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MARIO J. TORRES
The Big Change
All the periods of the decades of the 60's, 70's, and 80's were
characterized by a regime of total control on the part of the government of
all spheres of life. It was the kingdom of only one party: the Communist one
and the celebration of party congresses in which Castro elected himself as
First Secretary of the Party and chose his men of confidence for the top
positions.
Politically, there was no contact with the western world; all relations with
capitalist countries were broken, and an imaginary Berlin Wall was built
around the island with entries only valid for other Communist countries from
Eastern Europe or Asia. Everything coming from the Socialist field was good
- it had to be good by all means - whereas mass media got specialized in
criticizing everything from the West, mainly from the United States, hiding
the undeniable progress of technology, development, and the standard of
living of the country.
Cubans did not learn about the trip to the moon, but they did know very well
that Yuri Gagarin was the first in flying into space, and they knew all
about the Russian flights and the achievements of the Socialist field.
This happened in all spheres of life: The Beatles were not heard in Cuba for
years after their initial performances. In films, in sports, and in art, the
information, if given, had to be digested, prepared, adapted, and
manipulated to serve the interests of the slogan: The Yankee Imperialism is
bad; our Socialist brothers are good.
Cuba was covered by a smoke curtain where the only things that were known
were Russian cars, tape recorders, radios, and television sets, which, by
the way, were horribly bad in quality.
A positive quote on the United States progress was a sin and could lead
anyone to jail. So, this was the beginning of the straight-jacket policy of
"not opening your mouth against Castro or in favor of the Yankees" - this
was the word he chose to name all North Americans - or it could cost your
job, your life, or the destruction of your family. On the contrary, the
habit of praising the marvels of the USSR was encouraged more and more, like
a religion.
This was the beginning of brainwashing. Some really believed it; others made
believe they did, but they could not tell the truth because they would be at
risk of losing their jobs or going to jail.
And, finally, some others were bought by the system with a good position, a
car, an apartment, a telephone, or an AC installed in their home.
In his speeches, Castro set forth to put the blame on the "Yankees" for
everything that went wrong in the country, and definitely everything has
gone wrong so far.
He became a maniac attacking the United States, and he was deeply grateful
for the "uninterested help of the Soviet Union."
Economically, Cuba only relied upon the limited trade from the communist
countries, which was later known as the support to a non-existent economy.
Castro exchanged his role of expanding Communism in America for limited food
and goods for the people, forgetting to take care himself of the country's
economy. This later led to the present catastrophe that is now taking place
in Cuba.
As a result of all this, a total scarcity of everything began to take place
among everyday needs and those items that could be quoted as scarce before
the decade of the 90's almost totally disappeared after 1990, when the
unbelievable but real story began:
(1) There started a reduction of local transportation due to lack of fuel
and spare parts
(2) No more American cars or electrical devices got into the island, and the
Russian counterpart was not effective.
(3) Problems with electric power led to intense blackouts
(4) Water supply problems started to appear due to lack of maintenance of
old equipment.
(5) No clothes or shoes were available for the overall population
(6) All types of food and all kinds of items were scarce in all respects
(7) Institution of the famous Coupon Book for food rations, clothes and
shoes distribution began.
These distributions could be daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly, depending on
the type of product. The Yankee Imperialism was always guilty for these
measures of its embargo to Cuba. Since all these measures had to be accepted
by force, a strong repression system was developed that started with the
creation of political "social" organizations which claimed to be massively
voluntary, but in their bottom, they were compulsory because everybody had
to take part and belong to them. Otherwise, they would be banned, cornered,
criticized, discriminated, or prosecuted. The aim of all this was to control
every Cuban in all spheres of life.
Among them, there are:
(1) The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR)
(2) Workers’ Trade Unions or CTC (Central of Cuban Workers)
(3) Young Communist League (UJC)
(4) Communist Party of Cuba (PCC)
(5) Federation of Cuban Women (FMC)
(6) Union of Cuban Pioneers (UPC)
(7) National Revolutionary Police. (PNR)
(8) Ministry of the Interior (Security) (MININT).
(9) Armed Revolutionary Forces (Army). (FAR)
(10) Association of Cuban Farmers (ANAP)
(11) Militia of Territorial Troops (MTT)
Castro's image changed from leader of an emerging revolution into a
dictator, even by having himself be called: “Commander in Chief”. This
translation in German is Fuhrer.
So there was only one party, only one leader, only one doctrine, and only
one way of thinking and expressing: blame to the evil "Yankees" and heil to
the kind Soviets.
Everybody was forced to applaud him in massive mandatory concentrations,
where he would speak for hours. People would have to listen to him under the
sun, repeat his words, say his slogan in chorus, and not complain at the
growing needs even though the different types of migration to the United
States in the 60's and 70's had shown the Cuban people that there was a
better life across the ocean.
In the meantime, economy continued to disappear and was kept artificially
alive due to the supplies from Eastern Europe, whereas Castro stated - in
invented figures - all of the achievements of the Revolution.
For all these years Cubans have had to put up with this system of
repression, scarcity, and needs; and the idea of massive migration or the
hope of waiting for the commander's death have been the only ways out for
the Cuban people.
Due to the strict control of the population and the very well-organized
system of repression with several failed attempts to overthrow the regime,
nobody would dare to think of armed struggle, strike, or open rebellion.
So, while some spend their lives waiting for the death of the dictator,
others figure out how to leave the country. The ones near the power think
that they have gone too far beyond for a retreat, so the system goes on and
on for years because Castro has specialized himself in keeping the power at
all cost.
When any Cuban thinks of progress, decent life, proper food and nourishment,
life improvement, and a good standard of living, he lays his eyes on the
United States of America, and that word is highlighted in his mind.
Sometimes that sense of welfare and "good things" is even exaggerated, but
it is understood.
The United States is an example of real life, not of "death in life," as
life is for most Cubans. In Cuba, people only strive for survival; they
spend time solving problems, getting needs, sorting out difficulties,
thinking of what they are going to eat the next day, or how they can get the
school shoes for their children.
Cubans have the United States held up on a shrine and he - whoever gets a
visa or wins the migration lottery and is able to travel to the United
States - is considered lucky and is congratulated, envied, and offered
farewell celebrations by his relatives, as if he had been freed from jail or
were going from hell to heaven.
In an old western movie, the city of Yuma was mentioned. Well, this is the
positive common term used for Cubans in order to refer to the United States
when people are not attacking Americans or calling them Yankees.
So we can hear anybody say: "Did you know how lucky X was. She married a
Yuma and left the country." Or: "X left Cuba to Yuma (the US)." Also a Yuma
has been expanded to any kind of foreigner with a better standard of living.
Of course, this term is colloquial and somehow vulgar, but it expresses
feelings to the extent that the United States is in the minds of all Cubans
as their saving shelter.
In early years farewell celebrations were in secret, but as the situation
worsened and the system lost more and more morals and the few principles it
claimed to have, nobody hid any more to express his happiness at traveling
to a better world - of course, putting political issues aside.
Migration has been legal and illegal. Legal ways are expressed by family
reunions in the United States in which a relative in the United States can
claim for his closest next of kin in Cuba, also, the person can travel by
means of the visa lottery or by a visit invitation from a close family
member in the United States and the latter may could become illegal if that
person did not return.
Some illegal ways include staying in a foreign country during a business or
competition trip, staying after an invitation or crossing the sea in a small
boat, raft, piece of wood, rubber, or whatever can float. This has led to
many deaths in the sea. Another way is getting in a foreign embassy by
force.
Before the collapse of the Communist field in 1989, many Cubans complained
that they were living roughly under Castro's rule, but no one ever knew that
the worst was still to come in the 90's. Castro himself named it as The
Special Period in times of peace which meant the total destruction of the
island.
"I'd rather be a foreigner in other lands than being one in mine"
Jose Marti
MARIO J TORRES
FEBRUARY 2004
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