A free Cuba and a free Venezuela in exile.
Then, two bullets, baddabing, baddaboom.
Castro is aiding Chavez and Chavez is aiding FARC.
A preemptive strike on terrorist abettors: a good thing.
Posted on 06/04/2003 11:19:24 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
Some 3,456 persons of Cuban origin living in Puerto Rico voted in favor of [drafting] a Constitution of a Free Nation of Cuba in exile, out of 3,508 who attended the Refe-Cuba held yesterday in Pedrín Zorrilla Coliseum. A similar number of voters supported the establishment of a commission that will work towards the constitution of such a nation.
Organizers look forward to repeating the event in United States cities such as Miami, New York, and Chicago and [the State of ] New Jersey, as well as other countries where there is a large presence of Cuban exiles in order to legitimize their efforts before international organizations.
“The purpose is to legitimize the Free Nation of Cuba, which is a concept and a doctrine that, once the majority of Cubans in exile supports, will gain a juridical personality and represent the true interests of the Cuban people,” Miguel Angel Martín, spokesman for the National Transition Commission, stated.
Voters were asked on the ballot if they agreed with legitimizing “The Free Nation of Cuba”, creating a “National Transition Commission”, and authorizing it to continue work towards legitimizing that “Free Nation of Cuba”. Three-thousand, four-hundred and fifty-six persons supported the creation of the “Nation”, 34 persons did not, and the remainder either did not vote or submitted a blank ballot. Regarding the Commission, 3,419 persons voted in favor and 44 against.
In addition to the referendum, a poll was conducted to ask voters if they believed the National Transition Committee should coordinate efforts with dissident groups inside Cuba such as All United and the Assembly for the Development of Civil Society (3,429 in favor, 15 against) and [if they supported] the Varela Project (3,234 in favor and 161 against). [The Varela Project is an effort by dissidents inside Cuba to provide for a larger participation of the Cuban people in the political and economic life of the country. Supporters of the Project call for legal recognition of the freedoms of speech, press, and assembly; the right of Cubans to own businesses; electoral reform; and amnesty for political prisoners.]
Martín explained that the initiative is based on the premise that 12 million people living in Cuba cannot speak freely against the dictatorial regime, for which the 2 million Cubans in exile aspire to form that Free Nation of Cuba.
[The exiles] attempt to replace the Cuban government with this [Free Nation] in international organizations in the future and thus end the Castro regime. “Those 12 million Cubans are not allowed to speak [freely] or vote, [so] it’s like they don’t exist because they are like slaves,” [Martín] commented.
The 39 persons behind the event understand that Cubans in exile have all the characteristics to constitute a nation, because they are “a group of people of a same origin, who speak a same language and have a common history and tradition.” Also, because they affirm that the Cuban nation consists of the people as such and not the government that rules over those who live on the island.
The above being said, their logic is that the Cuban government is not legitimate since it does not enjoy the support of this [Cuban] diaspora and, therefore, has no right to represent it before the international community.
Puerto Rico is the first place where the Refe-Cuba is held, but [its organizers] hope to follow suit in cities in the United States, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Spain, and other countries where Cuban exiles are present. They project this process will last between 6 months and one year.
Martín informed that, once support from exiles in these areas is obtained and voters are registered, a process to select a directorate would be initiated in order to determine what specific route the organization will take to achieve its purposes. Although he did not provide specifics, the efforts would be towards achieving Cuban representation in international organizations and liberating Cuba.
The event was witnessed by observers from the State Elections Commission, former Mayor of San Juan and Chairman of the Electoral Reform Commission Héctor Luis Acevedo, and former Vice-President of the Dominican Republic Carlos Morales Troncoso. Martín could not specify the cost of the event but stated that it was financed by the organizers and donations.
Cafe con Leche II on PBS.
They will discussing the negative publicity Cuban exiles received during the Elian days.
I don't know about the "legitimate" government of Cuba, but it is the de facto government of Cuba. You can't avoid recognizing that. But no use genuflecting before it, either.
I keep predicting, two more years, and its gone (I have my own private countdown going). One of these days the guy is going to faint on the podium and he won't get back up. And the island is going to, after a few moments of shock, go absolutely crazy.
If the fall of the Iron Curtain is any guide, the present secret police and party apparatus will form the nucleus of the future Cuban mafia, and we will spend the next decade putting them in jail. All in good fun.
But its not far away, so it makes sense to me for the Cubans in exile to start thinking about what must be done to liberate and stabilize post-Castro Cuba. But what happens will probably be outside anyone's ability to manage. A transitional government made up of generals and secret police will probably take over, but unless they move quickly to open up the country, they will be swept away by a generalized popular mutiny that no one will be able to stop.
There probably are no natural leaders in Castro's inner circle, by design; Castro has made sure that there are none. So there will be no one to pick up his mantle, and if there is, he must be ruthless, and he must hope there is a Democrat in the White House, and even at that I don't give him long to live. Castro is, after 40 years of rants and strutting and 2-nickle philosophizing, a mule, unable to recreate himself. In a very few months time, now, he will be gone, and we will dance on his grave for a fortnight, and then forget where he was buried.
There's this old joke in Miami, I first heard it when President Reagan was in office.
It seems that the president fell ill with a disease to which science had yet to find a cure. In desperation, Nancy decided to freeze a comatose Ronnie in the hope that the cure would be found soon, and that Ronnie could be brought back and be cured.
As these things always happen, finding a cure took much longer than predicted, and it was many years later that president Reagan wakes up.
As his eyes clear up, he spots an elderly gentleman standing by his bed, an while the face looked familiar, Ronnie couldn't quite place him.
"Who are you?"
"Dad, it's me, Ron Jr."
After many words, and many tears, the full realization of what had happened was sinking in.
The president asked for Nany first..."Mom died years ago father".
President Reagan then asked about his friends.
"Ron, what about my allies and my enemies on the world stage?" What about that lady, the one from England, my good and true friend?
"You mean Margaret Thatcher?"
"Yes! How is Maggie?"
"She passed away quietly in her State outside of London many years ago."
"What about the man from Russia, the one with the mark on his head?"
"That would be Gorbachev."
"Yes! Where's Mikhail?"
"Dead as well father."
Reagan thought for a minute.
"What about that crazy guy, from that little Island just below Florida...you know, the one with the beard, and the cigar."
"You mean Fidel Castro?"
"Yes! Him!"
"He's fine, but in Miami, they say that he has maybe a year or two left at most."
A free Cuba and a free Venezuela in exile.
Then, two bullets, baddabing, baddaboom.
Castro is aiding Chavez and Chavez is aiding FARC.
A preemptive strike on terrorist abettors: a good thing.
Hey Cesar! Come! Pull my funger!
No, no, Presidente, I said FARC!
Bump!
It didn't! I'm posting from Barad-dur!! LOL!
Oh, and sadly, I missed last night's program due to certain individuals who did not want to see it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.