05/12/2011 – 1:12 pm PDT -- Headlines
by Normando Hernandez Gonzalez, Cuban ex political prisoner of conscience
Each passing day I am horrified to hear people say that Raul Castro is
different from his brother Fidel. These naive people affirm that the
slave master of Cuba is more sentimental. They base their argument,
among other things, on the fact that they saw him cry in the funeral of
his wife, Vilma Espin. Because of that display of sensibility, some
believe that it is possible to negotiate with the youngest of the Castro
brothers so that he can lead the country to a democracy. I am also
horrified each time I hear of democratic governments throughout the
world which seek to engage with the Cuban oligarchy and do all in their
possession to negotiate with them at the expense of the Cuban people.
Those who think that with Raul in power things will be different are
extremely wrong!
One of the gravest issues which mankind faces is their scarce passive
memory. They have already forgotten the more than 500 executions which
Raul Castro ordered in Eastern Cuba during the beginning of the
Revolution, most of which were done without having held trials. They
have also forgotten about all the Cubans who have tried to escape his
claws and have been massacred by the Frontier Guard Troops (under his
command) in the attempt. Lost in their memories is also the fact that
the current President of the State Council and Ministries, chief of
Cuba's government, and First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party
(PCC) authorized the use of chemical weapons in the 80?s in Angola which
left thousands dead. We must not lie to ourselves. Raul is just as
murderous as Fidel, and the only thing he cares for is to win some time
to die while still in power.
One example of the morbidness of the 4-Star General is the positive
image he is trying to spread throughout the world- that facade of
spearheading changes in the largest island of the Antilles, when reality
is completely the opposite. If we compare the arbitrary arrests and
human rights abuses which have occurred during the first four months of
2011 (January-April: 1166) with the same exact period of time during
last year (579) then we can clearly see that it has practically duplicated.
Meanwhile, if we interpret the words he spoke during the Central Report
of the VI Communist Party Congress, we can see the incitement to use
violence against those who peacefully oppose the government in Cuba, "it
is necessary that we make it clear that we will never deny the people
their right to defend their Revolution, seeing as the defense of
independence, the achievements of socialism, and of our plazas and
streets will continue to be the primary duty of all Cuban patriots,"
assured Raul Castro.
Those words already claimed their first victim. The new Cuban martyr is
called Juan Wilfredo Soto Garcia. The dissident and ex-political
prisoner (jailed 3 times) died this Sunday, May 8th, as the consequence
of a beating carried out by members of the repressive government forces.
"The Student" (as the martyr was nick-named) committed a horrific crime:
he was sitting on a bench in the Vidal Park of Santa Clara province,
while he was chatting about baseball. They say that he was handcuffed
and that various police officers beat him in a way that provoked his
death in a matter of 72 hours in the Arnaldo Milan Hospital.
It can't be described in any other way than saying that the henchmen of
Castro's regime defend the conquests which Raul Castro mentioned in his
report. If they continue operating in such a fashion, pretty soon Cuban
dissidents will not even be able to live in their homes without fear of
being lynched inside by the paid assassins of Raul-ism.
Now, we will hear the unjustified justifications of the Cuban
Misgovernment. And then we will see all the medical reports which
assure that 46 year old Juan Wilfredo died as consequence of any sort of
illness he suffered from, all except the kicks which led him to join the
ranks of those who will always be remembered for defending the freedom
and rights of an entire nation.
The truth is that the former member of the Central Opposition Coalition,
and also of the United Anti-Totalitarian Forum is yet another deceased
Cuban who yearns for justice in the face of passive democratic
governments, like the European Union (EU) which seeks an improvement of
ties with the regime of Havana. It would be a good idea to exhort the
EU's High Representative for Exterior Issues and Security, Baroness
Catherine Ashton, to take note of the most recent assassination carried
out by the Cuban State, so that she could reflect this in the report she
must present to the rest of the EU's members.
It is also important to exhort the EU countries to implement mechanisms
aimed at protecting Cubans so that, through their right to exercise
their freedoms, they can work in favor of coexisting with all those who
also desire freedom and democracy.
There is a certain question I ask myself, and also ask the readers: if
the Libyan government is condemned for all the barbaric crimes it
commits against its people, then why can't the government of Cuba be
condemned for treacherously assassinating their dissidents?
Democratic governments, politicians, intellectuals, artists, and any
person of goodwill in the world will have the final word: Against the
government of Raul Castro, in Favor of the Cuban People.
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