Cuba’s Fidelista “Terror”

I've just been reading Mexican Journalist Jorge Ramos' series of independant reports in his book "Lo que vi". I read "Los disidentes de Cuba" with interest, expecting a hard-hitting, objective account of oppression in Cuba.

I can't exactly say I was disappointed. But, it was a bit of a letdown. Apparently, in the late 1990's when this was written, Cuba did have a substantial number of political prisoners. A total of 600 or so, in a total population of 10 million people. This is certainly a significant number, but it hardly constitutes a Gulag. Given the number of Americans who consider Castro to have been worse than Stalin, it did seem rather on the small side. Particularly bearing in mind the millions of Americans in prison for nothing worse than drug abuse -- a kind of political crime itself.

Then there was his meeting with Luis Lopez Prendes, the culmination of the article. A former independant journalist, Mr. Prendes was fired for being overly critical of government policy on health care and hasn't worked since. He is dependant on his family for financial support. Apparently, the reader is supposed to be shocked by the notion of someone being fired for being too independant on the job and being thrust back on the resources of his family to support him. This only happens in Cuba???

Mr Prendes has been arrested 15 times. Apparently, it hasn't affected his family's ability to support him, or kept him in prison. Apparently, he hasn't been tortured, let alone executed. Or ever been threatened with anything of the sort.

Mr. Ramos was warned several times by officials representing the Cuban ministry of external affairs that if he kept meeting with dissidents he would not be allowed another visa to Cuba. They made no effort to actually stop him from visiting dissidents. But, he hasn't been able to get another visa to visit to Cuba, since this visit. How awful!!!