Cayo Canas Island

Nota: Un amigo me envió esta versión inglesa de mi artículo. Aquí se las dejo a aquellos que no saben español. Asdrúbal Caner

"I could write fifteen reasons why I think that the embargo policy towards Cuba is counterproductive to the achievement of freedom and useful to the regime in Havana, but that's what I published years ago. But one would suffice to prove it: the Cuban leadership does not want to lift the embargo."
(The secret pact. Ariel Hidalgo. El Nuevo Herald. Dec 13, 2008)

In his article today, Ariel Hidalgo comes from a premise that, by 2008, does not convince anyone. If that had been written in the 80s, under the Soviet subsidies, that would be an absolute truth. But today, the dictatorship is crazy about lifting the embargo, or rather, the remaining restrictions, since the Castro regime has bought medicines, foodstuffs, articles for construction and other sectors, etc., worth up to U.S. $ 2000 million.

But ... why all those calling for the lifting of the embargo, do not ask, at the same time, the lifting of the brutal blockade of Fidel Castro against the people of Cuba?

Who are those calling for the lifting of the embargo?
- Fidel Castro and the Communists, suffocated in his own bunker.
- The major U.S. companies
- The radical left - among them artists and filmmakers from Hollywood - from around the world.
- The Cuban economic migrants, who may go to Cuba, and show their lack of principles, decency and patriotism.
- Some not very clear voices, the Florida International University, from where it worked for many years, two well-known Castro’s agents, and now serving sentences. How many more will there be? According to U.S. intelligence, there are over 4000 agents of the Castro’s Gestapo.
And how many more will there be among economic migrants?
- Other voices of American and Cuban Americans, professors of universities and circles of power in this country, very close to the left.
- Hundreds of countries by anti-Americanism, by opportunistic political pacts, like the African and Caribbean countries or for business and investment - such as Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany and so forth - with the dictatorship in Havana.

What would it mean the lifting of the unilateral U.S. embargo without any concessions from Castro to the Cuban people?

I understand there are four major beneficiaries:
- First of all, Fidel Castro, who would achieve the biggest victory he has never reached in his evil life.
- Gestapo Castro and the generals, who are the new entrepreneurs, the new reactionary communist bourgeoisie.
- The radical leftist, communist parties and the enemies of freedom around the world.
- The major U.S. companies and groups - the National Foreign Trade Council, based in Washington, the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Retail Federation, among others – that have not interest whatsoever of the terrible suffering of the Cuban people.
According to those seeking the lifting of the embargo, it would:

- Remove arguments from the rotten regime in Cuba.
- The Cuban people would be released, by trade and contact with the outside
- Progress would be achieved towards a peaceful transition to freedom and human rights.

I get the impression that during these last 50 years, Cubans and the free world, as well, have not learned anything from what Fidel Castro and a communist dictatorship really are. I have called this dictator a true and absolute monster in regard to achieve prosperity, harmony and peace among Cubans. But I take my hat off to the viciousness and cunning of his shrewdness, to ensure that its enemies do what he wants.

Fidel Castro, after stealing all the properties of the Americans, made them pay U.S. $ 52 million dollars for the Bay of Pigs prisoners. After stripping of their property to Cubans, has forced them to sustain him like a cool pimp, through remittances and package shipments, which are around U.S. $ 1200 million, the 3rd. Castroist’s Industry.
He forces the - political and economic - Cubans migrants, to pay the highest rates in the world to call Cuba, go on holiday to see their family or send money or packages.

After paying what he wants to be paid, he shows them his contempt when they arrive, from the customs office until they leave. They can not go to the Keys or elsewhere reserved for only to the members of the nomenclature and foreign tourists.

He has transformed the U.S embargo – set in retaliation for the robbery of their property - in a measure against the United States itself.

I can not understand how it is possible that, intelligent and anti-Castroist people, to ask for the lifting of the embargo, because they think they are going to defeat the most vicious and evil dictator that has existed on this hemisphere in the last 200 years, through trade and tourism.

Fidel Castro opened Cuba to the exile in 1978, through the so-called "dialogue Cuban Community in Exile". In May 1980, some 130,000 Cubans left Cuba, who sought to live in the U.S., where the dollars are found in all the trees. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have traveled to Cuba, who in addition to leaving tons of money to the satrap; have incited hundreds of thousands of Cubans to escape to the U.S. and not to fight against tyranny. That is the role of the Cuban Adjustment Act: to receive these hordes of economic migrants.

What will happen to the opposition, the Internal Dissidence and Exile? Will they be recognized as a force to take into consideration and consult to solve the problems created by the perversity of F. Castro?

When Osvaldo Paya Sardinas introduced in 2002 the 20,000 signatures to change the Constitution, F. Castro forced the Parliament to declare the "irrevocable" condition of Socialism in Cuba.

Right now, one of the old gendarmes of the tyrant, Mr. Armando Hart, has called to develop a new strategy of ideological confrontation, the prospects of changes that are expected with the Obama Administration.

While in exile, some deluded dream of the changes that will bring the lifting of the embargo, the old communists, committed to the bones with the horrendous crimes of the Castro regime, are calling for further strengthening the potential cracks in the bunker.

The poll of FIU, the Cuban Study Group, where 55% of exiles wanted to end the embargo, I think a trial balloon since in the recent elections that had voted overwhelmingly for exile Ileana Ross-Lehtinen, Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, three Cuban representatives, who do not precisely, advocate for such a step.

I would agree with Mr. Ariel Hidalgo, with the Cuban Study Group and other groups that want to present to the tyrant an olive branch.
Knowing that the communist Satrapies feed on hatred, violence and war.

The only question I ask is ... In exchange for what?

But I think the first thing we should do is ask the tyrant. Do you want to ask the satrap?

I do not think it necessary. Recently, in one of his thoughts, he gave the answer: Conversation with Obama, yes, it is possible. Negotiation, none. Period.

Well, I can only ask the question again: Lifting of the embargo, yes, but... In exchange for what?

Un abrazo.

Asdrúbal Caner Camejo

Representative of the PSC
in Canada.