Zoe Valdez nails it on the embargo
Zoe Valdez responds to questions from readers on the "embargo issue":
Del absurdo (II).
2009 Octubre 16by Zoé Valdés
Una vez levantado el embargo norteamericano, ¿podrán los cubanos viajar masivamente a Estados Unidos o a otras partes del mundo? Me preguntaba en el post anterior a este, con el mismo título.
La reciente negativa de viaje a la bloguera Yoani Sánchez (ver en Penúltimos días), como en oportunidades anteriores, y como a la mayoría de los ciudadanos en la isla, no cambiará en nada, absolutamente en nada. Estados Unidos recrudecerá la restricción de visas y es muy probable que negocie con Cuba el endurecimiento de los permisos de salida, de manera que no se les avecine una avalancha de emigrantes -ya no seremos considerados exiliados. ¿Por qué no seremos considerados exiliados? El levantamiento del embargo, desde luego, sería una forma de reconocer a la dictadura de los Castro como gobierno democrático, y ahí se acabaría la posibilidad de pedir asilo político en los Estados Unidos y se anularía cualquiera de las medidas aprobadas para el estatus de exiliado cubano, e incluso de inmigrante en tierra norteamericana, lo que sería aún más difícil de conseguir.
El hecho de que Yoani Sánchez haya viajado a un país europeo, con anterioridad a su posición contestataria frente a la dictadura, reafirma el hecho de que la dictadura castiga a aquellos que se les encaran. ¿El encaramiento tendría sentido sin el embargo? Ninguno, puesto que ya ni siquiera podrían señalarla como enemiga del pueblo cubano y pagada -como se ha dicho- por el enemigo, o sea por el gobierno americano. Yoani Sánchez pasaría a ser cuando mínimo una provocadora, cuando más un sujeto peligroso para la sociedad, como existen tantos en cualquier parte del mundo, en dos palabras: una delincuente. Y lo que es peor, el Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, Antúnez, y demás disidentes que como mismo acaba de hacer Yoani Sánchez, y un sin número de veces, todos ellos que se han enfrentado de manera visual, filmada, filmaciones divulgadas en el extranjero a través de youtube (otros lo hicieron sin que fuesen filmados o grabados), se convertirán en delincuentes. La lucha por la libertad de nuestro país, en cuanto se levante el bloqueo, perderá en gran parte su significado ante los ojos del mundo. Y nos olvidarán, como ha olvidado el mundo a los periodistas chinos, a los opositores chinos, y a los blogueros y twitteros iraníes. No es que estemos demasiado presentes en las mentes de los demócratas del mundo, pero al menos nos distinguen como exiliados, y a los que están dentro como opositores.
En otro orden de cosas. Una vez eliminado el embargo: ¿podrán los cubanos invertir en su propio país? ¿Existirá el libre comercio interno? ¿Existirán los pequeños negocios, y hasta los grandes, con los cubanos que desde el exterior -puesto que ya no se llamará exilio- quieran invertir en su país? No creo que el levantamiento del embargo americano facilite al ciudadano cubano semejante empresa. Porque el régimen castrista - al menos por varios años- tomará aliento, se revitalizará en fuerzas, con esa respuesta -en caso de que Barack Obama la de- con vistas a reanimar y autentificar el poder de los Castro, de sus hijos y de sus nietos. Levantar el embargo es reconocer favorablemente una sucesión dinástica castrofascista; el que lo niegue, miente.
¿Existe otra solución? Por supuesto que existe, pero a los cubanos se nos está vedado pedir que el pueblo se lance a la calle. Incluso cuando lo hicieron en el año 1994, tuve que oír reacciones tan miserables en relación a esa manifestación espontánea que mejor no repetirlas. En cualquier caso, sólo nos queda esperar, aunque jamás de brazos cruzados. ¿Un ejemplo? Las Damas de Blanco cuando se plantaron en la Plaza de la Revolución, ahí hay mucho coraje, nadie podrá empañarlo, y mucho menos negarlo.
Again, any help with a translation would be appreciated.
Meanwhile Spanish singer Manu Chao has also joined the Juanes Havana concert circuit. He's even more blatant saying here is there to honor the death of Che.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0aJ8g9v7Ha8m2?q
That "embargo" sure has alot of holes.
I was sure someone would have done a translation by now ... but as no one has, here is a rough translation courtesy of Yahoo!Babel Fish. Not a very good translation, but maybe slightly better than nothing.
Of the absurd one (II). 2009 October 16 by Zoe Buckets
Once getting up the North American embargo, will be able the Cubans to travel massively to the United States or other parts of the world? He asked me in post previous to this, with the same title. The recent refusal of trip to the bloguera Yoani Sanchez (to see in Penultimate days), like in previous opportunities, and the majority of the citizens in the island, will not change in anything, absolutely in anything. The United States will break out again the visa restriction and is very probable that it negotiates with Cuba the hardening of the exit permissions, so that an avalanche of emigrants is not approached to them - we will already not be considered exiled. Why we will not be considered exiled? The rise of the embargo, of course, would be a form to recognize the dictatorship of Castro like democratic government, and there the possibility would finish of requesting political asylum in the United States and anyone of the measures approved for estatus of exiled Cuban, and even of North American earth immigrant would be annulled, which would be still more difficult to obtain. The fact that Yoani Sanchez has traveled to an European country, prior to its contestataria position against the dictatorship, it reaffirms the fact that the dictatorship punishes which they are faced to them. The encaramiento would have sense without the embargo? None, since already not even they could indicate it as enemy of the Cuban and paid town - since one has said by the enemy, that is by the American government. Yoani Sanchez would happen to be when minimum a provoker, when plus a dangerous subject for the society, as so many of the world exist anywhere, in two words: a delinquent. And what is worse, the Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, Antúnez, and other dissidents who as same finish making Yoani Sanchez, and without number of times, all of them that have faced of visual way, filmed, shootings disclosed abroad through youtube (did it to others without they were filmed or recorded), will become delinquents. The fight by the freedom of our country, as soon as lifts the blockade, will lose to a large extent its meaning before the eyes of the world. And they will forget to us, since it has forgotten the world to the Chinese journalists, the Chinese opponents, and the Iranian blogueros and twitteros. It is not that we are too present in the minds of the democrats of the world, but they at least distinguish us like exiled, and to which they are inside like opponents. Otherwise. Once eliminated the embargo: will be able the Cubans to invest in their own country? Will exist the free internal commerce? Will exist the small businesses, and until great, with the Cubans which from the outside - put that no longer will be called I exile want to invest in its country? I do not believe that the rise of the American embargo facilitates to the Cuban citizen similar company. Because the Castro regime - by several years it will at least take breath, will be revitalized in forces, with that answer - in case that Barack Obama of with a view to reanimating and autentificar the power of Castro, of its children and their grandsons. To raise the embargo is to recognize a castrofascista dynastic succession favorably; the one denies that it, lies. Exists another solution? By all means that exists, but to the Cubans one has forbidden us to ask that the town sends itself to the street. Even they did when it in 1994, I had to hear so miserable reactions in relation to that spontaneous manifestation that better not to repeat them. In any case, only we have left to hope, although never of arms cruzados. An example? The Ladies of Target when they stood in the Place of the Revolution, there is much anger there, nobody will be able to dim it, and much less to deny it.
Okay - I've also done a translation -- let's see if I can post it here (Val, I sent it to you).
The Absurd (II), October 16, 2009, by Zoé Valdés
Again bringing up the North American embargo, will Cubans be able to travel in mass to the United States or other parts of the world? I asked this question in the last post with the same title.
The recent denial of the exit permit to the blogger, Yoani Sánchez, (see Penúltimas Días), like previous denials and like what happens with the majority of citizens on the island, will not change anything, absolutely nothing. The United States will again restrict visas, and it's very probable that they will negotiate with Cuba on hardening the exit permits, so that they won't have an avalanche of emigrants, because now we would not be considered exiles. Why wouldn't we be considered exiles? The lifting of the embargo, of course, would be a form of recognizing the Castro dictatorship as a democratic government, and that would bring an end to the possibility of requesting political asylum in the United States and would annul any one of the approved categories for the status of exiled Cuban, including immigrant to North America, which would be even more difficult to obtain.
The fact that Yoani Sánchez traveled to Eruope before she rebelled against the dictatorship reaffirms the fact that the dictatorship punishes those who oppose it. Would opposition make sense without the embargo? No one could be marked as an enemy of the Cuban people and be paid - like they have said - by the enemy, the American government.
Yoani Sánchez would be at the minimum a provocateur, at the most a danger to society, as so many are in that part of the world -- in a word, a delinquent. And, what's worse, Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet, Antúnez and the rest of the dissidents would be the same, and all those who have countless times opposed the government visually, who have made films, shown them abroad through You Tube (and others who made recordings) would be converted into delinquents.
The struggle for liberty in our country, if the embargo were lifted, would greatly lose its significance in the eyes of the world. And they would forget us, like the world has forgotten the Chinese journalists, the Chinese opposition and the Iranian bloggers and twitterers. It's not that we are ever-present in the minds of the democracies of the world, but at least they distinguish us as exiles, just as those who are opposing the government from the inside.
Another thing: Once the embargo is eliminated, could Cubans invest in their own country? Would there be free internal commerce? Would small and even large businesses exist, with Cubans in the exterior - since they would no longer be exiles - wanting to invest in their country? I don't believe the lifting of the American embargo would facilitate comparable business in Cuba. Because the Castro regime - at least for several years - would be encouraged, would revitalize its force, with that response - in the case Barack Obama gave it - with the view of reanimating and authenticating the Castros' power, and that of their sons and grandsons. Lifting the embargo means favorably recognizing a dynastic succession of Castro fascism, and whoever denies this is lying.
Does another solution exist? Of course it exists, but it's forbidden to ask us Cubans to throw ourselves into the street, like we did in 1994. The reaction was so miserable in relation to that spontaneous demonstration that it's better not to repeat it. In any case, all we have left is hope, but this doesn't mean doing nothing. An example? The Ladies in White, when they planted themselves in the Plaza of the Revolution. Now there's a lot of courage, no one can tarnish it, much less deny it.
My own comments: It's not up to Obama, it's up to Congress to lift the embargo. And again we have the issue of whether the embargo actually exists. Anyway, hope this helps. She raises some interesting points about the status of Cubans trying to get to the U.S.
All are valid points BUT from a US perspective those are Cuban problems for Cubans to settle. I opposed the emabrgo on South Africa also... though some of the pinkos that favored that show their inconsistency by supporting the LIFTING on Cuba's embargo (or lack there of).
I oppose all state enforced embargos and travel restrictions because they fight tyranny with tyranny or repression with repression.
Of course under current conditions lifting the embargo might gice Fidel and Raul a chance at US taxpayer gauranteed loans, which is also VERY wrong.
Living in the USSA sure isn't easy.