Union Patriotica de Cuba (UNPACU)

Video from a gas station fire in Santiago de Cuba

September 2, 2012 by Nicolas Jimenez

In this video acquired by UNPACU (follow them on YouTube here), onlookers in Santiago de Cuba rush toward a damaged gas pump to collect whatever gasoline they can sell on the black market. As the video notes, just a liter of gasoline can sell for about 20 Cuban pesos (not CUC, but the regular currency) — about a day’s wages for your average Cuban professional.

Eventually, the party ends and the entire gas station catches fire, hospitalizing several people.

According to the text added to this video by UNPACU, authorities and state media are reporting that there were no deaths in this fire, but locals say there were.

It’s not clear why the government would see fit to lie about whether there were deaths (it does seem like the fire started accidentally). If anything, it might be that onlookers can be heard yelling at firefighters to inform them of screams coming from inside the flames — something the firefighters, who were standing much closer to the blaze, should have been able to hear themselves.

Part 1

Part 2

I try to avoid engaging in or provoking conspiracy theories, but I find it worth noting that, in this video, the fire seems to start right as a police cars arrives on the scene. Maybe it means something. Maybe it doesn’t.

The Diaz-Balarts in Tampa — Photos from a Babalú reader

August 30, 2012August 30, 2012 by Nicolas Jimenez

Earlier this month, we let you know about a “Meeting with the Cuban community in Tampa, Florida / Reaffirmation of the struggle for Cuba’s freedom” that would take place today. According to the initial press release, it would be a meeting of:

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Congressman David Rivera (R-FL), former Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, members of patriotic Cuban-American organizations in Tampa and former Cuban political prisoners.

In that post, we solicited photos from anyone who might be able to attend. Babalú readers came through!

Here are some photos from reader Omar Díaz:

Meeting with the Cuban community in Tampa, Florida

Omar summarized the event and the Diaz-Balarts remarks this way:

The bros. each spoke of the present day of Cuba under the dictatorship with Lincoln talking about the twitter note he read recently of the activist whose young daughter was beaten up by state security agents. They both quoted Churchill’s never give in when speaking of negotiating with Castro’s shmafia (shit + Mafia). I made that one up.

Their message was one of hope for Cuba’s future and the need for the exiles to maintain a hard line.

The brothers each spoke of present day Cuba under the dictatorship, with Lincoln talking about a tweet he read recently of the activist whose young daughter was beaten up by state security agents.

Their message was one of hope for Cuba’s future and the need for the exiles to maintain a hard line.

As a bonus, Omar sent us this photo of Cuban bread at a nearby bakery.

Gratuitous photos of Cuban bread at a Tampa bakery (Photo by Omar Díaz) — Gratuitous photo of Cuban bread at a Tampa bakery (Photo by Omar Díaz)

Many thanks to Omar for these contributions.

The Young Negro and the Pope

August 30, 2012April 1, 2012 by Ziva Sahl

From the incomparable Paquito D’Rivera:

The Young Negro and the Pope

A few days ago, a young and brave black Cuban named Andres Carrión Alvarez, –the only member of the Union Patriotica de Cuba (UNPACU) who evaded detention from the Cuban political police–,screamed “Down with Communism!” just in front of the Pope Benedict XVI’s podium, during his mass in Santiago de Cuba. Almost immediately, secret agents in plain clothes mixed with the crowd, violently arrested Carrion in front of the Pope and his entourage. Several cameras followed him while a gang of policemen and even members of the Cuban Red Cross brutally beat the young man with his hands securely tied to his back.

In (almost) any other nation around the world, such a deplorable action would be absolutely unacceptable. Up to this day, Carrión remains in custody and incommunicado, so we’re still waiting for some leaders of the African-American community to express some kind of commentary about such an arbitrary and repressive–yet common– behavior by the Cuban authorities. I wonder what would be the reaction of said community in case this black youngster would be of some other nationality. We’d also love to know where the Obamas, Glovers, Sharptons, Reverend Jacksons and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus are when Afro-Cubans need them?

Paquito D’Rivera
3-30-2012
www.paquitodrivera.com

Thanks to Paquito and La Voz de Cuba Libre.