July 22, 2004

Slap on the Sunscreen!

Cuban authorities are now allowing actual Cubans onto tourist beaches! How magnanimous! All that ordinary Cubans have to do to get in now is show ID and sign a registry. Of course, they are only allowed in between the hours of 6 AM and 6 PM.

Cubans on the island must be ecstatic! Now, as long as its during daylight hours and they have alerted the government that they intend to go for a quick swim, they can mingle with the European and Canadian and South American tourists!!!

What joy! Imagine being allowed to go anywhere in your own country!

What will the regime think of next?

HAVANA, July 20 (Moisés Leonardo Rodríguez, Grupo Decoro / www.cubanet.org) - Cubans are only allowed at Esmeralda beach in Holguín province, a popular tourist destination, under strictly regulated conditions and are closely watched while there, said local human rights activist Guillermo Llanes.

Until recently, Cubans were not allowed to approach the beach fronting the three hotels in the area at all, Llanes said, but a complaint by a foreign journalist evidently embarrassed authorities into relaxing the regulation, to some extent.

Now Cubans are allowed in after presenting identification and signing up in a registry, and only between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. All the time they are there, they are watched by security agents for the three tourist hotels that front the beach.

Llanes said several of the security personnel have acknowledged to him that they feel watching the Cubans is an additional burden to their workload.


Posted by Val Prieto at July 22, 2004 08:30 AM



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Comments

Well who'd have thought Casto was so closely related to JIM CROW? And isn't it nice to know that he and Senator Byrd have something in common after all?

Good to see you must be feeling better, Val, and I'm glad you liked the Marti quote. You're the one that got me to remember reading it oh so long ago. Your site has been a real eye opener concerning Cuba. Thanks and keep up the great work!

Posted by: WB at July 22, 2004 08:55 AM


You just know that the permits read "No floaties, no air mattresses, no inner-tubes, no amphibious trucks".

Posted by: homebru at July 22, 2004 12:51 PM

Best...comment...ever, homebru. :-)

Posted by: j.scott barnard at July 22, 2004 01:27 PM