Brainstorm

The last short film by Eduardo del Llano should be shown to the editorial boards and the news media across the country.  In a roundtable discussion in the film, an editorial board debates which event will be the front page news in their next edition.  There are several news events to choose from: an extraordinary sports record, a falling meteorite that killed a painter on the spot, several work heroes, and some internationalist soldiers.  The obedient editors await a telephone call—from above—to tell them which news story they should favor over the others.  Meanwhile, they carry on the pantomime as if they could decide, making a show of acting as if the newspaper were really theirs.

Brainstorm is a short film with characters who are not caricatures, on the contrary, it is a reflection of a reality that is in essence exaggerated and grotesque.  A world of poses, of professional cowardice, as a result of seeing the more daring colleagues self-destruct.  The challenge for these journalists is not to have an original opinion, but to anticipate and predict what the opinion of the powerful will be.  Every good “revolutionary” reporter must know what the leaders will say before they emit a single word, they’d better interpret the gestures of the rulers and not err in reflecting them.

The short film deals with this and other journalistic miseries, adding to the list started by the now classic Monte Rouge.  Of the series of films directed by Del Llano, this one has hit me the hardest with its thematic immediacy and reference to the gagging of the official press.  Seeing it, has confirmed for me the immense privilege I enjoy of not having an editorial boss, censor, or anyone who dictates to me what topics I can cover or what importance to give them.  My worst professional nightmare would be to find myself at a table like that, where everyone’s watching their backs, in order to preserve the small privilege of working for Granma, Juventud Rebelde, or some provincial newspaper.

As in the final scene of the short—don’t worry, I won’t spoil the ending for you—something happens out there and our media continues to ignore it.  Thousands of incidents happen each day, but the disciplined television news correspondents aren’t authorized to tell us.  Instead, they show us a heavenly Cuba of successful agriculture, ambitions accomplished, presidential visits, commitments to resist and smiling Little Pioneers.  The telephone call that authorizes reporting the reality, has not come—yet—to the editorial team of any newspaper.

32 comments

  1. Heavenly Cuba of successful agriculture, ambitions accomplished, presidential visits, commitments to resist and smiling Little Pioneers – it’s enough to replace Cuba by Romania to have a picture of the first 15 years of my life.

  2. I WELCOME YOU TOO ANTOANETA , WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND LIKE US THAT LIVED AND STAY LIVING IN COMUNISM , TO TELL THE IGNORANTS THAT STILL BELIEVE THAT COMUNISM AND SOCIALISM IS THE BEST WAY OF LIFE.

  3. Communism and Socialism are great if you are at the top doing the whiping. Its GOOD TO BE KING. Thank you Yoanni for blogging about the little people. What has been going on in Cuba has been happening too long.

  4. Interesting how the robotic behavior of public service employees working for the regime does not just stop at the exit visa office, this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. It appears that not just editors, but probably engineers, science professionals, teachers, you name it. They are all paralyzed waiting for orders or guidance. They are not sure what to do other than the basics. No individual initiative here to improve or go the extra mile to increase production.

    Three thousand years ago the egyptians were so efficient at growing crops and make food available, that they were able to build piramids that are almost half the height of the Empire State Building, and much more massive in volume and material used.

    Ten thousand years ago, people in Central Europe were cultivating crops to feed themselves, in a place where during winter months, nothing grows.

    Three thousand and ten thousand years later, the communist regimes, including the incompetent bearded and ever decreasing group of tyrants in Cuba, are not able to figure out how to feed their own people, in a place where crops can be grown year round, in what is probably and by area, the most fertile island in the Caribbean, with the fewest number of inhabitants per square mile of any island, and surrounded by nothing but fish. Now someone may come up with numbers to dispute this, with some other under-inhabited tiny island, but I doubt it.

    Can anyone explain the unexplainable. Come on one of you sympathizers, bring some spark to this list, explain your position, tell me why these nasty old men are not able to get the job done. Tell me why they and those around them don’t get it.

    Is it possible that dementia has already set in for many years now, and therefore, they can’t understand and/or accept that you have to give the land to the people that harvest the crops, and compensate them accordingly…. duh!!

    Since the rest of the bureaucrats have been programmed and trained under threat, and are waiting for orders from these characters, I won’t blame them for suffering from the same feeble mindedness.

  5. I know.. it’s kind of sad.. we’ve driven off all the sympathizers… they have nothing more to say.. no new arguments. So we just go on and on cheerfully agreeing with each other.

    And yes, Maria and Antoaneta — it’s great to see some new ‘faces’ here… and Antoaneta… I don’t know if you left when you were 15… or that’s when communism fell and you are still there… or some other option.

    But… what would be interesting to me to hear is… what next? Clearly the Cuban people have an enormous amount of energy to DO something… look how good they are at ‘resolving’ things… and look at all the small businesses that do thrive in every little crack every time they’re allowed (or not).

    So what next. How do you turn 50 years of one-man rule… how do you turn a feudal state… into a modern, economically successful, democracy?

  6. Cold in Chicago

    This is a rumor someone mentioned to me

    During the special period some people started to loose sight and they thought they had some epidemic. The CDC doctors went to help or research the problem.
    It turns out the the real reason was malnutrition and vitamin deficiency due to the very unbalance diet Cubans were eating thanks to the government.
    Now do you think a medical power like Cuba someone could not think that the reason was malnutrition or vitamin deficiency?
    I am sure they knew but who will dare tell Castro?

  7. That reminds me of this fable by Aesop that reflects very well the Cuban situation

    Who wants to bell the Cat?

    The Mice And The Cat

    There lived several families of mice in a big mansion. Life was good for them as there was always an abundance of food, especially in the kitchen.

    But one day, the master of the mansion brought home a cat. Since then, life became miserable for the mice.

    Day or night, the cat would prowl the mansion. The mice dared not come out of their dens because the cat was always lurking around.

    As the days passed, the mice became weaker and weaker because they could not venture out of their dens to find food.

    Finally, an old mouse said, “We cannot go on like this, or we will all die of hunger and thirst very soon. We have to find a way to deal with the cat.”

    “Indeed, we have to come up with a plan,” agreed another mouse. “Let’s get all the mice together tonight and see if we can think of something.”

    Soon, it was nightfall. All the mice had gathered at their usual meeting place in the mansion.

    The eldest mouse cleared his throat and said, “I’m sure all of us have not been very happy of late because of our common enemy, the cat.”

    All the mice nodded their heads and muttered their agreement.

    The eldest mouse continued, “We must therefore act together now and come up with a plan to deal with the cat. Or we will all end up as the cat’s meal one day.”

    One of the mice suggested killing the cat, and every mouse agreed it was a good idea.

    So, the mice began discussing various plans about how to kill the cat. But as soon as someone proposed a new plan, others would reject it as unworkable.

    Finally, a young mouse said, “We may not be able to kill the cat, but perhaps we can think of a way to know its whereabouts. That way, if we know it is coming, we will have time to run.”

    The other mice cheered at the suggestion.

    The young mouse continued, “I have a plan. It’s very simple, really. All we need to do is to hang a bell around the cat’s neck. Wherever it goes, the bell will ring. If the bell is really big, we can even hear when the cat is coming before it is even close!”

    All the mice jumped and clapped at the idea.

    Suddenly, a wise old mouse said, “That is a very brilliant idea. Now, who will hang the bell around the cat’s neck?”

    It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite another to do it.

  8. #9 — actually I met someone in Cuba… a foreigner who moved there decades ago to support the revolution… goody for her… who had started to lose her sight during the special period and also started to lose the ability to walk, because of malnutrition. her eyes apparently recovered but she still walks with a cane. and still supports the revolution. She told me, “just because you only have one party, doesn’t mean it’s not a democracy… not everyone agrees on everything… there are different opinions within the party”… and also that she considered Fidel a freely elected democratic president. she told me the people were solidly behind him. amazing isn’t it.

  9. Andy, How solid could they be when there is 2 millions of us outside?
    Plus many millions will go if they are given the chance to freely go. I would be that if given total freedom more than half Cuba would go if given the chance.
    People are the same everywhere we want things now not in the future that may come or may not.

    Yes there is some people that support Fidel but there is also people that are force to support Fidel and also there is a lot of opportunism, that is, people that look like they support Fidel but only because is convenient to them.
    Those are actually the more disappointing ones. I assume for them and for us.

    I bet the majority of this parrots that sing with Fidel today will be the first to turn. Because they lack convictions, they do not believe they only repeat someone else’s Ideas.

  10. “there are different opinions within the party”

    That I have to see to believe. There may be different opinions but my bet is that what gets done is what the top of the party aka Fidel Castro and Raul Castro wants.

    Plus, I remember how meetings in Cuba become easily coercive were you are force to emit opinions to please what you think the majority wants!

    Similar to what happen in Group think.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink

  11. Andy:

    “I know.. it’s kind of sad.. we’ve driven off all the sympathizers” …

    I always try to talk to anybody provided their opinions are based on facts and not on propaganda. In fact I hope to influence their way of thinking by appealing and trying to make them see today’s reality and logic.

    I have to admit, I can get carried away at times due to residual bitterness from my bad experiences with the regime.

    Silent V.:

    “During the special period some people started to loose sight “….

    I like your observation people loosing their vision. I think the malady turned out to be chronic and many in 2009 are still blind to the reality of their condition.

  12. Cold in Chicago

    I hope you understand that “people started to loose sight” when I mentioned above was literal meaning I am sure you probably know that but someone else reading may interpret it different.

    Andy as for people going away from the site I do not think so.

    What drove people away was the site not being functional for a bit of time.
    But it will eventually pick up.

    I think many people are interested in the Cuban situation and would like to help.

    If we like to change the regime in Cuba we need to understand how does it work. I think I have a very good idea. I will make some future post explaining how Castro is able to do what he does. I will like everyone else to please contribute ideas or If anyone else feels he or she can explain this then that will be great!

    I think is important to know how it works because if we understand that then we know how to fix it.

    Understand by “fixing” I mean to change it into what we all want a democracy.

    Just to put an analogy. You do not try to fix an old car engine without first having a good idea of how it works and then once you do you need to find what is broken and then how to fix it.
    In reality what we want is a different car engine. A new Car Engine. But the owner of the Car is refusing to have it change. We can see the suffering of the passengers but the driver does not care about them he stills claims his old engine allows people to go from point A to point B.

    Anyway let me think more… Please do not hesitate to put ideas here. Our interest is of course for the passengers.
    The force as traveling companions.

  13. Andy:

    “But… what would be interesting to me to hear is… what next?…..”

    What’s next from my humble perspective, is that according to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 ……

    http://www.e-w-s.org/html/family_reunification.html

    no regime or indivudual has the right to divide families. Therefore, doors should be open and free travel allowed. Even North Korea, the most incredibly despotic and psychopathic regime currently in existence, allows travel between North and South (notwithstanding the ongoing missile and nuclear crisis).

    Once people are able to do what is rightfully theirs, we can all help by shaking the robots loose from their creaky, entrapment, by providing them with correct information, up til now withheld from them, about their rights and what goes on in the rest of the civilized portion of the planet.

    This is why I support Obama’s initiative to open the gates and allow travel. Anyone who travels there should, whenever possible, spend all their money to support the small entrepreneurs so they can “resolver” and realize at least a glimmer of the advantages that await them.

  14. One more thing Andy
    Ask your friend this two questions

    If everyone is so solidly behind the Castros then why not do this?

    1) Then what would be the harm of opening the country to other political parties and have free elections and get Castro elected in a democratic election?

    2) Allow people to travel freely without government permissions (in and out) (Can she explain why this does not happen?)

    My hypothesis is

    1) That they know people will not vote for them (they have too many years telling lies).

    2) They know many people will go out if they open the gate and they do not want that because they will be left without productive people (Slaves).

  15. Silent V.

    I understood you very well. I just did not phrase my thought as well as I should have.

    Look forward to hearing your ideas on fixing the engine. I hope that they are not clouded by bitterness or personal animosities, as this interferes with the goal.

  16. Cold in Chicago Actually I am not bitter about my experiences in Cuba.
    I did get a very good education even the little time I work over there have also a good experiences in general.

    I was not confrontational with the system. I did keep to myself what I thought because I knew I will be punish by loosing my job or my studies. But I did not belong to the Communist Party and UJC. They asked me in 3 occacions if I wanted to be part of it.

    My answer was

    I do not think I satisfy the requirements.

    😀

    I do believe some of them are trying to do the right thing but some of them are just trying to see what the system can do for them. Those are the worst and the most abundant and what make their type of system fail.

    That reminds me of something Kennedy said here

    “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”.

    The mentality of many of this party officials is to benefit themselves and to live above the average Cuban not to fight for all the little guys around them (Los cubanos de a pie) (The standing cubans).

  17. Here’s a real life story unfolding today in Castro’s Cuba that provides useful insights into how a totalitarian society crushes dissent:

    ” My Case Goes to Trial
    March 26, 2009

    Erasmo Calzadilla

    Today, March 26 at 9:00 a.m., will be the first hearing in which I am appealing my expulsion from the university. When everything is concluded -for good or for bad- I’ll recount in detail everything that has happened. I haven’t done so yet because many of my friends think that I might bury myself deeper, and I believe that they’re partially right.

    I had been a tenured professor at the University of Applied Sciences and Technology (better known as InSTEC), where I taught various courses related to philosophy – until they kicked me out

    In November of last year, I began meeting once a week with a group of students and university professors on the lawn of my institution. There, we mainly discussed topics on the history of the political left.

    At first we meet like this informally, but later got the idea to present it as a project to the Department of Social Sciences, whose energetic head approved the idea. I knew that the matter would raise eyebrows, since it was so unusual in a setting like this; only Communist Party-affiliated groups organize initiatives to openly discuss political topics. However, it not only raised eyebrows, but holy hell as well, as a shock wave spread out across the campus.

    I was accused of many things, including that I was counterrevolutionary, which is the absolute worst one can be charged of. Nonetheless, this was leveled against me without a minimum shred of proof.

    Finally, they tossed me out for not fulfilling -so they said- the study program, though it’s difficult for me to fathom how they reached that conclusion when all my evaluations as a teacher had been good.

    The “evidence” that they had in hand were testimonies by my students made to a committee of professors confirming my inability to parrot the mottos that these academics believe are the ABC’s of Marxism, mottos that of course I never required the students to memorize in such a mechanical and anti-philosophical manner.

    They also have as proof of my non-fulfillment of the program, a group of ten classes that I drew up with the objective of making philosophy more accessible; I had aimed to revolve it around epistemology and alienation. Those classes were held in the library, in the plain view of everyone, since I presented them there while in the course of developing them, one by one. These sought to embrace a part of the study program, though of course not in a traditional way.

    No one called my attention to these lessons before, but now I’m suddenly on the outside for presenting them, and without the benefit of any intermediate measure.

    An expert, another university professor who collaborated in bringing the accusation against me, stated in the previous labor hearing that the classes in question were “right wing,” and that the staff of a leftist university had all the legal authority in the world to demand that the classes of their professors be to the left.

    If I had to classify my classes based on this approach, clearly I would put them on the left, assuming that this means they fight against ignorance, colonialism and alienation; and for this, when this case came up, I tried to lean on Marx, who to me is a splendid example of a warrior on the side of these causes.

    I will try to somehow post these classes on the Internet, so that they can be read and judged personally by those interested in this matter.

    I know nothing of legal procedures, but I believe that it’s logical that if I present myself as the plaintiff, I cannot end up being accused. I say this because some people have already warned me, “for my own good,” against appealing the decision of the administrative hearing and taking the matter to municipal court. They believe the action could backfire against me, making it impossible to ever work as a university professor again.

    Tomorrow I imagine that I will have more news.
    http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=6636

    Erasmo is an independent-minded Cuban professor about to be crushed by the regime.

  18. At least I was honest. I did not try to belong into something I did not believe.
    If the purge all the people in their party that are dishonest they will be left with very very few people.

  19. #17 — She is not my friend. She sneered at me. She would hardly speak to me. She kept attacking the United States for all its sins and crimes. And then of course… she constantly referred to Haiti. Without Fidel Cuba would be Haiti.

    It’s an appealing line of debate. Yes, I shot those three people in cold blood. But look at Stalin, he killed maybe 20 million. So… I’m not as bad as Stalin… you should give me a medal, not punish me. Look, the US is an evil country with overflowing prisons. It attacked Iraq. It bombed Hiroshima. Oh and by the way did you know Haitians eat mud cookies they are so hungry?

    I responded, as I always do, so, you aren’t as bad as the worst? But how far are you from the best? And why? Of course when you ask why Fidel is not able to make Cuba the BEST country in the world on every measure… it’s always because of the U.S. and it’s BLOCKADE and its THREATS and its GENERAL HORRIBLENESS just 90 miles away.

    You know… 90 miles is close, but it’s not over the fence. I can’t smell stinking garbage 90 miles away. If the US is the source of all evil in the world… ignore it. Turn your face to the other 146 (or however many) countries.

    On and on and on. It’s never “my” fault for people who think this way, it’s always someone else’s fault.

    Anyway… I have no contact with this person.

    When I was in Cuba I did talk to some elderly communists — very elderly — who really did have a better life than before the Revolution (ok… I only met 2 in the whole country… but I’m sure there are more). And when I spoke to them I listened with respect. I did not argue with them, or attack them. I respected their experience and the perspective of their age.

    But when I talk to a “foreign enabler” — someone who can get on a plane and leave any time they like… someone with a foreign passport… someone with a completely privileged position… well let’s just say I argued rather strenuously with her and her ideas and we did not part friends!

    (A friend of hers had asked me to bring something for her… which was expensive, so I didn’t bring it… I was way over my luggage allowance (and my personal budget!) already bringing other things for other people… and she even dared to criticize me for failing to fulfill her shopping orders! Hell… get on a damn plane and go buy it yourself! If Cuba is such a paradise why can’t you walk down to the corner store and buy it right there? What don’t you get on the INTERNET and ORDER it and have it SHIPPED to you, as you would be able to do in any NORMAL country on the planet?!?!?!? She was so angry that I’d failed to run this simple errand… so easy for me… so hard for her… well DUH lady — because of the nature of the country you have spent your life helping to build!)

  20. “You know… 90 miles is close, but it’s not over the fence. I can’t smell stinking garbage 90 miles away. If the US is the source of all evil in the world… ignore it. Turn your face to the other 146 (or however many) countries.”

    Andy that is perfect!
    I mentioned the same a while back somewhere else
    Imagine US does not exist there is nothing up noth of Cuba
    Then what?

    I will tell you what

    they will blame something else but themselves!

    If they blame themselves then they admit they are unable to run the country
    they are inept to run the country or that the rules they want for the country are plainly wrong!

  21. OK, let me explain what I have promise before about how the system works please understand this is work in progress
    and I will like to listen to anybody with opinion about this. If there is anything that needs to be explain in more detail please let me know.

    The same way that for every decision we take as individual there is future consequences so the same happens for any form of government.
    Some decision stimulate some behavior some will de-incentive the same behavior.

    This is the general idea on the workings of the current system in Cuba.
    As we know the system works with a centralized economy where all the main decisions are taken by the head of state.
    There is no free press since the press is also an arm of the government and there is no independent justice system.
    One apparently monolithic party that does not accept deviations from the lines of the maximum leader and those that deviate from it are Ostracize, jailed or executed.

    They do have a general Assembly but in general this is just a show. Since the ultimate decision takers is the Central Communist Party Committee and of that the final decision is Raul probably in consultation with Fidel Castro. For example if tomorrow Raul or Fidel mentioned to the general Assembly that they would like to change the economy from what they have to a more capitalist style economy with competition. I am sure it will probably pass with minimal resistance. This happens because the people in this assembly have being selected with the wrong criteria (system unconditional). That is why you always see everyone approving everything proposed with almost unanimous vote! without or minimal resistance instead of watching over the interest of the average Cuban.

    What I described above is the Cuba on the surface the one the government believe should be Cuba.
    But as we know there is another Cuba. The Cuba of illegality and semi illegality and legality that the government needs to exist.
    I am talking about the Cuba of the Black Market, The Cuba of prostitution, the Cuba of small family businesses. The ones the government has allowed to exist like paladares, small rooms for rentals etc.

    That Cuba is illegal not just by the obstinacy of the leaders but because is also convenient to them to keep it illegal so that way they have power over those people. They perfectly know all the illegal things being done but refrain from fixing it since this people in their illegality are satisfying needs the state is not able to fulfill!

    If you ask why not make it legal?

    Their reason as I imagine is leverage so in that way if one of this people gets uncomfortably close to have too much power (economic power that could be translated in support by the people or starts to be reactionary towards the system) then it can easily be eliminated within the framework of the legality by now raising objections about all the illegal activities done by this person. In that way they can control that the people doing the illegal things that are useful to the nation do not do things that will also get them out of power!

    We all know the consequences of the above system. The main thing I will say is that.
    The system is broken. (Produces 2 million exile per 50 years) possibly more if there was less exit restrictions. Plus economically they do not produce sufficient to be able to feed the population; they do not produce homes either etc. The great majority of the people working are unproductive. We can safely say that it does not work.

    How can that be fixed? Can it be fixed? I am not sure at least the solutions are not within the system.

    Every solution I have conduced me to back to what I know as capitalism! Considering that what they have is monopolistic capitalism then it should be an advance. But they have to be willing to relinquish power back to the people. Something they do not seem willing to do on their own.

    You need the Press to be independent from the government. The reason for the Press to be independent from government is simple. (So that the press responds to the will of the people directly).

    Let us assume that Yoani is allowed to have a news paper in Cuba. If the people of Cuba buy her news paper and she is able to keep it with earning made by what people pay then it should be welcome. So in that way you will make the press respond to the interest of the people of Cuba. Notice my definition of the people of Cuba includes also the exiled Cubans.

    Let the press be independent and being paid only by Cubans. So anybody that wants to buy a newspaper without regard to the content should be allowed. The people will vote with their money. If they like to read a press that if leftist they will buy that, if they like to buy one that is on the right they will do that without any government interference. That way people will end up better inform since many times they will get two contrasting points of view and they will have to choose what they like! Giving choice back to the people is one of the most important things to make them feel that they are in command of their own destiny and not their destiny is command of a government bureaucrat.

    Another solution but a less democratic solution will be to have a common money allowance for two news papers (One for the left and one for the right) and all the money is split half between the two or maybe having the existing news paper granma for the left and grandpa for the right and center.

    To establish a Judiciary independent from the government is also very important. This people should not be selected by party official but by the direct vote of the people. So there should be elections for judges. Having a judiciary this way it should also make the system more transparent. The big bosses will now have to answer to the people and not the other way around. The same should also apply for the other positions in the judiciary. Like the DA (district attorneys) etc.

    My guess will be that for a one party system to be able to claim being democratic it must include the full spectrum of society including those that do not agree with the system but are willing to work with it.
    Specially those that do not agree with the system.
    This will give more dynamism by coming up with maybe better solutions to the problems and having less of group think effect in the meeting.
    Any society you need left center and right and the other thing will be to allow Cubans to own enterprises but heck if they do this then it will be already a democracy! 😀 sort of.
    I believe they do realize there are many things the state can not do efficiently. For example the land they are giving back to people to make it productive again. The thing they do not seem to understand is that as long as they do price fixing and force people to do what they want it will not work. They have to let it go by itself; let the invisible hand do its work. Let people set prices. But naturally doing that is equivalent to capitalism! Again!

  22. Silent Voice:

    Thanks for explaining the process, innerworkings and cynicism of the dictators. As you explain it, they seem to know that free entererise works, but forcefully confine it so as to keep everyone in line.

    My only qualm is that the solutions you propose, while ideal, are utopian in a closed Stalinist society such as exists in the island at the moment. In a halfway flexible socialist/communist society, these ideas could be suggested, but not with the current dynasty in power.

    The solutions we should seek should be subtle so they can slip by the current system, but in the end, more effective under existing conditions. And I know there may be Castro simpathizers reading this blog, but give the international pressure and multitude traveling, it might just work. Besides, some of those simpathizers, if they live in the U.S. may want to switch sides if they read this blog, and understand that we’re talking about real issues, and speaking the truth about the unacceptable behavior of the old fossils.

  23. Well if you notice Fidel Castro was very clear one of his last reflexion

    The Honey of Power belongs to him and his brother nobody else.

    What make him believe that?

    The real truth is that they are not working for the people as they claim
    otherwise they will not exploit Cubans the way they do.
    Paying miserable salaries that hardly support them.
    Or charge for the lucky slave that come to visit us per month of stay!
    Imagine the Cuban government charges you money to have your family hear if you do not pay then they will not be allow to return!!!

    They do know that free enterprise works. Otherwise why would they have enterprises like that in Cuba? and they probably own enterprises in other countries. I would suspect that even here in the USA.

  24. See the biggest problem is that they have all the power. Unless they agree to a solution like that it will not happen.
    They know they have real problems in Cuba they need to solve.
    It bothers me tremendously that Fidel Castro expends his time reflecting about somebody else’s problem instead of analyzing the problems in Cuba asking people for solutions for ideas.

    But of course that will be to go against his nature!

  25. I remember a while back when I was still in Cuba
    Raul Castro gave a speech to the military people and they played life on TV

    Raul said to them something like

    Please say “YES” and everyone chanted “YEEES” and then he follow with “Please say “NO”
    and everyone say “NOOO”
    Then after that he was visibly very upset and said
    You see this is the problem we have that you guys will do anything we tell you …

    The following day I look for the speech in granma and I could not find that in the speech!!!
    Here I read a book by Oppenheimer

    http://www.amazon.com/Castros-Final-Hour-Andres-Oppenheimer/dp/0671872990/ref=sr_1_1?
    ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238199529&sr=1-1

    and found a part where he mentioned the same speech and what I saw. 😀

    By the way that book by Oppenheimer about Cuba is very good.

    This indiscretion of Raul tells you that they were tired of this unconditional people that are totally brainless.
    But that is exactly what they have promoted with their policies in 50 years!

    Cause and Effect.

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