A military construction company has attacked the building of the condominiums pictured on the photo above. The ones on the left that are already painted belong to the S.A Cuban Aviation Company (ECASA), a dependency of Civil Aeronautics. The ones on the right are property of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
A while ago, there was a promotional billboard at the entrance which explained the efforts and the details of the project. Right at the moment of the worst housing situation, and amid the moment in which they have named General Rodiles as the head of the Physical Planning, these brand-new 4 story buildings have been erected. Once again, the officials of Military Counter-Intelligence, the Heads of Penitentiary Establishments, and the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) are the ones that benefit from the facilities which have been given to them, at the expense of the nation.
Neighborhoods such as “El Piti” and “La Fornet” on the outskirts of the Alcides Pino Cigar Factory, and “La Colora”, are the ones which harbor the worst face of Holguin, the so-called City of Parks.
Four years ago, a wave of unemployment shook these marginal neighborhoods, also known as “Give and Takes”. At the forefront of these repressive actions was the current Minister of Education, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who is also the First Secretary of the Communist Party in the province. The evictions, after all the legal challenges and official propaganda, were held back thanks to the organization of the affected — a celebrated march along with their children through the center of the city, as well as the support and solidarity of various human rights activists who have often suffered beatings, detentions, and confiscations of cameras and voice recorders during that time.
Translated by Raul G.
20 April 2012
