From: ez000281@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Subject: Re: Human Rights in Cuba
Date: 2 Jan 93 17:03:59 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

Julio Gonzalez writes:

>In article <1992Dec23.185719.20465@zeus.ieee.org> jbarth@ep.ieee.org writes:

>    Let's not forget that Cuba is a tiny 'David' in the front
>    of Goliath. The fear of USA intervention is real. I lived
>    in Chile during the years of Pinochet and the fear of death
>    squads was real. If anybody doubts this please rent the movie
>    "Missing" with Jack Lemmon.

This is ludricous! In Cuba, layment do not fea the U.S., they risk their lives 
simply to come here (e.g., the Recent Cubana de Aviacion incident and the 
thousands of refugeess floating in tire tubes across the Florida straight).  
The equivlent of Chile's DINA in Cuba is the Ministry of Interior, who 
sporadically organizes mobs to beat up human rights dissidents or dissapear 
them as well.  Simply ask for the Amnesty International Reports.  Better yet, 
if you want one, simply reply to this posting and I'll send you one. Hence, the 
analogy of Chileans fear of Pinochet with the Cubans fear of the U.S. has no 
empirical basis.

>    What is the real power of Castro in Cuba? I have seen a video
>    on PBS about Cuba and he appeared there. He is very charismatic
>    and intense. Also seemed to be revered, what is not good. Still
>    I get the impression he could be like the King of Spain.

Adolf Hitler was very charismatic and intense too. Usually all totalitarian 
dictators are very charismatica, for it is dangerous not to feel charisma for 
these folks. (see "Missing" for examples of what happens when you don't feel 
charisma).  As to the analogy between Castro and the King of Spain, you must 
not forget that the King does not yeild executive power other than being the 
overseer of the state (a kind of sitting grandpa who runs nothing).  The 
*ELECTED* prime minister of Spain, and the parliament are the one have such 
powers.  Castro has been elected by nobody, nor is his power symbolic as that 
of the King.  In fact nobody is freely elected in Cuba (including the las 
charade of municipal "elections"), so please substantiate better your analogies 
before running around with royal dreams.


>     Even more horrifying, suppose that there is a severe weakening
>    of the goverment structure in Cuba. Fascism could easily retake
>    control of the Island. We would have another Haiti, or El Salvador.

Thanks for confessing that you are also one of those who believe that the ends 
(the defense of the "revolution")  justifies the means (Castro's dictatorship). 
 As to "facism" in Cuba, I suggest you read the latest "constitutio" written up 
by Castro, and see how he now considers his government to be "nationalist and 
socialist" at the same time.  The last government on earth that did this was 
that of Adolf Hitler.  If on top of this you add that government mobs are 
running amuck beating and dissapearing human rights dissidents, you will come 
to the conclusion that facism has alread "retaken" the island. All of this has 
been discussed many times in this newsgroup, but since you happened to be new 
here, I thought I might let you in on some of the arguments.

Edelmiro
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america