Sign the petition calling for the release of Cuban prisoner of conscience Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet.

Cardenal Ortega is certainly looking out for his lord and master, castro, inc.   After Cuban state thugs beat the defiant and now paraplegic former political prisoner, and that negative news hit the Internet, the Cardinal helped the regime see the error of their ways, and now they've had a change of heart.  Bastards, the only reason he needs medical treatment is due to the torture and mistreatment he suffered as a political prisoner. 

Ariel Sigler Amaya before his arrest:

Ariel Sigler Amaya after castro care in the gulag:

Regime gives Permit to Leave the Country to Ariel Sigler Amaya after the intercession of Cardinal Ortega

Radio Marti informs [in Spanish] that after yesterday's assault, and subsequent phone call from Cuban Cardinal and La Habana's Archbishop Jaime Ortega. Ariel's wife, Oelia, explained to Radio Martí that Ortega had called to tell her that he had personally interceded with the authorities for Ariel, and that they would be contacting her soon to confirm. They called her today. She stated that despite the outcome, she was not happy given "the high price that must be paid in Cuba to be able to leave the country."

One thing is very clear, now is not the time to bail out this bankrupt brutal dictatorship, but to end it, and the castro brothers atrocities against the Cuban people permanately.  ¡YA NO MÁS!

The Cuban political prisoners that reportedly are being freed and allowed to leave are neither.  They are mere slaves in a $cam to prop up a murderous dictator for the $ake of business as usual.  How is the current practice of the state selling the labor of Cuban workers , more here, and here, to the highest bidder any different than past slave masters renting the labor of their slaves?  They work if they want to eat, and keep their mouths shut if they want to avoid punishment.  

Ending five-hundred plus years of exploitation is something the Spanish government is unwilling to do.  Not as long as it is profitable and they get by with it. 

How nice of Spain to to accept Cuba's unwilling cast offs. I wonder, is the payoff is a bigger piece of the anticipated U.S. tourist pie as reward, or are they merely protecting their current business interests?

 As Rayarena commented on Alberto's post below, " Can you imagine if Mandela had been released only to be exiled? The roaring condemnations from the MSM would be deafening."

When it comes to Cuban political prisoners,  it is the MSM's silence that is deafening.  ¡Ya no más!

Do you recognize these faces?

From The Real Cuba Blog:

April 24 - Four Cuban American lawyers and a Miami-based television station have launched a campaign to identify and publicly name Cuban state security agents and pro-government militants who attack dissidents on the island.

Called "Cuba, Repression ID," the project that began this week solicits public support from the Cuban exile community in the United States and also from people inside Cuba to identify, through photographs and film footage, individuals seen beating or harassing unarmed critics of Cuba's communist government. 

In recent weeks, TV footage of Cuban state security agents and mobs of pro-government supporters heckling, harassing and forcibly breaking up dissident rallies and marches has drawn widespread international criticism of Cuba's rulers and renewed calls for them to free political prisoners on the island. The promoters of the "Repression ID" initiative backed by Spanish-language Channel 41 AmericaTeve say they want to name and shame identified persecutors of Cuban dissidents, both as a historical record, for possible future legal action, and as a way of trying to halt such violence and intimidation. 

"Here are the images, the faces of repression," reads the advisory on AmericaTeve's website, above a gallery of 28 photographs of men and women who were captured on film breaking up peaceful rallies by Cuba's Ladies in White dissidents. Members of the public are requested to e-mail or call in the identities of those shown. 

"Who are they? What are their names? Where do they work? Where do they live?" the website asks. Click here to visit the America TeVe website to see if you can identify any of those who are abusing the dissidents in Cuba.

Visit Los Rostros de la Represión here.

The roster of castro's victims continues to grow, as does our grief, but it is our duty to remember each and every one of them, and to never forget who is responsible, and to never, ever give up on insisting that  justice be served.

Here is the video of fidel admitting responsibility:  http://www.hermanos.org/Movies/Fidel%20Castro%20Admite.mov

Read more about the Brothers to the Rescue missions, and the tragic murders here.

God bless all of Cuba's martyrs and may they rest in peace.

Myself with Henry Agueros, Esteban Fernandez of Periódico 20 de Mayo, and Junta Patriotica members Joel Borges and  Gilberto Perez at the Jose Marti Plaza in Los Angeles.

We read the  manisfesto internacional por los Derechos Humanos en Cuba, 05-12-09.

Nosotros, cubanos en el exilio, unidos en una cadena internacional por la libertad y la democracia en Cuba, hemos acordado manifestar hoy 5 de diciembre de 2009, junto a nuestros amigos en cada ciudad, nuestro rechazo a las reiteradas y flagrantes violaciones de los derechos humanos en Cuba.

 Es por ello que en más de trece ciudades de Europa y América hablamos a una misma voz y expresamos:

 1- Demandamos la libertad incondicional de todos los presos políticos cubanos, que se ponga fin al terrorismo de Estado contra la población civil y el cese de la dictadura como forma de gobierno en la isla.

 2- Nuestro respaldo y solidaridad a todas las fuerzas de la sociedad civil en Cuba que buscan encausar a la nación por sendas de progreso, libertad y democracia.

 3- Nuestra alerta a la opinión pública y a la comunidad internacional sobre las nuevas estrategias de la dictadura castrista, que pretende amordazar a la comunidad internacional para que no se interese por las flagrantes violaciones de los derechos humanos en Cuba.

 Suscrito en Miami, Tampa, Hialeah, West Palm Beach, West New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles,  San Juan de Puerto Rico, Toronto, Roma, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona y Marbella, hoy 5 Diciembre de 2009.

Here is my very rough translation, please someone, correct any errors:

We, Cubans in exile, from more than thirteen cities of Europe and America united in an international chain for freedom and democracy in Cuba. We stood with our friends in each city to reiterate our rejection of the flagrant violations of human rights in Cuba. In solidarity, we expressed in a united voice these demands:

 1- We demand the unconditional freedom of all the Cuban political prisoners, an end to the terrorism of the State against the civil populace and the end of the dictatorship as the form of government in the island.

  2- We endorse and are in solidarity with all the forces of the civil society in Cuba that strive for progress, freedom, and democracy for Cuba.

 3- We alert the public and the international community about the new strategies used by the Castro dictatorship to control and manipulate public opinion in order to squash international interest in the flagrant violations of human rights in Cuba.

 Subscribed in Miami, Tampa, Hialeah, West Palm Beach, West New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Juan of Puerto Rico, Toronto, Rome, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella, today 5 December of 2009.

Please excuse our ragged looks, as Henry and I were sin sleep after attending a late night Albita concert.  More about that here.

Via Capitol Hill Cubans:

November 7, 2009
(Washington, DC) – Cuban authorities should cease all attacks on human rights defenders, journalists, bloggers and civic activists, Human Rights Watch said today. The international community should condemn attacks on those who peacefully exercise their basic rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and assembly in the strongest terms.

On November 6, Cuba’s most prominent blogger, Yoani Sánchez, together with blogger Orlando Luís Pardo Lazo, were abducted by three men. Sánchez and Pardo were forced into an unmarked vehicle, beaten, and threatened by their captors before being released onto the street.

“The Cuban authorities are using brute force to try to silence Yoani Sánchez’s only weapon: her ideas,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director of Human Rights Watch. “The international community must send a firm message to Raul Castro that such attacks on independent voices are completely unacceptable.”

Sánchez and Pardo had been walking to attend a “march against violence” in Havana when they were abducted. When Sánchez called for help and bystanders started to intervene, one of the captors warned the other civilians, “Don’t get involved, these people are counterrevolutionaries.”

Sánchez wrote that, while in the car, “one man put his knee on my chest and the other, from the seat next to me, was punching me in the face.” The captors told Sanchez that her “clowning around” was finished.

Cuba is the only country in the region that continues to repress virtually all forms of political dissent.

“This brazen attack makes clear that no one in Cuba who voices dissent is safe from violent reprisals,” said Vivanco.

This just in, sorry it's in Spanish, I'm working on getting it translated:

En prisión activista por los derechos humanos Dr. Darsi Ferrer.

Por Jaime Leygonier.

 En La Habana, el 21 de julio de 2009, agentes en uniforme policial y verde olivo detuvieron en su hogar  al  Dr. Darsi Ferrer Ramírez  y lo condujeron al penal de Valle Grande donde al día siguiente permitieron a su esposa verlo unos minutos.

La esposa, Yusnaimy Jorge Soca, refiere: “Darsi se niega a tomar alimentos, siente gran dolor de cabeza, lo pelaron al rape y por negarse a formar, un guardia lo amenazo con “pasarlo por el somatón” cuando yo me marchara, lo que interpreto como que lo golpearán o cualquier otra brutalidad. Ya en la detención anterior lo golpearon dentro de la Unidad de policía ocho agentes estando mi esposo esposado. Ahora no explican la causa de su encarcelamiento, pero todos sabemos que es un castigo por su labor a favor de los derechos humanos y por la campaña ciudadana “El paseo de tus sueños”, que exhorta a la realización personal. 

    El Dr. Ferrer como director del Centro de Salud y Derechos Humanos “Juan Bruno Zayas” lleva años consagrado a una seria labor social y política reveladora del catastrófico estado de los servicios médicos cubanos, las condiciones infrahumanas de las villas-miseria y la marginación del cubano en su propia patria con dos monedas, prohibición de servicios hoteleros y hospitalarios - reservados para extranjeros y dirigentes - y persecución a cubanos de otras provincias que pretenden vivir en La Habana: Situación que según legislación cubana e internacional califica como delito de Apartheid.

El médico es conocido por las marchas pacificas del 10 de diciembre que convocó tres años consecutivos ante la sede en La Habana de la UNESCO y que son reprimidas agolpes y arrestos masivos por la policía y paramilitares del Régimen.

Su informe “La tortura, método sistemático de castigo en Cuba”(9/1/2006) fundamentó con 14 casos de opositores detenidos como las condiciones de cautiverio en Cuba provocan en breve tiempo la perdida de la salud física y mental y  tipifican como tortura- según convenios internacionales que violan.

Con recursos ínfimos, su Centro de Salud llevó medicamentos (recibidos del G.A.D.) y donativos de ropa a los residentes en los albergues estatales, conocidos como villas miserias y “llega-y-pon” por las malas condiciones en que se encuentran, lugares donde el Estado hacina a quienes pierden su techo.

Repetidas veces los agentes de la Seguridad del Estado lo arrestaron sin causa, lo amenazaron con meterlo preso si no desistía de su labor, allanaron su hogar para confiscar papeles, libros, la computadora.

El pasado 9 de julio lo arrestaron junto a su esposa enferma Yusnaimy Jorge Soca, fracturaron la puerta de su hogar y arrancaron las ventanas de aluminio, dejando al apartamento y familia expuesto a lluvia y a ladrones. También “confiscaron”  dos sacos de cemento.

Que el médico reparaba su apartamento minúsculo y ruinoso sirvió de pretexto para ese ataque, y preguntarle donde compró los materiales. Acto desesperado para – ocultando los móviles reales - acallarlo con la prisión.

El Dr. Ferrer sostuvo a la policía que compró los materiales al fiscal militar teniente coronel González Peña- vecino de la misma calle al cual denuncio en vano el doctor por notoria “reparación” de su casa ampliándola como mansión y  por vender materiales a medio barrio.

 Ahora el Dr. Ferrer sufrirá la tortura sistemática propia del sistema penal  cubano junto a tantos presos de conciencia y comunes por cuya libertad  y trato humano luchó.

Lo arrolló el envalentonamiento del Régimen y  la ola represiva que Ferrer pronosticó como consecuencia de dejar fortalecerse a Raúl Castro y de la política europea de legitimarlo y sacrificar a los presos de conciencia del 2003 y los derechos del pueblo cubano.

“Me amenazaron con encarcelarme y botar la llave. No sé cómo todavía me dejan en la calle” – decía. Ahora colmo la ira de Estado cuando invitó a todos a pasear pacíficamente por el malecón habanero “por un sueño, el de cada uno”.

No importan los argumentos legales que utilice el régimen para mantenerlo encarcelado, para un gobierno que está al margen  del Estado de Derecho eso no es importante, ninguno podrá justificar la verdadera causa del encarcelamiento de Darsi Ferrer. Sólo hay uno, el miedo de las autoridades a su activismo cívico, al liderazgo que posee dentro de las filas disidentes y el principal, su voluntad indomable de ver a su patria libre y en paz, esto es lo que el régimen no le puede perdonar y por lo que lo mantiene encerrado.                                         (La Habana, 22 de julio, 2009)

Kendrick Meek, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Albio Sires, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, all members of the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus,  have stepped up to the plate on behalf of Cuban political prisoner Ariel Sigler Amaya.  The lack of action by other members of Congress, as well as international Human Rights organizations, and the MSM, is indicative of their hypocrisy and true disregard for Human Rights.  They are all worthless baggage.

From Capital Hill Cubans, the Congressional letter on Ariel Sigler Amaya: (Click to enlarge)

Last week Dr. Darsi Ferrer and his wife were arrested; their alleged crime? Inviting a group of friends for a walk on Havana’s Malecón. The Real Cuba has the photos showing Dr. Ferrer’s injuries and the damage done to his home by Cuban state thugs while they were detained.

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge: 

If I didn't know any better, I would have to say that President Obama is just plain terrified of Fox News. What other reason would he and his administration have to spend so much time complaining and whining about the cable news channel?

Unlike the State-run media, Fox News does not shy away from critical reporting on the president and his policies. And for all intents and purposes, they have become the only television news source in this country that Americans can turn to when they want to hear news that has not been massaged and edited by the Obama Whitehouse. Fox News is the single voice among the major television news organizations in this country that has not turned over their programming to the president.

So is Obama really scared of the big bad FOX? Personally, I don't think so. I believe that the reasons behind Obama's dislike of Fox News are based more on his annoyance with them. Like his fellow book club member Hugo Chavez, Obama cannot stand to have even one single major news media outlet criticizing him. And interestingly enough, America has become just like Venezuela with only one television station that dares to question the maximum leader.

If anyone should be scared here it would have to be the American people. Like them or not, Fox News is the only television news outlet in this country that stands in the way of total government control of television news. Based on pure liberal principles that espouse tolerance and freedom of speech, this should worry even the most ardent little Rev. Wrights out there.

This stunning post from Capital Hill Cubans serves as a reminder to those celebrating this weeks OAS decision on Cuba:

"Indifference is not a beginning, it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees -- not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own." --Elie Weisel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner, April 12, 1999

This morning, U.S. President Barack Obama visited the former Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald with Elie Weisel, where they dedicated a minute of silence to the 56,000 people that were executed at that site during the Holocaust.

Across the Atlantic, pursuant to the Organization of American States' decision to repeal the 1962 that suspended Cuba's dictatorship from its ranks, President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras -- who together with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega led the efforts to revoke the 1962 resolution -- gloated that with this gesture by the OAS, "Fidel Castro has been acquitted by history."

Despite the Western Hemisphere's condemnable indifference, the only thing history will record is that the Cuban people -- like all other victims of tyranny throughout modern history, whether Jewish, Armenian, Rwandan or Sudanese -- will never forget the countless victims of the brutal dictatorship they have been subjected to.

Below is a picture of Raul Castro personally overseeing the execution of a colleague in the rebel army, and of the Cuban National Memorial in South Florida, where tens of thousands of crosses each carry the name of a victim of Cuba's dictatorship. 

 

Read "The Perils of Indifference."

...you shoved him down our throats and got him elected, asswipes.

I warned you, said it many many a time. Under socialism, the free press is the first victim.

Update by Gaius Pitbullius Maximus: I decided to update Val's post by including the entire text of the letter he linked to below because IT NEEDS TO BE READ AND SENT AROUND THE COUNTRY! I want one -- just one -- justification as to why this is okay to do in "post-partisan America." Just one, please. I await the liberal response.

Letter to the Editor [of American Thinker]

My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business.

We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability.

I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life.

On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work. Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory.

Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank.

HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN?

THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY

This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong.

This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Sincerely,

George C. Joseph
President & Owner
Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu

Le ronca los cojones.

Unfuckingbelievable.

OK folks, after tons of hard work and running around and phone calls and emails galore, among lots of other things, we have put together a schedule of events for this year's Cuba Nostalgia Convention:

Friday, May 15th:

Cigar Rolling and Buy Val Mojitos day, sponsored by Cuban Crafters Cigars

Swing by the Babalu Pavilion today and witness one of the finest cigar rollers doing his thing. Free cigars and cutters while supplies last, courtesy of the finest cigar makers and distributors in Miami, Cuban Crafters Cigars.

All day:

We'll be promoting Cuba Solidarity Day and gathering signatures in support of same:

Bring Val a Mojito and he'll cry on your shoulder in gratitude! Bring Val two Mojitos and he'll bottle the tears for you to take home.

Saturday, May 16th:

Author book signing, 2 to 5 PM:

Carlos Frias will be with us with his excellent book "Take Me With You," which we have mentioned here and here. You can listen to our Babalu Radio Hour interview with Carlos, right here. You may remember Carlos for his excellent five part series on his visit back to Cuba at the Palm Beach Post.

Musica! 8 to 9 PM:

Enjoy the sounds of Miami's Latin funk fusionistas and all around cool cats Electric Piquete as they play original music and jazz standards at the Babalu Pavilion.

Sunday, May 17th:

Musica! 5 to 6 PM:

Enjoy some of Miami's best Cuban music with Andy Alfonso y la Orquestra Clase A. I could try to describe their Cuban musical prowess, but I figured a small taste, via YouTube would be much much better:

These guys jam, folks, so bring your dancing shoes. I believe CD's will be available for purchase.

All Three days:

Humberto Fontova will be with us signing books, scheduling still to be arranged.

We'll also have information on a new book by Liz Balmaseda, to be released next month.

And the Orbitz people better get ready, cause we're coming after them without prejudice.

We'll also be promoting Cuba Solidarity Day throughout the weekend and next week.

Most of your favorite Babalu contributors will be there all weekend, so come on by and say hello, have a Mojito or two with us and, if you can, bring coladas. Lots and lots of coladas.

Jorge of The Real Cuba nails it:

How would Mexico feel?

Mexico is currently going through a crisis due to the spread of the swine-flu.

More than 100 people have died; businesses and schools have had to shut down; people are living in fear; tourism is suffering, no doubt it is a complete disaster.

All countries that are in a condition to do so, have offered their support to help the Mexican people at their time of crisis.

But, how would Mexico feel if instead of support to help them get rid of the virus, other countries tried to make it harder to eradicate?

I ask this question, because for 50 years that is exactly what all of Latin America, and most other countries in the world, have been doing with the "human-virus" that a gang of swine brought to Cuba 50 years ago.

Tens of thousands of Cubans have died; thousands of businesses have shut down; the economy has been utterly destroyed; millions of Cubans are living in fear; millions have had to flee in order to survive.

No wonder we react the way that we react, when we see countries, politicians, organizations and so called "celebrities," offering their blind support to the "virus" that has destroyed the Cuban nation.

After all, Cubans are human beings also.

Their suffering has been ignored by our so called "brothers" in Latin America and by the rest of the world for too long.

It is time to eradicate the virus that has affected Cuba for 50 years, and let Cubans live a free, happy and healthy life.

They have the same right to do so, as any other people in the world.

Cubanet reports that on April 23, police along with members of the DTI (Department of Technical Investigation) seized thousands of DVD’s, and equipment from a neighborhood in Guanabacoa. Numerous people were taken to the police station, and at present, their whereabouts are unknown.

Who would want to visit a country where the people are not allowed to choose which movies to watch?  Why is the blackmarket the only way Cubans can access information not on the official state propaganda list?   Who gave the castro's slavemaster rights to 12 million people?

Isn't it time for real change in Cuba?

Sean "I never met a dictator I didn't want to cuddle with by the fire" Penn:

I know President Chavez well. Whether or not one agrees with all his policies, what is certainly true of Chavez is that he is a warm and friendly man with a robust sense of humor (who daily risks his own life for his country in ways Dick Cheney could never imagine). To treat such a man coldly is akin to spitting on him. As a country we’ve done enough of that.

This guy camped out overnight so he could be the first in the fucking asshole line.

More at Gateway Pundit.

Great editorial at the Washington Times on the upcoming Summit of the Americas and why Cuba shouldnt be allowed into the OAS:

...allowing Cuba's regime into the OAS would be destructive to the increasingly weakened Inter-American Democratic Charter and the OAS itself. Including the Cuban regime in the summit process would reverse a long-standing policy against dictatorships, rooted in the region's history and agreed to by all leaders (including Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez) at the 2001 Quebec City Summit of the Americas.

The impetus to admit Cuba coincides with Mr. Chavez's efforts to erode the importance of the OAS, the Democratic Charter and the summit process. Mr. Chavez has repeatedly denigrated the OAS and its secretary-general, threatened to withdraw and openly used other regional forums to undermine the OAS and the summits.

From a practical perspective, Cuba's entry would create an opening to overturn well-established consensus on a range of issues, from democratic governance and human rights to security cooperation and property rights. This would suit Mr. Chavez and his allies just fine because Cuba's totalitarian nature would set a new low for the hemisphere - a standard they certainly could meet. Other fragile democracies need not worry about respecting civil and political rights.

Read the whole thing, right here.

Bacardi

A victory for Bacardi and the USA over Cuba. As I've noted before, the Cuban dictatorship just loves to come into our system and challenge trademarks, but of course, have one of our companies try that in their monkey court. I'm sure the leftists out there will say the opinion is wrong. But it is the Obama Justice Department that is representing the US Government here. Wonder what will happen on appeal....

Attached is the court opinion.

H/T Ziva