Russian experts restore Capitol dome in Havana, Cuba

From our Once a Colony, Always a Colony Bureau

It seems that Russia and Spain share similar emotional ties to their former colony of Cuba.

Empires always have trouble letting go of their possessions.

For some undisclosed reason — or set of reasons — the restoration of the Capitol dome in Havana has been carried out by Russians, and their chief propaganda outlet, Tass, is boasting proudly of this latest postcolonial stunt.

According to TASS, the restoration involves the use of gold. And this has thrilled one of the island’s most fervent Castronoid bootlickers, Havana’s official “historian”, Eusebio Leal Spengler.,

Santa mierda de los perros de San Lazaro! Oro? No me jodas! Gold?

Aaaah… socialism in action. Yes, power to the people. Vamos Bien

And, who knows? Maybe Czar Vlad of Grand Putinia will show up for the grand unveiling of the shiny refurbished dome. Naturally, the tropical setting will provide him with a golden opportunity for making a grand shirtless entrance.

I can see Capitolio and golden dome from here very well

From TASS

A group of restoration experts from Russia has completed the work to restore the gold cover, decorating the dome of the National Capitol Building in Cuba’s capital Havana, a TASS correspondent reported.

On Friday morning local time, workers started to remove the scaffolding around the dome, revealing the results of their work to the public.

“We need to continue this effort, because Havana is worth of its great history,” said Eusebio Leal Spengler, the Havana City Historian and the director of the restoration program of Old Havana and its historical center. “We are thankful to Russian specialists who took part in the restoration works, because they know how to work with gold better than anyone else. They will surely take part in the official opening ceremony of the Capitol in November, when we will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of our capital.”

The National Capitol Building, or El Capitolio, was built in 1929 [by dictator Gerardo Machado] and remained Havana’s tallest building until 1950s. Before the victory of the Revolution in 1959, the building housed the country’s parliament. Later, it was used as a congress center and was open for the public. The building will again house sessions of the country’s unicameral parliament in the near future.

The building resembles the Capitol in Washington, but is not a complete replica of it. El Capitolio was also inspired by the Pantheon in Paris and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Absolutely thrilled “historian” Eusebio Leal

2 thoughts on “Russian experts restore Capitol dome in Havana, Cuba”

  1. The real communist “contribution”, at least visually, is all the dystopian stagnation and destruction that surrounds said building.

    Hey, look, communists restored a vestige of capitalism/republicanism (after annulling it and allowing its dilapidation for decades).

    Do they now want a cookie?

  2. If anybody shouldn’t lay a finger on Cuba’s Capitol it’s the vile Russians, but of course Castronoids love it because indignity is their middle name, not to mention they’re always looking for “aid.” The Russians might as well be covering that dome with feces. Lord, the disgust.

    As for Leal, he’s a historian like “Che” was a doctor, or not even, but he talks a good game–and as someone else has said, the Castro system can only produce simulation, so Leal is a simulated historian. His interest in this business is simple enough: the Capitol is another tourist attraction in the Havana amusement park for foreigners, and the brighter and shinier the object, the better.

    And btw, love that photo of Leal–looks like Barney Fife trying to pass for Richard Gere.

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