Television Notidrama / Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado

Retrieved from “http://ganardineroadsense.net

On January 30th, the National Cuban Television (NTV) star of the 8PM news, who occasionally dresses strangely, was transparently fawning over problems which are not normally covered on Cuban TV and radio. As we know that everything on NTV is controlled and passes through that inescapable screen of censorship. At home we deduced that it was one more manipulation, due to the Cuban visit of Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, and her delegation.

Unusual reports of low productivity, in general, and the decline in potato production are known evils, in our country, but suspicion is aroused when these reports are accompanied by others that indicate there are few trains on our island and reduced fertility in our population resulting in few births. In this regard, Cubans have an aging population and therefore have not reached 12 million. Ignoring the two million who have emigrated and reside outside our territory, they are only taken into account for propaganda purposes and to fill state coffers.

Ironically, the meteorologist who often appears on camera to do the weather forecast, said there was a decrease in the number of cold fronts and rainfall rates, in January, compared to the same period last year. Anyway, that day’s edition of the news, exceptional for Notidrama, made me wonder. If you didn’t know except by repetition, you would not suspect the favourable economic intentions behind that veiled whining. For them it is worth it because the crocodile tears will revert to an aerosol medicine for their economic suffocation, increase their bank accounts and give them more time in power.

Translated by: Hank Hardisty

February 5 2012

Television Notidrama

Retrieved from “http://ganardineroadsense.net

On January 30th, the National Cuban Television (NTV) star of the 8PM news, who occasionally dresses strangely, was transparently fawning over problems which are not normally covered on Cuban TV and radio. As we know that everything on NTV is controlled and passes through that inescapable screen of censorship. At home we deduced that it was one more manipulation, due to the Cuban visit of Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, and her delegation.

Unusual reports of low productivity, in general, and the decline in potato production are known evils, in our country, but suspicion is aroused when these reports are accompanied by others that indicate there are few trains on our island and reduced fertility in our population resulting in few births. In this regard, Cubans have an aging population and therefore have not reached 12 million. Ignoring the two million who have emigrated and reside outside our territory, they are only taken into account for propaganda purposes and to fill state coffers.

Ironically, the meteorologist who often appears on camera to do the weather forecast, said there was a decrease in the number of cold fronts and rainfall rates, in January, compared to the same period last year. Anyway, that day’s edition of the news, exceptional for Notidrama, made me wonder. If you didn’t know except by repetition, you would not suspect the favourable economic intentions behind that veiled whining. For them it is worth it because the crocodile tears will revert to an aerosol medicine for their economic suffocation, increase their bank accounts and give them more time in power.

Translated by: Hank Hardisty

February 5 2012

They deposited a formal request for investigation into the murder of Juan Wilfredo Soto Graca / Ricardo Medina

Abdel Rodriguez Arteaga, Vice Presidentof the Cuba Independent and Democratic Party, gave to the Attorney General’s Office, at noon, July 11th, a document in support of the request for investigation to the death of Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia. The original request was made by two priests on June 8th.

Copies of the document, presented by Rodriguez Arteaga, were delivered to the State Council, Ministry of Interior and Justice, and were accompanied by a hundred signatures in support of the request for investigation to the death of Soto Garcia, presented by the priests: Ricardo Santiago Medina Lleonart Salabarria and Mario Felix Barroso,on June 8th.

The letter dated July 8, states that the signatories ask the Attorney General to exercise his powers to:

1) Give a public explanation from the Cuban government of this lamentable event.

2) Restore the Methodist Pastor Yordi Alberto Toranzo Collado to his pastoral ministry and to his rectory in the Methodist Church: “The Trinity” of Santa Clara. Bishop Ricardo Pereira Diaz, (Bishop of the Methodist Church in Cuba) removed him under pressure from the Department Religious Affairs, Ministry of Justice, after the minister attended the funeral of Soto Garcia.

Copies of this document were given, in addition to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament, to His Eminence Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana, and Bishop Ricardo Pereira Diaz, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Cuba.

Translated by Hank Hardisty

June 11 2011

Very few…

It is not surprising how many people go out in mass, before any revolutionary summons. In Cuba, the State is the absolute owner of everything; hospitals, schools, radio and television stations, hotels, discotheques, restaurants. The State is the sole employer. At the address of each one of these places, there appear the photos of the State, “personified” in its commanders, like revolutionary “saints”, who sold the cornerstone of the social justice in exchange for their survival.  And to make sure that there were no returns, they expropriated the owners of the companies, hardened capitalists, who today might be alternatives [to the state]; shelters. Very few decide to jump into the void to stop being mercenaries of the State and accomplices in their own tragedy.

Nowadays, the house of Sara Marta has been surrounded by the State Security in a 100 metre perimeter. Twelve people, until yesterday, held a wake for the death of Wilmar Villar. My friend Augustine did not let it pass.

Very few people declare themselves in opposition to the government because people do not want to be dismissed from their jobs, be demoted or land in more serious trouble. Having faith in their own consciences (which most Cubans have lost) a few have decided to touch the door knocker of destiny; in conflict with the laconic state which decides destinies and fights against God in every person.

To give you an idea of the threat and criminality of State Corporation poses, you have to remember the case of Laura Pollan. When she was ill, with a disease that probably would not have caused death, she had to go to the Calixto Garcia hospital, scary for everyone. Certainly, if visited by State Security, which I venture to suppose, orders to the medical staff could have been given, “mission” dependent, to allow the negligence causing the death of the Lady in White, who was inconvenient to the state.

The police who beat and punished Wilmar Villar are also state employees. At the corner of my house, Lombillo and Boyeros, the Police Directorate distributes live poultry and egg cartons to their tarnished servants who, for the donation, do the colita (a doped-up dance) in the parking lot. The political department of each unit has a policy to acknowledge “the lord” of the state and to obey any order even if it means abusing to death an unarmed human being who only was a part of a protest. No one should be misled about these “people.”

We are considered mentally destitute, deserving the benefit of veterinary care. Except for those “ungrateful” like Wilmar who ironically died of pneumonia in a country where two medical students woke me up this morning to take my temperature, and before my denial, asked me not to say anything.

The octopus of the state monopoly, keeps their employees at one of the lowest poverty levels; earning less than 50 cents on the dollar (CUC) per day. Because nobody wants to get into trouble, [the state] has achieved the miracle of people applauding slave labour and slavery of conscience. Very few are willing to die on a hunger strike to demand freedom.

When I hear them say that persons who complain are “salaried” [that is, “in the pay of the empire”], I think of the state as the employment agency, with the power to grant permits to allow you a little pizza businesses. That “checks” with the “Committees for the Defense of the Revolution” to determine whether or not someone gets a better job. And do I think Laura’s nurses, Villar’s jailers, who are only fulfilling their ideological work, have no consciousness of the poor who do not eat beans daily, where there is no other employer or homeowner so that the “State of the caudillos is secure.” Those who swallow the pill of revolutionary hagiography what tyranny do they believe it is necessary to fight?

Translated by: Hank Hardisty

January 30 2012

The Government Editorial / Lilianne Ruíz

"Faced with the interference from the Yankees and the European Union, UNITY!"

The Cuban government gave its first statement on the death of Wilmar Villar, on January 23rd. It was taken from the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The paper in question, Unico Diario, is the only daily newspaper. It is the official organ of propaganda, of the only party legally allowed on the island, this is of course, the Communist Party. I expected at least one story of the events, but the story is devoted to a series of human rights abuses committed in other parts of the world. They, in that way are willing to join the list of abusers, beating all competition in longevity: 53 years! It is good teaching in order to swell the ranks of the club of murderers!

State Security is twisted and dirty, without scruples, without values, idiot-proof though not because it is less guilty. For I understand that the Chiefs for whom it works; those of State, they do not still have any more resources than absolute vileness, because, along the way, they lost their soul. But the gendarmes, for many privileges and brainwashing, being accomplices, are earning a dark satisfaction that is devouring them completely. In these situations I find strength only by reading the Gospels. Forgive me, if I repeat myself.

Someone told me that he read, in the BBC, that Wilmar was imprisoned for contempt of authority and for beating his wife. I don’t know how much stock in the BBC is held by the Cuban government, a representative of the most predatory left, but it seems disrespectful. I am not interested in Villar domestic relations, but in the fact of Wilmar’s death as a result of respiratory deterioration during a hunger strike. His wife, the mother of two girls, was also arrested after involvement in a non-violent political protest.

I cannot repress the cynicism of the Communist Party, of the shield of the caudillos, when it states, in the media, that with much urgency they have given the world the news without investigation of the facts. To my knowledge, no Cuban jail has been visited by Amnesty International, the Red Cross, or the Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights because of the constant refusals of the government. Imagine if CNN were to have access to the hole where Wimar Villar remained nearly two months while on a hunger strike, then dying of pneumonia because of the punishment they implemented by their attitude! Cuban National Socialism uncompromisingly, cannot stand the gaze of an International Commission, but complains to the United Nations of suffering economic isolation.

State Security is twisted and dirty, without scruples, without values, idiot-proof though not because it is less guilty. For I understand that the Chiefs for whom it works; those of State, they do not still have any more resources than absolute vileness, because, along the way, they lost their soul. But the gendarmes, for many privileges and brainwashing, being accomplices, are earning a dark satisfaction that is devouring them completely. In these situations I find strength only by reading the Gospels. Forgive me, if I repeat myself.

Translated by: Hank Hardisty

January 30 2012