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AGUSTIN BLAZQUEZ |
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Remarks at Miami International Book
Fair Nov. 14, 2001
Agustin Blazquez with the collaboration of Jaums Sutton
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2001
After my arrival in the United States in 1967, I noticed what the
written press and television were saying about Cuba, and consequently, I
realized the reigning misunderstanding about our reality.
I soon realized that Cuban-Americans were facing two formidable enemies:
Fidel Castro and the U.S. media.
In 1968 I began writing letters to American reporters trying to clarify
their errors and guide them to sources of information where they could
find the factual Cuban reality.
After several years of receiving silence as the only reply, I decided to
write articles. I always saw that my target was the American audience,
because Cubans know very well by our own experience the reality of
living inside Cuba.
Counting on the invaluable collaboration and dedication of an American,
Jaums Sutton – who has been the editor of all my work in English – my
articles were born and are being published by some 32 Web pages on the
Internet, and are read all over the world.
I have learned that among my readers are the Cuban secret state police,
the Capitol in Havana and the Cuban Interests Section in Washington,
D.C. – which is a nest of security agents, spies, bullies and Castro's
henchmen.
This was demonstrated on April 14, 2000, when "diplomats" attacked (as
the Cuban Rapid Response Brigades do) a group of U.S. citizens who were
peacefully demonstrating in support of Elian Gonzalez.
Some of my articles have also been published in U.S. newspapers like the
Houston Chronicle, the Washington Times and Washington Inquirer, but the
doors still are generally shut for the ones who write in English about
the reality of Cuba.
Carlos Wotzkow read one of my articles in Switzerland and commented on
it with writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante in England – I have known
Guillermo since 1966 and he was acquainted with my articles – and he
suggested that we publish a book together. That is how our collaboration
was born.
The result is "Covering and Discovering/Cubriendo y Descubriendo," a
bilingual book. Carlos' articles are in Spanish and mine are in English.
Another result of the dismissal of Cuban-Americans and the near total
blockade by the U.S. media is my labor as a documentalist – again
counting on the collaboration of Jaums Sutton, who, in addition to
donating his time, has contributed economically to this enterprise.
In these documentaries I attempt to disseminate our reality to the
American public, reflecting the majority feelings of our community and
giving Cuban-Americans the opportunity to express themselves without
being subjected to misrepresentation and ridicule.
Tonight is the first time that one of my documentaries is shown here,
the capital of Cuban exiles.
The U.S. media present our community in a negative and insensitive way,
revealing their apparent resentment against us simply because we try to
expose the romantic aura around Castro and his revolution as nothing
more than a tragic fallacy.
During the Elian Gonzalez affair, this resentment by the U.S. media was
clearly demonstrated by the derogatory way we were presented to the
public opinion of the nation.
What was published about us in the U.S. media in this country was
insulting to a superlative degree, using an attitude that, of course,
they wouldn't dare use about the other ethnic groups that make up this
nation.
It is my intention that through my articles and documentaries the
American people receive our message, which in reality is a very American
message in accordance with the founders of this great nation.
We, Cuban-Americans, definitely do appreciate, love and defend real
liberty.
Thank you very much.
Producer/Director of the documentaries
COVERING CUBA
COVERING CUBA 2: The Next Generation
COVERING CUBA 3: Elian (forthcoming)
Author with Carlos Wotzkow of the book
COVERING AND DISCOVERING
© ABIP 2001
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Augustin Blazquez is a documentary film
producer.
For a preview and information on the
documentary and books
click here:
ABIP
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Agustín Blazquez'Main Page |
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