and how many people can they say that trust them in Cuba. What was the last time that they suffered in their own flesh the conditions of life in Cuba? or when were they jailed for speaking their minds in Cuba?

He said that he returned yestarday from a trip to Peru, Colombi and Panama and everything is great and rosy, down there, specially that the paramilitary in Columbia is back to the herd and that there's prosperity and so on and so forth.

What are you asking?
Did he mention Evo and Chavez, and the rise of the left in Latin America?
No, he didn't mention that. Apparently he didn't notice all that brouhaha.

He's the only one I know who find Latin America marching towards democracy and economic freedom. I thought that we were witnessing the forces of communism taking one by one the countries of Latin America. He recognizes though that Cuba is not marching towards freedom and democracy, but hey, that's been happenign for the last fifty years, high time someone noticed.

Let's see what he said:

"In Cuba people remain repressed; the economy remains closed and doors remain tightly shut, shackled by a repressive Communist system.

Cuba is the human rights travesty of the Hemisphere."

And after this very significative two sentences he goes again into businesses in Latin America, and their supposed prosperity and democracy with no mentions of the dangers of chavo-communism, the pressence of Russia and China, the presence of Iran and the influence of anti-American outfits such as Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah in Latin America. He's not reading enough KillCastro lately, I think.

After a tirade of significant lenght about on the subject, he goes into the meaning of W's trips in the region.
Needless to say, we have evidence in everyday's Latin American papers that the Western Hemisphere is nowhere in the sights of the White House, otherwise the red tsunami flooding the Latin American region would simply not be happening.

But apparently he sees the light and says:

"There is a competing vision. One that:

Spreads poverty, not prosperity.
Empowers governments, not people.
Discourages creativity, individualism, free-speech, and free markets.
Over the past decades, the Western Hemisphere has moved forward economically and politically. Under the Castro dictatorship, however, Cuba has moved backward.

When the subject of Cuba comes up, the question I’m often asked is this: has the U.S. embargo has worked? My answer is an emphatic yes."

(sorry, what the hell? what embargo Carlos? give me a break here, the whole damn world deals with Cuba, and as I said before a slew of States of the American Union too. And the guy's obtaining even more money than ever from other sources, especially from the clients of the Lourdes Electronic Surveillance and Monitoring facility, namely Russia, China, and Iran!
Didn't you hear that the Pentagon was hacked by the Chinese Army? And you think that they did that from Beijing, right? It has worked and the castros have been able to maintain their grip for fifty years? Then it has worked in keeping the kasstro's in power, Mr. Secretary)

And he goes:

"The embargo has denied Castro resources:

Denied him funds to export his so-called “Revolution.”
Think about the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. . . or Angola, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Grenada in the 1980s.
When the Castro regime has had resources, it hasn’t benefited Cubans, but has been an international threat and a threat to its own citizens. The embargo has denied Castro the resources to do damage to this country and other countries in the world."

(of course, Carlos doesn't know that Daniel Ortega is back in business, and that Evo and el Chavo are there because Kasstro put them there, he doesn't know about the turmoil in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, and he has no idea that the President of Argentina is a che lover lefty, and that the alcoholic Lula is another lefty)

Whenever he has more resources, the Cuban people haven’t benefited. Only Castro, his cronies, the Cuban military and foreign Communist guerrillas have benefited.

(and you're telling me that this situation is no more? I think that they are benefiting today more than ever. Look around, Carlitos, with eyes wide open, and tell me how the so called embargo has improved the lives of the Cuban people or their chances to gain freedom..... )

Imagine what he and his brother would have done with greater resources?

(They have done enough damage as is, and instead of one embargo a measly missile could have taken them out in one of those chances when they were together, at a low cost in lives, in money, and energies is there were any serious intention of helping the Cuban people to be free)

President Bush is determined to keep the policy in place and to continue to take initiatives to hasten the Cuban people’s day of freedom.

(I guess that the "policy" is the Dry Foot Wet Foot, the limitation on cash and remitances, and the limits in family contacts. Besides, none of those has a thing to do with the embargo)

Our focus must remain on the plight of the Cuban people. This is why the United States authorizes humanitarian donations that reach the Cuban people. Our nation is the largest source of such help.

(what about the help that Cubans in the United States can give their family members? Isn't that help very important? What about the help to dissidents, and the contacts with people in the island, aren't those humanitarian too? How humanitarian is that the Cuban family has been divided by castro and and top of that the American government regulates who is my family contrary to the Cuban customs and traditions? How humanitarian is to limit family visits and to limit cash remitances, why to have more restrictions on top of the restrictions already imposed by the tyranny?)

This is not about U.S. policy—this is about Cuban policy—about the Cuban regime’s treatment of its own people.
(and what exactly is being done to eliminate that abusive regime?)

When will the Cuban people be free to:

Travel abroad and internally.
Change jobs and create independent businesses of their choice.
Choose the education they want for their children.
Visit any hotels or resorts or other tourist areas they wish in their own country.
Watch and listen to independent, uncensored television and radio stations.
Read any book, magazine or newspaper of their choice.
Seek employment with foreign companies on the island.
Choose a physician or hospital as they wish.
Access the Internet like other free citizens of the Hemisphere can.
When is it going to stop being a crime to be an independent librarian, a person of conscience, a human rights advocate?

(And you really think that the dictatorship of Cuba is just going to allow all of that?)

When will the regime stop making arrests for the crime of “dangerousness” – a category so vague that a person can be determined to be a criminal simply for the way he or she looks? When will racial inequality end?

(Well, that's what a dictatorship does to keep itself in power, Carlos. These rhetorical questions are of absolutely no effect on the dictatorship, for you to know, what about some real tangible policy, like allowing the exiles to arm themselves and train to topple the tyranny? What about dropping the Khrushev-Kennedy secret pact, what about decapitating the tyranny? It has been done with Granada and Panama, Haiti and Santo Domingo, but nothing of the sort has been done in favor of the Cuban people, the closest movement was to abandon the 2506 and the fighters of the Escambray to their own resources)

It is clear that the restrictions imposed on the Cuban people by the regime have nothing to do with the U.S. embargo or other U.S. policies. They have everything to do with the oppressive Castro regime.

(and what are you doing to ease those restrictions? you are contributing to them by forbidding a free flow of cash, assistance, visits, etc. Those break the yoke of economic dependence to the tyranny, and break the concept of socialization of misery, they would make Cubans free economically from the tyranny, but hello.... nobody sees that!)

It is ironic that some voices denounce the labor standards of pending FTA countries, while simultaneously calling for the U.S. to engage with Cuba—the Hemisphere’s greatest violator of labor rights, and also the right of all of its citizens.

(did you tell that to the Governors, Senators, Representatives, industrialists, farmers, and business people of the States engaged in commercial exchange with Cuba)

The Administration’s position has been unfailingly clear and consistent. Unless the regime changes, our policy will not. We are prepared to respond to genuine democratic change in Cuba.

(again, do you think that the regime is going to change under the present conditions, just because?)

The succession from Fidel to Raul is preservation of a dictatorship. The Cuban people deserve to freely elect their leaders. Like their neighbors throughout Latin America, they deserve the opportunity to take charge of their own destiny.

(Carlos, seriously, that's known. I think that your audience knew that, but it will not happen out of the goodness of their putrid dark hearts, please....Look at the free elections "won" by Chavez!)

We recognize that the future of Cuba is in the hands of the citizens in Cuba. Now it is time for the Cuban government to recognize this. The regime needs to have a dialogue with the Cuban people before it has one with the United States.

(the problems are that you do not understand that the Cuban government does not need to recognize anything, they do not want to have a dialogue with the Cuban citizenry, they do fabricate those dialogues and feed them to the American -and global- public through the American press corps, so everybody believes that the Cuban people "supports" the tyranny, interestingly enough, you seem to have forgotten to include the Cuban exiles in the future of Cuba. Let's see how you explain that, oh you don't explain that at all!)

We stand ready to help the people of Cuba make a transition to a representative democracy. We stand ready to help the Cuban people establish a free market economy. We stand ready to welcome them into the community of democracies.

(And please, let me know exactly how you plan to do that..... and who will be your interlocutor in Cuba, some excommie? Carlos you're doing a great job in washing the hands of the American government in any matter concerning and regarding Cuba, Pilates. The American government has been playing "wait and see" for half a century already and this speech shows no signs that it's ever going to change)

This is the complete official text of his intervention.

Bill of health

2007-09-17T10:03:00.000-04:00

Our sources in the medical community in Cuba have been sending us reports about raul castro's own faulting health.
The bill of health apparently is far from clean, and the reports mention a few ailments such as cyrrhosis of the liver, with a slew of hepatic complications, a mild skin cancer -reported as benign- and some marks in his lungs, due to cigarrette smoking. In the past he has suffered from kidney stones and stomach ulcers. We have been also told that raul castro kicked the cigarret habit, but we have no confirmation of lung cancer.

We also have receive other reports, which we have not been able to confirm through any independent party, all of them pointing to a faulty health, and to a variety of diagnostics.

They have a common factor with the reports we could confirm, that even if raul castro's health is far from being great, his current condition is not life threatening, it is about what you can expect in a seventy six year old man of a very dissolute lifestyle.

Of course, we are going to be releasing updates as soon as we can verify the information. Among those rumored cancers are cancer of the duodene, panchreatic cancer, stomach tumors, and full blast liver and lung cancer (usually they come as a combo). Again, we have not received any third party confirmation on any of these, even though we hear a lot of chatter about leukemia -also unconfirmed.

No word on his mental condition, but y'all know that he is a bipolar individual -bouts of violence followed by a mellow state, outbursts and repentance- and he is also a very paranoid, very manipulative, pathological liar.

The place of burial for raul castro will be besides his wife Vilma Espin, under the plaque already put in place for that finality.

Now, the footnote:
We have written before about the possible burial place for castro.
In Oriente:

1- His ancestral home of Biran, with his parents. The burial place in the garden has been tended and remodeled a couple of times during the last year.
2- Posta No. 1, Moncada Barracks, Santiago de Cuba, the place he never was "able to find" on that fateful day of July 26th, 1953, sending his men into what he knew from the beginning that was a failed enterprise.
3- Pico Turquino, under the Jose Marti bust on the crown of the mountain. The bust was placed there by Celia Sanchez Manduley and her family, before castro's violent arrival to power.
4- It is also rumored in Santiago de Cuba that an even bigger insult to Marti might be in the works:to bury his cremains side by side with Marti in the cemetery of Santa Ifigenia in Santiago, so the population do not dare to destroy the grave and disturb the remains of Marti in order to get to the remains of Castro. Talk about using Marti as a human shield even in death.
(we got independent confirmation that this rumor is actually making the rounds in Santiago through a Cuban engineer who recently traveled to that city)

In Havana:
1- Under the monument to Marti in what he calls Plaza de la Revolucion (it will become again the Plaza Civica, but we would prefer Plaza de la Libertad one day)
2- Under the SAU-100 in front of the Museum of the Revolution (which will become again one day Palacio Presidencial de la Republica de Cuba)
3- The ashes will be exposed in an elaborate urn at the Granma Memorial, behind the Palacio Presidencial (where the statue of President Zayas used to be)

There was some talk in Havana for a while saying that he would be interred in the Pantheon of the Revolutionary Armed Forces at the Colon Cemetery, or besides Che Guevara in Las Villas. The first is still mentioned from time to time, the second was promptly discarded after doubts of the autenthicity of the remains of Che Guevara rose.

Both castro's will be cremated, as desired by them. The idea doesn't have a lot of support by the castro family, so at least in the case of the dying dictator it's possible that this final desire will not be fulfilled.

No space for hand wringers....

2007-09-16T18:48:00.000-04:00

The US was very concerned about the ties between Syria and North Korea, and some "possible nuclear" collaboration.
While we were here all worried about the "nuculear stuff" the Israeli Air Force took care of some urgent business.
The Sunday Times of London has it all:

"The Sunday Times of London provides additional information on the September 6 foray of Israeli warplanes into Syria, claiming that Israel "blew apart" or possibly hijacked a nuclear cache, uranium enrichment facilities, or other non-conventional weapons equipment furnished by North Korea.

The report begins by saying: "It was just after midnight when the 69th Squadron of Israeli F15Is crossed the Syrian coast-line. On the ground, Syria's formidable air defences went dead. An audacious raid on a Syrian target 50 miles from the Iraqi border was under way."

The Times claims that an Israeli advance team from a top-secret special forces unit was already in place on the ground. "At a rendezvous point on the ground, a "Shaldag" air force commando team was waiting to direct their laser beams at the target for the approaching jets. The team had arrived a day earlier, taking up position near a large underground depot. Soon the bunkers were in flames."

The Times, quoting Israeli sources, said that preparations for the attack had been going on since late spring, when Meir Dagan, the chief of Mossad, presented Israeli PM Ehud Olmert with evidence that Syria was seeking to purchase a nuclear device from North Korea.

"This was supposed to be a devastating Syrian surprise for Israel," said an Israeli source, the Times reported. "We've known for a long time that Syria has deadly chemical warheads on its Scud (missiles), but Israel can't live with a nuclear warhead."

The target was identified as a northern Syrian facility that purported to be an agricultural research center on the Euphrates river, reportedly Deir az Zor. Israel had been monitoring it for some time, concerned that it was being used to extract uranium from phosphates. The Times, citing an "Israeli air force source," reported that the Israeli satellite Ofek 7, launched in June, was diverted from Iran to Syria, sending out high-quality images of northeastern Syria every 90 minutes.

The Times report said that "only three Israeli cabinet ministers are said to have known the details of the attack -- Olmert, Ehud Barak the Defense Minister and Tzipi Livni, the Foreign Minister. The American administration was also consulted. According to Israeli sources, American air force codes were given to the Israeli air force attache in Washington to ensure Israel's F15Is would not mistakenly attack their US counterparts".

Read between the lines....

2007-09-16T10:57:00.000-04:00

Lazaro Barredo Medina, the editor in chief of the rag El Granma, where the undead Castro publishes his rants, said yesterday in Lisbon Portugal that "El cadáver del presidente de Cuba, Fidel Castro, no será colocado en un mausoleo, como en el caso de Lenin en Moscú"..... Hmmm, is he talking about the cadaver of the dictator, and predicting that that bag of shit will not be exposed like Lenin?

Wouldn't it be because Cubans would line up to spit on it and pee on it and wreck the official taxidermist master work?
According to Lazarito, Fidel's will is not to be "memorialized that way".
Of course he says that after Castro -finally- dies there will be no changes in the system because they are still under the direction of a junta. Well, he actually said "direccion colegiada" which sounds just like junta.

But this is the real jewel:

"El pueblo cubano sufrirá un dolor terrible desde el punto de vista sentimental, pero muy mal estaría Cuba si dependiese de la existencia de un hombre".

Lazarito, we can tell you that in the first part of your assertion you're wrong, totally wrong, the Cubans will cry, yes of joy seeing that motherfucking tyrant go. And yes, Cuba has been really in bad shape because we have depended of the whims of only one man for freaking half a century, my dearest Lachi.

After saying that he kept on pulling and pushing along the party line saying that the dictator is still active and working as an advisor in all decisions pertaining to the day by day running of the country. It's actually the day by day ruining of the country, Lazaro, and thanks, but we don't buy it.

He added that the tyrant cannot go back to his usual schedule because otherwise he would't last many more years. Not that he would last that long anyway.....

In case you were wondering what the hell was Lachi doing in Portugal, he was invited by the official organ of the Portuguese Communist Pary, the daily fishwrap Avante, to participate in their yearly festival. Well, the Cuban junta sent him to do his part in the international propaganda effort and he's working on it.

But y'all should read between the lines.

Dedicado a GORKI con toda admiración y respeto

2007-09-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

After two weeks of sheer torture my wife made it back to the USA today . She is still trapped in Miami’s airport enjoying the absolute incompetence of our airlines which have delayed her flight for 4 hours (time for the government to step in !)
The news she brings is that Raul's promises have been a pack of lies, that simple staples are more expensive, and the people have less money. That the now famous "opening" of the borders where anyone would be able to bring anything into KUBA without paying a duty tax is absolute bullshit and that the taxation and exchange from dollars to "Chavitos will suck up most of the cash you bring.
One of my wife's tasks was to bring some stuff for Gorki, but alas there is not much trust in that island. They wanted to know who she was, she was scared who was answering the phone, the final result.. no meeting with Gorki. That was a tremendous let down for me and prompted to describe as best as I could both the forced mistrust, the lack of food, medicine and most important the LIES. Those lies that keep coming an inundate the Cuban people , so with that in mind I wrote the following.
Perhaps next time Gorki!

’59 (el año del error)

Hablamos por hablar
Sin nada que decir
Solo cerrando los ojos
Puedo ver mi porvenir

De niños confundidos
A hombres peligrosos
Aunque nuestro mayor peligro
Es un instinto de libertad
Y una lengua fulminante

Los viejos de los dos lados
Nos miran con asombro
Como se atreven
Preguntan los de aquí
Porque que no se atreven
Nos culpan los de allá

Y así seguimos
Hablando por hablar
Que venga lo que venga
Temiéndole a nada
Pero cauteloso de todo.

Una vida que no es vida.
Forjada sin esperanzas.
Quebrada, fragmentada
Sin ilusiones ni sueños.
Sin un adiós
Sin una bienvenida

No pido mucho porque nada me darán
Solo mentiras
Embarradas en profética mierda

Lo que oigo, no lo acepto
Las promesas las ignoro

Solo una cosa es verdad
En esta tierra infernal

Si escuchas con cautela
E ignoras el terror
Fácilmente encontraras
Las mentiras del error.

A reminder

2007-09-15T12:50:00.000-04:00

"We were just talking earlier, and I remember the figure that stuck out to me -- in the year 2005, we apprehended over 1,000 folks that originally have come from Cuba. If they're coming from Cuba, where else are they coming from? And I don't imagine they're coming here to bring greetings from Castro. We're living in the era of the suitcase bomb."

Fred Thompson, June 27, 2007

Those were Fred Thompson words in regards to Cuban "illegal immigrants" in South Carolina.
I am not willing to give him a pass on that. Much less, I would not give a pass to anyone who does not become incensed with this remark.

Now, for all the people who seem to have a party "fidelity" thicker than their own blood, a few reminders:

1- That's why the communists have had so much success in Cuba: because of idiots who support them even if it is clear and evident that the communists are not good for you. The same with El Freddo, he's not good for Cubans, he insults them, but good Lord, he mentions Gloria Estefan in his non apology and all is fine and dandy again. It reminds me of what one hears in Cuba: "hace falta ser militante". So, welcome to my world, Militantes por El Freddo. He spits on us, he smears us with shit, and hey, some of us are willing to forgive him, love him, and commit to him.

2- All those lovers of El Freddo become combative when the evidence is presented before their eyes: That's the spirit of CHIVATERIA, MARICONADA, BAJEZA Y PENDEJISMO so common in Cuba today. That's the same FUCKING exact way FIDELISTAS behave. Do not touch EL CABALLO. Well, now they want me to NOT TOUCH EL FREDDO? There's no difference with the fidelistas, the comites, and all the thugs that Cuban people suffer on a daily basis in their daily oppression.

3- EL FREDDO only appeals to people who want to ISOLATE the Cuban people and kill them all with their FUCKING BRILLIANT pressure cooker approach. Nice, no trips to Cuba, no money, no medication, no rafters. And when you mention this, one of those MILITANTES is going to accuse you of being against the EMBARGO, while the fucking embargo IS NON EXISTENT and has nothing to do with SUPPORTING AND AIDING your family and the dissidents in CUBA.

4- The COJONES-FREE suporters of EL FREDDO do not dare of asking him what's up with the DRY FOOT WET FOOT. They do not dare to denounce the ABUSE Cuban refugees suffer at the hands of both Coast Guards, the American and the Cuban. They are only MISSING to scream like a bunch of PUTAS: Viva la dry foot wet foot! Just because the asshole drank a cafecito.

5- Lapping, yakking, and tail wagging.... That's the same all the GUATACAS in Cuba do with the PARTY HONCHOS. Of course, El Freddo is running for President of the USA, and that's no excuse whatsofuckingever to accept his insults to Cubans. He's a fucking racist. Period. Remember, all the others also ran for President of the USA and they at least had the decency of not insulting us with racist remarks. Oh well, if you want to subscribe to his agenda fine, you do not have a fucking ounce of right of impossing that motherfucker on us and much less, on the Cuban people, because his politics are going to affect the life of the Cubans in the island if Bolohead gets elected. Oh, sorry, I forgot you don't give a shit about the Cubans of the island and the balseros.

And two closing comments:
6- I have never seen more fucking sheer idiocy that suggesting that the balseros or the people who come in go fast boats (which by the way are the equivalent of the Underground Railroad in modern days) are potential spies. For everybody's information and benefit, check your fucking facts already: NONE of the captured or indicted spies in the States, not even the ones who have escaped back to Cuba are rafters or "boat people" to use El Freddo's phraseology. Those are the most defenseless of the Cuban refugees, and still some people gang up with El Freddo against them. Instead, one of the pilots downed on February 24, 1996 was a Cuban rafter.

7- Everyone who thinks that he or she is better or better deserving than the Cubans of the island or the rafters is JUST A TRAITOR TO THEM and for extension, a traitor to Cuba. Stop pretending that you care for Cubans. Stop pretending that you're a Cuban. Have at least some honesty and decency.

Fred Cafecito Thompson at the Versailles

2007-09-14T15:40:00.000-04:00

Fred "Cafecito" Thompson poses for the camera with a cup of Cuban coffee.
I hope somebody spat in it.
In short, it was just a photo-op for the glossies.
Fred Thompson showed nothing of substance, and the only reference he had to Cuban rafters is that if Fidel Castro sends an avalanche of boat people it would not be a good thing for Cuba.
Ok, that's interesting.
First of all, what's an avalanche of boat people?
Did Fidel Castro send them or they take onto the sea risking their lives BECAUSE of Fidel Castro and his policies?
Then, Fidel Castro? The guy's almost dead and a candidate to the Presidency of the United States is still becoming combative against a ghost. What about the regime, the successors of Fidel Castro?
Then he doesn't say: "It will not be a good thing for Fidel Castro". No, he said: "it will not be a good thing for Cuba".
So, let's see, Fidel Castro "sends" rafters. Freddy Bolohead Thompson threatens Cuba. He doesn't threat Fidel Castro (should be threatening raul or the regime as an institution). No, he threatens Cuba. Meaning, the Cubans, because last time I checked fidel castro WAS NOT Cuba.
El Freddo didn't offer an apology for equating Cuban rafters to suicide bombers. Not one of the people who was there had the cojones to ask for it. He didn't say a word of the Dry Foot Wet Foot, and nobody asked him about it.
Yeah, a lot of cheering, and a lot of the usual political pandering, and a lot people so excited that if they had tails they would be wagging them.
Nobody questioned him, in the huge crowd he assembled, like 80 people.
Al Versailles con Fred sounds just like a la Plaza con Fidel.

Somebody spit in his cafecito, please.....

2007-09-12T14:26:00.000-04:00

Ah, the spinmeisters....
They are a sly creative bunch, did you know that?

The Grassroot Tour of Fred Cigarchomping Thompson is taking him to the Versailles in Miami's own Calle 8, the day after tomorrow, Friday 14. Strange location for a self avowed Cuban "migrant" hater, indeed.

Let's see if somebody is going to try to extract a promise from him of dismantling the Dry Foot Wet Foot.
Or if somebody will ask him for a public apology for comparing the Cuban rafters to suitcase bombers before a madly cheering crowd.

Somehow, I don't count on that.

It will be the same shameful circus of cafecitos, arroz con frijoles, pork, paper flags and guayaberas that is typical of the election campaign trail. It would be interesting to read the mind of such a xenophobe when he sees all those "foreigners" with "foreign" flags in front of him.

Will anybody try to elicit from him a word of sympathy for the Cuban rafters he insulted?
That's to be seen. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if all is smiles and silence.

Too bad that nobody is going to launch a cake crashing to his face or to call him a racist where he better deserves to be called a racist, in the heart of Miami. I am taking about a multi-pound heavy Cuban birthday cake, not a light and fluffy cream pie, let's be understood here!

Too bad that the politicos will not try to take him to task for his insult (of course, they are silent on all insults uttered towards Cubans, on the Dry Foot Wet Foot and so on) They will be all radiant smiles while the bigot stomps his hooves on their own turf.

My prediction, a blindly adoring crowd is going to cheer Thompson. A crowd that will try to represent itself as if spoke for all of us, which obviously they don't.

How can the Cuban rafters be so grossly forgotten? Their deaths.... aren't they a symbol for the ultimate sacrifice while looking for liberty?

I am sure that one of the young waiters of Versailles will spit in his cafecito. That's the least he deserves.

I will give them the Porno Para Ricardo hint:
"No quiero ser monigote de un rey ciego, me meo en su sopa y le doy cuero".

A la plaza con fidel, I mean, al Versailles con Fred. Both of them hate -and utilize- Cubans.

Ah the Russkies, the Russkies.....

2007-09-12T12:04:00.000-04:00

Ah the Russkies, the Russkies.....
They have just detonated the Daddy of All Bombs!
Their device is four times as powerful as the American Mother of All Bombs, which was till now the most powerful non-nuclear piece of ordnance in the world's arsenals.
We've been saying that the Russkies are back for a long time now.
They are rebuilding a meaner and leaner version of the Soviet Empire without the ballast of a bunch of satellite societies, and a bunch of drunkards and useless people attached to their tits.
We are giving you proof, Mr. Bush..... keep on being friendly with Putin....

Let's give him some straight facts....

2007-09-12T07:57:00.000-04:00

"Analyzing the impact of planes, similar to those that hit the Twin Towers, that had accidentally fallen on densely populated cities, one concludes that it was not a plane that crashed into the Pentagon. Only a projectile could have caused the geometrically round hole that allegedly was made by the plane . Apparently, no passenger died there. Nobody in the world had doubts aobut the news on the attack on the Pentagon. We were fooled like the rest of the planet's inhabitants"

Analizando el impacto de aviones similares al proyectado contra las torres, caídos por accidente en ciudades densamente pobladas, se concluye que ningún avión se estrelló sobre el Pentágono y que sólo un proyectil pudo generar el orificio geométricamente redondo que en dicha instalación creara el supuesto avión. Tampoco aparece pasajero alguno que allí pereciera. Nadie en el mundo tenía dudas sobre las noticias recibidas de un ataque al edificio del Pentágono. Fuimos engañados al igual que los habitantes del resto del planeta.

Ah, so now kasstro is a master conspiracy theorist.....
Apparently he hasn't heard of the eye witnesses who saw the plane hitting the building....
Fuck you, bi-assholed bastard!
No comas tanta pinga Comandante!

Vacuum

2007-09-11T09:35:00.000-04:00

I feel a vacum today, a sense of hollowness, as if life were empty and void.
It is, in a sense.
The world imploded, six years ago, for many of us.
And after the shockwave of horror settled, after the dust was driven away by the wind, the screams of the wounded and dying were muted by the noise of the buildings crumbling down and after the silence of death covered everything, we can recognize the faces of the traitors, the face of the ones who don't care about the death and destruction, and who are slaughtering liberty instead of fighting terror.
The vast hole in downtown Manhattan speaks about that.
Loudly.
It's empty.
Six years have passed, and the political correctness and the politicking have gotten in the way.
Because.... God forbid we call terrorist terrorists, or assassins assassins.
No.
The stone laid in the bottom of that well doesn't even mention terrorism.
The flowers dry and die in the chain link fence everyday.
My skin an my hair smell of fuel, again, today.
My eyes are dry.
There is ash in my shoes.
I have a hard time finding a vein, again.
I am almost deaf, again.
I walk, and I rip my sleeve again.
I am a ghost, and I am a wrath.....

Aiding terrorists in Cuba....

2007-09-10T07:09:00.000-04:00

In a sugary article by some scribe of the Red Whore of Times Square, the description of how the Cuban regime, aids and comforts terrorists.

Let's copy it here before the Fidelista editors of the Red Whore eliminate the article.....

Don't forget to show the article to your Colombian friends, who sometimes are incredulous when told that fidel castro is the sole responsible for the che inspired guerrilla-nightmare that their country's been suffering for more than forty years.

Remind them please, that Cuba punishes pacific dissent in Cuba, jailing people just for thinking different, while at the same times sponsors and offers shelters to violent terrorists.

While you're at it, show it to everybody, please. And ask them what do they think of a "leader" who gives so much to terrorists while "his" people is suffering a Dark Ages re-enacting as their daily life. Lastly, these are not the only terrorists that have found shelter in Cuba. The Palestinians found nice cushy shelter in Cuba, too. Who knows if some bearded member of Al-Qaeda is not dreaming with virgins -may Allah introduce all of them soon to their 72 fat whores in their crappy version of Paradise- while lying lazily on the sands of a Cuban beach.

Note: the name "fidel castro" rarely appears in the article. The author rather writes Cuba, as if fidel castro were Cuba, and putting all Cubans in the same bag with the South American terrormongers. Or is it terror-mongrels?

Hat tip to the Cuban Triangle for digging it up.

Also, make sure you read The Western Hemisphere Policy Watch if you really want to learn about fidelista inspired terror in Latin America -and elswhere.

September 9, 2007
Cuba, a Rebel Group’s Birthplace, Becomes a Refuge

By SIMON ROMERO
HAVANA — Dinner with the guerrillas was a civilized affair. A chauffeured Mercedes, courtesy of Cuba’s government, delivered guests to the villa where the leaders of one of Colombia’s most resilient rebel groups often stay when they are in town.

Francisco Galán, a former seminarian with a long white beard, poured glasses of Añejo de Caldas rum and distributed cigarettes from a pack of Marlboro Lights. Before sitting down to a meal of red snapper, a treat commonly reserved for visitors with hard currency, Pablo Beltrán, the lead negotiator for the National Liberation Army, or E.L.N., offered a toast: “To Cuba.”

To Cuba: a fitting tribute to a nation that nurtured the insurgency from its origins here in the 1960s and has since become something of a refuge for the aging rebels, who occasionally come here for medical care.

It is also, paradoxically, the place where the revolutionaries are trying to peacefully end their movement after decades of violent struggle against a string of pro-American governments. This is one of the only places where the E.L.N. feels safe enough to engage in cease-fire talks with Colombia’s government.

“Havana is a place where things move in slow motion in comparison with other cities,” said Mr. Beltrán, 53, who went from university studies in petroleum engineering to bombing oil pipelines and kidnapping employees of foreign energy companies. “It’s the perfect place to negotiate with tranquillity and contemplate what comes next.”

In this largely threadbare city, away from the threat of assassination or even random crime, the relative luxury the E.L.N.’s leaders experience speaks volumes about how much has changed in Colombia and Cuba — and perhaps how much they themselves have changed. Relations between Colombia, led by a conservative government, and Cuba are warming despite their very different political philosophies.

And after years of isolation and conflict, the rebels seem content, once the day’s negotiations have ended, to visit this city’s jazz clubs or stroll along the seawall without having to look over their shoulders.

The E.L.N.’s leaders, including Mr. Beltrán and Mr. Galán, are mainly men in their 50s who have spent their adult lives entangled in war, in mountain encampments or in prison cells. Mr. Galán, whose real name is Gerardo Antonio Bermúdez, travels here from Medellín, where he has been living since his recent release from prison.

Mr. Beltrán, who was born Israel Ramírez Pineda, travels from rebel camps in the border region between Venezuela and Colombia. Juan Carlos Cuéllar, another E.L.N. commander at the negotiating table, comes on furlough from his prison cell on the outskirts of Medellín.

The E.L.N. came together when priests intoxicated with the ideas of liberation theology allied with Colombians who had studied in Havana in the early years of Mr. Castro’s revolution. Together they pledged to dislodge Colombia’s moneyed elite.

The E.L.N.’s current leader, Nicolás Rodríguez, who uses the nom de guerre Gabino, joined the group in the mid-1960s as a teenage peasant.

The group emerged as a favorite of Mr. Castro’s among foreign guerrilla movements, along with the insurgency in Bolivia that Che Guevara was guiding at the time of his death in 1967.

For years afterward, Cuba did what it could to help export its revolution to Colombia, including allowing the rebels to use Cuba as a listening post. The E.L.N. was decimated by counterinsurgency forces in the 1970s, but it regrouped by focusing attacks on foreign-owned oil infrastructure.

In more recent years, Cuba took on a different supporting role, as battles with right-wing paramilitaries and other leftist rebels eroded the E.L.N.’s strength. And Colombia, which broke off diplomatic relations in the early 1980s over Mr. Castro’s support for rebel groups, changed its stance with Cuba. President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia, the Bush administration’s closest ally in South America, has improved ties with Cuba, and the two countries have been in talks over how to lower trade barriers.

The E.L.N.’s commanders now visit less for ideological reasons than for practical ones. They are sometimes clandestinely flown here for medical treatment. Manuel Pérez, the Spanish-born priest who preceded Mr. Rodríguez as the E.L.N.’s leader, was reportedly treated here for complications from hepatitis before his death in 1998 at age 54.

And then there are the various rounds of cease-fire talks. For those, Cuba has offered to act as host, but has also provided the rebels with the villa in El Laguito, a gated area with pre-revolution homes meticulously preserved for use by foreign dignitaries.

So far, peace remains a distant goal. The recent talks ended late last month on a note of bitter discord. The E.L.N. rejected a proposal for its leaders to be transferred outside Colombia. (Another round of talks has been taking place in Venezuela this week, but details have not been made public.) Cuba’s future role as a base for talks, meanwhile, remains uncertain.

And so the E.L.N. soldiers on. It is not Colombia’s largest rebel group, a distinction that belongs to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Nor is it especially active, having avoided in recent years actions like its 1999 hijacking of an Avianca jet.

The group, branded as terrorists by the United States, still finances itself through extortion and kidnappings, holding an estimated 200 captives, and says it has 5,000 members; private military analysts say that may be an exaggeration.

“The E.L.N. is neither at war nor at peace,” said León Valencia, a former E.L.N. commander who writes on security issues in Bogotá.

So much of the commanders’ lives is lived in a gray zone: for those still wanted by Colombian authorities, orders for their arrest are suspended to allow them to travel to the negotiations.

Havana may be the only place where the rebels escape the feeling of limbo. Here, they can almost be regular visitors. Besides visiting jazz clubs, they sometimes stroll the streets of Old Havana, where the background chatter in Russian no longer belongs to Soviet advisers, but to sunburned beach enthusiasts.

Sometimes, after dining in their villa, the guerrillas walk around the nearby lake, lined with mansions that once belonged to Cuba’s elite. On occasion, the Colombian government’s negotiators, who stay in the same complex, have the same idea and the two delegations bump into each other.

“We greet each other cordially,” said Mr. Beltrán, “before getting on our way.”

A transnational political dynasty.

2007-09-09T11:16:00.001-04:00

This is the dauphin of the transnational political dynasty of Cuba, Fidel Castro Diaz Balart, with his mother, Mirta.
He's the offspring of the two most powerful political families in Cuba, the Diaz Balarts and the Castros. The family political connections are deeply rooted in three countries, Spain and the USA (the Diaz Balart side) and Cuba (the Castro side)
His uncle raul castro has appointed him as his official successor and tells it to whomever wants to listen to him.
It's well known that raul castro blasted his brother's inexistent parental skills, insticts, or feelings.
Unknow to many, uncle raul was the one who raised fidelito, who after being kidnapped from his mother in Mexico on the orders of his father, was never ever taken care for, and was left to the care of his uncle and aunt. Thus the fondness of raul for fidelito and the loyalty of fidelito to raul, according to a person who was a material witness during fidelito's childhoold under the shelter of the Castro-Espin household.
According to another one of our sources, raul was the one who arranged for Mirta Diaz Balart to go to Cuba to see fidelito, and the one who pleaded with fidel to secure his permission so fidelito could see his mother in Spain. She also saw him several times when he used to study nuclear engineering in Russia under an assumed name, Jose Antonio Hernandez Bustamante, if my memory doesn't fail on that subject, even if I have told that it was one of the many aliases he was given during his college days.
It's also said that it was raul the one who pressured castro into allowing Diaz Balart to enter Cuba to see her son, and also, that he pressed the Cuban embassy in Russia not to interfere with such visits.

Osama fidelizes himself

2007-09-08T08:13:00.000-04:00

Exactly what we needed to reel off the blogging of el Comepinga en Jefe, now we have a new video featuring Osama bin Laden, the Video Jihadist.

Osama has been taking clues from Kasstro, or so it seems, for his new lectures to the American people on Bush low approval rates, the Iraq war - for which he held the Democrats responsible- global warming, globalization of capitalism, mortgage crisis in the USA, and in typical castroite fashion called the American "leadership" the real terrorists. Because, as you know, George Bin Bushladin blew up some towers in the Arab World. The funniest thing ever is that he says that there's an "American leadership". Yeah, the title might be Commander in Chief, but it's not an autocratic regime, the guy's understanding seems to be pretty murkied by so much hashish.

The half hour videodiatribe was leaked to the American intelligence well before it hit the Islamofascit websites. The SITE Institute from Washington DC shared the video with some members of the press, and we've heard that CIA types are looking at the authenticity of the video -confirmed- and the identity of the speaker as the real Osama Bin Laden -which has also been confirmed. They are also taking the Kasstro approach, they are looking at his skin, beard, etc, to try to guess and write from afar a health bill for Osama Bin Laden. Never mind that such diagnostics never worked with kasstro.

Another clue that Osama Bin Laden has taken from Kasstro -besides the ratty beard- is to appear only in heavily edited videos and still photographs, his image moves only for three minutes and a half and the rest is a still, pretty boring. He sports new clothing and a newly dyed beard, which leads me to believe that he was freshened up and given a makeover by the guys of the Queer Eye for the Jihadi Man. They also tried to hide his eyebags with some Preparation H rubbing.

Let's look at the castroite hints in these jewel quotes:
(this is the complete transcript of his babbling)

"This is why I tell you: as you liberated yourselves before from the slavery of monks, kings and feudalism, you should liberate yourselves from the deception, shackles and attrition of the capitalist system".... Doesn't it sound a tad castroite?

"The events in Iraq have gotten out of controland the American leader is like the one who plows and sows the sea: He harvests nothing but failure".... ah Osama, this is just pulled out the "Reflections of el Comepinga en Jefe", you've gotta me more creative dude!

Then in a typical castroite slant he offers two solutions to end the conflict in Iraq:

"One is from our side, and it is to escalate the fighting and killing against you. This is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out"..... Oh, wait, he want us to become surrender monkeys!

"The second solution is from your side. ... I invite you to embrace Islam"..... Fuck you, diaper head, abrazar el Islam la pinga mia.... Get someone to translate my message in Habanero to you, goat fucker!

"The warmongering owners of the major corporations would rush to appease voters who showed they are looking for an alternative, and this alternative is Islam".... didn't I say fuck you? Or besides being imbecile you are also deaf Osama?

"Several days ago Japan marked the 62nd anniversary of the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima."
Well this quote is a lame attempt to date the video, that could have been said at any time.

But he also metioned the 'Rats victory in last fall's congressional election and to last spring French elections won by Nicolas Sarkozy, which proves absolutely nothing in terms of timing.

To note, he goes and waxes praises all over the ass of well known commie and terrorist butt licker author Noam Chomsky, who seems to have a soft spot for both Kasstro and Chavez. He doesn't stop there, he even has warm words for Michael Scheuer, who used to lead the CIA's unit in charge of hunting bin Laden, just because Scheuer said that the war against terror was practically lost due to the poor U.S. leadership.

Some analysts suspect that Adam Gadahn, a 28 year old American was Osama speech writer, since the drivel was ladden with a lot of references that fall into the categories of American popular speech and culture. In his role as Osama spinmeister, Adam Gadahn has managed to touch on issues that are sensitive in American politics and which are the theme of daily conversation among Americans.

Also, this video gives a hint about the reorganization and regrouping of Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the Pakistani-Afghani montainous border, where they have found sanctuary among the tribal groups. The region is perceived as lawless, but what the many analysts are missing is that in reality the region is under Sharia law, and that Osama Bin Laden has used it to build a model of his Caliphate. The culture of silence, abuse, mistrust, and savagery all under the veil of Islam is what has protected Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists like the Mullah Omar in that area, as long as there's no ground based human intelligence from within that secluded world it would be virtually impossible to identify his whereabouts for a fireworks show.

Now, how is that the video leaked before it was posted by the Islamic networks?
Easy, it was passed through different sites, downloaded, burnt in DVDs, uplaoded and retransmitted. And I vented my theory to a few people, it could have been transmitted from the electronic surveillance unit south of Havana, the Lourdes eavesdropping and trasmitting facility, where some Iranian guys have been seen lately. Did you really think that it would be leaked without trying to brush away its electronic path in cyberspace?

It was obviously fed to the American intelligence services with all sort of double edged intentions.
It works two ways: on one side it's a warning, and on the other side it was done to study the reactions of the American intelligence, with small window of opportunity between leaking (and American interception of the leaked material) and the "official" release through a variety of Islamofascist channels. They are becoming too sophisticated for my taste, and I can see that they are getting some training that has a lot in common with the techniques used in Cuba.

And now, let's disgress, and leave Osama here and get onto another guy who also loves fidel....
Did you watch Michael FatSlob Moore on 20/20?
To cap it all, Alex Hernandez kicks, slaps, and force feeds the Cuba diet to Michael Moore. Enjoy the grilling.

Is history repeating itself?

2007-09-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

According to the Economist, it's very possible.
They quote historical precedent, one of this days we are going to find a book called "The thousand and one deaths of a dictator" in our hands, since material is not precisely scarce on this matter.
Again, as we say, rumors are rumors, and as rumors they go. Many of them are launched from the entrails of the propaganda machine in Havana, some are of popular creation, some others -the more sinister- are launched by the Cuban military intelligence and counterintelligence apparatuses and still some others are just wishful thinking.
The article is interesting, and it is valuable as a collection of quotable anecdotes.
We have no predictions about the dictator's death, which by itself would bring little change in Cuba.
As we say, keep on waiting for the official press release.... or the leakage of the news if raul castro considers that it's a better method to make the public announcement.

Chronicle of a rumour foretold
Sep 6th 2007
From The Economist print edition

Covering up a death has got harder

FOR the past few weeks Miami has been gripped by rumours that Fidel Castro, Cuba's sick communist president, may be dead. One factor fuelling the fire is that Cuban officials insist that his health is a state secret, though they also say he continues to recover from intestinal surgery. Another is that no new images of Mr Castro were issued on his 81st birthday last month. Then there is the deep-rooted belief among his opponents that the death of the Líder Máximo will be covered up.

It would not be the first time. El Cid, Spain's quasi-fictional hero of the Reconquista, is alleged to have carried on fighting after his death, his body strapped to his horse to terrify his Moorish opponents. China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, died on a journey in 210BC, but the news was kept quiet for two months until his entourage had safely returned to the capital. The death of Edward VI, a young English king, was disguised during several days of scheming over his succession. Tibetan leaders managed to hide the death of the fifth Dalai Lama for no fewer than 15 years.

But cover-ups have got much harder. Not even the sudden and destabilising death of Joseph Stalin or the expected demises of Josip Broz Tito, Leonid Brezhnev or Kim Il Sung were hushed up for long. To hide the death of a dictator, one of his sidekicks needs to have both privileged access to information and the strength to suppress its leakage. But any such person is an obvious successor and thus has little interest in concealment.

Nonsense, say the conspiracy theorists in Miami. They point to the cases of Spain's General Francisco Franco and Mao Zedong, both of whose deaths were revealed on suspiciously symbolic dates (the anniversary of Japan's surrender to China, in Mao's case). So just before October 10th, the date of Cuba's declaration of independence from Spain in 1868, expect another wave of rumours in Miami that Mr Castro has passed away.

A very sour reality check

2007-09-06T16:34:00.000-04:00

More than one reader has expressed interest in knowing where the heck raul castro might be.
Well, La China has never been famous for disclosing his whereabouts, or by giving any hints about anything that he doesn't feel that is convenient for him to reveal.

We have tried to explain in past posts that what we are witnessing now is not only a cat and mouse play with the public opinion, it's just plain disinformation. These are what are known in the language of intelligence and counter intelligence diversionistic maneuvers to confound the international press, the Cuban people, foreign observers, and also the exiled community.

This is done with only one objective in raul's mind: to create false expectatives while the tyranny plans the next move. For example, to make believe that the government is in disarray. At the same time, repression has increased and the armed forces are getting new equipment. He even has released some political prisoners, but bagged others. He also offered a branch of olive to the United States, but it was in reality poison oak.

Till now, raul castro seems to have taken a good advantage of all the euphoric feeling of people thinking that the death of fidel castro is actually the end of communism in Cuba. It is not. At this point, raul castro has been following for a year and one month already the succession plan as it was intended and every so often they launch a rumor, they deploy smoke screens and people keep on believing what they are "seeing". We are talking about a regime that has a great experience in propaganda, desinformation, fabrications of "true facts", and which count on a lot of foreign agents to do the dirty work.

Also, raul castro has been always shadowy and very shrewd.
Why will he out of sudden becomes a transparent, crystal clear guy?
Does he have any reason for that?
Will he gain anything from that?

This is what he does:
Creates a false expectative so people believe that the armed forces in Cuba are going to help liberating the Cuban people. No, they are not. Their leaders are a bunch of fascists of the old castroite school, all loyal to raul.
The soldiers, well, there might be some that oppose the tyranny, but do you think they can confederate with other "like-minded" soldiers or officers to do anything? If you do, I can safely assume that you have never lived in Cuba as an adult. The armed forces canvasses their own soldiers with counter-intelligence agents on a regular basis.
Three privates protagonazing a shoot out does not constitute a rebellion.
The MINFAR forces and the MININT forces are equally fanatic, and their leaders are bound with the famous covenant of blood.
In the meantime, hello, the USIS grants a visa to a well recognized chivato, and no one notices....

Creates a false expectative that he's going to leave Cuba.
Did the armed forces prevent him from returning to Cuba, if he ever left Cuba? No.

Then we have the whole family thing.
Out of all of fidel's children, he has a clear preference for fidelito, whom he raised. Because.... y'all know that fidel and his wife didn't have fidelito living with them. It was uncle raul. The rest of castro's children are a bunch of useless pricks, and only fidelito is the one with brains and with the preparation to eventually become the dauphin (as we said the other day, he enjoys double brand recognition, huge, he is a Castro and a Diaz Balart). As we have mentioned, raul has prepared him as his own successor. We have reported at other times that fidel castro didn't want visits from his other children but from fidelito.

Then we have raul's children, they are used to tell us that uncle fidel is not coming back. As you have noticed too, raul's daughter is his contact with the exterior world. Is she an Italian citizen? I would not be surprised. So that's a life insurance right there.... Like Monchi, Ramon Castro's son who is a Spanish citizen. And where's Juanita Castro? In Coral Gables? or is she in Havana? and she's an American citizen, so negotiation is guaranteed, boys and gals.

Maybe today or tomorrow the Cuban press shows you a photo of raul with the visitors from Trinidad or Uganda. And that's as good as it's going to get. He's following what's on the book to a t. He knows that the Cuban people is tired, broken, hungry, and scared. He has divided the opposition -and that's raul work. The internal dissidency is virtually unknow inside Cuba, there's not a natural leader who enjoy the following of the people, there's no communication between Cubans, there are no weapons, no money, and most importantly, there is no trust amongst the dissidents or the Cuban people.

It has always amazed me that people don't realize that the "revolution" in Cuba triumphed for only one reason: they used all the opportunities given by a constitution where all the rights of the citizens were guaranteed, where people had liberty of assembly, thought, expression, where people had financial freedoms and moral independence. They used freedom to destroy freedom. That's precisely what they supressed in Cuba as step one of their "revolution". They created a system from under which is not that easy to break free.

A free Cuba is possible. It will take more than the death of castro and the death of raul to achieve that freedom, but it's possible, and the time for freedom will come.

Kaos en la Red

2007-09-06T11:14:00.000-04:00

Kaosenlared.net presents the following article from September 2 in which Pedro Campos talks about "fortifying socialism in Cuba". It actually goes against what Castro said as a critique of the international left and their opinions on "economic aperture" in Cuba. Please take into account that Kaosenlared.net is a communist and fidelist outlet, that I certainly won't link.

If you read Spanish, this is an interesting glimpse into the mind of the "reformists" in Cuba:

15 propuestas concretas para revitalizar el socialismo en Cuba
En respuesta al llamado del Partido a debatir el discurso de Raúl el 26 de julio pasado.
Pedro Campos (Para Kaos en la Red) [02.09.2007 09:03] - 1450 lecturas - 44 comentarios

En el articulo recién publicado: Orienta el PCC debate profundo y libre del discurso de Raúl el 26 de julio* se explican la necesidad de revitalizar el socialismo en Cuba y el sustento teórico práctico de estas 15 propuestas interrelacionadas, con vistas a fortalecer el control obrero y popular sobre la economía y la sociedad e ir creando condiciones que permitan avanzar hacia la autogestión social socialista , concepto en el que han venido laborando hace años distintos profesionales y académicos revolucionarios, esfuerzo que no es ajeno a la dirección del país.

Las acciones de emergencia ante situaciones coyunturales, sin estructuración integral, suelen traer resultados adversos, como pasó en el Período Especial, por lo que estas propuestas deben tomarse integralmente, para evitar efectos contraproducentes. No se pretende establecer ninguna receta, simplemente aportar a la discusión a que nos convoca el Partido, donde seguramente se expondrán innumerables sugerencias.

Otras medidas más generales encaminadas a fortalecer el poder de los trabajadores y el pueblo y con miras a una verdadera integración bolivariana deberán ser precisadas y ajustadas en los próximos meses, de acuerdo con lo que la práctica demande.

A reservas de la necesidad –en el mediano plazo- de organizar y legislar la autogestión socialista para las empresas y para toda la sociedad, las medidas fundamentales que a corto plazo podrían garantizar la continuidad revolucionaria, la profundización del socialismo y un amplio apoyo de masas, serían estas

15 propuestas para revitalizar el socialismo en Cuba

1-Establecimiento del CUC (Peso Cubano Convertible) como moneda única que circule en el país, sin hacer cambios de precios en el mercado de divisas, pero sí reajustando los precios actuales -en pesos cubanos no convertibles- bajo control estatal (electricidad, agua, teléfono, vivienda, transporte y productos básicos) alsalario medio que sería de unos 250 CUC. Esto implicaría de inmediato un aumento del salario real de los trabajadores y la creación de condiciones para la integración de la economía cubana en un sistema armónico y expedito.

2-Restablecimiento de la paridad del Peso Cubano Convertible con el dólar, con impuesto mínimo sobre el cambio, para estimular el turismo, la inversión extranjera controlada (preferiblemente indirecta y en empresas mixtas), las remesas y el movimiento interno y externo de la economía.

3-Una parte específica de las ganancias de cada empresa debe ser distribuida equitativa y democráticamente entre los trabajadores, al final de cada corte productivo, mensual, trimestral o semestral, en todos los centros de producción y servicios. Nada que ver con la actual estimulación adicional.

4-Elección democrática del aparato de dirección, en todos los centros de producción y servicios, sujeto a permanente revocación y establecimiento de salarios medios para los elegidos, sin prebendas adicionales para evitar el arribismo.

5-Control y planificación democráticos de la producción en todos los centros de producción y servicios, a partir de los intereses de los colectivos de trabajo, discutidos y consensuados con los intereses del Municipio y la Nación, con pleno control autónomo por el colectivo laboral sobre los planes de producción, costos, gastos, presupuestos, salarios, ganancias y demás aspectos económicos de las entidades. Establecimiento de relaciones monetario-mercantiles inter-empresariales contractuales entre todos los sectores, para el futuro avance paulatino hacia el intercambio de equivalentes. Esto chocará con las concepciones presupuestarias actuales, hasta el establecimiento y legalización plenos de la autogestión social socialista.

6-Liberación de todas las trabas a la producción agropecuaria, especialmente a las UBPC* y entrega en usufructo de la tierra cultivable ociosa a campesinos individuales y preferiblemente a grupos de campesinos que estén interesados en formar cooperativas, junto a la creación de una red bancaria estatal eficiente de créditos para los campesinos, las cooperativas y los trabajadores que lo soliciten y liberalización plena del mercado interno de todos los productos agropecuarios y pesqueros.

7-Eliminaciónde la libreta de racionamiento, previo establecimiento de subsidios directos y selectivos a las personas de bajos ingresos, jubiladas, madres solteras, minusválidas y discapacitadas, todo bajo controlde los órganos locales del Poder Popular.

8-Creación de cooperativas de comercialización en todos los mercados al por menor, con una política de precios con topes máximos y control estatal del mercado al por mayor, todo bajo supervisión de las autoridades comunales y regionales del Poder Popular.

9-Establecimiento de empresas cogestionadas y cooperativas de transporte para el servicio urbano con apoyo crediticio estatal y eventual participación de capital indirecto extranjero, para el desarrollo del transporte urbano en la capital y principales ciudades. Agrupar a los taxistas particulares en cooperativas voluntarias apoyadas por el Estado.

10-Revitalización del sistema de micro-brigadas por centro de trabajo para la construcción de viviendas decentes para los trabajadores, autorización de creación de cooperativas de construcción y de materiales afines y agilización de la legislación, trámites, normas, créditos y ventade materiales para la construcción de viviendas. Algo que ya se viene manejando.

11-Eliminación de impuestos y controles a la renta habitacional entre nacionales a fin de contribuir a suplir el déficit actual de viviendas, con las modificaciones inmediatas necesarias a la ley que garanticen la propiedad e impidan el casatenientismo en escala. Establecimiento de un impuesto a la propiedad sobre la vivienda según la calidad, tamaño y ubicación que obligue a un uso racional de las capacidades construidas.

12-Libre expedición de todas las licencias para el trabajo por cuenta propia, incluyendo en el sistema a los vendedores ambulantes, con el solo pago de una cuota inicial por el permiso de operación y exención del pago de impuestos a todos los cuentapropistas con ingresos inferiores a los mil doscientos CUC anuales (100 CUC por mes, menor que el salario de cualquier trabajador una vez aplicado el punto 1). Eliminación de las cuotas mensuales y todo su burocratismo y corrupción afines y establecimiento de un solo pago de impuesto progresivo anual sobre las ganancias, menor al actual, contra declaración jurada de ingresos, verificables por la O NAT (Oficina Nacional de Administración Tributaria).

13-Habilitación de la venta de viviendas, terrenos y vehículos automotores entre nacionales, previo pago de impuesto, sin otras restricciones. Autorización a los “mercados de pulgas” (objetos usados) los fines de semana, en barrios y comunidades donde la gente concurra a vender, comprar o trocarlo que desee sin control ni impuesto alguno.

14-Fortalecimiento del poder real del Poder Popular y concreción a nivel municipal del controlfiscal y presupuestarioterritorial autogestionario, unido a la municipalización de la Policía y las instituciones del Orden Interior que debe quedar separado de la Seguridad y entrega de las prisiones, con todo su personal y sistemas al Ministerio de Justicia.

15-Someter estas y todas las otras propuestas a una amplia discusión popular, sin restricciones, en un proceso horizontal que abarque la prensa, la radio y la televisión, los centros de trabajo, los sindicatos, los núcleos del Partido, los centros estudiantiles, las unidades militares, los CDR, las delegaciones de la FMC, las asambleas de barrio del Poder Popular y, luego con elenriquecimiento popular, someterlas en un término de tres (3) meses a referéndum nacional, para garantizar democráticamente la efectividad del proceso.

2 de septiembre del 2007
perucho1949@yahoo.es

Interestingly enough, this article appears a few days after our Arroz Frito post of August 28.

Of course, there's no mention of political reform or much less political change in this article, but if one reads between the lines one will understand immediately that since economics and politics cannot exist independent from one another there will have to be some sort of political change or adjustment happening very quickly. There's no mention of pluripartidism, or freedom for political prisoners, or freedom of thought, press or expression, but.... it proposes something different.

Also, just after this gets disclosed on the Internet, Castro "writes" yet another tirade "defending" his own personal views on economics, what we could safely call "my old farm" approach. Thought provoking it is, indeed. Kaos en la red is widely read internationally among the hard core left, specially in Spain and Latin America, so the deconstruction of the myth is also being delivered to them. Ah, the wonders of technology at the service of the Stalinist method.

No matter how shy or tepid these reforms might seem, one needs to take into account only one thing: a year and a half ago this was considered almost an act of counter-revolution. There's no much difference between these proposals and what some dissident economists have been proposing for the longest time, before hitting the concrete floor of a jail cell with their bodies. Out of a sudden, now it even gets some tacit approval and gets "launched" in the Internet, by a Communist Party member, no less. Because you don't believe that this Pedro Campos chap is acting on his own, without guide and control from the Communist Party, do you?

Again, and make no mistake here, this proposals are mainly cosmetic, they are most likely not to be implemented, they are just part of the deconstruction of the castroite myth. They are resonating in the ears of many Cubans who are reading the last "harangue" by "Castro", which by the way doesn't seem to have been written by him. The style is quite different, the only thing it has in common with the dictator's style is its boring rhetorics.

Oh, those spinmeisters in Havana are working overtime. They probably hope to receive some retroactive payment if any of these "reforms" get implemented....

Hat tip to many readers and the Cuban Triangle.

UPDATE
And Pedro Campos plays the game as instructed by the Communist Party, now he BACKTRACKS!
Hat tip to Penultimos Dias

Thompson announces candidacy, again.

2007-09-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

Fred Thopmson, the guy who love to hate Cuban rafters and compare them to Islamic suicide bombers, announced his candidacy in true Hollywood style.
Thompson showed up at Jay Leno's show, ripping the "candidacy annoucement" page from Arnold Schwarzenegger's book, maybe wishing he had the same kind of luck.
He proceeded to explain how he is in the same league than the other Republican candidates, which we dispute openly. He wishes he were at the same height of the shoe soles of Rudy Giuliani. One thing is to have balls as a TV character, and another one is to have balls in real life.
Because to us -the two writers of this blog- his racist and deeply despective remark against Cuban rafters put this guy where he belongs, in a sewer.
Our advise to him, instead of writing "I am with Fred" as his campaign catchy slogan, just go back to the classic "I am with stupid".
Leave the rafters alone, Mr. Thompson. They have more cojones than you do, including the Cuban women who brave the ocean looking for freedom.