Six places from Sullivan

In the list of the 25 Best Blogs of 2009, drawn up by Time Magazine and CNN, there are several elements that fill me with pride. Generación Y is the only blog on the list in Spanish, the same language that some believe incapable of adapting to the pace of technology and modernity.  I am, among the other twenty-four bloggers, the one with the fewest hours of access to the internet—of this I have no doubt.  To make matters worse, I work under the peculiar condition of creating a blog I cannot see, the fault of the wicked filters imposed by censorship.

Andrew Sullivan, who has become a guru for those of us on the Blogger Journey, is in fifth place with his blog, The Daily Dish.  He doesn’t imagine that every week a group of Cubans  evoke his article, Why I Blog, taking his work as a compass.  After nearly two months of these weekly meetings we know, at least, that the route to begin to comment does not travel backwards, that the wall of control can be knocked down in one go, or undermined byte by byte, post by post.

64 comments

  1. Just to keep you all updated on how many readers this English language site has, as many have asked.

    On the day the Time/CNN Best Blog list was first published on-line, Gen Y English went over 5,000 hits. The average before that had been climbing steadily, and the previous day was about 2,000.

    After a couple days, visitors dropped back to about 2,500 a day, but since then has resumed climbing, and yesterday hit more than 3,000 visitors.

    THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR READING AND COMMENTING HERE!!!!
    Your friendly English Translator

  2. I saw an article about Yoani’s blog in a finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat online version. I love the articles and hope everything gets better for the cuban people. Thanks Yoani!

  3. FELICIDADES !!!!!!……LA RENDIJA SE TRANSFORMA EN PUERTA ANCHA POCO A POCO…Creo que el articulo de comentario a tu block se te refiere como del genero masculino aunque no te pueden acusar de falta de cojones o exeso de ovarios

  4. Congratulations are in order Yoani. This is a great achievement that will provide you with many more “ears and eyes”. I’m wondering how they’ve compiled this list and if they actually read the blogs. Why? They continually refer to you as “him”…..a male! Unless you’ve undergone a sex change operation while we weren’t looking, I think they are very wrong.

    What matters from my perspective is that this exposure will get your message out to a larger audience.

    – Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife

  5. You deserve the best and I hope in the future your blog will keep fueling all Cubans to win the ultimate prize we all want.

    Freedom for all Cubans.

  6. #8 – Tim, I know about 10 people who’ve tried to change a 38-year-old man back in to the 33-year-old woman she is… but so far Time Magazine is not listening. The oddest thing about it, of course, is that last year they named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World — with a huge photo of HER. But I guess they don’t read their own magazine!

  7. ***
    Spanish is the best organized language. The King of Spain ordered university experts to eliminate thousands of redundant words. He had them use 3 ways of conjugating almost all verbs. He had them standardize pronunciation. Then he ordered everyone to use the improved language. This never happened with any other language.
    ***
    My wife is a Mexican ranch girl. She says that students in Mexico learn Spanish faster than students in the U.S. learn English–this happened with our children. We all speak both languages.
    ***
    El Espanol es la lenguaje mejor organizada. El Rey de Espana ordeno expertos de la universidad a eliminar milles de palabras con el mismo modo de entender. Ordeno que usan 3 modos de formar tensos de muchos verbos. Ordeno que usan una pronunciacion estandard. Despues ordeno que todas usarian el lenguaje mejorado. Esto nunca paso con cualquier otro lenguaje.
    ***
    Mi esposa es una mujer Mexicana de un rancho. Ella dice que los estudientes en Mexico aprendan el Espanol mas recio que los estudientes en los E.E.U.U. aprendan el Ingles–paso asi con nuestros hijos. Hablamos los dos lenguajes.
    ***

  8. #11 — Yes, and Spanish children don’t spend the equivalent of at least a full year’s education learning to SPELL!!!!! But, at least English isn’t Japanese. I read somewhere that Japanese children spend the equivalent of three years additional schooling (compared to alphabetic languages) simply learning to write their language.

  9. Print press in US is in trouble, lack of sales due to internet and the economy, so as long as those that follow Yoani post know who and what she stands for, I’m ok. Just get to posting and lets not get off topic of why we are actually here. Best wishes to all.

  10. “After 47 years … the unilateral embargo on Cuba has failed to achieve its stated purpose of ‘bringing democracy to the Cuban people,’ ” Lugar wrote in a letter that accompanied the 21-page draft report. “The current U.S. policy has many passionate defenders, and their criticism of the Castro regime is justified. Nevertheless, we must recognize the ineffectiveness of our current policy and deal with the Cuban regime in a way that enhances U.S. interests.”

    This is exactly what I was saying before. We need to find different ways to archive what we want.

  11. #15/16
    The real driver of these proposed changes in US/Cuba policy seem to be two.

    One — a pragmatic understanding that the current policy is completely ineffective.

    Two — Looking ahead and realizing that Cuba is going to change, with or without the US, because those old men are going to die. The US can position itself AHEAD OF TIME, and as the article in your link says, look to establish ties with younger people in Cuba now, or simply wait for the deaths and flounder around trying to play catch up as world events move past them.

    Of course getting rid of George Bush and his narrow-minded policies and practices that hearkened back to medieval thinking, gives the opportunity to move forward in new ways.

  12. Wednesday The US House passed a budget bill which DEFUNDED The Cuban Family Travel Policy. TSK TSK Had been looking for this in print for hours, knew it happened, but it’s not being reported widely.
    Huddleston is telling Obama to get on with it, to much time has already been wasted, lift the embargo now with no restrictions. More later as I find it. Best Wishes to all.

  13. I really wish there were more Cuban Americans with the clear-headedness of Silent Voice about the counter-productiveness of existing US Cuban policy.

    Quoting from the CNN article above:
    “But Otto Reich, a top Latin America official for Presidents Reagan and both Bushes, said the United States has to be careful in how it approaches Cuba. He rejects the Brookings Institution’s approach, saying the recommendations are “a series of unilateral concessions” that don’t require the Cuban government to do anything in return.”

    Don’t people like Reich read Cuban state media? For the Castro regime, the the so-called US “blockade” is the gift that just keeps on giving. It borders on the self-delusional to think that the Castro regime is going to make “concessions” in exchange for getting rid of something that has been instrumental in keeping them in power.

  14. From the CNN article:
    “Nor does Reich believe in doing away with the embargo. The embargo now is mostly symbolic,” he said. “The embargo is not the cause of Cuba’s problems. … Cuba trades with 185 nations. … The cause of Cuba’s problems is its Marxist government.”

    My response: The embargo is hugely important to the Castro regime. The Cuba propaganda machine constantly uses it as a convenient scapegoat to excuse all of Cuba’s ills. Without the embargo, Cubans might be more inclined to blame their own government. So call the regime’s bluff. Get rid of the embargo. After all, even embargo proponents admit it’s mostly symbolic anyway.

  15. From CNN: Reich – “”If we don’t handle this properly,” he said, “we’re going to ensure the survival of a very corrupt military dictatorship in Cuba.”

    Response: In 1959, when the Castro regime seized power, virtually every country in Latin American – and a number of countries in the Carribean – were ruled by corrupt military dictatorships. Today, almost all are democracies with civilian governments. How many of those countries became democracies as a result of policies of economic embargo and diplomatic isolation? I’d be surprised if there was even one.

  16. #19 — “The gift that keeps on giving” — what a perfect characterization!

    Your borrowing of cliche and using it so effectively makes me think of a few other things that Americans (and the rest of the world) have to get through their heads (I think Cubans already know it but maybe I’m biased in that regard by reading intelligent thinkers like Yoani).

    Letter to America — IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. AND IT NEVER WAS YOUR FAULT.

    To put the entire span of Cuban history in a framework that speaks only to the actions of the U.S…. is to infantilize the Cuban people, infantilize Castro (who may be, no, IS, a psychopath, but he’s not an infant).

    Are and were US actions important? Of course. As the most powerful country on earth (at least for a few more decades, when China and India will take over)… and as a natural bully, everything the US does is important to others. BUT the US does not run the world. And to suggest they do is to make the entire rest of humanity THEIR serfs.

    THE REASON THIS IS SO IMPORTANT NOW… for Americans and others to understand… is because if the mindset is, “the whole Castro/Communist/Basket Case history of Cuba is just the fault of the US” — if that’s the mindset then the corollary is, “So the US has to go in now and fix what it broke.”

    Yoani and her husband and friends and many many others demonstrate clearly that there are Cubans in Cuba ready to create a free and democratic society. I’ve said it before, the world needs to support them, respond with help when asked to and in the way asked for, but for the most part, leave the heavy lifting to Cubans. It’s their country. Their island.

    I was talking to some people last night and that’s all I heard… “the US and Batista… the US and the Bay of Pigs… the US and the bloqueo (they were speaking spanish so it wasn’t the embargo)…” and on and on and on.

    WE have to help educate people in America… no matter what their politics I find them SO CONDESCENDING towards Cuba… from the left or the right… it doesn’t matter…. they don’t think Cubans can manage their own affairs.

  17. Reich could give a shit less about the Cuban people living under a regime that keeps them caged on an island.
    The US deals every day with corrupt military dictatorshipps, it’s a WEDGE issue used by professionals in US running political parties. Do not repeat anything he has to say, it will just be counterproductive. Best Wishes to all.

  18. The embargo as we know does not work or it works in ways that affects the Cuban people.
    I am sure that was never the intention for the embargo.

    In 50 years it’s more than ample proof it does not work.

    We need to think on different solutions.
    We need to go from being foe to being friend and I am sure they will listen to us better that way.
    I am sure they will make some move if we make some move ourselves.
    And we will be in a better position.

    It should tell us something that almost every country out there does not agree with our embargo.
    Is it possible that everyone else is so wrong about this?

    My believe is we should always do what is right and let everything else follow the natural course.
    Like the system in Soviet Union the system in Cuba got intrinsic difficulties they need to solve and many of them they are not willing to solve. If they do they will probably loose power anyway.
    Let the “invisible hand” take care of it! (I am talking not about the economic invisible hand)
    I am talking about a similar social invisible hand.

    As someone mentioned
    For people is Natural to be free is their natural desired and state
    anything else that is forced will disappear naturally with time.

    Yoani and many others are the real proof that the Cuban government brain washing does not work as Andy pointed out previously. I am sure there is millions like Yoani in Cuba that will like to have the chance to express what they think without fear. There will always be someone or many someone with sufficient light to be able to figure out that their system does not work.

    Even if the opt for the Chinese solution.
    It will eventually return to real democracy.

    I am not sure how many Cuban Americans agree with the embargo. I do not live in Miami but I see many of them traveling to Cuba to visit family. I will think the majority that travel over there will be incline to stop the nonsense and normalize relations.

  19. SilentVoice: I have traveled to Cuba many times. There are many who agree with the embargo because the government tells them that it is the reason for all of their troubles, but most that I have met know better and beleive they will be better off and better able to openly fight for freedom if the embargo is lifted. http://talkingcuba.wordpress.com/

  20. I left Cuba 20 years ago
    I travel on my 10 anniversary because one very good friend of mine was getting married and I was very sad to think that from 1989 to 1998 things got a lot worse and not better for them.
    The things that were more or less good before I left were a lot worse when I visited. I can not even think how bad will they be now after the hurricanes.

    I was feeling I guess like a priest. Hearing everyone complain about their problems and issues on all those years.
    I also remember they try the impossible to make you feel good with the little they have and that breaks your heart.

    I am sure that many people will change their hard line stance if they see the suffering in the Cuban people.

  21. To all the “new” and the returning “infrequent” voices… WELCOME and stick with us here! THIS IS THE STRONGEST WAY WE HAVE TO SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY WITH YOANI AND THE CUBAN BLOGGERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

    And you can bet that the regime is reading the comments on this English language site just as much as on the Spanish site, and carefully following it to see if anyone ‘out there’ (afuera) cares.

    Let’s keep showing we care!

  22. Things are even worse than usual right now in many parts of Cuba. The hurricanes left many without there houses and belongings. In Pinar de Rio, many of the houses lost their roofs and are covered with tarps. But the Cuban government rejected much of the outside help that was offered. http://wordpress.com/

  23. Another Otto Reich rant: From the CNN article in #15: “Reich said though that he does not believe in “this fantasy that increased tourism is going to bring freedom to Cuba. There isn’t a single nation that has been liberated by foreign tourism.””

    I’d like to know anyone who’s ever made such a claim. Complete red herring. I’d also like to know of any nations that have been liberated by a policy of impoverishing its citizens.

  24. I found this exciting video in which Castro got speechless when a lady journalist ask him a simple question. To view the video please copy and paste the following.

  25. …………”the wall of control can be knocked down in one go, or undermined byte by byte, post by post”……………..
    …………”byte by byte, post by post”.

    I have to say that not only you are full of pride Yoani…….. We all Cubans feel full of pride because you and the whole Cuban Youth beside you and yours colleagues.
    The other day when you and your friends decided challenge the dictatorial control by performing an public act of disobedience at Havana’s Book Fair I wrote that the Cuban Youth had found a new way to push back the regimen, a new way of fighting the control that makes the repression’s institutions disoriented and leaves the tyranny unarmed. I predicted that the action at the Book Fair would be a victory despite the counteraction the government would decide to take, if they decide to attack and send some of these young people to the jail and others to the hospital then the international repulse against such a barbarian act would left the dictatorship with a very dirty face and many of their international planes and policies in treats, if they would decide take no action it would mean a tremendous public victory for these young people that from this exact moment would have in theirs hands the initiative of the new political fight they have started.
    After I wrote those things some doubts assaulted me, I was thinking that maybe Yoani and the other in the Book Fair was not aware about what they had started and what a powerful tool they had created.
    To day all my doubts are vanished, today I understand they know very well what’s happening and how to drive the hammer “to knocked down in one go or byte by byte the wall of the dictatorship”

  26. John Two dice: 28 Febrero 2009 a las 02:40

    …..I’d also like to know of any nations that have been liberated by a policy of impoverishing its citizens.
    000000000000000000000000

    Dear John, cuban citizens are in poverty because the internal embargo the tyranny hold on them, not because any external and non existing embargoes or absents american tourists……… About if these policies works or not…. you can take for example the case of Sudafrica, there the embargo worked perfectly!!!!!

  27. #35 The embargo on South Africa (practiced in various ways, or not, by other countries around the world.

    Carbo Servia — what an interesting example… we tend to say the same things over and over here (which I have no complaint about… what else is there to say?!)… but you raise an interesting comparison.

    The effects of the various embargoes, restrictions and disinvestment campaigns on South Africa, compared to the effects of the US embargo on Cuba.

    Of course very different situations. In SA… a country they was trying to be a ‘western’ ‘democratic’ ‘capitalist’ country’ — while disenfranchising most of its ‘citizens’. In Cuba… an all around basket case that treats all its citizens like slaves.

    But I really have to think about this… what are the differences in terms of the pressure of external forces to bring change. I don’t know enough about S.A…. I need to learn more.

    But I do remember when they had the first free elections… when Nelson Mandela was elected. SA’s all over the world were able to vote, not by mail but by going into polling places set up in cities around the globe. There was one in my city… and that day I went down to the courthouse and simply stood there, for a very long time, and watched SA’s voting. Some had driven 1,000 miles… And I literally had tears running down my face the whole time. It was so moving.

    Maybe someday I’ll get to go to Cuba and watch people vote in free elections… and if I do… I KNOW I will cry then, too!

  28. Carbo

    I believe they have found the tyranny’s Achilles heal.

    On one hand the tyranny says that Cubans are free and on the other we know they will like to crush these people.
    Why?

    Because they are pointing to everyone the things we have being telling the world that were wrong .

    The difference now is that the world is looking!

    That is why they need us so much and we can also play a small role from the outside. Calling news papers and talking to senators and representative when the Cuban government acts with repression.

    Just think

    How powerful is the image of a person standing very quietly in one corner in Havana with a sunflower being arrested!

    What is the crime in that!

    Imagine if one day the whole group of friends of Yoani decide to go to a park in Havana and do the same?
    Will they arrest all of them?

    That image I believe is more powerful than anything else anybody had done before.

    Either the tyranny change behaviour or they will be exposed for what they are.
    In both cases we would have succeeded!

    We want real freedom and real liberty in Cuba everything else will come by itself from there.
    If they can push the wall little by little
    just as Yoani said post by post, byte by byte One day the tyranny will find itself in the position were they have return to them all their freedom they took away in the same way!

    We do need the help of all the international press in Cuba. Please help us. Help our brothers and sisters in Cuba.
    We want for Cubans what you all enjoy in your countries.
    Freedom of the press, Freedom of association, Freedom to choose leaders. Freedom to speak one’s ideas without repression of any kind without intimidations of any kind.

    I am glad the world have citizens like Andy, Tim, John Two that care about our problems.
    Just their attention alone is a good contribution.
    We need to have more like them.
    I am sure they are many that only read and do not post.

    A post can make a difference. Make it!

  29. Just to add to my point

    I was reading in Wikipedia this interesting article on modification of behavior for animals (like rats) I do not see why should not we apply the same methods for the tyranny’s behavior.

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

    In this case the modification of behavior we like is to change the tyranny’s behavior.

    The ideas to induce behavioral change are simple. Let’s see if we can use them to tame them!

    The idea consist on using reinforcement and punishment.

    The same way you can tame a rat maybe we can tame the revolution into giving us back our freedom!

    This is a fragment

    “Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by a favorable stimulus (commonly seen as pleasant) that increases the frequency of that behavior. In the Skinner box experiment, a stimulus such as food or sugar solution can be delivered when the rat engages in a target behavior, such as pressing a lever.

    Negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior (response) is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus (commonly seen as unpleasant) thereby increasing that behavior’s frequency. In the Skinner box experiment, negative reinforcement can be a loud noise continuously sounding inside the rat’s cage until it engages in the target behavior, such as pressing a lever, upon which the loud noise is removed.”

    How do we apply that to the revolution?

    That is exactly what they have being doing and I believe they are very successful at it!

    The revolution does get good press when they do not behave badly and they get bad press when they do bad things.

  30. #39 But we don’t JUST want to change the tyranny’s behavior… we want the tyranny to go away. We want Cubans to have their own lives back. To be adults. To be “in charge” of themselves.

    I do not want to live under a “benign” dictatorship — I don’t want to live under ANY dictatorship. I want to be a free a person. And so do Cubans.

    You do say: “maybe we can tame the revolution into giving us back our freedom!”

    I suspect Castros can be tamed into nothing. They’ve surely been pretty untamable in 50+ years. But… yes, perhaps the ones who rise to the top after they die… can be ‘tamed’ into giving the people back their freedom.

  31. #35, Carbo, I agree with Andy in #36. Not only did the South African apartheid regime see itself as a Western democratic country, they never tired of painting those who opposed apartheid as communists or communist sympathizers. When Western countries (including finally the USA) finally found the backbone to call the apartheid regime’s bluff, well, the jig was up.

    I’m rather indifferent on whether the USA continues its credit embargo of Cuba. As you and others have pointed out, Cuba doesn’t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to repaying its loans.

    The restrictions on travel are a different matter entirely. Not only do they borderline violate the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights, they’re hugely counter-productive because they make it harder for Cubans to become economically independent of their government. Cubans flock to work in the tourism sector because it’s almost the only route they have to earn convertible pesos which gives them real purchasing power.

    And sure the Castro government takes a fairly big cut from the legal tourism trade. But, to use the example of the casa particulaire owner, these folks also get a cut, and it gives them a legal way to interact with visitors from democratic countries.

    And there’s also a large and growing illegal tourism sector where Cubans keep 100% of the money they receive from western tourists, and the Castro government gets nothing. For example, while I know the tourism guides discourage it, I have friends who’ve stayed in illegal casa particulaires, and had very positive experiences. So if you’re somewhat adventurous and want to thumb your nose at the regime, go for it. As a tourist, you’ll have no shortage of offers on places to stay.

  32. Andy what you say is true but they are not going to give power back peacefully and the tool we have is to gain freedom back first. If we can get freedom back then everything else will fall into place.

  33. I sort of disagree with Andy in #40 above. It’s not always a good idea to draw all or nothing lines in the sand.

    Not much is likely to change while Fidel Castro is still alive. After that, who knows? Not everyone in the Cuban leadership or mass organizations is completely delusional like Fidel. Many know that major changes are needed. I’m sure there will be an attempt to confine these changes to the economic sphere only, but as the example of Eastern Europe in the 1980s shows, once you open the floodgates of change you can easily lose control and they tend to go off in directions you hadn’t intended.

  34. Silent Voice #42, I really liked your the posting on your blog about ‘taming the revolution.’ Your posting on ‘Is Fidel a dictator?’ is also very good and worth reading in its entirety.

  35. Thanks John,

    I did write that long post a while back in Wikipedia Castro’s talk page and got deleted.
    My SilentVoice nick is from my time when I was a Wikipedia contributor and obvious reference to the repression I experience back in Cuba.
    Just like I mentioned at the end I my Voice is not so Silent now. 😀

    I notice there are many non Cubans that believe Castro’s propaganda and we Cubans that live in freedom need to be able to tell things like they are. I do will not like other people to fall pray of people like the leaders of the revolution.

    With false promises to get power and once they get absolute power do as they please with everyone.

  36. “PATRIAA Y LIBERTADD LIBERTADD O MUERTE”

    MUERTE DE MACEO EN SAN PEDRO PINAR DEL RIO.

    Un día 7 de Diciembre de 1896 fue asesinado en combate el titán de bronce a los 51 años de edad y después de 30 años de guerra su cuerpo estaba lleno de cicatrices de las balas asesinas españolas había recibido 24 impactos de bala en su cuerpo y dos mas al morir a lo largo de la cruel y sangrienta epopeya por la libertad de cuba y de su pueblo del represivo y sanguinario régimen colonialista eslavista español se enfrento en combate a los españoles en cerca de 800 acciones militares, derroto en combate a los mas selector cuerpo de ejércitos españoles entre ellos el afamado batallón de San Quintín traído exclusivamente por los españoles a cuba para destruirlo, se enfrente también a la mal llamada nobleza española entre ellos a dos de sus sicarios el conde de Balmaceda y el carnicero Valeriano Weyler que por sus largos y rimbombantes títulos que se cargaban no los nombrare. Esto me recuerda a todos los cargos que se cargaba Fidel Castro después de comandante en jefe cuando estaba activo, herencia del colonialismo español. Fidel castro y su hermano heredero de cuba nunca fueron rosado por bala alguna, con esto queda de manifiesto en los combates que participaron estos hermanos.

    Dirigida por el generalísimo Máximo Gómez brillante estratega militar jefe máximo de los ejércitos libertadores de cuba, a la vanguardia del ejército libertador maceo en una carga al machete frontal y al grito de viva Oriente en solo 15 minutos destruyeron al cuerpo de ejercito español que al no poder detener el acero mambi huyeron cobradamente del lugar, los españoles dejaron cantidad de armamento y municiones en el campo de batalla esta fue una de la grandes batallas ganadas por nuestros libertadores la “BATALLA DE MAL TIEMPO” Un 15 de diciembre de 1895.

    Desde el comienzo de la guerra de independencia de cuba el 10 de octubre de 1868 en que el padre de la patria, Carlos Manuel de céspedes dio el grito de libertad y los cubanos en toda la provincia de Oriente se alzaron en pie de guerra los maceos se incorporaron a esta noble causa el padre y todos sus hermanos varones perecieron en combate, menos unos que los españoles pudieron capturar y se lo llevaron de esclavo a las terribles cárceles que estos tenían en África y allí murió en terribles condiciones abusos propinadas por estos esclavistas de la península ibérica.

    Valeriano Weyler su mentalidad asesina creador de los campos de concentración donde mato a cerca de un millón de cubano, principalmente, mujeres, niños, ancianos y campesinos cubanos y desde Madrid el rey español elaboraban como asesinar al Titán de bronce y a otros grandes héroes de la epopeya cubana, por la incapacidad del ejercito español de derrotarlo en combate, había que asesinarlo como así lo habían hecho tiempo antes con otro general cubano que esperaba en Venezuela con sus hombre el regreso a la amada patria para comenzar nuevamente la guerra me refiero al León de Santa rita Vicente García, natural de las tunas, estos dos generales de nuestro glorioso ejercito libertador habían infringido grandes perdidas en combate a los españoles en la guerra de los 10 años (1868 a 1878) y por eso era de vital importancia por el régimen colonialista esclavista español arrancarles sus vidas.

    Los españoles habían construido fortificaciones entre ellas las famosas trocha fortalezas amuralladas que partían la isla y que por la cercanía entre si era imposible que pidiese pasar un ejercito y que los mambíes cubanos burlaron, los orientales pensaban que llevando la guerra de oriente a accidente esto incendiaria a las provincias occidentales de pinar del río la habana y matanzas y que estos se unieran por la libertad de cuba hasta ese momento serviles a España tal vez por miedo a los asesinos cuerpo de voluntarios que los españoles usaban para intimidar al pueblo cubano o por conveniencias personales estos no apoyaron la cusa de nuestra independencia.

    Al no recibir refuerzos de oriente y lanzar los españoles a cerca de 15 mil soldado contra el ejercito de maceo que eran unos cuantos cientos las condiciones en pinar del río donde lo traicionaron y dieron muerte era bien difícil para nuestro Aquiles el traidor que llevo a cabo esta acto fue el Dr. Zertucha a quien los españoles compraron con su oro y grandes promesas, se había ganado el afecto y la amistad de maceo como su medico personal y otros compinches que no salieron a la luz después de este acto este traidor a cuba y a la liberta de su pueblo escapo de las tropas libertadoras cubanas y se entrego a los españoles para dar fe de la muerte del titán de bronce, también asesinaron cobardemente a General Vicente García con un español que se hizo pasar por simpatizante de la libertad de cuba en Venezuela.

    Ellos entregaron sus vidas a sabiendas que no quedarían impunes su muerte y nos heredarían a las generaciones futuras de cubanos la PATRIA Y LIBERTAD que a ellos se les había negado. En el eco del tiempo en los campos Orientales y cubanos aun se escucha un murmullo del viento el grito de los mambises “ PATRIA Y LIBERTAD LIBERTAD O MUERTE”

    Maceo tuvo la alternativa de la retirada, pero se empeñó en derrotar al enemigo además su derroche de valor no lo permitió.
    Magnífico en su caballo, machete en alto, galopó hacia el lugar que podía decidir el combate para las armas cubanas, y para ello volvió por el camino antes andado, cruzó un portillo de piedra que permitía el paso a un cuartón pequeño, que terminaba por el norte en una cerca de alambres que le impedía atravesar un palmar y un manigual, para llegar a la cerca de piedras, donde se habían hecho fuertes las atemorizadas tropas españolas y de donde mantenían un nutrido fuego hacia nuestros libertadores ellos sabían bien que quien estaba allí era maceo y sobre el concentraron el fuego ellos habían irrumpido en su campamento no por casualidad sino por la traición, maceo busco al corneta para que diera la orden suprema de que los cubanos cargaran a degüello, los cubanos tenían que ejercerlo por que sus armamento y municiones eran muy precarios no podían mantener un combate de posiciones no apareció tal vez los traidores lo habían ejecutado los españoles que nunca derrocharon valor, los cubanos solo con el machete en la mano cargaban contra los españoles que a descarga cerradas mataban a los cubanos que podían pero los que sobrevivían y llevaban a ellos se enfrentaban cuerpo a cuerpo donde los españoles siempre terminaban huyendo los que no eran decapitados.

    Esperaba el general Maceo que fuera derribado el obstáculo que representaba la cerca de alambre, expuesto al nutrido fuego de línea proveniente de la cerca de piedras, situada a unos 80 metros más o menos, cuando le dijo al brigadier Miró: “Esto va bien Apenas hubo acabado de decir el General Maceo las anteriores palabras, cayó por el lado izquierdo de su caballo como herido de un rayo lanzando su machete hacia adelante a considerable distancia una bala había destrozado su mandíbula derecha al lado de el para completar su obra macabra y cobarde estaba el Dr. Zertucha.

    El mayor general Antonio Maceo Grajales, (El Titán de Bronce) lugarteniente general del Ejercito Libertador, jefe del Contingente Invasor, el cubano humilde que batió las más selectas tropas y generales del Ejercito colonial esclavista español, había sido herido de muerte. El proyectil penetró por el lado derecho de la cara, rompió la carótida y salió por la parte izquierda del cuello. Tras desplomarse, lo incorporaron de nuevo sobre su montura y es alcanzado entonces en el tórax por otro impacto, bala que también mata al caballo que arrastra a Maceo al suelo.

    Era nutrido el fuego enemigo, quienes intentaron ayudarlo resultaron heridos y otros salieron de la zona desmoronados moralmente. El cuerpo de Antonio Maceo quedó solo en aquellos matorrales batidos por la fusilería española.
    Francisco Gómez Toro (Panchito) un adolescente, su ayudante, hijo del Generalísimo Máximo Gómez, que no participó en la acción de San Pedro por encontrarse herido, al conocer la suerte de su jefe, partió solo, con un brazo en cabestrillo y prácticamente desarmado, hacia el lugar del hecho. En un gesto supremo de devoción y lealtad fue a morir junto al General. Resultó blanco fácil de las balas asesinas españolas. Lo hirieron dos veces y trató de suicidarse, pero antes quiso dejar una nota a sus padres y hermanos. No terminó de escribirla. Indefenso, lo remataron con ensañamiento los guerrilleros españoles a machetazos. Así se consumo la traición y muerte del titán de bronce gloria y luz de los cubanos y su pueblo.

    Al recibir la noticia de la muerte de Antonio Maceo el rey de Español y los españoles declaran en este país tres días de fiesta creían que con este asesinato consolidarían su régimen esclavista en Cuba.

    PARA EL TITÁN DE BRONCE Y AQUELLOS QUE DIERON SU VIDA POR CUBA SU LIBERTAD, SU PUEBLO. NUESTRO CARIÑO Y AFECTO ETERNO.

    CUBANOOOSS el sátrapa Fidel Castro, vergüenza de cuba heredero del régimen esclavista español y enemigo de nuestra raíces libertadoras trata al pueblo cubano con el mismo despotismo y crueldad que lo hizo el régimen colonialista esclavista español, la férrea esclavitud con que el español mantuvo a nuestra patria es utilizada por el dictador gallego. El régimen de terror de castro y sus sicarios no permite a los cubanos ser los dueños de su destino de su comercio, de su trabajo de su libertad, los cubanos tiene el derecho de decidir su futuro, no tener que ser oprimido por un engendro del colonialismo español.

    CUBANOSS EL PODER DEL USURPADOR DE ORIGEN GALLEGO FIDEL CASTRO ESTA CADUCO Y CARCOMIDO SI AUN NOS PARECE FUERTE Y GRANDE ES POR QUE HACE MAS DE MEDIO SIGLO LO CONTEMPLAMOS DE RODILLASS.

    LEVANTÉMONOSS POR LA LIBERTAD DE CUBA Y NUESTROS HERMANOS QUE ESTÁN SUMIDOS EN LA MÁS BRUTAL ESCLAVITUD Y SAQUEO BAJO EL YUGO DEL FASCISMO GALLEGO Y EL COLONIALISMO ESPAÑOL.

  37. “FATHERLAND AND LIBERTY, FREEDOM OR DEATH”

    USURPING THE POWER OF CUBAN ORIGIN GALICIAN FIDEL CASTRO IS OUTDATED AND ROTTING EVEN IF WE FEEL STRONG AND GREAT IS THAT FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AS WE KNEEL.

    STAND UP FOR FREEDOM IN CUBA AND OUR BROTHERS WHO ARE MIRED IN THE MOST BRUTAL SLAVERY AND PLUNDER UNDER THE YOKE OF FASCISM GALICIAN AND SPANISH COLONIALISM.

  38. John Two dice: 28 Febrero 2009 a las 17:56

    I’m rather indifferent on whether the USA continues its credit embargo of Cuba. As you and others have pointed out, Cuba doesn’t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to repaying its loans.
    00000000000000000000

    Dear John, the indifference you shows in your first sentence found a punishment in your second sentence…… who will pay the unpaid credits USA is on the way to give to Castro II with the help of Delahunt and the Gang and the indifference of many?????……… Yours, my, ours children and grandchildren!!!!
    What going to do the dictator with this money?????…….. put it on his personal account!!!!
    _____________________________________________________
    _____________________________________________________
    The restrictions on travel are a different matter entirely. Not only do they borderline violate the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights, they’re hugely counter-productive because they make it harder for Cubans to become economically independent of their government. Cubans flock to work in the tourism sector because it’s almost the only route they have to earn convertible pesos which gives them real purchasing power.
    00000000000000000000000000000000

    If you are talking about the restriction on travel for cubans, I agree….. Our money make more free the cubans inside Cuba because we give it directly to them.
    But if you are talking about the money of the tourist, the american tourist, then I strongly disagree……. Tourist money do not reaches the cuban people, only a minimal % of the population can work at the tourism industry. Decades of open tourism arriving Cuba from Canada and Europe have not produced any improvement in peoples live condition. Mr. Reich is right, no tourist have cause freedom in any enslaved country. American tourist will do in Cuba exactly what the european or canadian does…. have sex, get drunk and get the nose burned.
    Contrary your hopes the arrival of mass tourism from USA will cause the people live condition get worse because the tyranny will not need any longer the money of the exile cubans and will isolate us from our relatives inside the island. Remember, the tyranny needs to keep the people in poverty in order of easily dominate it, the tyranny needs to maintain the people in the border of starvation so the people have no time for thinking politic.

  39. John Two dice: 28 Febrero 2009 a las 17:56

    And there’s also a large and growing illegal tourism sector where Cubans keep 100% of the money they receive from western tourists, and the Castro government gets nothing. For example, while I know the tourism guides discourage it, I have friends who’ve stayed in illegal casa particulaires, and had very positive experiences. So if you’re somewhat adventurous and want to thumb your nose at the regime, go for it. As a tourist, you’ll have no shortage of offers on places to stay.
    0000000000000000000000000

    Send a mass of tourist to Cuba and you will see the tyranny rising laws forbidding all independent economical activity.
    John, I have seen it several times. It is not the first time the dictatorship goes trough hard times, each time they see the misery goes too far from the acceptable parameters they improve strategies and lets the development of certain independent economical activities but when they find the way of getting money or any kind of financial help they revert immediately all done changes.

  40. Carbo
    I disagree with “Tourist money do not reaches the Cuban people,”
    Yoani herself has explain that she used to teach and teaches Spanish to foreigners in Cuba specially Germans. So she is one example. I am sure they are many others.

  41. As for the credit. With the current economical situation will be virtually impossible for them to get credit. To that you add Cuba’s credit record and they will not be able to get it even if the money was there. So I think you are unnecessarily worry about those two things.

  42. SilentVoice dice: 1 Marzo 2009 a las 02:17
    00000000000000000000

    If you read my comments completely you will understand that it is possible for Yoani (and many other people) today develop such a independent economical activity because the regime has no a constant source of financing but it will change at the same moment the regime gets this source….. they will do the same they did when the Soviets sent thousand of millions…….. finish all independent economical activity.
    Yoani self is the better example of what the dictatorship doesn’t want…. A person that trough her intelligence and work earns the daily bread without the system intervention, that means, an independent person, a person that thanks its independence can afford a lot of time and effort to fight the regime. Right now there is many persons inside Cuba with same freedom and possibilities thanks in great proportion to the money the exile sends. The day the mass gringo tourism arrives to Cuba the regime will stop all these “liberalizations” by decree. It is not a new thing!!!….you will see the exile cubans isolated from its relatives in Cuba, you will see a translator pay the same punishment that pays who kill a cow!!!!

  43. #45
    JOhn — I’m actually optimistic –maybe foolishly so — that once fidel dies (and raul just sort of rots away, alive or dead)…that better people will emerge from the current power structure and the country will peacefully transition to freedom and democracy. of course the economy will have to be rebuilt from scratch… but cuba’s know how to ‘resolve’ things like no one on earth…they’ll figure it out.

  44. Regardless of whether you support or not support the US trade embargo on the Castro regime, newly-released figures confirm what many of us have known for some time, it’s not much of an embargo.

    Report: US farm sales to Cuba surge
    http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2008/02/15/afx4662682.html

    AFX News Limited
    02.15.08, 4:33 PM ET

    HAVANA (AP) – Sales of American farm goods to Cuba surged in 2007 to their highest annual total in the seven years since the communist-run nation began buying the products in 2001, a U.S. trade group said Friday.

    Cuba bought $437.5 million in U.S. food and other agricultural goods in 2007, making the island America’s 37th largest trading partner last year, the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council said in a regular report.

    Direct sales of U.S. farm goods to Cuba lagged over the two previous years, to $340.4 million in 2006 and $350.2 million in 2005, said the council, which tracks trade between the two countries.

    The Cuban government reported last month it bought $600 million in goods from U.S. companies in 2007, including costs for transportation, banking and other related charges. The U.S. council counts only the price of the goods.

    Washington’s nearly 50-year-old embargo prohibits almost all U.S. trade with the island. But a U.S. law passed in 2000 allows American companies to sell food and agricultural products directly to Cuba on a cash basis.

    Cuban authorities initially refused to buy any American goods under the law, complaining about the cash-only restriction. But they changed course after a hurricane struck the island in late 2001 and bought goods to replace depleted food reserves.

  45. Nelson Mandela and economic sanctions

    “We emphasize the importance of maintaining sanctions. Sanctions were imposed to help us end the apartheid system. It is only logical that we must continue to apply this form of pressure against the South African government.” That’s Nelson Mandela addressing (and thanking) the Canadian Parliament in June 1990 for imposing, and championing in every international forum, economic sanctions against South Africa.

    “Sanctions which punish Cuba are anathema to the international order to which we aspire!” That’s Nelson Mandela in Sept ‘98 while decorating Fidel Castro with “The Order of Good Hope,” South Africa’s highest civilian award. Yet probably no world figure is more associated with economic sanctions than Nelson Mandela. [1]

    [1] Humberto Fontova, “Canada’s Hypocrisy on Cuba”, February 28, 2009

  46. Concerning the hopes expressed above, I can see no one among Castro’s sidekicks who promises any improvement – can anyone else?
    Speaking of his groupies, however, his self-appointed grandson Chavez is charging down the well trodden revolutionary road to perdition at breakneck speed. As might be expected, from the Cuban model, agriculture is collapsing and his response, of course, is to send in the military to expropriate the food factories. Will they be able to manufacture nourishment from nothing? One is tempted to quote Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruíz de Santayana y Borrás: “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it,” except I wonder if that can be the problem. Nobody – not even Chavez – can be stupid enough to imagine that “wise grandfather” Fidel’s policies are the way to improve the quality of life for the masses. No, I suspect that it is Castro’s absolute power, albeit over a disaster, that motivates him.

  47. Carbo

    “Send a mass of tourist to Cuba and you will see the tyranny rising laws forbidding all independent economical activity.”

    I think you could have a good point there. As we know the tyranny is not interested in the well being of Cubans but on its own survival.

  48. Iain

    “not even Chavez – can be stupid enough to imagine that “wise grandfather” Fidel’s policies are the way to improve the quality of life for the masses.”

    I believe you have nailed it!

    That is exactly what Chavez is looking for, to have Castro’s absolute power.
    He keeps eroding little by little to the freedoms that Venezuelan’s still enjoy there will be a point when they will be just like Cuba. With no other choice. The opposition in Venezuela needs to united in the coming elections. If they do not defeat him we will have another Castro in America.

  49. US Newspaper Kanas City Star writer Mary Sanchez has a commentary today on lifting embargo, kinda a make fun article on US and very poorly written, but hey, a discussion never the less, which can never be bad. More than 60 post here as I type, Best Wishes to all.

  50. For those in the know, of which I inquire, Why does Chavez spend so much time in Cuba. Do I question myself as to what it looks like from so far away, as if I covet my neighbors yard which is a picture of nature’s greatest gift. Best Wishes to all.

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