Castro steps down?
Aug 1 2006
So the news this evening said Castro stepped down and temporarily handed power over to his brother Raoul. What do you folks think? Figure he'll get healthy again? How long can Raoul hold the reigns for?
I'm curious to see how this plays out.
Aug 2 2006
#2
EdmontonWobbly wrote:
So the news this evening said Castro stepped down and temporarily handed power over to his brother Raoul. What do you folks think? Figure he'll get healthy again? How long can Raoul hold the reigns for?
Who cares? Does it make a difference who's holding the reins?
Quote:
I'm curious to see how this plays out.
Why?
Aug 2 2006
#3
Hi
Does anyone know if there really are more restrictions on personal freedom in Cuba than in the self identified capitalist economies?
Love
LR
Aug 5 2006
#4
Allegedly:
-Tourists are treated as dignitaries: there are hotels in which only they are allowed to stay, an entirely different dollar-centred consumer economy for them (Cubans aren't allowed to use dollars). Of course, as a tourist, you'll also have a hard time going elsewhere on the island than the state wants you to go.
-There are restrictions on "free speech". You can't overtly criticise the regime for fear of being exiled, imprisoned or executed. There's also restrictions on internet use for Cubans - with accessing certain sites being more or less illegal.
-Obviously, of course, a Cuban couldn't form their own political party and run for election. I think I'm right in saying the country runs "free" elections - the only restriction being in that the only candidates are in the Communist Party.
-I've also heard that the state is quite homophobic - how and why I don't know. Probably a legacy of the country's rampant Catholicism...I think Castro has liberalised laws in that respect to a certain extent. I'm not sure how they compare to other Catholic Latin American countries with regard to this.
-Most importantly of all (perhaps), the US embargo has resulted in 40+ years of food rationing. According to a Newsnight report, this has actually resulted in Cubans having better overall diets and therefore needing less treatment - one possible factor behind the health service's apparent efficiency.
There's probably more, I'm no Cuba expert.
Aug 14 2006
#5
The homophobia is quite strong and probably has to do more with Castro's stalinism than inherited catholocism. Castro began purging of homosexuals in the 60s, though it may not be as big of a deal now.
Cuba's food is also very 'green', with neighborhood gardens and a high emphasis on not eating meat dueto the resources involved (unless you are a tourist). Though I remember a few years ago when folks were discussing this on infoshop and someone pointed out "the entire island could be vegan, but it would still be state capitalism."
Aug 14 2006
#6
I heard that alot of economic decisions were actually made by local councils or "CDRs" Is that true is there decentralized pseudo-workers democracy atleast as far as production goes?
Aug 14 2006
#7
There's an amazing picture on PA of a red-shirted Chavez holding hands with a red-shirted Castro. The thing all but has a subheading of 'Handing over the reins of socialism'...
Aug 14 2006
#8
revolutionrugger wrote:
I heard that alot of economic decisions were actually made by local councils or "CDRs" Is that true is there decentralized pseudo-workers democracy atleast as far as production goes?
So, do you hang out with the SWP (American) often?
Aug 14 2006
#9
Quote:
So, do you hang out with the SWP (American) often?
Worst. chat-up line. ever.
Aug 14 2006
#10
Alan wrote:
Allegedly:-Tourists are treated as dignitaries: there are hotels in which only they are allowed to stay, an entirely different dollar-centred consumer economy for them (Cubans aren't allowed to use dollars). Of course, as a tourist, you'll also have a hard time going elsewhere on the island than the state wants you to go.
Not exactly. Presently, you can't use the dollar at all in Cuba, but you have two kinds of pesos, convertible pesos, which are worth about the same as the dollar, and regular pesos, which are more or less worthless. Ordinary Cubans are welcome to use the convertibles, the only problem is to get hold of them as they are paid in regular pesos.
And I don't think the Cuban state cares too much about where on the island the turists go.
Quote:
-There are restrictions on "free speech". You can't overtly criticise the regime for fear of being exiled, imprisoned or executed.
You won't get executed in Cuba for criticising the regime. You might be imprisoned, though, or loose your job.
Aug 15 2006
#11
Cuba is still the only other country in this hemisphere that has the death penalty.
Aug 15 2006
#12
With the homosexuals, they used to all be put in concentration camps, allegedly. IIRC Castro stopped this practise a few years ago an apologised. But still...
Aug 16 2006
#13
John. wrote:
With the homosexuals, they used to all be put in concentration camps, allegedly. IIRC Castro stopped this practise a few years ago an apologised. But still...
in his words:
Fidel Castro wrote:
Sorry dudes, my bad.
Aug 19 2006
#14
Ha yeah, doesn't quite cut it does it!
Aug 21 2006
#15
this may be of interest:
Quote:
(en) "Cuba Libertaria" #3: Other voices - interview with Canek Sánchez
Guevara, grandson of Che Guevara (ca)
> From GALSIC
Date Mon, 3 Jan 2005 09:22:48 +0100 (CET)translation provided at:
http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos336/ainfos16681.htmlNote: The full text can be read (in Spanish) on the web at:
http://red-libertaria.net/noticias/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1140
Aug 22 2006
#16
oh, neat... Che's grandson is a libcom?
Aug 24 2006
#17
Bad. Ass.
Aug 25 2006
#18
Feighnt wrote:
John. wrote:
With the homosexuals, they used to all be put in concentration camps, allegedly. IIRC Castro stopped this practise a few years ago an apologised. But still...From what little I know of Cuban history, Castro has a long track record of stopping practises that antagonise Cubans and then apologising. He even goes as far as letting Cubans to flee Cuba without stopping them and then apologising for closing and reopening border controls. He has done so on a numerous of occasions, first during 60s-70s the precise date escapes me, the early 80s and during the USSR collapse in the 90s.
In allowing this exodus to flee, it helped alleviate the flagging Cuban economy. (Incidentally the Cubans the country mainly due to the lack of customer produces and skill jobs/jobs.) Mind you Castro was happily enough so calls 90s exodus traitors and thieves (maybe some element of truth there) hence the rather large exile of Cubans now living in Florida.
At some point this release of exodus of Cubans is going to backfire on the Cuban Government as the U.S. has interest on the Cubans assets such as oil etc… The U.S. Government are currently actively using and supporting ex-Cuban as a means of overthrowing the current regime and future assets control.
Having said that, the Cuban economy is beginning to looking brighter over the next few years with closer economic ties with the Venezuela and, Chinese Government who are beginning or at least willing to break the U.S. imposed embargo. The Chinese interest in Cuba is purely for self interest as a mean of politic leverage in the future global conflict over Taiwan, as is the case for any other country which is involved with China politically . As for Venezuela interest in Cuba, it could just be for presages and one man-ship against the U.S. Venezuela stand to receive very little in return economic from Cuba in the short term, the longer term who knows?
A source close to Castro told BBC News that he's in his "dying days" or something. Loads of people out on the streets celebrating in Miami.