June 13, 2008

Latest Cuban defector speaks his mind

The past few weeks have been pretty glum on the Cuba front. Most articles I’ve been reading have either been lauding the regime or are stuffed with angry anti-embargo, anti-Cuban-American comments. However, after reading this article in El Nuevo Herald last night, I finally smiled.

Yhosvany Carmona, a young and popular Cuban actor, decided to leave Cuba after the government prohibited him from acting for releasing a CD with several songs that weren’t as “pro-revolutionary” as desired. The songs touched on themes that affect all Cubans, such as exiled relatives and the loss of hope.

He arrived in Miami on Wednesday night and by Thursday he was already relishing in his newfound freedom of speech. In this article from El Nuevo Herald, Carmona speaks his mind about the regime. Here are a few highlights:


“Today’s Cuban youth… feels the lack of liberty and claims the right to choose our own future.”

“Regrettably, the only escape in Cuba is to leave.”

“There are no real changes for the people, everything is a big façade to entertain the population. Who are those that can now by computers, cell phones and DVDs? They are the same people who previously bought these items illegally.”

“People are tired, very tired of all the stories and promises that are never fulfilled.”

Carmona confessed that in the past few years, he began to question his role as an actor in Cuban society.
“I wanted to relieve myself of the pressure of feeling used to convince everyone else. Actors are pawns of the government to entertain and persuade the population, an uncomfortable game that affected me deeply as a human being.”

The AP and Reuters seem so keen on asking people in Cuba what they think of the reforms to flesh out their articles. It's interesting how these opinions change once there is no fear of retribution.

One day, people won’t have to leave Cuba to say how they feel or to pursue their dreams without being controlled by the government. Til that day, I wish Carmona the best of luck in his pursuit of liberty here in the United States.

Posted by Monica at June 13, 2008 05:21 PM

Comments

If Ive said it once, Ive said it a million times: In Cuba, you are forbidden a voice, and when you reach freedom and finally have that voice, nobody listens.

Posted by: Val Prieto [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 13, 2008 06:47 PM

I read this piece in Spanish, and am really taken with what this guy says about the new generation - his generation - and their disdain for regime politics; they have figured out, all by themselves, that they are being used by the government and nothing more.

There IS hope.

Posted by: Gigi [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 14, 2008 12:53 AM

That's fine if he wants to defect now. Where was he all this time? I always wonder about those folks who decide to defect or leave Cuba just because... They may have been apolitical like many, could care less that the country was a crappy place thanks to Castro, that there's so much control of the people but now, when their work is suppressed, oh, now they are yelling and screaming about lack of freedom.

Posted by: apr_47@yahoo.com [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 15, 2008 02:58 AM


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