You’ve got to feel for the long suffering Cuban people.
Today was May Day, worker’s day, the high holy day of the proletariat when they were “summoned” to celebrate another year in the worker’s paradise with their employer, Raúl.
They were expecting, according to the international press, that Raúl would address them and graciously bestow upon them the right to enjoy a few more creature comforts. Perhaps Raúl would announce the elimination of the dreaded “tarjeta blanca”-the Cuban exit visa. Perhaps he would promise to unify the currency so that Cuban worker could buy whatever the regime will sell them at their company stores with the same monopoly money that they get paid in.
But no, Raúl just waved and smiled and got out of there in two hours.
They did, however, have to sit through a motivational speech by the head of THE union Salvador Valdes Mesa, who coincidently also works for Raúl. His message to the Cuban workers on workers day?
“You need to work harder and be more efficient”-(the “or else” is understood.)
Another interesting event is that the rumors that Felipe Perez Roque having fallen from Raúl’s grace and having been assigned to clean cages in the Havana zoo were finally put to rest. As the picture below reveals, Perez Roque did attend the rally. The AP picture that shows him waving a small Cuban flag while he climbs all over a suspected dissident:
Today was May Day, worker’s day, the high holy day of the proletariat when they were “summoned” to celebrate another year in the worker’s paradise with their employer, Raúl.
They were expecting, according to the international press, that Raúl would address them and graciously bestow upon them the right to enjoy a few more creature comforts. Perhaps Raúl would announce the elimination of the dreaded “tarjeta blanca”-the Cuban exit visa. Perhaps he would promise to unify the currency so that Cuban worker could buy whatever the regime will sell them at their company stores with the same monopoly money that they get paid in.
But no, Raúl just waved and smiled and got out of there in two hours.
They did, however, have to sit through a motivational speech by the head of THE union Salvador Valdes Mesa, who coincidently also works for Raúl. His message to the Cuban workers on workers day?
“You need to work harder and be more efficient”-(the “or else” is understood.)
Another interesting event is that the rumors that Felipe Perez Roque having fallen from Raúl’s grace and having been assigned to clean cages in the Havana zoo were finally put to rest. As the picture below reveals, Perez Roque did attend the rally. The AP picture that shows him waving a small Cuban flag while he climbs all over a suspected dissident:
1 comment:
I agree with your analysis, but again, average Cubans in habana did not see it your way.
Yes, they want abolish of exit visa, but they do not think (somehow) that Raul disrespects them.
Unfortunately, average Cubans think that we (miami folk) are the real ungracious ones, not castro.
I don't know how this can be, but its appalingly true. Every time I go back to cuba, now once per 3 years, I am shocked to see how much they still respect the current regime (not out of fear , but maybe out of inertia)
its still shocking!
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