Is Castro Dead?

[jordan179]

There is a rumor on the Net right now that Fidel Castro is dead. If so, it would be one of the happiest pieces of news in a while -- it means that Cuba may at last be emerging from the long nightmare of tyranny and poverty that Castro committed the island to in order to protect his own ambition and vanity.

Let's all hope it's true!

Comments

[linwenilid]

Ah, you clearly speak like someone who doesn't live in Cuba. ;)

From Wikipedia:

"Historically, Cuba has had some of the highest rates of education and literacy in Latin America, both before and after the revolution.[46] All education is free of charge to Cuban citizens including university education, as it is payed for by the state through tax receipts."

"The Cuban government operates a national health system and assumes full fiscal and administrative responsibility for the health care of its citizens. Historically, Cuba has long ranked high in numbers of medical personnel and has made significant contributions to world health since the 19th century."

And from the 'Culture in Cuba' article:

"Fidel Castro's belief in socialism and the benefits of sports (he loves and has played baseball) has resulted in Cuba's relative international success (for a population of 11 million) in sporting events such as the Olympic games."

I live in a 'free' country (Ecuador), and I'd be quite glad if I could boast of any of those things. Believe me, if Fidel Castro is really dead, his people is going to mourn him, regardless of how happy 'the rest of the world' (a.k.a., the US) is.

[madmaggie]

I echo that sentiment commonreader. Too bad we can't ask all the dead Cubans that were killed by Castro what they think of him.

[sameinanylingo]

I'm glad someone said something because I wanted to, but I'm new around here and didn't want my first comment to start something!

[glenniebun]

We could ask some of the Cubans who risked their lives to be elsewhere. Perhaps they knew some of the dead ones.

[patchworkmind]

Just out of curiosity, what good does education and literacy do when you likely won't get the opportunity to use it or one of its extended benefits: think beyond party lines?

And just so you know, I do know a few Cuban expats, though not the looney ones in Florida who yearn for Cuba's "good old days." Migeula, Hector, and Maria all left in the 70s and 80s. All were political prisoners whose crimes were to lobby for reform, not abolition, of Castro's government -- bureaucracy, education, prisons, etc.

Miguela lost five years of her life (and her right hand) to prison.

Hector lost nine years of his life and his two brothers to prison. He still has the cigar burns on his inner thighs, lower back, and testicles to show for his time there.

Maria was in prison off-and-on for eleven years. One of her cousins, one of Cuba's national futbol team, lobbied for her, and she was never tortured. She was just forced to sit and watch other people getting their "re-education".

No. I don't live in Cuba. I do, however, know a few Cubans. They believe in The Ideal, but they do not believe in Castro, his brother Raul, or the current government establishment there. They all received asylum in the U.S. after they were smuggled out by sympathizers or family members. They all three want to go back, but Castro doesn't want them.

[stremph]

Universal literacy is absolutely worthless where there is no freedom of information.

[banner]

Wow, what absolute bullshit.

I've known people from Cuba. You obviously haven't. It's a harsh repressive dictatorship, and the people live in poverty. Unless they're one of the bosses in the system. It's a nasty dictatorship.

[linwenilid]

And I guess you have all the data to counter the 'bullshit' I just pointed out? Or is it just hearsay?

[stokerbramwell]

I like how you responded to the one person who didn't back up his argument with specific examples and ignored all of the people who did.

[linwenilid]

That's exactly why I didn't answer them, they had something to say, and I had nothing to counter with. I'm not too proud to think that there might be things I still don't know, but I didn't ignore them, in case you're wondering. And as anybody else, it annoys me to be answered with a 'that's bulshit' kind of reply instead of something reasonable.

[stokerbramwell]

Well, I suppose that makes sense.

[banner]

If it is such a wonderful place, why do so many every year flee secretly by boat? A dangerous exercise that kills many who attempt it?

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2160411.ece

Notice he loves to have people shot. Notice they have no idea how many people he has had shot. Notice the lack of internet and cell phones. Oh yes they do put some nice health statistics up, but those are from reports by Castro's government, and leftist governments are notorious for their fictions because no one is allowed to see the actual data.

Also, ever wonder where the workers for he sugar cane plantations come from?

If things are so great there, why is the media controlled by Castro? Why are those who speak out against him jailed?

(From http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2160411.ece)
HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD

Number of Cubans in prison for political reasons, according to a 2005 report by the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and Reconciliation: 306

Number of political dissidents, journalists and human rights advocates imprisoned in a government crackdown in 2003: 75

Average prison sentence handed down after their trials: about 20 years (ranging from six to 28 years).

Number who remain in prison, according to Human Rights Watch: 61.

SELECTED EVIDENCE ON WHICH PRISONERS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED AND IMPRISONED:

* Publishing articles or giving interviews said to be critical of economic, social or human rights matters in Cuba.

* Communicating with international human rights organisations.

* Having contact with those viewed as hostile to Cuba's interests, including US officials in Cuba, or members of the Cuban exile community.

* Cubans must obtain official permission to leave or return to the island. It is often denied, sometimes punitively.

* Cuba declines all requests from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to visit the island.

* Human rights awards won by Fidel Castro: 1 (the Muammar Gaddafi Human Rights Prize, presented in 1998 by the Libyan leader in recognition of Castro's "resistance to imperialism and defence of democratic values").

PRISONS

Number of prisons and correctional facilities thought to be in Cuba: more than 500.

Last year the UN described food and hygiene levels as "sub-standard" and medical care as "either unavailable or inappropriate".

According the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, thousands of young Cubans are in prison on the charge of "peligrosidad predelectiva" (that is, they are considered likely to commit a crime).

Cuba is one of the few countries in the world to deny the International Committee of the Red Cross access to its prisons.

Or better yet, why don't you just go talk to some Cubans who are here? Some of the many who have been granted asylum?

[jordan179]

If it is such a wonderful place, why do so many every year flee secretly by boat?

Indeed.

One good way of determining whether or not a regime is truly pleasant to live under is whether or not the country's problem is keeping people out -- or keeping them in.

America has a problem with illegal immigration. Cuba has a problem with illegal emigration.

Isn't that really ... nuff said?

[mauser]

This is a perfect example of why one should never rely on Wikipedia for political analysis.

It might be interesting to look at the editing history of that entry and see the tug-of-war that's gone on there.

[jordan179]

I live in a 'free' country (Ecuador), and I'd be quite glad if I could boast of any of those things.

Would you be willing to accept half a century of oppressive dictatorship in return for free health care, improved education and literacy rates?

And, of course, you're assuming that these statistics are true, which given the record of Communist dictatorships, is itself highly unlikely.

Believe me, if Fidel Castro is really dead, his people is going to mourn him, regardless of how happy 'the rest of the world' (a.k.a., the US) is.

I like your back-handed admission that the rest of the world, outside of America, doesn't give a damn about the freedom of the Cuban people.