Two great letters to El Nuevo Herald published today (faulty translations are mine):
The American embargo against Cuba began as a response to the expropriations of all American properties by the Cuban regime at the beginning of the revolution. This was in the beginning, but later with the passing of many years and building collapses that banderilla [razor sharp barbed sticks used in bullfights] with which the United States stuck the angry bull when he entered the bullring, has become unbearable, it has irritated the tremendous Minotaur, it has debilitated it to the point that it trembled. And now, as happens in the bullrings during all bullfights, the ferocious animal has doubled over and only awaits the final thrust prepared by the matador.
Many people say that the embargo does not exist, but the banderilla is still there, on the back of the beast, raised like a flag, and it occurs to me that that’s what the embargo is, a flag. And like any flag, it’s a symbol, and like all symbols it’s an idea fluttering and flying in the wind and in the minds and hearts of men. It may not exist, it may be a useless thing, it may, as some say, have no justification because the bull remains in the middle of the ring and perhaps can still do some damage, but the embargo has proven for 50 years that the insolence and arrogance of the most cruel tyrant who in the history of the Americas has been answered by this great nation and that answer has been steady and has proven to be more effective than all the failed ideologies that have been put forward against it.
In his best times, long past, the despicable dictator opened his mouth to cry from the rooftops that they did not need the money or the help of this great country; he also said they they could spend 20, 30 or 40 years with this embargo, however that useless banderilla has become a spear that traverses the heart. He no longer screams insolent remarks, he now cries, he now laments, and now it hurts, but the banderilla is still fluttering, impaled in the middle of his black loin. And since some say it does not exist, because it has become merely a flag, God willing, the men who run and aspire to lead this great country know preserve it until the dark beast and collapses forever in the middle of the sand of the bullring.
Jorge Menendez
Miami
And this one:
Those who had the misfortune to to be raised under the Communist regime of [f]idel [c]astro heard many times how in the elections of the Cuban republic even the dead voted…
But now they have gone further: They are running a dead man for president!
Carlos A. Sanchez
Miami