This is Democratic Senator for New Jersey Robert "Bob" Menendez. He is a very great man. Chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (a bit like our foreign minister I think) for 4 years. The biggest of gobbiest shoutiest mouths about maintaining and increasing the blockade, not allowing remittances or visits to the island. He was instrumental in legislation granting Cuban doctors and medical staff on internationalist missions, and their families, instant US citizenship, housing etc in an attempt to get them to defect. He fought like crazy against Obama's easing of US aggression against the island. Of course, like all worms, he is linked to political violence, murder and corruption. That's as you'd expect https://jacobin.com/2024/05/bob-menendez-cuba-terrorism-corruption "In 1987 Menendez appeared at a fundraiser for and contributed to the legal defense of Eduardo Arocena, the leader of Omega 7, a far-right Cuban group that targeted people who favored engagement with the island. Three years previously, Arocena had been jailed by a New York federal court for over thirty bombings and two assassinations — including that of Cuban diplomat Félix García Rodríguez, the first ever UN diplomat to be murdered on US soil. Sometimes the “law at a given time has to be broken,” Menendez told local newspaper the Hudson Dispatch that year, when questioned about his support for Arocena. He added that the fight for a free Cuba should be carried out “wherever the enemy may be.” New Jersey restaurateur Ramon Díaz, a former Menendez donor who now regularly travels to the island, tells Cuban reporter Liz Oliva in Hardliner on the Hudson, Belly of the Beast’s new film on Menendez, what he thinks would have happened to him had he advocated lifting the embargo at the time: “At least my restaurants would have burnt down. Most likely I would have been shot.” "The Daily Caller, a conservative blog, reported that the divorced father of two had made several trips via private plane to the Dominican Republic for rendezvous with underage prostitutes". On August 27, 2006, two Republican state lawmakers filed an ethics complaint against Menendez, alleging he broke conflict-of-interest rules when renting property to a nonprofit agency that receives federal funds. Menendez helped the agency win designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 1998. That designation allowed it to receive additional federal grants. In January 2013, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided the office of Florida ophthalmologist Salomon Melgen, a close friend and major donor to Menendez. Later that month, a federal grand jury in Miami began investigating Menendez for his role in advocating for Melgen's business interests. It was found that Melgen's company had contributed more than $950,000 to Menendez's 2012 reelection campaign. He was charged but the jury failed to reach a verdict. Beginning in late 2022, questions were raised about whether Menendez or his wife accepted allowable gifts from an Edgewater, New Jersey, halal meat provider and whether an Egyptian firm received unwarranted favorable treatment. Investigators found *$480,000 in cash* and more than *$100,000 worth of gold bars* at Menendez's home. Menendez says the cash found in his home was from his 'personal savings account' which he kept for 'emergencies' due to his family 'facing confiscation in Cuba' His sister, age 80, has backed him up on this during the trial. She testified that everyone who left Cuba kept cash at home because “they were afraid of losing what they worked so hard for because, in Cuba, they took everything away from you.” Fair point that. Except that Bob has never seen the sky over Cuba. His parents left the island in 1951. 8 years before the revolution. 1 year before Batista's coup. They left during the administration of Carlos Prío, called el presidente cordial ("the cordial president"), who was committed to a rule marked by civility, primarily in its respect for freedom of expression. Menendez dated local clothing tycoon Arnaldo Monzón’s daughter for years and considered him his father-in-law, Monzon also helped launch his political career. Monzón was also on the board of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF), the backbone of the Cuban American lobby in the 1980s and ’90s. Monzón and Abel Hernandez, another Menendez campaign contributor, had wired money to Posada Carriles in El Salvador and Guatemala. This money financed a series of fatal bombings in Cuban hotels intended to crush the island’s tourism industry in 1997. Now, 18 mins ago, the jury apparently reached a verdict. We should find out what it is very shortly. If guilty he will go to jail for the rest of his miserable life I hope.
GUILTY AS CHARGED! * BRIBERY * FRAUD * EXTORTION * OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE * ACTING AS A FOREIGN AGENT OF EGYPT
What I don't understand is why he would want to paedo it up in the Dominican Republic when he has such a beautiful gorgeous wife at home...
Out of interest, do you believe a reconciliation could ever take place between the US and Cuba, and if so, what might it look like? Or, separately, what would your conditions be, in a scenario where the power balance were the same as now. I take it no political compromise, and removal of sanctions, but, say, how may the two work together?
That's very compelling reasons to vote for Harris. If I were a single policy voter she would likely get my vote, but, unfortunately, the rest of the batpoop policies she pursues, and her communication, which arguably makes less sense than Joe Biden, but without the excuse of age and illness, would prevent me from voting for her. Her view on Cuba seems enlightened and where I would expect the US to be, this far removed from the revolution. I appreciate what you say about that fashionable interest in Cuba, but to me, who considers Hollywood and the fashion industry to be among the most negatively influential, shallow and manipulative sources of corruption and divisivness in the West, what you describe is the thin end of a very seductive wedge. There will be many conservative revolutionaries I suspect, who would be very worried about such incursions by US culture into Cuban society. The money and attention is welcome, but I am unsure that the effect will be something to cherish. The Cuba I find interesting, and which sets the place apart for me, is the one my friends were visiting 20 years ago, when people were going for what the country had, which was a vibrance and openess, but mostly Salsa It was a spirit to the country that they found exhilerating. It was an experience of the cities though, from a middle class Western view, but it didn't seem to be a put on. People were going to Cuba for what it had. If they start going there to experience Hollywood movie locations and elite fashion parades, I suspect the revolution may not last much longer. That is not an excuse for US directed poverty though. That cultural capture is exactly what the US might want. Because they know what the long term effect will bring. If I were a Cuban revolutionary, I don't think Obama's offerings, from what you describe, would be ideal. Harris's words sound better. I hear what you say about Trump. I am not saying that he would offer anything different to anyone else, if his stance changed. What I am saying is that he was tougher on China and Korea than other Presidents have been, but he also had a dialogue with them that left the door open to mutual gains. And I believe that, as a business man, mutual gains are more important to him than war mongering or territorial domination.
The strange thing is that Trump registered business trademarks and intentions to deal in Cuba during that Obama time. There are many in the USA, such as the agriculture growers, who would love to export to Cuba. Similarly there are many there who pine for Cuban cigars or rum, or who would like to visit on holiday. You are right that in the Obama time, there was some concern about the direction changes could take. Nobody wants to go back to the time of US virtual colonialism, casinos, brothels, Cuban servitude, US sailors urinating on the statue of José Martí etc. There were strong protests from many when the first cruise ship arrived during Obama's time for example. In the celebrations, they got women in dresses made of the Cuban flag to welcome the passengers in. The national banner. That was very disrespectful. I think even Fidel in his retirement wrote something in the paper about that. Cuba must be careful not to become a new economic colony when relations are eventually normalised. The island has been a colony of Spain, then the United States, then arguably in some aspects the USSR. Since 1991 Cuba has been truly independent and sovereign. And as Fidel used to say, we are NOT going back to the slave barracks....
If you would be interested to know about the current US - Cuba policy then I would recommend this video for example.
Happy Birthday eternal Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz! Retired undefeated. The people's hero. No statues, no streets or squares named after him on his strict and often repeated orders. Just one single word on his tomb. The name by which he was known the world over. Now he is with Martí, Camilo, Che, Maceo and others in the pantheon of Cuba's great statesmen and leaders. We say once more and reaffirm: ¡PATRIA O MUERTE! ¡VENCEREMOS!
In 1958, Cuba had a population of around 5.8 million. More than 1 million, in the countryside and sugar cane mainly, were illiterate. To make Cuba free of illiteracy was Fidel's very first task. What 'dictator' wants his people to read and write? Here is the march of the Conrado Benítez brigade some of the volunteer young people who went to every corner of the island to make sure every single Cuban could read and write and the island become a territory free of illiteracy. We are the Conrado Benítez Brigade! We are the vanguard of the Revolution! With the book on high, we'll complete our task, Bring literacy to all of Cuba. To plains and mountains the Brigadista goes, fulfilling duty to the homeland and fighting for peace. DOWN WITH IMPERIALISM! LONG LIVE FREEDOM! We bring with our letters the light of the truth, Cuba! Cuba! Study! Work! Rifle! Manual! Pencil! Textbook! Literacy! Literacy! We will win!
I'm curious. Clive. Why don't you live in Cuba? Seems like you have a genuine attachment to it and you don't seem to like the UK much in comparison, so why not move there?
Well it's a question I've hard hundreds of times over the years when I've suggested spending money on hospitals instead of bombs etc. "If you like the Soviet Union so much, why don't you go and live there?" that used to be the regular one. As you know, I did live and work in Cuba in the past and when I went it was with the intention of staying permanently. Unfortunately, thanks to a headstrong and intransigent woman, we ended up coming back. As I was by now interpreting at Cuban government events and they liked me very much, I was an 'exemplary worker' three times and also a 'national vanguard worker'. They really wanted me to stay and there was an apartment in Alamar (a suburb of La Habana - known as the rainbow by the sea) coming up. I often wonder how things would have worked out if we'd have stayed. Two years ago I tried very hard to move out there again - but this time to Camaguey in the centre of the island and to be an English teacher rather than an interpreter/translator. Unfortunately it didn't work out for one reason and another. A great shame because I was very ready to go and had where to live in the city already arranged. Now my life has taken another turn and gone in another direction, so I can't see me moving out there any time soon. Maybe when I retire. I can buy a decent house, with furniture and fittings complete, for about $10k US. Many people are leaving and selling up. You must be a Cuban citizen to buy a house, but that is not a problem. In the past if you took Cuban citizenship, you have to renounce all other citizenships. They did not recognise dual citizenship. So it would have meant giving up my British passport - a big step. But now the law is changed so you do not have to renounce.
That's a decent policy and one I wish the UK would take on. You should need to be a citizen, AND resident. Renouncing citizenship is, for the most part, not much of a thing. Anyone who is forced to renounce UK citizenship as part of a foreign naturalization process is entitled to reapply for UK citizenship so, much like the US, it seems pointless to try and enforce it. Unlike the US, Cuba at least seems to have recognized how pointless it is. Thanks for the info!
Yes I agree - and simple to implement too. Popular with the Faragists also. I'm pretty sure the Cuban law also requires you to be resident, because otherwise the miami worms would already have bought half the island and be wanting to charge rent again... As for reapplying for British citizenship, you can bet like everything else with the immigration it costs a fortune and involves jumping through a myriad of hoops. If you've never experienced it, it is hell on earth and each time it gets tougher and more expensive as successive governments 'crack down' on migration. Imagine sitting around for literally days in different offices and filling forms and producing documents and paying and paying and paying some more. And then, in the end, after all that, in return for all that money, the lady behind the glass goes KACHUNK with her stamp on a bit of paper and slides it under to you. There you are. That's what you get.
Santa Clara Kids Will Represent Cuba at the Little League World Series Baseball in Philadelphia! ¡Felicidades! - Congratulations to these future stars of the national sport. I am sure they will make the country proud at the competition. It is great that we are seeing the first of these cultural and sporting interchanges again, which were blossoming under Obama, but got stopped dead by Trump and Biden. The wormery must calm its reaction and leave the children to enjoy their sport in peace and friendship. We do not want protests or to spoil things for everyone concerned.
INVASION! You have conga in England right? Left leg in. Ay ay conga. You know the conga. Famous in the whole world. Here is Conga de Los Hoyos which is one of our comparsa groups. The only addition we have from the English conga is the Corneta China - the chinese cornet. This came from the Chinese who arrived to live in Cuba. There is a nice Chinatown in La Habana. They are not Chinese to invade the USA I should say. They are 80 or 100 years. Cuban Chinese born in Cuba. Anyway the Conga. Grand tradition of Cuba. Here is Conga Los Hoyos de Santiago doing an invasion of another barrio. The conga from that barrio can then respond. You know the conga is from the time of the colonialism and slavery. It started as a call for rebellion against the slave masters. In England the same I think. Ay ay conga...
Cuba takes down the European Representatives from Czechia 4-1 in the first game. A good game from the Czech lads with one lovely line drive that took them into a 1-0 lead and an excellent pitcher who threw 8 strikeouts in a row. Fortunately the Santa Clara boys came back, with some great hitting and pitching and were able to seize on a couple of small mistakes by the opponents. Deivy Hernández of the bombarderos of Cuba was the winning pitcher.
After going 2-0 up against Chinese Taipei, the game got away from the bombarderos. Things were looking pretty good. The Asia Pacific lads got one back and Cuba led 2-1 in a tight game, but then the turning point. A grand slam homer from Taipei :-( There had been way too many walks and that continued, along with some inaccurate pitching and fumbles by the catcher. In the end it was 10-2 to Taipei. Very disappointing for the lads. It was sad and interesting to see how many of the Cuban team have family, often fathers, in the United States. Deivy Hernández, whose pitching was really missed today, was going to see his father and beloved brother for the first time in many years for example. The blockade and the aggression of the USA towards Cuba, breaks up and hurts the Cuban family in ways that are not imagined.
Cuba will submit to the UN General Assembly its draft-resolution entitled “Necessity to End the Economic, Commercial and Financial Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” for the 32nd time this year. The document will also denounce the extraterritorial nature of the blockade, which damages the sovereignty, national interests, economies, enterprises and business people of other nations. The Foreign Minister stressed that the support by the international community will be a strong moral and timely message and a call on US President Joe Biden to make use of his executive powers---which are many—to modify the policy, which he inherited from the former Republican Donald Trump administration and still keeps enforcing against Cuba with such unilateral coercive measures. Minister Rodriguez also referred to the fraudulent and arbitrary inclusion of Cuba on the list of states sponsors of terrorism, unilaterally drawn up by Washington. He said that such blacklisting is one of the most severe and damaging measures linked to the cruel policy of punishment represented by the US blockade. Citing specific examples, the Cuban government official denounced the inhuman nature of the blockade; he explained that just 25 days under the blockade deprive Cuba of the funds needed to purchase basic list of medications required by the country during a whole year—some 339 million dollars. He added that four months under the US blockade deprive the island of the necessary financing to guarantee the annual delivery of the rationed food basket for all Cuban families, some 1.6 billion dollars. Not all difficulties facing Cuban society stem from the US blockade alone, but not recognizing the blockade as the major obstacle for our development would not adjust to the truth, Rodriguez noted.
I was at the Mayday rally in the Plaza de la Revolución in Habana when Fidel succinctly and powerfully defined what it means to be a revolutionary. Revolution is a sense of the historical moment; it is changing everything that needs to be changed; it is full equality and freedom; it is being treated and treating others as human beings; it is emancipating ourselves by ourselves and with our own efforts; it is challenging powerful dominant forces within and outside the social and national sphere; it is defending values that one believes in, at the price of any sacrifice; it is modesty, selflessness, altruism, solidarity and heroism; it is fighting with audacity, intelligence and realism; it is never lying or violating ethical principles; it is a profound conviction that there is no force in the world capable of crushing the force of truth and ideas. Revolution is unity, it is independence, it is fighting for our dreams of justice for Cuba and for the world. That is the basis of our patriotism, our socialism and our internationalism.
