June 23, 2005

So you want to go to Cuba, huh?

Well, I hope this doesnt happen to you, comrade:

A vacation to Cuba ended up as a traumatic experience for Canadian citizen Onelia ' ' Nely' ' Ross, who's still looking for explanations following her five days of arrest in a jail on the island. The Canadian government has requested through the International Trade Canada (ITC) , its exterior affairs department, an explanation from Havana on what occurred, after Ross made denounced the physical abuses she suffered during her detention.

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' ' They were five days of terror'', related Ross in interview with El Nuevo Herald. `` Suddenly I saw myself struck and humiliated in jail, and felt the same fear when I left Cuba for the first time''....

<...>

But the immigration employees in Holguín considered that there was an error in the date printed in the passport, and then denied her access to the rest of Cuban territory. In the middle of a confrontation that resulted, four officials came in and removed Ross from the room by force. ' ' I began to shout so that the other foreigners would realize what was occurring', she said.
They started to strike me and two uniformed women began to treat in a vulgar fashion. I then threw myself on the floor in order to defend myself."

Ross was not allowed to drink water or use the restroom for five hours. At 11 p.m. she was transferred by airplane to Havana to be processed. Ross was imprisoned for five days before being able to leave the island. The $500 that she took for vacation were retained by officials, and she also had pay for all ' ' services received' ': $16 daily for the jail stay, $12 for the food that she never ate, and $42 for round trip transportation to the airport.

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Mexican citizen Eva Badillo, resident of Campeche, was in the jail at the same time as Ross, and described her experience: ''Two hours after I entered the jail, Nely arrived with bruises in her arms and legs". Badillo was being detained for suspicions of false marriage with a Cuban citizen.

Ahhh, yes! Come visit us and see the quaint, dilapidated third worldesque ruins of the island of Cuba. Our people are friendly and warm. Our tropical beaches and breezes are beautiful. We'll go out of our way for you, the tourist, unless, of course, we have to beat the shit out of you.

Posted by Val Prieto at June 23, 2005 08:47 AM



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Comments

Tourists to Cuba to a great extent exploit the oppressed people of Cuba who serve as slave labor in hotels and as cheap sex objects. It is poetic justice when that oppressive regime also screws those tourists. fidel and those tourists deserve each other.

Posted by: Jose Aguirre at June 23, 2005 09:00 AM

I'm certain that our "staunch allies," the Canadians, will take their usual decisive action and lodge a firm protest with the U.N. Thugs tend to bitch-slap your citizens when, as a nation, you have no cojones.

Posted by: Kevin at June 23, 2005 10:21 AM

Am I wrong - I ask you - am I wrong, to be rather pleased this happened to a naive Canadian tourist? Maybe at least one of them will wise up to the truth about the castro regime. If she is intelligent.

Posted by: A.M. Mora y Leon at June 23, 2005 10:33 AM

Dudley Do-Right, where, oh, where are you?? When your compatriots are being manhandled by the Evil Fiend Kagasstropicus??

Posted by: Alberto Quiroga at June 23, 2005 10:54 AM

No I think the complaint will be lodged with the UN. The conversation may go something like this:

castro: Hans Blix? Great to see you again, Hans!

Hans Blix: Mr. President, we were supposed to receive your response regarding the Canadian woman's incarceration.

castro: Hans, Hans, Hans! We've been through this a dozen times. Nothing happened to that woman, OK Hans?

Hans Blix: I have to ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you, or else.

castro: Or else what?

Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you.

castro: And...?

Hans Blix: We will write you a letter, telling you how very angry we are.

Thanks to Team America World Police for inspiring this ditty.

Posted by: George L. Moneo at June 23, 2005 11:10 AM

I watched something similiar last year at Jose Marti Intl Airport. A Cuban American coming to visit his family. Detained with no reason or excuse. I watched as they took him away and left his mother wailing and crying in line.

When will the world fully understand what happens there?

Posted by: og at June 23, 2005 11:55 AM

There seems to be a definite difference in the way the Cuban gov't treats foreigners versus Cuban expats (exiles, immigrants, etc.) who are returning to the island. That shouldn't be much of a surprise.

Val, thanks for the link. Hope you're feeling better.

Posted by: Robert at June 23, 2005 01:53 PM

TEAM AMERICA
I was amazed at how much the South Park guys gave it to the left wing liberals on that one.
And pretty much made the whole pacifist movement look like a buncha Cotillion bound debutants whose hem has been soiled by the slightest rub with dirt!
I was RATHER pleased (and laughed my ass off ) !

Posted by: KillCastro at June 24, 2005 02:11 PM