February 19, 2004
Dollars and Cuba
In this story from the Miami Herald we learn of the frustration and desperation from Cubans here in the States worried that the Bush Administration will make good on it's promise to clamp down on remittances sent to the island. As I have stated before, Cubans send cash to the island to the tune of $1 billion a year. It is second only to tourism in Cuba.
I feel for those Cubans living here who have family back on the island. Our culture instills in us a great love and respect for our families. For us, family is always first.
However, the longer we allow for money to be sent to the island, the longer Castro and his henchmen maintain control. Dollars are used to buy staples mostly, beans, rice, soap, etc.. but the problem isnt in what is bought, but where it's bought. There are no supermarket chains in Cuba vying for customers with sales and advertising. All dollar stores in Cuba are owned and/or operated by the government. Thus, every single dollar sent to Cuba to help families not starve goes to the Regime.
Castro has enough supplies to stock the dollar stores, yet there is never enough of anything in the places where Cubans without dollars can "shop." Cubans that send money every month choose not to see this or ignore it. As long as their family can eat.
Most of these recently arrived Cubans think we older exiles, those of us who arrived at the beginning of Castro's revolution, are out of touch with whats going on in the island. We are called hard liners and mafiosos. Are constantly hearing statements like this:
"The older Cubans, they don't feel the pain we do."
If we dont show the pain it's because we have grown a thick skin. It's because while some were basking in the glory of the revolution on the island, others left everything they had, homes, families, lives to come here and live in freedom. The "older Cubans" have fought tooth and nail for everything, not just for prosperity, but to help bring those left behind. They opened the doors and fought to keep them open.
So, call us mafiosos if you will. Follow the dogma of Castro's rhetoric. We know pain, we know loss, we know hardship. And we aren't going to fund it anymore.
Posted by Val Prieto at February 19, 2004 08:24 AM
Comments
It does seem heartless to deny the food needed to keep the family from starving over there.
I mean, I've considered remitting funds, and I know some of my relatives do that. It just hurts when we saw a video years ago when a family member visited Cuba. Our relatives on the island saved up their food for a whole bloody *month* to make sure a good traditional dinner was ready for my tia abuela when she arrived.
Even then, it was a bit skimpy. As the rest of us sat around our abundant Sunday dinner table we *all* felt guilty. We noticed how skinny the family there were, how run down the buildings, and how little food there was.
Every time I hear plans to shut off remittances, I think of that video from almost 10 years ago, and think how worse things are today over there...and shudder.
It may well be the necessary price paid to drive the bearded bastard out of power...but the pain it will inflict on the average Cuban is just hard to contemplate with any equanimity.
Posted by: Calixto at February 19, 2004 12:11 PM
I agree Calixto. No es facil. But, where does it come to and end? The food is there. It's available. It isnt as scarce as everyone is led to believe. Dollar store shelves are chock full with it.
Ive read where in some cases farmers of certain agricultural crops are fined and worse yet, anything they harvest above the quota is destroyed. Destroyed man. By the government.
I came across a recently arrived Cuban here that travels to Cuba almost monthly and asked him why he travels there so often. Why he keeps given the regime money. His response? Because with money in Cuba he lives like a king. Gets laid left and right. And then, he says to me "Besides, el maricon ese (Fidel) lo pusieron tu y tus padres. Yo no lo puse ahi. El es tu problema."
That pretty much solidified my stand against remittances.
Posted by: Val Prieto at February 19, 2004 12:32 PM