From: ez000281@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Subject: Re: Human Rights in Cuba
Date: 3 Jan 93 22:33:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

Let's begin at the end.

Julio Gonzalez writes:

>    This is absolutely preposterous. To be nationalist and socalist does not
>   mean to be national-socialist or nazi.  Don't forget many followers of
>   marxists ideas are liberal jews. 

A marxist does not believe in Judaism.  A marxist is an atheist (a 
philosophical materialist if you wish).  A marxist (or "scientific socialist" 
is an internationalist, not a nationalist.  Nationalism and "socialism" are the 
prime ideological ingredients of facism, por it presupposes the interests of 
the national state above those of the international working class, it also 
presupposes that a supreme dictator will "socialize" the wealth of the nation.  
In this sense, stalinism and facism have a lot in common (for a neat comparison 
of both see "From Commintern to Cominform" by Fernando Claudin).

>       Are you telling me that Cuba's constitution
>   institutes hatred against minorities ?  

No, but in practice there are no blacks at the highest echelons of power, and 
you only get token Uncle Toms (like that boxer whose name I forgot).  Perhaps 
we should ask some Marielito about how racism continues to be prevalent in Cuba.

>  Does it discriminate against
>   homosexual individuals ?  

Again, in practice, homofobia is rad various 
books are available on the topic.  It is to no wonder that among "scum" who 
exited through Mariel, there were thousands of homosexuals.

>  The closest to nazism I have recently heard
>   was Buchanan's speech at the Republican convention. 

And we all know what happened to his boss.

>To be nationalistic for leftist has usually meant Latinoamerica for the 
>latinoamericans, contrary to the USA doctrine that reads Latinoamerica for the 
>gringos.

No, no.  To be nationalistic for a "leftist" is to place the national 
interests of the radicalized middle class above those of workers and peaseants. 
 It aims to unite the masses behind the "antiimperialist" petite bourgeoise 
under the cover of their "national" interests.  Nationalism dissolves class 
conflicts and puts the entire country behind the "national" ruling class,  and 
this is precisely the card that Fidel is playing right now.  Instead of 
"Socialismo o Muerte" we will be hearing more of "Cuba jamas sera una colonia 
yanqui".

Now let's return to the beginning:

>   You offer is well taken. I'm actually a member of Amnesty International.
>   All reports on Cuba are related to harassment of oposition figures by
>   goverment organized groups. I have not seen anything about people being
>   "disappeared". I have also read about people suffering unjust imprisonment.
>   By the way the infamous DINA was replaced by the CNI.

Well, I think you should read your reports very carefully, for I was able to 
find this:

NT ACTION
>*
>*Amnesty International
>*International Secretariat
>*1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ
>*United Kingdom
>[ learned that Elvira Baro was in fact released
>*shortly after her arrest in late November 1991 and was not brought to
>*trial. However, Marco Antonio Abad Flamand, who was arrested on 19
>*November 1991 while attempting to film the arrest of Maria Elena Cruz
>*Varela, and Jorge Crespo Diaz, who was arrested on 7 December 1991 while
>*visiting Marco Antonio Abad's wife, are still believed to be held at the
>                                               ^^^^^^^^
>*headquarters of the Departamento de Seguridad del Estado (DSE),
>*Department of State Security, at Villa Marista. Some reports suggest
>*that they are under investigation on a charge of "desacato", disrespect.
>*In the case of Marco Antonio Abad Flammand, he is believed to be accused
>                                                  ^^^^^^^^^
>*of having offended President Fidel Castro in the course of his work. It
>*is unlikely that these two will have access to lawyers.

>*Marco Antonio Abad Flamand is a film maker and former member of the
>*Instituto Cubano del Arte y la Industria Cinematografica (ICAIC), Cuban
>*Institute of Art and the Cinema Industry, from which he reportedly
>*resigned in mid-1990 after criticizing government policies. Jorge Crespo
>*Diaz is a lawyer who works as a legal adviser to several unofficial
>*human rights groups. He is aofficial
>*group called Arte y Derecho (AR-DE), Art and Rights.

So, it seems that they have dissappeared since the government does not release 
any information on the whereabouts nor do they even regonized that they have 
them detained.  In fact whenever the writ of habeas corpus is never complied 
with, one can consider such action a "dissapearance".

As to your question:

>    Anybody knows which are the constitutional powers of Fidel ?

I believe he is the president of the Consejo de Estado y de Ministros and 
Chief of the Armed Forces.  But, as you know, a piece of paper can tolerate 
anything, and you can draft one in which Mr. Castro isn't even mentioned,  yet 
continues to rule with an iron fist in spite of the words printed in paper.
.

>    I do not defend the "revolution" neither the present Cuban goverment.
>    I'm just drawing conclusions from my own experience. What I have seen
>   is the destruction of a nationalistic goverment in Guatemala, death
>   squads killing under USA support. I have seen corrupted governments
>   that worry about keeping a minority in power while the general populations
>   have no access to education neither opportunities to better themselves.
>    I have seen the USA invading LatinoAmerica anytime it pleases them.
>    How many people are you willing to kill to allow "democracy" to come back
>   to Cuba. In Chile that amounted to 2000, and for millions that 'democracy"
>   means  to not have access to a good education. Means to be treated unfairly
>   only because one is not white or doesn't come from a "good" family.

Boy, it seems you must be Regis Debray, for it appears you have "seen" many 
corrupted governments and U.S. invasions.  If you would be more specific, at 
least we could comment on the details of yernment of the American people.  As for Chile, it is well known that the 
violence and repression began under Allende, and there are plenty of Chileans 
who have testified on this matter.  Furthermore, since you whine about U.S. 
"interventions", it is ironic that you blame for not acting against Pinochet.  
In any event, the topic is Cuba and Human Rights, not Cuba RELATIVE to the rest 
of Latin America, for we are not in the apology buisiness.  If anyone wants to 
complain about Human Rights abuses in Guatemala, he should certainly do so, and 
I will not say: "Well its better that the government continue repressing 'cause 
thing could turn to totalitarianism like in Cuba", or other  comparisons of the 
sort you have espoused.

Edelmiro