Extending A Small Olive Branch
Filed under: Politik
Good news! There's now some progress in the relations between Cuba and the U.S.A!
On Wednesday, President Bush announced that the US will allow Cuban Americans in the United States to send cellphones to their family members in Cuba.
It will now be up to the Cuban government to determine if it will allow its people to receive the phones.
Bush added that if they have the cellphones, they should also be allowed to "speak freely in public."
Riiiight. This is a country where you can get arrested for speaking badly of Castro in public.
Let's hope they change that!
Even though the U..S will now allow cellphones to be sent to Cuba (it should take effect several weeks from now) they are still stressing that the long-imposed embargo on trade with Cuba is still in effect.
Bush said, "If the Cuban regime is serious about improving the lives of the Cuban people," it should take the steps to "make the changes meaningful."
Though the best quote of the day goes to Bush's writers, who had the Prez say that it is the "height of hypocrisy to claim credit" for allowing Cubans to have items "they can't afford."
Exactly!
If most Cubans are making just a FEW dollars a month, usually less than $15 USD a month, how can they even afford a cellphone, computer, or even a toaster?
Pay your people now!
Then we'll believe Cuba is truly changing.
[Image via WENN.]
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Yay!
Enough with the Cuba already!
I hope things there start looking up
Bush can lick my bush!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cool, maybe now they can phone someone who cares
yeay!
Cubans have better lives than Americans.
Democracy is not always the only way.
thought Perez said Castro was dead
Cubian!!
cool i guess?
They need a free market system…not communism!
Equal rights for ALL humans!
Perez, you are so naïve…
The USA uses a different cell phone system from the rest of the world. The rest of the world uses GSM and the USA uses CDMA. It's Bush's way of trying to make sure that an American company sets up their own cell phone towers in Cuba, and that the USA can monitor the conversations. People from other countries won't be able to use their cell phones in Cuba. Bush tried to do the same thing in Iraq right after the invasion.
In this case, what you think is a "good" action is very bad for Cuba.
first!
Re: gaga –
Then move your ignorant ass to Cuba you inbred pile of fuck
I agree with you! but at least there are some changes being made!!
[re=2216129]Re: gaga[/re Hey, let's buy a ticket for you to move to Cuba then..and you have many reasons to back up an idiotic statement such as that? The only people democracy does not work for are the despots who want to take and take and suppress the masses.
Baby Steps….in the right direction.
i love cuba
Too bad Bush won't just lift the embargo and over run the country with ECONOMIC activity. I think Raul would love to undo what his cock sucking brother did to the country over the last 50+ years.
BTW Malario, are you going to donate your used butt plugs to the gay community in Cuber?
Excellente!
Bush is a MF butcher of the world. Cubans are dictators? THen that makes Bush a f*ing 21st century Hitler
What is a Cuba??
you said it yourself! "the long-imposed embargo on trade with Cuba is still in effect"…. that is what is making the Cuban people suffer… do your research… the US is pissed that Castro kicked out all the US companies and gave the country back to the people of Cuba and won't let the US have it's way… Cuba has a long history of slavery by the light skinned Spanish who fled with all the money when Castro took over. END THE EMBARGO NOW!
Perez - seriously lay off Bush. You know that he does have a say in his speech writing efforts and *gasp* take credit for the things he says. You would be the FIRST to talk about something stupid HE says (not his speechwriters) yet when it comes to good speech, you credit the speech writers. That my dear, is pure hypocrisy.
The Cuban people will have cell phones over my dead and decaying
body, Raul is a boob and Mario is a piece of donkey shit.
Re: mjn – I love Cuba!!!! I've already been there twice!
Who the fuck cares?????????
Perez,
The Cuban GDP per capita is $4000/yr, after a PPP adjustment. A good bit more than $15/month, you dumb fuck.
So often your facts are wrong and your writing is terrible. Good thing that in the American populace, you have an audience too dumb to notice or care.
#4 If you were cuban you would understand! stfu Finally a change. Que viva cubaaaaaaaaaaaaa… Perez Are people are finally getting what they deserve.
I was in Cuba last year and they're doing remarkable well in spite of the US trying to screw them every time they turn around. On a bus tour I did to havana the Cuban tour guide was quite candid about the good and bad things Castro and the government have done, he wasn't afraid to speak his mind. I might add that he probebly collect well over $100 in tips after the tour so I suspect he's carrying a cell phone right now. Americans should make the effort to visit Cuba (via Canada) like a 1/2 million Canadians do ever year. See for yourselves how it is there, your government is not really telling you the truth. Have a look at the biggest diplomatic building in Havana (the US offices).
enough with cuba? are you stupid? its the closet body of land that is not attached to the United States as well as the most volatile one. It is a country that not only supplied the world over with sugar in the early 1900s, it also at one point in time surpassed the luxuriousness of even Las Vegas.
That small island you're so tired of hearing about is SOOOOO insignificant the United States has had a blockade for over 30 years that has done nothing but hurt the United States economy… for what? Obviously, it's not such an insignificant country.
Every day I am reassured that Americans have absolutely NO IDEA what it means to be American because they have no respect for anyone else.
"ENOUGH WITH THE STUPID PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES" would have been a more appropriate comment.
***sorry perez, but clinton has to go-go.
So Bush does something that you praise. But then you say that his writers did it? Are you kidding me Perez? Give credit where credit is due and stop being such a typical liberal moron.
Come on Perez. It isn't up to the government to pay their people. We need to lift the trade and travel embargo. Free trade will improve the lived of Cubans and Americans. We are the ones who are forcing Cuba to stay a closed society. If people are allowed to come a go and do business then you can't keep information out.
by the way, the cuban embargo HAS NOT hurt CUBA at all. Please do some research yourself. if anything it has hurt the American economy not to be able to sell their overpriced merchandise in Cuba. Communist Cubans enjoy all the luxury Europe has to offer. Every other Cuban enjoys being stuck in 1979.
Re: gaga – Wow, how eloquent are you? And your defense of your previous statement that CUBA is better off than the USA…well, I am sold!! Cuba IS much better off…what more would I need then your having been there TWICE! Hey, I was in Puerto Rico once…does it count though since I was only in the airport to change planes on the way to St. Thomas? From what I saw out the windows..it too was great! Awesome and convincing…you will make a great statesperson!
i may not be able to read the comments left on this page ever again. are you people retarded? what makes you think BUSH or any other president of this country would want to let the people of cuba come and go as they please, free trade and all???
Cuba is a GOLD MINE and everyone knows it.
You are an idiot Perez, you have no idea whats going on in Cuba. They have a better life than we do here. They were allowed cell phones before! STOP SPREADING LIES. FIDEL IS THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN TO CUBA.
Cuba is perfect the way it is! OKAY perez u see how bush is fucking up our economy!! why would you want that for cuba! leave cuba alone. The majority of cuba is happy..its only people outside of cuba, or the sellouts that choose to leave in order to take part in a capitalistic economic system that complain. They are just waiting for the embargo to end so they can make some sort of profit!
It's so pathetic that you think you know so much about Cuba simply because you are of Cuban descent. Tell us again about how you know for a FACT that Fidel Castro is dead, Perez. You have no integrity on the matter of Cuba. You only make yourself look like even more of a fool than normal. Stick to making up names for celebrities that only you think are creative and cute. It suits you better than foreign policy.
I just came back from Cuba a week ago from yesterday and the fact that they make literally $20 a month regardless of their employment is unbelievable. I really hope things change for them, but keep in mind $20 a month is equivalent to 500 pesos..they receive food, free healthcare and education from the government, so they are receiving something. Either way an increase would be wonderful, and overtly helpful to them all. I don't think a significant increase in technology would be beneficial to them, but freedom to speak, and an increase in pay would be great. Keep in mind they are considerably happier than North Americans in terms of their way of life.
What does that say about us?
It's sad that you can't even give President Bush credit when he does something even you find a good thing, yet you will probably vote this fall for a man who openly has Che Guevera flags hanging on the walls of his local election headquarters.
hahaha…i love how you've shut up about hillary now that she cant win the primary. least you could do is show a little obama support. i mean you ARE a true democrat right?
Cubans only make $15 a month because the economy is shit BECAUSE of the US Embargo. Lay the blame where it belongs, it's not *all* Castro's fault.
Who cares about Cuba? NOBODY!!!! Enough with your political thoughts and self-promotion.
Americans should be the last people to speak on behalf of REAL Cuban Citizens. Been there and the people there are quite happy and speak freely about their opinions. Cell phones have been in used long before and they have their own Cuban cellphone company. Kicking American businesses out of Cuba was the best thing that has ever happen to them! Cuba is beautiful without being Americanized! Cuba libre!
Re: gaga – Oh yeah I suppose eating cats is way better right? Dumbass.
Re: tania – Well said!
Re: Marky – Lots of people you dumbfuck.
GOOD FOR CUBA….NOW ALL U SMELLY YEAST INFECTED WET BACKS GET YR ASS ON A BOAT AND GO BACK TO YR HOME COUNTRY,VACATE THE EASTERN SEABOARD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This exemplifies the stupidity of PH vieweres:
"Cubans have better lives than Americans."
WTF? You ignorant little turd.
WHO CARES!!!! I"M TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT CUBA!!!
Anyone else realizing how stupid Perez is and how stupid you become by reading his website? For anyone with a real education and a real job and real life, read the real news.
I DONT GIVE A RATS ASS ABOUT THOSE DAMN MEXICANS, I CARE ABOUT AMERICA, THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE FUCKING WORLD! NO ONE ELSE MATTERS! FUCK EM!
Quick history lesson. John F. Kennedy was the president who imposed the embargo on trade to Cuba. Anyone think Cuba is better than America? Go live there and see for yourself. You have no freedoms and virtually no money. Perez, would you have gotten where you were had it not been escaping from the communistic society and coming to live in the democracy that is America?
Awesome! Let the USA whore Cuba and suck the island dry of whatever resources it has left! So that Cubans can finally bitch about something else other than the Cuban government! If Bush lifts the embargo Cubans are really gonna feel it…right up the ass.
Your audience, on a whole, doesn't give a rat's crap about Raul or Fidel! Maybe Mojitos. If anyone cared, they would check Reuters. The only one interested is you.
Wow, Perez, you are attracting lots of ignorant white trash based on the comments below (not all)! Maybe only people in Miami, who are so close to Cuba and yet are in a completely different world, can understand. The more rights Cuban people get, the BETTER! It's sad to be less than 100 miles and be so limited in how we can help. Maybe it's too soon to say, but the recent changes have given me a more positive outlook, that maybe Raul Castro will do better for Cuba than his brother did.
I was in Cuba a year a go, and they were using cell phones,
how they got them, I dont know, but they had them.
I was even using my own cell phone.
Re: michi –
I totally agree with you.
The USA, just wants its greedy hands all over Cuba
yeah Perez, we get it, you're not so keen on the Castro regime but how many citizens in the US-of-A who can own cell phones and earn enough dollars to buy a toaster are living below the poverty line and can't afford health insurance? and who can vote for whoever they like and keep mysteriously electing George W? people who live in glass houses…
But I still can't go there! We're supposed to be the "land of the free" but we can't even travel to Cuba!! This is the kind of shit that went on in the Soviet union where people couldn't go places. We're free to travel to CHINA and take all the money we have in the world and spend it there…but God forbid that we would be so evil as to want to visit our own neighbors in tiny Cuba!! The laws in the USA are fucked up. Vote Libertarian!
I don't get this whole thing with the cell phones. Anyone who has been to Cuba in the past few years already knows that tons of Cubans already have cell phones. Not sure where they get them but they certainly have them. It is an beautiful country with lots of issues. Lets hope the government gets things right so not only we Canadians get to enjoy the beauty of Cuba.
I am total agreement! Pay them more. $13-$15 Convertible pesos IS NOT ENOUGH!! Also, let them leave, let them travel……even to other provinces in their own Country…..
Mario,
Eres tan pendejo. Deja de comer mierda ya. Cuando se trata de Cuba no eres mas que un exiliado ignorante. Callate ya, gringo. Tu blog es un desastre.
I have spent several months living in Cuba and while they are not allowed to always speak freely, it is not the negative communist country that the united states makes it appear to be. Cuba has one of the best health care and education systems in the world. They have the highest literacy rate in the world, and have higher life expectancies than the U.S. If the United States would remove the embargo that rest of the world would be allowed to trade with Cuba and their current systems would only get better. Cubans don't need cellphones, they need economic trade and acceptance.
Always said that the Cuban Americans were some of the hardest working people in the US.
Great fucking food too.
Oh jeez….."mang"….."rush"
Idiot Savant…Cuban Crime Wave……
Wow. See Perez Bush is not so bad at all. Just try to remember that bush extended his arms to help cuba get cell phones. When you want to bash him next time.