September 08, 2008

Reality check

The Cuban government, as you all well expected, declined an offer from the US for emergency humanitarian aid after hurricane Gustav:

HAVANA — Cuba politely declined a U.S. offer to send a disaster assessment team to the island after Hurricane Gustav, saying Saturday it would prefer Washington suspend restrictions on travel and the sale of food and other materials the country needs to recover.

First, this is obvious bullshit. The US is currently Cuba's number one supplier of food and agricultural goods. Second, the last thing any area that's been devastated by a natural disaster and is short on food and supplies needs is tourists taking up those precious supplies. Cuba also has plenty of materials, including the infrastructure to produce tons of concrete and other related materials that it has through the years given away to other countries as a propaganda ploy.

In essence, here's what the Cuban government's statement really means:

We do not want any free humanitarian aid of food, supplies and emergency personnel. We want you to lift the trade "embargo" so that we can purchase said food, supplies and hire personnel - all on credit of course - which we will then default on and never pay back, like we've done to every other single country that trades with our government. No handouts, please. Just let us rob you capitalist bastards blind.

Posted by Val Prieto at September 8, 2008 01:58 PM

Comments

They continue to use the Cubans as a bargaining chip rather than treat them as humans. The Red Cross and many other organizations are ready to go there as well, if they just give the word.

The first one I saw trying to get the US to lift the travel restrictions, get this, for 60 to 90 days, was Saul Sanchez. I personally can't stand him, but that's niether her nor there, how can Cubans flying to Cuba on normal passenger planes help re-build Pinar del Rio, Isla de Pino and now other parts in Oriente and Camaguey? Would they be able to carry a roof, or a wall in the plane? That is IMHO, BS.

He should be trying to put together as much international preassure as possible so that Cuba feels obligated to accept help from around the globe.

Posted by: Lori [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2008 02:30 PM

As far as Castro, Inc. is concerned, this sort of natural disaster is just an easy way to get major foreign aid for free, as well as a way to get sympathy that deflects attention from human rights abuses. If the government is worried about anything, it's that this may adversely affect tourism and, possibly, dangerously aggravate discontent and frustration among ordinary Cubans.

The bottom line, however, is always the same: how will this affect the REGIME, and how can the regime turn it to ITS advantage? The people will have to fend for themselves or get friends and relatives to send help from abroad, but their welfare is NOT what the government is thinking about. As far as Castro, Inc. is concerned, the people might as well be cattle.

Posted by: asombra [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 8, 2008 03:05 PM


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