One can understand that the existence of a socialist country in the Western Hemisphere has disturbed those presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to the present. It can be assumed that the Palace of the Revolution does not like the operations of that plague of banks and transnationals specialist in looting and generating international crises, even less the nuclear weapons pointed everywhere, including Havana.
But international policy is not resolved with sympathies or antipathies. Although Cuba and the United States are opposites, they are two realities in the world. Cuba realized that many years ago and has acted according to the situation, seeking to normalize relations with the bad neighbor. The Empire, however, keeps attacking those living on the other side. One can see who want to live peacefully and who not.
If anyone had any doubts, it was unveiled in March 2003 when, after the U.S. invasion to Iraq, ultra-belligerents of Florida, then ruled by President Bush’s brother, waving signs saying “We got to Baghdad, now Havana!”
Is not the accusation about the unilateral superpower a bit far-fetched? No. It is not exaggerated. That’s the aggressive side of the story and not rectified.
This is demonstrated with two simple examples. In October of last year the UN General Assembly decided by 187 votes in favor and two against, the United States should lift the economic and trade blockade against Cuba. That was vote number 19 in the same direction, but the enemy did not take the hint, when the direct economic damage exceeds the 750 billion of dollars.
Obama is the terrorist
This blockade has been qualified as a criminal act, because of the sufferings and even the death sown among the population, and was extended every year since Obama was installed in the White House. An extension based on a “law of war against an enemy country” dating to 1917, although it can not prove that the homeland of José Martí would make any war against it.
Unless the African-American judges as an “act of war” that the government of Raul Castro has graduated 40 young Americans as doctors, after studying six years at the Latin American School of Medicine. One would think that was a sign of love and solidarity with those “below,” even of a country “above” governed by the executioners of Cuba.
In August there were two new cases of reinforcement of the unjust blockade, enforced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which is dedicated to asset control (read those who trade with Havana).
On one side the French shipping company CMA CGM was punished with a $374,400 fine, for providing services to the island, such as transporting agricultural products and medicines. A horrible crime…
On the other, the U.S. bank JP Morgan Chase confirmed on 26 / 8 that it had to pay a fine of $ 88.3 million after being accused of violating restrictions placed on the island. This is how the champions of global free trade act.
Obama has again included Cuba on the list of states “that sponsor international terrorism.” In addition on the list are Iran, Syria, Sudan, North Korea and others that fall foul of the State Department. This form of punishment was adopted on August 18. The next day the Foreign Ministry of Cuba, led by Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, took up the gauntlet. “Cuba demands that the U.S. government punish the real terrorists who now reside in U.S. territory, to free the Five and end the policy of blockade and hostility against our country, which threatens the legitimate interests of both peoples” said the official statement.
Is Cuba a terrorist country? Where? How? So far as the eyes of mere mortals can see, the illegal prisons in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib are operated by the U.S. military. The bombings in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Libya, the large bombs and missiles are “made in USA”. The coups in Honduras and repression in Colombia, have the same seal. The coup attempts in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, are also the same.
They used to say that Bush was the terrorist. Shut up since January 2009 in his Texas ranch, he was replaced by Obama, a smiling snake charmer who bites with the same deadly venom that is extracted from them.
When will the U.S. understand its enemy is not Cuba? It was, for instance, Hurricane Irene, which caused 37 deaths. Even in that subject he could learn from the island, which has a great experience in weathering these storms.
Equals or not at all
The Cuban government and many of the world humanitarian organizations are calling for the release of the Five Cubans imprisoned in the U.S.. Those fighters have been imprisoned for warning their country of terrorist attacks organized by the Cuban-American mafia of Miami since September 12, 1998. In a show trial, partial and without proof they were punished with a total of four life sentences and 77 years. It was an injustice almost as great as that which sent the Martyrs of Chicago and Sacco and Vanzetti to the gallows.
This September 12 it will be met thirteen years since that great violation of the right to a defense in a trial and in an impartial location, which Miami could not be, the sewer of that mafia.
The judicial means are exhausted and the Supreme Court decided not to review the case, all that remains is to demand pardons from Obama. Like relentless ants, many associations of friendship with Cuba are collecting a million signatures in the world to ask the President to pardon those prisoners. Two of them have not been visited by their wives or their families for thirteen years because Washington will not grant them visas to enter U.S. territory. Ten Nobel Prize winners have called for their freedom. Not among them is the surprise Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2009, who had only been in the White House eight months and had no merit even for a minor prize in his neighborhood.
Those are the first two Cuban claims against their evil neighbor to stop the blockade and free the Five. The rest of the issues where there are differences between the two parties, Cuba asks they be negotiated in a peaceful dialogue between two equal partners.
Since Raul Castro in 2006 had to take over the post of president, with his brother Fidel with health problems, he has extended the olive branch. And the hand, offered for a rational discussion of outstanding disputes, remained in that position, open.
Unfortunately these negotiations were not accepted by Washington, except sporadically to discuss migration issues. Even on this topic there was no good news, because the Empire does not meet the current agreement to grant up to 20,000 visas annually for those wanting to travel to Florida.
It is certain that if Obama agreed to talk on equal terms with Castro, they could find solutions to the disputes. The Cubans claim that this should be a negotiation of equals and not subject to a surrender, putting aside their principles and socialism.
Until that time comes, Cuba will continue lowering the infant mortality rate and improving the economy affected by the blockade, but also by its own mistakes. When the bad neighbor is ready, and has the courage to ring the bell he will be greeted with a bountiful table. What is missing will be because of the blockade.
Translated by: Daysi Olano
