At Least This Is Some Progress
Filed under: Latinolicious > Politik
On Friday, President Communist Dictator Raul Castro said that he would begin allowing ordinary Cubans to use cellphones.
This is the first official announcement of the lifting of a major restriction in Cuba.
Cellphone use in Cuba is a luxury usually reserved for only those who are communist or work for the government. Up until now, Cubans have only been able to get cellphones by having foreigners sign the contracts in their names. And those that even had cellphones, were in the very small minority.
Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A., (ETECSA), Cuba's telecommunications monopoly announced they would allow the general public to use the cellphone by agreeing to sign prepaid contracts using Cuban Pesos.
The Cuban government currently controls over 90% of the economy in which the average monthly salary is about 408 Cuban Pesos, a little bit less than $20.
Yes, $20 a month!!!
But, of course, a program in convertible Pesos will probably ensure that most Cubans will not be able to afford the cellphone service.
Baby steps at least. Though it's doubtful Cuba will get out of it's poverty anytime soon. Instead of giving your people cellphones, why don't you try feeding them instead????
[Image via WENN.]
wow.
Hey Perez, is Fidel still dead?
http://gossip.commongate.com/post/PEREZ_HILTON_EXPOSED#images
i love it when you post these types of news briefs. esp. i love the last line.
whatttt?!?
Progress is being made, slowly but surely
aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!
Hillary's a Hack…
and Buh-Rack is Whack!
Vote Mike Gravel for President-2008!!!!!
Huh
i know cuba is a very bad place in terms of personal life i.e the phones but
it has free education and free health care that a good far cry from americas health care
but iam with u on this one perez , well always
WOW! is right! so unfortunate! it really makes you realize how easy we have in the states!!!
STFU !
Can somebody explain to me how this still goes on in our world. Regardless if you hate George W. Bush. Tell me your not goddamn happy to be an american. Seriously!!!!
Good to read this.. Cuba needs a change!!
Hey I think we've all forgotten how lucky we ALL (yes all in the melting pot of USA) we are. Make fun of everything but don't ever forget how lucky you are!
To fucking chez!
wow…
first!
I'd never make it on $20.00 a month.
how do you speak argenzuelican on a cell phone?
LOOK AT THOSE SCREAMING CUBAN MONKEYS!
Wow Perez, your ignorance amuses me, you being "cuban" and all. Get your facts straight, while Cuba is filled with restrictions and freedom there is severely limited (something everyone knows), people there don't live in the extreme poverty existent elsewhere, people there DO NOT starve to death, they have a world class health system, they have very good education, ALL FOR FREE. So, while there's many, many things that are quite despicable about Fidel's regime, poverty and hunger are at least not among them.
Wow shows how Americans often take their rights for granted.
Luv ya Perezz =)
Hey Perez, Se que eres hijo del exilio cubano y por tanto tus visiones de Cuba están plasmadas por el odio en contra del comunismo, pero, la gente en cuba no se esta muriendo de hambre… en Haití sí, pero no en Cuba…
Perez, you seem to be eating for two… why don't you send some of YOUR food to the Cubans?
WHO CARES U STUPID FAT ASS THEY MIGHT GET PAID A LITTLE BIT BUT AT LEAST THEY HAVE FREAKIN FREE HEALTH CARE WHICH IF YOU COMPARE, WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT BECAUSE WE WASTE IT ALL ON THAT!!!!! PLUS WE HAVE NO SAVINGS SO WE ARE PROBABLY MORE POOR THAN THEY ARE UNLESS YOU ARE A MILLIONAIRE!!!
Idiot - Im no supporter of the elite within Cuba but can at least acknowledge its more complex than your silly little post. You are a sad indictment on the Latin people of this world.
You blame the Cubans for being poor just like your silly country blames the Palestinians for living under its occupation. Is your country bankrupt yet?
perhaps you should learn something about the country before you bash it.
At least they have national health care?
wow i had no idea the government denied people cell phones! thanks for posting this Perez!! and thanks for educating me about the state of affairs in Cuba!
when this country goes to the dump, all of you will wish you lived in a foreign country because at least every other govt offers free healthcare, free education, and no people dont STARVE unless you are in africa, ive been to third world countries, ie india where they are poor but NOBODY starves, people here in the US are the ones that are going to be starving soon.
Tell Roger to go Blow Fidel if he feels so strongly about it. I want to see or talk to mygrandmother…that's fucking freedom asshole.
We are "Cuban" fuck face.
to hell with cuba, the world has much bigger problems: Gaza, lebanon, pakistan, no korea, burma, all of africa. not saying that cuba is not important, but others are more
bathogs opinion is the only one that matters.
THESE MONKEYS JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO LIVE IN A CIVILIZED WAY
NO WONDER PEREZ IS SUCH A DOUCHE 
i dont care about reading that, but look at the link of jamie lynn spears!! OMG
http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2008/startracks/080407/jamie_lynn_spears300.jpg
read the tee and look at her engagement ring!! OMFG
Hey Roger, Get your facts straight. fidel is not the problem…..The embargo's are.
Think about it. There is a history and unless you know the true history you too will not know the facts.
Re: Roger –
wtf are you talking about? cuba is filled with poverty stricken people. i am half cuban and i have family members starving in cuba so stfu
Re: Roger – Ur Totally right!!
There are bad things in Communism, like in any kind of politic-economic model, but we have to give that to Fidel, Cuba has some good things too. They may earn 20 box but there are so much things for free!
wait i thought castro was DEAD….LMAO
You always run away from responding on your blog about your ridiculous and
unproven post that Fidel Castro was dead last year.
Amazing how you chicken out like a coward when you get called out and you avoid the issue you created.
Admit your wrong. Its easy to post made up unproven stories and lies about foreign leaders because you know they won't sue you. If they did-you get all the extra free publicity.
Come on Perez. For once in your life man up about the Fidel Castro Is Dead post from last year.
perez, dont forget to mention that in order to even have a cellphone cubans have to pay $10 (about 203 pesos) monthly. HALF their salary! realistically, how many cubans can fork over half their paycheck just to have a cell phone? they gotta eat, too.
love yaaa, compatriota
I am so sick of reading biased anti-Communist propaganda. I shouldn't have expected any better on a gossip blog, though. While Cuba does (and unjustly so) restrict many of the personal freedoms of its citizens, there are a lot of good things that exist in the Cuban government that the United States doesn't have. Things like universal health care. Some of the best doctors in the world are trained in Cuba. I do think that Cuba should make moderate social reforms, but in the mean time, as Latino and a minority Perez, you should know better. Kudos to Cuba and Venezuela for resisting American Imperialism in the way that they know how to do. "Free" countries in Latin America are not actually free; they are not sovereign states, and if you disagree with me look to the IMF and the World Bank and the collapse of Argentina's economy in the 90's. Look at Puerto Rico, and ask yourself if a Latino American country could ever make a diplomatic decision that the United States did not approve of. Clearly you don't like Cuba, which is why you live in the United States. so shut up about it already.
stupid uneducated cubans using cell phones? Will wonders ever cease?
Re: Gar –
yes, the free healthcare there is quite nice..Go read the realcuba.com.
How can you really say that most Cubans are in poverty? Maybe they just dont live in the materialistic and greedy world you live in. If I had free housing, food, clothing, education, and healthcare… I don't think that I would feel impoverished. Money only drives those w/ capitalistic minds. If the folks at the top werent always corrupt, communism idealistically would be a good thing.
AND there was a time before everyone and their abuelita had a cell phone and we got along just fine.
PEOPLE DO NOT GO HUNGRY IN CUBA.
The country may be Communist with restricted freedoms,
but the government provides education and feeds its people.
(Of course not McDonald's crap, and you must like rice and beans).
Seriously, I loved travelling to the island.
NO FUCKING AMERICANS,
and I could at least talk to the people
(i.e. they had some semblance of intelligence).
Now go back to glorifying ditzes like Paris Hilton…
You know what would help Cuba??? The US lifting its trade and tourism ban on the country!!
I am allowed to travel to Cuba because I am luckily Canadian, not American - free health care, free (and mandatory) education, and families that stick together ensure that no one starves and no one is homeless. It may not be luxury, but the larger cities are quite prosperous.
When I visited in January, I took along the usual giveaways - soap, shampoo, beauty items, and school materials (pencils, paper) and toys for children. In the small communities they were very grateful for the items - because it seems the pricing system is out of whack ($9 for a bottle of generic shampoo??) but other things are very low priced - food and everyday needs.
When you say Cuban pesos you must clarify - there are CUC (Convertible Pesos) which are valued at about 85cents US, and there are Cuban Pesos (the money of the citizens) which are valued at about 4cents US. You say they will prepay their cell phone contracts in Cuban Pesos and then go on to suggest that since the contracts are in Convertible Pesos most won't be able to afford them. What the hell do you really mean?
All of these miserable restrictions imposed on the Cuban people all these years were the will of Fidel Castro. The news media of the world, left leaning by nature, blinded themselves to the suspension of all human rights going on in Cuba and did very little to expose the tryranny and capricious authoritarian control exercised by Fidel over the people. Many of us remember the lively and brilliant character of the Cuban people, pre-Castro, and how the music and dancing of Cuba used to sweep over the Americas and the world at regular intervals. What was Fidel's purpose in imprisoning the populace and shutting off not only the cultural interchanges but also any communication whatever with the rest of the world? No one has ever been able to figure that out, and in fact there is no answer. The only fact that is plain is that the world chose to look away and allow that suffocation of Cuba to proceed just as it pleased. Now comes the end of it, and the present government of Cuba has all its options open again. Why not choose freedom and the normal standard of democracy that is rapidly becoming universal in the present age? The people of Cuba have abundantly proved that they can be patient, and faithful, and able to cope under any circumstances, so why not let them have their reward finally and return to their natural optimistic state and their pleasant character as a nation?
Yepp! and instead of u nimrods e-mailing "baby bump" annoucements maybe u should read this! educate poeple educate!!!!!!
I don`t know what you guys are told over there in the US, but it is a whole lot different than from here.. I suppose your press only covers what they gain most of..
http://www.therealcuba.com/index.htm
Dear idiotic communist sympathizers..READ THE ABOVE LINKED WEB PAGE.
READ IT…no poverty in Cuba my Ass.
Ever been to Cuba Perez? Oh thats right you cant because Americans arent FREE to go there and see that it is nothing like your media masters tell you it is. Im leaving tomorrow for another Cuba trip, where among other things I can drink their tap water something I wouldnt try in Mexico, the US or any other 3rd world country besides Cuba
perez - why dont you put your money where your mouth is
dale que tu puedes
wtf the copied the filipino flag.
XD
Re: Communist Sypathizers are blinded to thr FACTS –
The REAL Cuba? LOL if they have to put REAL into the title you know they are shitting you… go and see for yourself what Cuba is like if you are FREE to go there!
Re: tim – Dude do you HONESTLY BELIEVE YOU SAW ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY WANTED YOU TO SEE?
Man your fucking dumb.
And Kim the Canuck - Luckily your from the country afforded American Protection. Where all the pretentious America bashers hail from that and Jolly old Londinistan. Canadians make me sick especially the French loser Canadians.
CANADA is the worlds biggest joke of all time
Go to Cuba, and see how everybody went to school and speak at least 2 languages.
Go back to the couch and continue playin with your Wii, or with yourself.
Re: C.I.A – Go to Cuba, and see how everybody went to school and speak at least 2 languages.
Go back to the couch and continue playin with your Wii, or with yourself. F-in ignorant
you should give credit for your stolen story to the reporter at the associated press who actually wrote it.
Re: Chavista – It's where I am from…I think I know one or two things. It's where my young cousins continue to starve daily…my uncles "ration card" can barely feed his wife and kids. But yeah you know it all I am sure….
All those people like my mom running away risking being eaten by sharks, to ESCAPE..yeah they are all stupid..and obviously just "don't get it" right?
Thank you for writing a little something over Cuba, I am cuban too. I guess we just have to keep praying that the Cubans will be free and they will be able to live a normal life not being opressed. I still have family over there and I can't wait till we are allowed to go back:)
"Baby steps at least. Though it's doubtful Cuba will get out of it's poverty anytime soon. Instead of giving your people cellphones, why don't you try feeding them instead????"
Why don't you convince your government to lift the trade embargo you've had on Cuba ever since the overthrow of the US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. The Communists in Cuba have a very long history when it comes to dealing with Americans, only like … 600+ failed assassination attempts on Fidel. They don't have nukes there anymore, lift the fucking sanctions.
Canadian industry is reluctant, and many other countries don't want to do trade with Cuba because they don't want to lose their trade status with the United States. Lift the sanctions and this juveline reprisal program of punishing foreign companies who do trade with Cuba if you really care for the welfare of Cubans.
And the people don't want more food, they want cellphones, why else would they have to lift the ban?
ur an idiot…nobody is starving in cubs…in fact its hard to starve in most latin american countries…it is fine to say they are poor…but starving ur an idiot…btw…have u been to cuba??? maybe u need to go
Re: Mina – Then why don't you go live there YOU ASSHOLE. I bet you wouldn't be saying the same thing and you'd be BEGGING to come back to a free nation. I hate dumb fucks like you, or people that come here and bash America…why the fuck did you come here in the first place??–TO HAVE A BETTER LIVE THAN YOU HAD PREVIOUSLY! UGH…stupidity…
woah…408=$20 is EXTREMELY WRONG!
408 Cuban peso's works out to be about $380-something Canadian (which would work out to be a little less american). Still not a lot HOWEVER Cuban's (ALL CUBANS) don't have to pay for a lot of things that we do (university, education, education supplies, discounted medicare).
Cuba actualy OUTRANKS the united states on Education, Health Care and the Economy.
Perez, for you to be a modern day Cuban and still have the old life's feelings and express them without doing any research is a little sad. I get why you would, and I understand the grief and the anger that people have, but people need to realize that A LOT HAS CHANGED
And to the few people on the comment board who are talking about Canada affording American protection please remember:
CANADA WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY OF AMERICAN ALLIES TO AGREE TO FIGHT AND LAND IN AFGHANISTAN AND WE HAVE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF TROUPES ON THE GROUND THEN WHAT THE USA ACTUALLY HAS.
WHY DO ALL YOU ASSHOLES COME TO PEREZ' WEBSITE IF YOU "HATE" HIM SO MUCH?? NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU TAKE THE EFFING TIME TO COMMENT EACH BLOG WITH NEGATIVITY; DO YOU KNOW HE IS PROBABLY LAUGHING AT YOU IDIOTS? YOU DON'T HATE HIM…YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF HIM!! THAT'S WHY YOU ARE ALWAYS HITTING UP HIS SITE…MORONS. GO THE FUCK AWAY AND GET A LIFE. AND FOR THE ONES BASHING HIM, I'M SURE YOUR NOT TOO HOT YOURSELF…SITTING IN FRONT OF A FUCKING COMPUTER ALL DAY LONG, VISITING HIS SITE ONLY TO BASH IT. WHAT POINT DOES THAT MAKE? HAHAHAH…FUCKING MORONS!
You know what would help? If the freaking US would not block Cuba for no reason other than not following their mandate, you dumb shit! That is not progress, what in the hell do you need a cellphone for? Capitalism and consumerism is just the way to go i guess if you have nothing else in life but stuff…like we are any more free here at all, as long as we dont talk, move, and do shit to upset the man, then we are ok, if not, we are fucked. so shh and go on with your mind numbing website please
Perez-
Have you ever even been to Cuba? Yes, people do not live in the extreme wealth we see in the USA, but no one starves or is homeless in Cuba - unlike in the US. Everyone is given food and other basic necessities for almost no charge.
Cuba Libre!!!!
Castro pal’ carajo!!
U SHOULD GO THERE TO LIVE…PEREZ
Hear hear! And, try seeing to it they have clean water, and good medical facilities, not to mention schools. *sad*
I have family still living in Cuba and they just recently got use of email. In his first email to us, he said that things in his town were so bad that the government shut off the water and turns it on once every two weeks.
On that day, they try and hoard as much water as they can to make it till the next time. If you don't have a well, you're screwed.
"Try feeding them?"
Yeah, because nobody's EVER seen a fat Cubano. Right, Porkez???
Re: Kelly – And thinking that lil old Canada has more troops on the ground is just plain dumb.
Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in the United States, Canada became the third-largest contributor to the NATO-led invasion of Afghanistan, behind the United States and the United Kingdom. Of the approximately 15,000 Canadian troops who have been stationed in Afghanistan, 2,500 remain as the standard complement as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Nice try though hon,
"CANADA THE PIMPLE ON AMERICAS ASS"
Perez, thank you for posting this.
I read others comment and I had to run to respond to all. Yes Cuba has free heath care, but not the health care seen in the documentary Sicko which I'm sure is why everyone has this idea that Cuba is doing good. ALL THAT WAS ACTING! The free "health care" being so celebrated consist of one doctor in an emergency room who hasnt been on break for hours and who has to turn patients away because there is no water, or medicine or gloves to cover there hands as they treat you. Yeah, thats the health care. Hospitals where there isnt paper to write down to a patient the name of the pills they need to take. Is that health care? I rather pay for good health care than go to a place with an emergency and be turned away because there arent materials to cover a wound etc. I suggest that those who havent LIVED IT to just say quiet and not something erroneous and make them selves look like a fool. So again Perez, thanks for the posting!
http://www.therealcuba.com/index.htm
http://www.therealcuba.com/index.htm
http://www.therealcuba.com/index.htm
http://www.therealcuba.com/index.htm
LOOK AT IT AND READ IT YOU TOOLS!
Re: STUPIDO – If you would trade your freedom for free healthcare, you don't deserve either. Man, you people have no idea how lucky you are to live in the U.S. So, so sad.
Re: Kelly – You are so wrong, that it's scary….if things are so much better there, why do people risk their lives trying to get HERE? can't wait for this answer!
Re: Roger – free healthcare and education? let's see, to have that I have to give up the following: free speech, freedom of religion, right to chose your career, right to be edcated where you want, right to protest, right to earn as much or as little as I want, right to move out of the country, right to speak out against the govt & a million other things? Wow sounds like an even trade… NOT YOU IDIOT
So did EVERYONE Miss the bit about the Cuban Soccer team earlier this month..
You know the 7 players afforded the GOOD CUBA that STILL defected to the USA?
Or did we ALL forget about Americans being shot down by Cuban(Russian) Migs while flying search and rescue in UN ARMED CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT..
Perez, have you ever been there? I want to go there someday. What do you think it would be like if they kept their economy, but Americans were allowed? Isn't it silly after all these years we have to jump through hoops because of Castro? I've been to PR, the DR, and I want to go to Cuba dammit. I took those damn gene tests and I have DNA relatives there God Dammit.
ITS, not it's if you are referring to possessive.
As a canadian who has been to cuba I can vouch for the fact that the cuban people are not HUNGY, most cubans actually have a little something extra in the weight department. While cuba might not be the richest country it is WAAY better off than ANY other Caribbean country and has free medical care (good medical care by the way) and free education. America could take a tip or two.
wow, i cant believe these fuckers in Cuba, iam Cuban and my family hates the naive cubans that live there and how they are killing and starving ppl there
I don't for a minute agree with Cuban politics BUt when was the last time you where there to see what was going on rather than spouting American government rhetoric? You obviously have no idea just how many Cubans have cell phones currently.
I understand Cuba is a communist country and most of the country lives below "normal" standards, but you know what, so do many other countries around the world. Cuba has a free health care system and education, which many other countries do not. I'm from Miami and it drives me crazy that all the Cubans complain about how Cuba is so this and that, but we have a lof ot other nationalities that are living in the same conditions or worst.
I'm on this website to read celebrity gossip, not about Cuba. If you want us to care about Cuba then put stuff about every country.
Whenever I visit Cuba people seem much happier than when I visit the U.S.A. Since Americans are also the world's number 1 consumers of anti-depressants I think you need to purge some of the Red White and Blue propaganda that has been poured down your throat (along with the anti-depressants??).
Re: Roger – Roger: Have you BEEN to Cuba? If you have, did you look around? People may not be starving, per se, but they live with real problems, and everyone I talked to was afraid to talk openly about Castro. They would tap their chins to allude to him and say "we would really like free elections and the permission to freely travel, even within Cuba." Their "low infant mortality rate" was summed up to me by one of the doctors at the medical school I visited in Havana. He said "we encourage women who become pregnant and are not in great health to have abortions." I am pro-choice and all, but I would not want any government agency telling me that because I have such-and-such I should have an abortion. The situation is very complicated in Cuba. I cannot understand it in its entirety, and there is so much emotional baggage associated with it, it is almost impossible to see clearly. Let's just hope that the Cuban people can one day decide their own fate for themselves, and that they can gain access to the things they need (like soap and toilet paper). They have had a rough time of it.
man their government is so screwed up
Re: Gar – who cares if it's free, the quality is what's most important and cuba's health care and education is shit
WHY THE INTEREST IN CUBA? ARE THEY BEATING UP GRANDMOTHERS THERE?
Re: Mimi – I was there and I saw what you are talking about. They try really hard to "make-do" with so little. It is pitiful. Meanwhile people miss the fact that rich Europeans live like kings there (like Americans used to, as well). The police take bribes from the hookers and when my friend's laptop was stolen out of her hands in a classroom, they wouldn't even file a report. They harrass black people if they are in resorts, thinking they are ordinary Cubans trying to enjoy the tourist beaches. The place is a paradise, but it has problems that so many people here will never see. I wish people would shut up about how great it is there and I wish they would stop with the damn Che shirts. It is such nonsense to glorify Castro. He is a thug and essentially a jail-warden.
a new cuba this month cell phones next month you can use toliet paper viva raul
pelicans and cocaine. prostitutes who will do it for a can of coke. all of latin america is a complete write off. hurry up and build a wall.
Re: ali – you are everything that is wrong with canada all rolled up into one ignorant little ball. get back in your igloo nanook.
Re: grammar police – Thank you!!! Amen. It's=IT IS.
I totally love the fact that as a Canadian I can go and vacation in Cuba and not have to put up with pushy loud mouth know it all Americans .
To the fat fruit loop, and all of his moronic sheep on here - you are so shallow to think that having a cell phone is a sign of a civilized society.
Do your fucking research and learn that Cuban's live a happier life than you, have a better health care system, and less crime. They don't go invading other countries based on non-existent "WMDs", or rape foreign countries for their oil. You fucking anal douchebag, you make the most ill-educated comments it's absurd.