Cuba Customs Chief Confirms Seizure

Cuba Customs Chief Confirms Seizure
March 20, 2013
Isbel Diaz Torres

HAVANA TIMES — The head of Cuban Custom's Postal & Shipping Department,
Raul Gomez Badia, has just upheld the appeal I filed recently in an
attempt to recover a small shipment of Venezuelan libertarian
("anarchist") newspapers.

As promised to the readers of Havana Times, I'm sharing the outcome of
my efforts with the Cuban authorities.

Through Resolution No. 92-2013, that agency declared in its fifth
"whereas" that "the penalty was correctly applied by the authority in
charge in that it detected literature directed against the revolutionary
process in Venezuela and its leader."

I don't know if it's the same with you readers, but I see a great
contradiction in this. I seem to remember that what was stated in the
initial seizure was that the materials were directed "against the
general interests of the nation."

Is Cuban Customs overseeing the general interests of the Venezuelan
nation instead of ours? Or am I living in Venezuela and I've been
deceived all my life?

At least something has been made clear: In the 21st century, the
monolithic ideology introduced in our country still decides what
literature we Cubans can and cannot read.

It's very important to emphasize this, although it sounds like a truism,
because much of the intelligentsia here on the island is a world of
their own, thinking we've left behind the days of the quinquenio gris,
the persecution of alternative thinking and censorship just because
certain academic circles, certain circles of the artistic elite, closed
to broader society, are allowed the luxury of transgressing a few
previous restrictions.

It's also interesting (and shocking) to confirm how an institution like
Cuban Customs abrogates the right to determine which international
processes are revolutionary and which ones aren't. We already know the
term is apt to dissimilar readings.

Such a practice ignores the right of each individual to decide for
themself whether, in this case, the Venezuelan revolution is being
forged by the government (and its leaders), or — conversely — the
militants of El Libertario are the real revolutionaries.

Moreover, the fallacy of the "guarantees" provided by the government is
once again evident. Its arbitrariness is evident, as well as its attacks
on the most basic rights. There's no point going to the "appropriate
authorities" as they only mock citizens like us.

In this case, Officer Gomez Badia didn't even bother to read the papers
in question. This is evident in his repetition of the same mistake as
his subordinate: In his third "whereas" he incorrectly called the
newspaper El Literario (The Literary) rather than El Libertario (The
Libertarian).

Faced with such disrespect of itself, can we expect anything different
for us?

Well, we'll find out, because the second "Be it resolved" informed us
that "the appeal has no recourse in administrative channels, it is left
with only the judicial process."

If we are forced to go through the "judicial process," we'll proceed
though it expeditiously – although if I'd been in their position, I
would have simply turned over the newspapers. At the end of the day, the
only thing they're going to do is sink deeper and deeper. Apparently
they don't even understand what's written there.

Meanwhile, the newspaper of the CNT labor union in Spain (which we now
have in our hands) has published our complaint. We want to express our
appreciation for the solidarity of our friends in Europe.

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=89878