This Time article is just about that proverbial straw for me.
It’s not enough that there is a worldwide chorus parroting the regimes claims about their “democratic” elections, and calling for “dialog,” or “normalization,” and an end to the embargo. The embargo by the way, feeble though it may be, as far as know, makes the US the only government that does more than pay lip service to the idea of a free Cuba.
Trade missions to Cuba, cultural missions to Cuba, environmental workshops, and government officials from Canada, Honduras, India, Brazil, and on and on and on, thanking Cuba for doctors, for literacy training, or whatever is the supposed miracle of the week from Cuba. Don’t you know it takes Cuban experts to screw in light bulbs? It is frustratingly absurd. You know that old saying, if it’s too good to be true, then it isn’t. Are world leaders really so dumb to buy this BS?
However, the article from Time, with the skewed barb tossed at the exile community, and its total disregard for Cuban’s humanity, (the brief blurb at the end is testimony to one mans humanity, but doesn’t refllect the Mexican governments policy), is a real heartbreaker. Note that the article brings up that the Cuban smugglers make more than the desert Coyotes, why, are they worried about their homey’s income? Hello, there is no ocean between the US and Mexico, and Mexicans can return to their homes and vote in the next election. What are Cubans on the island supposed to do? Yes, we want them to take to the streets, and overthow the SOB’s. Easy for us to say. Meanwhile, desperate, they leave by the thousands, they risk the sharks, the unknown, and as far as I can tell, no one except the much maligned exile community gives a rat’s ass about what becomes of them. What happens to the Cuban refugees? Sending them back should not be an option, where are all the human rights activists decrying their mistreatment?
Mexico, the nation that happily helps millions of their own citizens illegally immigrate to the US, has the gall to blame their Cuban “migrant problem” on the US wet foot dry foot policy, rather than the castro regime. I’d like to see how long the average freedom loving Mexican would last living in castro’s hellhole.
What the US should do is fully restore the Cuban Refugee Act and allow any Cuban trying to reach our shore in, and provide aid for them at US embassies in Mexico, and other countries in the Americas. Why not, the Mexican government operates freely in the US.
17 thoughts on “What happens to the Cuban refugees?”
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I’m with you on the press, Ziva. It’s the SOS over and over again.
Ziva makes the point that the Cubans on the island are desperate and essentially because of that we should dispose of wet foot dry foot and give every Cuban wanting to come over the right to stay. Ziva notes that the difference with Mexicans is that they can go back to Mex whenever they want and vote. Well Cubans coming over now are worse than that. They fly over “whenever they want” and they may get a chance to vote but they do their part to keep the Castro regime afloat. Even if they don’t go they are sure to send hard currency to keep the corrupt Cuban regime alive.
Here’s my take. The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 was passed out of America’s guilt for screwing us in the Bay of Pigs and the rotten deal of the Cuban Missle Crisis. All well and good but back then when Cubans left, they left for political reasons and they never went back. Cubans leaving may be miserable but they are no more miserable than any Haitian or some poor Mexican ducking underneath a table during the latest gunfight in Tijuana. Democracy is pretty cool and I’m all for it but don’t you think that some Mexicans would not give up the right to vote in exchange for freedom from fear and want?
We got to cut out this woe is me crap in the Cuban-American community. If you really want Castro gone dump wet foot/ dry foot and send back any Cuban caught coming over and even touching the beach. If you really want things to boil up in Cuba than slap a lid on that pot and watch it blow. Right now Cubans expend more time and energy figuring how to get out than to make a change.
First of all, I will never be for any Cuban who makes it here to stay here. There are plenty who don’t come for political reasons but economical ones. One time Oscar Asa had a few young recent Cuban arrivals on his show claiming that the political situation here and in Cuba were just about the same with the same intolerance and crap. I just about blew up. I say send these little twerps back!!! If you want to come here, then you have to show that you are really fleeing political repression and just coming here for more hamburgers or to spout Castro, Inc. propaganda. Plus, maybe cardinal has a point. Shut the escape valve and let the pot explode.
Well in Fact the Mexican Government is right,Cubans are coming through Mexico because when Clinton established the dry foot policy, Mexico became the place to come by.
We cannot be so critical of everything that somebody else says when it is true.
And besides you know me, If I had a chance to blow up the Cagastros I would do it, but it is true also that the cubans coming now, besides the few dissidents and political prisoners, are nothing but economic refugees.
And I speak from First hand experience , I recently had a family member come with the whole family, these people once they land they know what benefits they are entitled to and where to get it, things I didn’t even know existed, they already come with a list of places where they can help, even if I was probiding them a roof and meals, I would say here they are looking for workers, they would reply ,no I don’t want to work now ,I still have 5 months I can get aid for.
And if you say something against Castro is like calling their mother a Jinetera.
Don’t put this down, until you go through it, after 6 months of that ,I don’t want to bring anymore of them here.
Just Fed up !
The hypocrisy of the Mexican government is beyond belief. As for making a distinction between “politcal” reasons and “economic” reasons for wanting to flee Cuba, I think there is a thin line. “Letting the pot explode” by sending back the Cubans is a fantasy. The punishment is severe, and the Cubans are far too intimidated. Nor do they have the energy or the weapons to rebel.
Mariana, haven’t you met Cubans who have recently arrived tell you they don’t want to talk about politics? That they don’t know anything and refuse to talk anything bad about Castro, Inc. I have. And I say to myself why the hell are these folks here? Simply because they are Cuban they were able to cut in front of more noteworthy people standing in line. I believe all these types of folks should be sent back and prevented from coming here at all. They have to show they are leaving for political reasons, that they are looking for freedom and liberty. Now, I do hope these few I’ve met are only a small %. Did you see the Oscar Asa show that I am talking about? I say send those twerps back.
Davidb, No, I have not met any Cubans like that. The ones I know who come here do so to have the freedom to say what they want, associate with whom they want, work where they want, etc, which is why I say freedom and economics go together. And I don’t know any Cubans on the outside who still support Castro. Do you think they really mean it? If so, it doesn’t make sense. But I see your point.
I’m sure I’m not the only one on this blog that has met these types of Cubans that magically no nothing about politics. That refuse to say anything critical of Castro, Inc. Granted, I know plenty that are willing to talk about politics and do criticize the tyrant. I’m the Godfather of a little girl whose family came over in 1996. So I do know plenty who have no problem talking about politics. But there sure as hell are those who just refuse to say anything because they are ignorant, apparently. You know…they don’t know anything, so they say. These, I say, are the real ones who should not be allowed in.
Additionally, like I’ve already mentioned, these types of Cubans I’m talking about were clearly on display on the Oscar Asa show for everyone to see. I’m sure I’m not the only one that viewed that episode of his show on here. Does anyone remember what I’m talking about?
I know recent arrivals carry with them the fear instilled by the regime and they are still terrified of speaking freely, and don’t, especially if they still have family on the island. It takes a long time to get over that. Mariana is correct; you cannot separate economics from politics in a dictatorship like Cuba. As for Mexico, I’m sorry, but I don’t know any Mexican who would be willing to trade their freedom, what a thing to say. Approximately 64% of registered voters cast ballots in the last Mexican election; that compares with 68% in the US, and equals the 64% voter turnout in Canada. Have you been to Mexico lately? Crime is a serious problem, but it is not as awful as you suggest. I know people who frequently go to Tijuana, and no one is worried about being shot.
I have spoken to a Mexican recently, heck I married her. Trust me, she loves Mexico more than anything else and the only reason she is here is because of me (no accounting for taste, but lucky me). There are places in Mexico that she would not countenance going for a drive much less live there. And I never mentioned trading in Freedom for security just the right to vote – it is an extreme example that I popped up because I do know of people in Tijuana and DF that are scared out of their wits and they may vote but they don’t sincerely believe any one of their leaders will make a difference.
I can tell you that there was a higher voter turnout in my wife’s family this year than previous elections due to justifiable fear of AMLO. Nonetheless, don’t forget that Mexican elections are held on the weekend to improve turnout. Basically everything is shut down, even liquor stores and bars to drive people to the polls. All that does is have a bunch of hung over voters. Being registered to vote is also a bear, much more difficult than here. I don’t have the figures but I would be surprised if the there is a lower percentage of eligible voters registered in Mexico than in the US. In that atmosphere the 64% number is not that impressive.
The numbers from Mexico are pretty consistent with the US and Canada. You can make similar arguments about voting in the US, in the Democratic Party especially, there is an organized effort to get people to the polls, and there are areas of LA and NY and I wouldn’t drive through either. Disagreeing with my opinion of the wet foot dry foot policy is fine, tossing in a fallacious argument about Mexicans trading their right to vote, (a basic tenet of freedom) is silly.
Don’t want to beat a dead horse so I’ll just toss it in after this comment. The point I was making was extreme on purpose. That some people living with barely function governments would trade democracy for security (economic, personal). As Andres Oppenheimer has noted repeatedly support for democracy has waned in the Southern Cone as people become eager to find a quick fix with a strong man in command. I am not saying it is right, just that is the way things are.
Democracy is great and I love it but it is not a cure all for all that ails a nation. Lets not forget that some of our most stalwart allies during the Cold War lacked democratic credentials. In addition an illiberal democracy such as Venezuela’s infringes on rights just as much as a dictatorship. Also, I don’t care what anyone says – Chile and Spain would not be where they are today if not for the interventions of Pinochet and Franco respectively. They both tossed aside democratically elected governments.
Cardinal, if you don´t want to beat a dead horse to death, then why are you? I beg to differ, democracy is as close to a cure all that mankind has, that´s a fact. Hugo Chavez was initially democratically elected as well, and the fact that Latin America´s poor uneducated are suckers for caudillos doesn´t add to your argument. Free and democratic elections are only one measure of a nations freedom.
Mexico though not without serious problems is doing quite well, and passed a major test of its democratic institutions during the last election.
Best books on what I am trying to argue are Fareed Zakaria’s “The Future of Freedom” and Ian Bremmer’s “The J Curve”. Democracy is preferrable and optimal but there need to be pre-existing social, economic and cultural conditions for a liberal democracy to flourish. One last example – Algeria held elections in ’91 the winner of the first round was a radical Islamist party, the military freaked and staged a coup. Due in no small part to brutal repression the military destroyed the radical Islamist organizations and openned the country back up to elections. They saved democracy by destroying it. Or would rather have had a radical Islamist state providing shelter and comfort to our enemies?
Hate to break it to you but if elections were held in Cuba tomorrow, it would still be screwed up.
Cardinal, I said, “Free and democratic elections are only one measure of a nations freedom.” Sounds to me like we agree on that. Anything else?
think I can live with that.