Tag: Cuba
REWARDING EVIL: Obama embraces Communist Cuba
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
The following commentary was originally published on December 18, 2014
REWARDING EVIL: Obama embraces communist Cuba
(Click on link below)
https://romancatholicworld.wordpress.com/2014/12/18/rewarding-evil-obama-embraces-communist-cuba/
Copyright (c) Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
Cuba, Havana, Communism, Castro, Obama, Diplomatic Relations, Embassy, Imprisonment, Repression, Executions, No Freedom of Speech, Marielena Montesino de Stuart
What applies to Kim Jong-un applies to Fidel Castro– but not according to the United Nations | Someone has to say the truth…©
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THE VATICAN: Francis trivializes and dehumanizes the most massive genocide in human history
Francis and Marxism
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
Francis and Marxism
Allow me to present you with three questions, and you decide if any of the answers are morally acceptable:
1. What does it feel like to be called a “Marxist”?:
“The Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.”
2. What does it feel like to be called a “Nazi”?:
“The Nazi ideology is wrong. But I have met many Nazis in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.”
3. What does it feel like to be called a “supporter of Apartheid”? (racial segregation in South Africa):
“The Apartheid ideology is wrong. But I have met many racial segregationists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended.”
Any person with a modicum of intelligence and humanity in them would detest all three answers– and denounce the person who would make such statements.
Well, I have news for you…
The first statement, “The Marxist ideology is wrong. But I have met many Marxists in my life who are good people, so I don’t feel offended” was made by Francis during an exclusive interview in La Stampa’s Vatican Insider. Francis’s statement is camouflaged inside an article titled “Never be afraid of tenderness.”
Now, do you think that the press is up in arms about this? Not at all. Francis’s horrendous statement is being brushed aside by the mainstream media, as well as by the opportunistic modernist Catholic media, which will justify anything to advance its material interests.
Rightly so, the aforementioned media does not tolerate the same statement when applied to Nazism or Apartheid. So why does it tolerate it when it comes to Marxism?
The magnitude of Francis’s offensive statement cannot be measured.
Over 120 million human beings have been exterminated under Marxist regimes– not including those who have been murdered through forced abortions, as part of socialist depopulation policies. The death toll continues in Cuba, China, North Korea, Laos and Vietnam– as well as in other satellite socialist countries in Africa and Asia. The Communist madman who is least afraid to reveal his executions and human rights abuses appears to be North Korea’s Kim Jong Un– who recently executed his uncle.
Marxism can be credited with deadly gulags, deadly labor camps, and fatal exoduses– as in the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who have drowned or been executed while escaping Communist Cuba. The bloody trail of extrajudicial trials, which are always preceded by torture and followed by executions, continues to this day under Communist regimes. Man-made famines, as in the Ukraine under Stalin, as in Zimbabwe under Mugabe, as in Somalia under the Siad Barre dictatorship, as in Cambodia under Pol Pot, are responsible for millions of deaths in the Marxist massacre. Should I go on?
Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church has shamelessly stated that he is not offended if someone calls him a Marxist; as such, Francis has trivialized and dehumanized the most massive genocide recorded in human history.
Someone has to say the truth…
Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
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As a survivor of Communism under Castro’s brutal dictatorship, I am asking that you watch the following short video, in memory of the millions who have been imprisoned, tortured and executed as a result of Marxism, including members of my family.
For detailed information about the film, please visit http://www.sovietstory.com/about-the-film/
If you encounter problems playing the embedded trailer below, please watch it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5qQsXUZh0I
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The New World Order descends on Johannesburg
Someone has to say the truth...
THE NEW WORLD ORDER DESCENDS ON JOHANNESBURG
The presence of the New World Order leaders in Johannesburg has everything to do with power, greed and control– and nothing to do with the well-being of the black population of South Africa.
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
The long-suffering people of Africa have experienced nothing but lies and abuse at the hands of socialists. Racial equality, which is granted to every human being from the moment of conception through the Natural Law of God, has been manipulated as a political “cause” in Africa– by the European Socialists of the United Nations—through Sustainable Development (Agenda 21) programs [*- see footnote] NGO’s and indoctrination curricula. Instead of turning to God—and using the Natural Law as the basis for public policies, generations of Africans have been told that they need to turn instead to socialism.
Yet, in the face of South Africa’s grim social and economic state, New World Order leaders have descended en masse on Johannesburg, in an obvious show of force after Mandela’s death—ignoring the everyday painful reality of the South African black population.
A Socialist Abyss
During my campaign for the United States Senate (FL-Republican, on the ballot, 2012) I warned that American citizens needed to brace themselves as the world rapidly descends into a socialist abyss. As such, I emphasized the need for public policies based on the Commandments of God and the Natural Law, which binds all men, for all time and in all circumstances.
My experience having lived under Fidel Castro’s murderous Communist dictatorship, which included witnessing the enslavement of the Cuban people, of every color and creed, left me with a very clear understanding of my place in this world—and that my rights as a human being were guaranteed by God—not by any government or political order.
The New World Order… of religious leaders, politicians and monarchs
The New World Order that we live under—famously lauded by Republican U.S. President, George Herbert Walker Bush, has indeed grown deep roots in the minds of people all over the world. So much so, that religious leaders, politicians and monarchs who claim to care for the plight of the poor, have either issued statements (as in the Vatican’s statement issued by Francis) or have arrived in Johannesburg for Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, claiming to honor Mandela—a man who shamelessly admired Fidel Castro’s brutal Communist dictatorship, clearly stated as follows:
“From its earliest days, the Cuban Revolution has also been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist-orchestrated campaign to destroy the impressive gain made in the Cuban Revolution….Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro.”—Nelson Mandela, July 26, 1991, Cuba.
Another participant in the Mandela memorial service, who shocked many (except for me) was none other than U.S. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, who issued the following statement, before traveling to Johannesburg:
“Nelson Mandela will live in history as an inspiration for defenders of liberty around the globe. He stood firm for decades on the principle that until all South Africans enjoyed equal liberties he would not leave prison himself, declaring in his autobiography, ‘Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.’ Because of his epic fight against injustice, an entire nation is now free.
“We mourn his loss and offer our condolences to his family and the people of South Africa.” – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) – December 5, 2013
Ted Cruz has chosen to ignore Mandela’s admitted terrorist past as a Communist. Cruz has also chosen to ignore the fact that Mandela institutionalized unfettered abortion in South Africa– and that he single-handedly turned South Africa into a nation with some the most liberal laws on earth.
Based on Cruz’ public statement of admiration for Mandela and his decision to participate in the Mandela memorial event, is it possible that Senator Ted Cruz still harbors admiration for his own father’s participation as a pro-Castro revolutionary activist? “’He was a guerilla, throwing Molotov cocktails and blowing up buildings,‘ Ted Cruz told the Austin American-Statesman [about his father] for a profile published in January 2006,” according to The Dallas Morning News (October 25, 2011).
How else are we to explain Ted Cruz’ statement honoring Mandela– and his subsequent pilgrimage to South Africa to be at the memorial?
This two-sided political approach is very common in the Cuban exiled community and among those of Cuban descent, who often view their parents’ former socialist pro-Castro activism with starry-eyed idealism, while they also denounce Castro. This inconsistent political behavior is precisely what has divided the Cuban exiled community for more than 50 years.
As I said above, Ted Cruz’ participation in Nelson Mandela’s memorial and his written statement did not take me by surprise. Ted Cruz wants to have it both ways, but principled conservatives do not behave this way.
In what appears to be an obvious attempt to defuse the criticisms he received, Ted Cruz “walked out” when Raúl Castro was delivering his speech at the Mandela memorial. Too little, too late.
Another admirer of Nelson Mandela is U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, also of Cuban descent. Marco Rubio’s ambiguous account of his family’s return to Cuba after Castro’s takeover in January 1959, continues to raise questions and eyebrows– considering that the executions of hundreds of innocent Cubans began immediately in 1959, in the fortress of La Cabaña. In addition, it was well known that hundreds of innocent farmers and civilians had been executed throughout the island by Castro and his band of Marxist thugs during their terrorist “revolution.” By 1960 all American businesses in Cuba had been nationalized without compensation– and the United States had broken off diplomatic relations with Havana.
Given these conditions, why did Marco Rubio’s parents leave the United States and return to Cuba to live under Castro?
Although Senator Marco Rubio did not travel to Johannesburg for Mandela’s memorial, his admiration for Nelson Mandela shows that Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz suffer from the same malady of political inconsistency. Much has changed with Rubio since he ran for the U.S. Senate. Here is Marco Rubio’s statement paying homage to Mandela:
“The world has lost one of history’s most important figures, though Nelson Mandela’s example will live on for generations to come. Men and women striving for justice and fairness around the world have drawn inspiration from Nelson Mandela, and he showed South Africans and the entire world what the power of forgiveness truly means and can accomplish. My wife Jeanette and I send our condolences to the Mandela family and to the people of South Africa.” – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (Republican-Florida) December 5, 2013.
Nelson Mandela and Communism
Nelson Mandela was not a political prisoner. He was imprisoned for espousing violent activities through the Umkhonto we Sizwe (abbreviated MK)– a terrorist organization which he co-founded, as the “armed” wing of the African National Congress (ANC).
During his trial Nelson Mandela pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence, which included organizing terrorist bombing campaigns. Scores of innocent people, both black and white, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s Umkhonto we Sizwe terrorists, including women and children. In any other country Nelson Mandela would have been sentenced to death, or would have spent life in prison. Yet, he enjoyed communication privileges unheard of, for a prisoner with such a criminal record.
As such, even Amnesty International, which is well known for its progressive side, would not take on Mandela’s case, since he was not a political prisoner (“prisoner of conscience”). In addition, pursuant to Amnesty International’s criterion, a “prisoner of conscience” must not have used nor advocated violence.
As cruel and abominable as apartheid was, Mandela’s legacy of terrorist violence and support of murderous Communist dictatorships cannot be justified
By the time Mandela came out of prison and became President of South Africa he had given up on the idea of full-blown communism, given that he would not receive aid from the Soviet Union, which had recently collapsed.
Cuba’s communism, which Mandela so admired, was his scariest example of a communist country starving after its long dependence on the Soviet Union. However, the communists from the former Communist bloc resurfaced through Sustainable Development (Agenda 21)– which is the United Nations socialist global initiative. The operatives of Agenda 21 have worked tirelessly in Africa to advance socialism– in ways that the Soviet Union could not achieve. Socialist politicians all over the world, including Mandela, have advanced their causes with the help of Sustainable Development, much more than they ever could with the help of the Soviets.
While Nelson Mandela praised Fidel Castro’s Communist dictatorship, the Strait of Florida had already become a cemetery for untold hundreds of thousands of Cubans who had drowned trying to escape. This does not include the untold number executed by Castro’s government forces. After nearly 55 years of Castro’s Communist dictatorship, the human loss has become one of the worst catastrophes recorded in modern history. But New World Order religious leaders, politicians and monarchs do not feel it is in their best interest to demand that the Communist dagger be removed from the heart of the Cuban people. Instead, they vacation in the island prison.
While the international community joined forces to bring down apartheid in South Africa– it is not willing to do the same, in order to help bring to an end the oppression of the people of Cuba. In fact, the international community has more than made up for Cuba’s economic loss after the Soviets fell, through trade with Castro. In addition, tourists and visitors from all over the world, including those from the United States, flock to Cuba with their dollars– while they mock the U.S. Embargo; consequently, they continue to support the island’s oppressive Communist regime.
The hubris and hypocrisy of those who support the Cuban tourism industry are astonishing and immensely painful for those who continue to be persecuted, imprisoned and tortured in Cuba– as well as for those of us who have suffered under Castro’s Communist regime.
It is extremely difficult for someone like me, as a survivor of communism, to witness this international massive socialist takeover– and its accompanying disregard for the most basic human rights. Members of my family, including my father, were political prisoners under Castro’s bloody regime. One of my uncles became one of the longest held political prisoners in the Western Hemisphere. Other family members were tortured and executed– or died fighting against Castro’s Communist forces. I visited Castro’s political prisons during my childhood in Cuba, so I have full authority to speak about the communist atrocities that I witnessed.
Nelson Mandela is criticized by the Communists he served
Nelson Mandela passionately advanced communist causes, even becoming a member of the Communist Party, as confirmed by the SACP (South African Communist Party) through the following statement:
“At his arrest in August 1962, Nelson Mandela was not only a member of the then underground South African Communist Party, but was also a member of our Party’s Central Committee. To us as South African communists, Cde [Comrade] Mandela shall forever symbolise (sic) the monumental contribution of the SACP in our liberation struggle. The contribution of communists in the struggle to achieve the South African freedom has very few parallels in the history of our country. After his release from prison in 1990, Cde Madiba became a great and close friend of the communists till his last days.” *- The Nelson Mandela Foundation explains that Madiba is the name of the Thembu clan to which Nelson Mandela belonged. The clan gets its name from a 19th century chief. All the members of this clan can be called Madiba.
Some of the most scathing criticisms of Mandela have emerged from none other than the Communist ranks. This article, which appeared on December 7 on The World Socialist Website of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) is urgently calling for your attention.
Excerpt:
“South Africa today ranks as the most socially unequal country on the face of the planet. The gap between wealth and poverty and the number of poor South Africans are both greater than they were when Mandela walked out of prison in 1990. Fully 60 percent of the country’s income goes to the top 10 percent, while the bottom 50 percent lives below the poverty line, collectively receiving less than 8 percent of total earnings. At least 20 million are jobless, including over half of the younger workers.
Meanwhile, under the mantle of programs like “Black Economic Empowerment,” a thin layer of black ex-ANC leaders, trade union officials and small businessmen has become very rich from incorporation onto boards of directors, acquisitions of stock, and contracts with the government. It is under these conditions that ANC governments that have followed Mandela’s, first under Thabo Mbeki and now Jacob Zuma, have come to be seen as the corrupt representatives of a wealthy ruling establishment.
Mandela, who played a less and less active role in the country’s political life, nevertheless served as a facade for the ANC, which traded on his history of sacrifice and his image of humble dignity to hide its own corrupt self-dealing. Behind the facade, of course, Mandela and his family raked in millions, with his children and grandchildren active in some 200 private companies.”
Even left-leaning publications like The Economist have denounced the grim situation in South Africa, as in the recent commentary “The longer walk to equality.”
Excerpt:
“Under its own majority rule, the lot of the ever-growing black population—today forming over three-quarters of the national total—has been notably poor. Misguided governance, low-quality education, skills shortages and massive unemployment levels of around 40% have left it more disadvantaged today than when Nelson Mandela was still behind bars. Black income has virtually flat-lined, betraying tremendous gulfs between the wealth of the different racial groups. Sadly, the nation Mandela leaves behind today remains one of the least equal in the world.” The Economist’s “The longer walk to equality” – December 6, 2013.
Upon the death of Mandela, the Pew Research Center also offered an update on South Africa (December 6)— stating that “…while the country has changed politically and demographically, economically it still looks much as it did nearly a century ago, divided along racial lines.”
The moral of the story
The citizens of South Africa are being used, manipulated and abused by the socialists in the United Nations and its fellow traveling religious leaders, politicians and monarchs. Therefore, it is urgent that South African citizens insist on public policies based on the Commandments of God and the Natural Law, or they will find themselves in a worse situation 100 years from now. By then the depopulation activists at the United Nations will have entirely succeeded in convincing the black population that their economic problems lie in their numbers.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The biggest enemy of the black South African population is the assault carried out by materialistic atheists on their communities.
Meanwhile, millions of black African babies will continue to be aborted as part of “sustainability” programs, that teach economic and environmental stewardship through population control. It should be of no surprise that Mandela legalized abortion on demand in South Africa, even for minor girls.
New York Times excerpt:
“South Africa’s new abortion law passed its final legislative hurdle today, clearing the way for President Nelson Mandela to replace one of the world’s toughest abortion laws with one of the most liberal.
Under the new law, women and girls will be entitled to a state-financed abortion on demand during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy if they have no private medical insurance, and, subject to widely defined conditions, for a further eight weeks.” – New York Times, November 6, 1996.
So while Nelson Mandela was calling for equality for all, he was making it legal for South African babies to be exterminated through abortion on demand.
As expected, Barack Obama, the most extreme pro-abortion president that the United States has ever had, was in Johannesburg shaking hands with Raúl Castro and other communists.
What is most disturbing is to see religious leaders like Francis issuing statements glorifying Mandela, as well as Catholic monarchs, like Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg who attended the Mandela memorial (Grand Duke Henri is a passionate promoter of the United Nations’ Socialist initiative, Sustainable Development / Agenda 21) while ignoring the suffering of the people of South Africa, specifically the black population—which is relentlessly victimized by abortionists.
It appears that this New World Order of religious leaders, politicians and monarchs does not seem to care about the Commandments of God or the Natural Law. Instead, these individuals have become puppets of the socialist collective—acting as emissaries through the Vatican, NGO’s and foundations, in order to advance the New World Order, under the watchful eye of the United Nations. Should these religious leaders, politicians and monarchs step out of line, the powerful machinery behind the United Nations will see to it that they are removed from power.
The presence of these leaders in Johannesburg has everything to do with a show of force, to assert their New World Order of power, greed and control—and absolutely nothing to do with the well-being of the black population.
The citizens of South Africa deserve better.
Someone has to say the truth…
[*]: Sustainable Development (Agenda 21) is the United Nations socialist initiative for global governance—which aims to dictate every aspect of our lives, with depopulation as its starting point— followed by restrictions on what foods can be consumed and infringement of private property rights, natural resources and sovereign rights. All under the disguise of environmental stewardship.
Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
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Additional reference:
The following interview is promoted by The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory through the Nelson Mandela Foundation. It contains the discussion of “How to be a good Communist”
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The International Atomic Energy Agency, Cuba and the American Taxpayer
Should American taxpayers continue to fund the International Atomic Energy Agency?
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) is based in Vienna, Austria. It identifies itself as an “independent” international organization “related to” the United Nations. The IAEA states that its purpose is “to build, strengthen and maintain capacities in the safe, peaceful and secure use of nuclear technology in support of sustainable socioeconomic development.”
“Sustainable socioeconomic development” refers to Sustainable Development (Agenda 21)— a corrupt socialist international initiative of the United Nations, which siphons an obscene amount of money from taxpayers all over the world. This alone should be cause for concern, when it comes to the IAEA’s credibility.
As an “independent” international intergovernmental organization the IAEA also acts as a gigantic center of activity for NGOs and INGOs (national and international non-governmental organizations).
As such, the IAEA will visit countries and issue reports that appear very official and credible– when in fact, the IAEA’s connection with and dependence on government funding, often shows that its operation is questionable. During the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan, the IAEA was the agency in charge of informing the world about radiation levels. The IAEA’s monitoring of the Fukushima disaster has been described as “sluggish” and “confusing”—at best.
The IAEA and Cuba
Certainly NOT the people of Cuba!
Did the IAEA Director General visit Castro’s hellish socialized “medical” centers?
Is nuclear technology being advanced in Cuba for another purpose? After all, the current geopolitical situation in the Western Hemisphere has China written all over it.
China has the world’s biggest energy market and its Communist government is determined to establish and defend its energy strongholds all over the world. China has economic and technological interests in Cuba. Likewise, Cuba’s Communist government will do anything to strengthen its participation and influence in the international community—and nuclear energy is another gateway for its agenda under the United Nations Sustainable Development initiative.The IAEA has a history of reliability problems with GAO (the U.S. Government Accountability Office)– as in the following reports:
In addition, US House Bill 893 (2013-2014) states that funds from any United States assessed or voluntary contribution to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) may not be used to support any assistance provided by the IAEA through its Technical Cooperation Program to Iran, North Korea, or Syria.
Considering this entire scenario, why does the United States government continue to force the American taxpayer to fund Sustainable Development through institutions such as the IAEA?– whose underlying purpose is to advance international socialism.
In a world of international socialist lies, the IAEA’s report on Cuba serves as a prototype of science and technology being compromised by government funding and the special interests of illegitimate governments.
Meanwhile, the American taxpayer’s wallet continues to bleed.
Someone has to say the truth…
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The IAEA’s report on Cuba: http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/2013/dg_cuba.html (also available in PDF): IAEA Director General Visits Cuba
© Marielena Montesino de Stuart
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American Taxpayers, U.S. Bishops and Cuban Sex Change Operations
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
Castro’s “New Man” now wants to be a woman
The Cuban government is paying for sex change operations, while the USCCB (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops) blames Cuban poverty and the abysmal state of socialized health care, on the symbolic U.S. embargo.
Meanwhile, a Cuban filmmaker is conducting a tour across America, to promote her film about a man who underwent a government-funded sex change operation in Cuba: Cuban director discusses new film in campus visit | The Daily.
The U.S. promotion of this Cuban filmmaker’s “tour de force” is carried out with the support of Americas Media Initiative– which is funded in part by various foundations, including the Ford Foundation, and individual donors: About Us | Americas Media Initiative.
And where does the other part of the funding for Americas Media Initiative come from?
The American taxpayer?
Check out Americas Media Initiative’s public record.
Are American taxpayers actually paying for this Cuban woman to promote such a film in front of American college students?
Have they considered changing venues to the Venice Biennale?– which accepts this cinematographic genre. If they hurry, they may even get a space next to the Holy See’s bizarre pavilion, where they can rub elbows with the Vatican’s ultra-modernist Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. Ravasi will find “enlightenment” in just about anything.
Here is the public announcement, including the schedule of university campuses to be included in this tour, on Americas Media Initiative’s website: NEWS | Americas Media Initiative
Cuba’s Communist government is laughing all the way to the bank, as it lines its pockets with tourism dollars pouring into Cuba from the U.S., as well as from the international community– which has maintained friendly relations with Castro, for decades. The “cultural exchange” programs with Cuba are another source of revenue, which helps Castro’s criminal government continue its relentless oppression inside the island prison.
Click on this link to read the facts about Cuba’s government and how it is starving and persecuting the Cuban people, while it fills its coffers.
But the Catholic Church continues to “dialogue” with Cuba’s Communist thugs– instead of condemning the hellish reality of the Cuban people, resulting from almost 54 years of communism and atheism.
A reality that includes government-funded operations for Castro’s “Hombre Nuevo” (New Man)– who now wants to be a woman.
Someone has to say the truth…
Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
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REFERENCE:
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PDF of Americas Media Initiative Nfp Nonprofit – Burlington, Vermont | Form 990, Details
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More lies from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The government of Cuba is slapping a ban on sales of imported goods, by the self-employed. So much for the latest Communist “reform”.
Meanwhile, Cuba’s ambassador to Canada is touting trade with Cuba.
Communists are experts at lying…
Click on news link in the Google+ featured post:
REFERENCE:
How is that Communist Cuban “reform” working out?
http://romancatholicworld.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/how-is-that-communist-cuban-reform-working-out/
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How is that Communist Cuban “reform” working out?
More farcical Communist "reforms"...
CUBA: More farcical Communist “reforms”…
The people of Cuba will never have true freedom, if they rely on the Cuban government’s farcical Communist “reforms”.
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SPECIAL REPORT: The USCCB, Cuba and the Chong Chon Gang
Someone has to say the truth...
♦ Bishop Richard E. Pates tries to influence American policy towards Cuba.
♦ The socialist reality of the USCCB is clear, even when they coat it with Cuban sugar.
♦ With Obama in the White House and Francis in the Vatican– socialists are running amok.
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
¡Aaaaaazúcar!
Yes… I would like to begin this commentary, which includes the subject of Cuban sugar (among other things)– by saying, ¡Aaaaaazúcar! (sugar!)— as Celia Cruz, the famous Cuban singer used to belt out at the beginning of some of her popular songs. Celia Cruz, who died in exile, never missed an opportunity to denounce Fidel Castro’s criminal Communist regime. And she did so knowing full well how important it is to counteract the misinformation constantly put out about Cuba, by the overabundance of socialist fellow travelers.
So let’s all say ¡Aaaaaazúcar!— because as a survivor of Castro’s Communist regime I need you to join me in exposing the Castro sympathizers who keep spreading lies.
Cuban sugarcoating, from the USCCB
The USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) is in a time warp. And I mean, a very, very bad time warp. The latest example has surfaced in the form of a letter written by Bishop Richard E. Pates on September 26, 2013, addressed to National Security Advisor, Dr. Susan E. Rice.
Bishop Pates chairs the Committee on International Justice and Peace, at the USCCB in Washington DC. He is also the Bishop of Des Moines.
Bishop Pates’s letter shows that he is uninformed—and completely disconnected from the meaning of justice and peace, when it comes to Cuba.
It is time that the USCCB be freed of these clueless prelates, who spread so much misinformation. It makes one wonder, just how much money are Catholics donating, in order to support the activities of Bishops, such as Richard E. Pates.
In his letter, Bishop Pates praises the recent pastoral message from the Cuban Bishops (which was nothing but socialist propaganda). Pates makes an absurd plea to Susan Rice for bringing down the Cuban embargo—a plea which shows that Bishop Pates is completely ignorant of U.S. and international trade with Cuba, Western Hemisphere geopolitical matters, including Cuba’s illicit arms trafficking to North Korea.
Bishop Pates could not bring himself to utter a single word of condemnation of the Cuban government, in his letter to Susan Rice. In fact, he praised “Cuba’s constructive role in mediating Colombian peace negotiations and cooperating with the U.S. Coast Guard in drug interdiction activities.”
What galaxy does Bishop Pates reside in?
Here is an excerpt from Bishop Pates’s letter [bold added for emphasis]:
“We urge efforts to lift the U.S. embargo against Cuba so that greater support and assistance can flow to ordinary Cubans. It is also time to remove the designation of Cuba as a sponsor of state terrorism. Such an obsolete classification prevents engagement between our countries and peoples. Engagement will do more than isolation to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. It will also recognize Cuba’s constructive role in mediating Colombian peace negotiations and cooperating with the U.S. Coast Guard in drug interdiction activities.”
Remove Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism from the U.S. State Department list?
The hubris behind this absurd suggestion is typical of modernist (socialist) prelates.
This is inexcusable, in light of the Cuban government’s long history of violence against its own people, fomenting communist violence in other countries– as well as illicit arms trade, as recently as two months ago. There are obvious reasons why Cuba has been on the U.S. State Dept., list as a state sponsor of terrorism, since March 1, 1982— along with Iran, Syria and Sudan.
As the reader will see below, Bishop Pates has much to learn about the Cuban reality– or is he just ignoring it?
The Chong Chon Gang: keeping things in chronological perspective
It is important for the reader to remember that Bishop Pates’s letter to Dr. Susan Rice, asking for the removal of Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, is dated September 26, 2013— which followed a significant incident that took place during the month of July– an incident which was widely covered by national and international news:
The Chong Chon Gang, a North Korean ship that had left Cuba– was intercepted by Panamanian authorities, on suspicion of drug trafficking. But there is more.
Cuba, as a state sponsor of terrorism, is very experienced in clandestine matters. So is North Korea, which by the way, should be immediately added to the terror list. The question is—why has the U.S. government failed to do so?
The Chong Chon Gang’s Bill of Lading falsely declared the cargo to be approximately 10,000 tons of sugar and polyethylene (plastic) spare bags. The ship had left the Cuban port of Puerto Padre, and was heading for North Korea.
But reports began to circulate that things were not so sweet, on board the Chong Chon Gang. There was more than just azúcar on the ship. In fact, inspectors found 25 shipping containers with weapons, parts, MiG-21 aircraft engines, two MiG-21 jet fighters, as well as six military vehicles, hidden under the 10,000 tons of sugar.
The captain of the Chong Chon Gang tried to commit suicide. One can only assume that he considered the fate that awaited him in Pyongyang, at the hands of Kim Jong Un. When you work for a Communist dictator– and something goes wrong, there is no mercy.
And you ask, why did the governments of Cuba and North Korea act in such a brazen manner?
Very simply put, because they have been able to get away with illicit arms trafficking before!
It is easier to intercept a North Korean Nodong missile (a redesign of the Scud technology)– then it is to intercept some of these North Korean ships carrying clandestine cargoes, since it is extremely difficult to identify illicit commodities, among the immense number of international legal shipments.
The case of the Chong Chon Gang is simply the latest illicit arms trafficking episode involving the Cuban government.
A very descriptive report was published on August 27, 2013 by 38 North, of the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS (Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at John Hopkins University)– which offers the following details of the arms cache found inside the Chong Chon Gang:
> Two MiG-21 jet fighters
> MiG-21 jet aircraft engines
> 6 military vehicles
> a variety of small arms
> light weapons (SALW) ammunition
> conventional artillery ammunition for anti-tank guns and howitzer artillery
> generators
> batteries
> night vision equipment, among other items
The SAIS report was followed by a written testimony filed before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, by SAIS’s Senior Researcher, Hugh S.W. Griffiths.
So, where was Bishop Richard E. Pates while all this was unfolding?
Probably chatting with other modernist prelates– and philosophizing on what’s best for the people of Cuba, from the comfort of his “social justice and peace” office in Washington DC.
Yet, it doesn’t occur to Bishop Pates, that the best thing for the people of Cuba is to simply be FREE!
But isn’t this the way that socialists operate? They prefer to “dialogue” and engage in a tête-à-tête with the enemy, in order to find “solutions.” Then, they go back to their desks and issue missives attacking an embargo established to defend freedom. Meanwhile, innocent citizens continue to be brutally persecuted by their Communist captors.
The Cuban government lies. That’s what Communists do best.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba published this false statement on July 16, 2013, claiming that the clandestine weapons in the Chong Chon Gang were “obsolete”—and were going to be repaired and returned to Cuba.
That’s hilarious.
If that were the case, Venezuela is a lot closer than Pyongyang —and the socialist Venezuelan government, which maintains intense military collaboration with Cuba, would gladly repair these jet fighters and weapons. In fact, if help is what the Cubans needed, the Venezuelans would have assisted in the repair of this military equipment, right on Cuban soil.
But Communist states cannot function without lying– which reminds me of last year’s priceless headline in Moscow’s PRAVDA (a Communist newspaper). Also, please note Barack Obama’s banner ad for his Organizing for Action “grassroots” movement:
“UN: Cuba proposes to eradicate illicit arms trafficking“ (link)
Meanwhile, the SAIS report reveals that “the various rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and conventional artillery ammunition, many in mint condition, were unused and much of it was in original packing cases. They clearly were not “to be repaired and returned to Cuba.” Rather, these items were intended simply for delivery to North Korea for its own use.” [Bold added for emphasis].
The ship’s holds, originally designed for the transportation of sugar or grains, had been modified so that the illicit transfer of weapons and equipment could be hidden under the sugar cargo.
The following paragraph, in the written testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, is of great importance:
“The Chong Chon Gang episode combines two of North Korea’s maritime smuggling modus operandi: the use of shipping containers and bulk carrier vessels owned by North Korean companies. The United Nations Panel of Experts has documented the use of shipping containers for North Korea-related consignments of embargoed dual use or military goods that may be used for missile production or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. In recent years such seizures have generally centered around cargoes destined for Syria, most likely related to the research facility in the Deir ez-Zor region that was bombed by Israel in 2007. These consignments, falsely declared and transported anonymously for much of their journey aboard container vessels owned by some of the world’s biggest shipping lines, blend into the huge volumes of container traffic that depart East Asia for Middle Eastern, European and African markets on a daily basis.”
It’s interesting to note that Bishop Pates finds time to travel with Bishop Gerald Kicanas to remote Amazonian communities, in order to discuss “natural resources and land rights”– but he can’t seem to travel 3 miles down the road from his USCCB office, to meet with experts in research, at the John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies– so he can learn about Cuba and its latest episode as a state sponsor of terrorism. What about the U.S. State Department?– which is located 4.8 miles away.
Only uninformed individuals would take Bishop Pates’s letters about Cuba seriously… or perhaps those who have a socialist agenda
The absurdity of this situation is mind-boggling.
But, to make matters worse, this is not the first time that Bishop Pates tries to influence American policies towards Cuba. On April 17, 2012 Bishop Pates wrote a letter to then Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, requesting the lifting of the embargo– after returning from a trip to Cuba, during Benedict XVI’s visit to the island.
This excerpt from Bishop Pates’s letter to Hillary Rodham Clinton takes the cake:
“While in Cuba, I had the opportunity to visit programs providing child and elderly care in which food and medical attention are provided to poor and vulnerable persons. The staff members selflessly administering these facilities and senior Cuban Church officials responsible for these programs repeatedly told me that the efficacy of their work was hampered by their inability to obtain products from the United States due to the trade embargo.”
Really, Bishop Pates? REALLY?
I strongly suggest that Bishop Pates open his computer and immediately visit the COMBIOMED website in Cuba (PDF). Then, he needs to board a plane for Havana and ask Fidel and Raúl Castro why the COMBIOMED high-tech equipment– manufactured in Cuba and sold to other countries– is not available in the government-run hospitals, where Cuban citizens are often mutilated and killed, at the hands of incompetent personnel, trying to practice medicine in subhuman conditions.
Here is an excerpt from the Cuban COMBIOMED website (translation into English courtesy of Marielena Montesino de Stuart):
“The research, development, production facilities and the marketing and technical services headquarters, are in Havana, Cuba, in the “Scientific Pole of the West” technology park— which brings together the most advanced Cuban institutions related to biotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry and that of high-tech medical equipment.
Today, COMBIOMED products are developed and produced in the modern ICID facilities, pursuant to the highest international quality requirements. They meet the requirements of the State Control Center of Medical Equipment of the Republic of Cuba, which are equivalent to those of the European Community and the Federal Drug Administration [FDA] of the USA.”
Parroted slogans
What is most offensive about individuals like Bishop Pates– is that he has the audacity to write these letters, attempting to influence American policies towards Cuba, by citing his brief visit to the island– and conversations with individuals in Cuba, who are operating under the control of the Cuban government’s Communist thugs.
It is disconcerting to see Bishop Pates join the list of visitors to Cuba– who return to the United States and start their letter-writing campaigns– which sound more like parroted slogans for the Castro Communist regime.
Wake-up call
I cannot emphasize this enough: how much money donated by faithful Catholics, was spent to educate and advance Richard E. Pates to the position of Bishop? Not to mention, the money needed to support his current activities, as Chair of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, for the USCCB. Is this what faithful Catholics get in return after donating their hard-earned money to the Church?
Bishop Pates needs to learn the truth about the Cuban economy and the U.S. embargo
In my recent article, where I denounced the “pastoral” message from the Cuban Bishops, I described the reality of the Cuban economy, as follows [bold and red added for emphasis]:
“Cubans exiled in the United States and in different parts of the world support a parallel Cuban economy through remittances to relatives in Cuba, with estimates as high as one billion dollars per year.
Despite the “embargo” (which is merely symbolical at this point) and financial restrictions, U.S. exports to Cuba reached $711 million in 2008 before declining in 2009 and 2010. Cuba has become the 12th largest market in the Western Hemisphere for U.S. agricultural products.
The U.S. Dollar value of U.S. exports to Cuba in 2012 was $457,318,357.00 under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA) of 2000, which re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural products (commodities) from the United States to Cuba. This does not include healthcare products, which remain authorized by the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992.
After the TSRA was set in motion, the United States became Cuba’s fourth largest trading partner behind Venezuela, China, and Spain. While product types may vary, the United States is Cuba’s largest supplier of imported food during most years.
Based on the above facts, the only “unjust and ethically unacceptable” policies that keep the people of Cuba in misery, are those that have been imposed by Castro’s bloody Communist regime, for nearly 54 years.”
In addition to the above, the Obama administration has relaxed communications, travel and cultural exchange with Cuba, to the point of building new fantasy bridges of “social justice” with Castro’s government.
Cuba’s government continues to actively engage in foreign trade– as it aggressively prepares for the Panama Canal expansion (scheduled for completion in 2015) by approving the Decree Law of the Special Development Zone of Mariel, whose first project will be a container terminal, which will act as the main entry and exit point of Cuban foreign trade (and no doubt, illicit cargo).
Cuba and human trafficking
Beyond its skyrocketing rate of abortion, prostitution, hunger—as well as torture, imprisonment and executions, lies the horrific reality of human trafficking, which the Castro government refuses to discuss, because it is a state-sponsored crime.
But it does not appear that Bishop Pates knows about this either—or is he trying to avoid this topic, for the sake of rapprochement with Castro?
The 2013 U.S. State Department report on human trafficking states the following (bold added for emphasis):
“Cuba is a source country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor. Child prostitution and child sex tourism reportedly occur within Cuba. Cuban citizens have been forced into prostitution outside of Cuba. There have been allegations of coerced labor, particularly with Cuban work missions abroad. Some Cubans working abroad have stated that postings are voluntary and well paid; however, others have claimed that Cuban authorities have withheld their passports and restricted their movements. The scope of trafficking involving Cuban citizens is particularly difficult to gauge because of the closed nature of the government and sparse non-governmental or independent reporting.
The Government of Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. The government did not respond to requests for data on prosecutions of sex trafficking and forced labor or on trafficking-specific victim protection and prevention efforts that occurred during the reporting period. Governments that do not provide such data, consistent with the capacity of governments to obtain such data, are presumed by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act not to have made significant efforts to address human trafficking.”
Parting thoughts
Bishop Pates needs a new job, in the real world, not in the modernist world of the USCCB—which, for men in his position, typically includes soirées and full-course meals, during gatherings held to discuss “social justice.”
Yes, that same “social justice” that Fidel Castro offered the people of Cuba 54 years ago—only to turn the island into a hellish state.
The Vatican’s modernist business of “dialogue,” “social justice” and “peace” is such a busy one– that it probably leaves prelates, like Bishop Pates, little time to learn the facts.
Bishop Richard E. Pates should be immediately and permanently transferred to Cuba, where he can experience the communist reality, by living amongst the people—instead of fantasizing by writing letters to Susan Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton, from the comfort and safety of his well-appointed headquarters, in Des Moines and Washington DC.
Someone has to say the truth… ¡Aaaaaazúcar!
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Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
“Pope” Francis Watch, USCCB, Cuba, Bishop Richard E. Pates, Bishop Gerald Kicanas, Diocese of Des Moines, Catholic Church, Holy See, International, Marielena Montesino de Stuart, Marielena Speaks, Marielena Stuart, Human Trafficking, Committee on International Justice and Peace at the USCCB, Chong Chon Gang, North Korea, Pyongyang, Arms trafficking, Weapons Trafficking, U.S. embargo, State Sponsor of Terrorism, Gobierno de Cuba, Comunismo,
Someone has to say the truth… Please share it!
U.S. and International Bookmark + Share
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REFERENCE:
“Cuba’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega Must Resign”
“Vatican Readmits Leftist Thinking” (The Times – The Australian)
U.S. Census Bureau: Trade in Goods with Cuba (1992-2013) http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c2390.html (Also available in PDF)
Risk Management – Emerging Markets for U.S. Agriculture: Focus on Cuba http://cnas.tamu.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2013/08/E312.pdf
PASTORAL LETTER FROM THE CONFERENCE OF CUBAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS: “La Esperanza No Defrauda”
CARGO OF THE CHONG CHON GANG: http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/full-disclosure-contents-of-north-korean-smuggling-ship-revealed-38-north-informed-analysis-of-north-korea.pdf
STATE DEPT. DAILY PRESS BRIEFING: http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/regarding-the-chong-chon-gang-state-department-daily-press-briefing-iip-digital.pdf
STATEMENT by SAIS’s Senior Researcher, Hugh S.W. Griffiths: http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/hhrg-113-fa07-wstate-griffithsh-20130926.pdf
STATE SPONSORS OF TERRORISM: http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/state-sponsors-of-terrorism.pdf
CUBAN GOVERNMENT HIGH-TECH MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, NOT AVAILABLE TO CUBAN CITIZENS: COMBIOMED website in Cuba (PDF)
CUBAN SOCIALIZED MEDICINE (GOVERNMENT-RUN HOSPITALS): http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/hospitals-in-cuba-cracks-show-in-cuban-healthcare-system-institute-for-war-and-peace-reporting-p57606.pdf
Re-examining the Cuban Health Care System- Towards a Qualitative Critique, by Katherine Hirschfeld: http://romancatholicworld.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/re-examining-the-cuban-health-care-system-towards-a-qualitative-critique-katherine-hirschfeld.pdf
I welcome your comments regarding this specific article:
Cuba, Trade and Castro’s “New Man”
CUBA, TRADE and CASTRO’S “NEW MAN”
By Marielena Montesino de Stuart
More rapprochement…
The Conference of Cuban Catholic Bishops continues to march to the beat of socialist ideals, with their latest pastoral letter, titled “LA ESPERANZA NO DEFRAUDA” (“Nor does this hope delude us” / spes autem non confundit)– taken from Romans 5,5.
On June 3, 2013 I published an article titled “Cuba’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega Must Resign”denouncing Cardinal Jaime Ortega’s brazen socialist propaganda in the Archdiocese of Havana. Having lived under communism in Cuba, I asked that Cardinal Ortega step down.
While my request for Cardinal Ortega’s resignation may appear to be symbolic, my article containing this request has circled the globe and has received the enthusiastic support of Cubans exiled in Europe and in the United States. This is another reaffirmation that Roman Catholic Cubans, as well as non-Catholic Cubans, have had enough with the modernist Vatican and their socialist “dialogue” with the enemy.
The latest socialist appeasement message from the Cuban Bishops comes in the form of a pastoral letter, which does not contain a single mention of the words “Communism” or “Communist.” Instead, the emphasis is on “dialogue” – following the modernist (socialist) Vatican rules of rapprochement.
This “dialogue” also came in the form of Benedict XVI’s refusal to meet with dissidents during his visit to Cuba, in 2012. No amount of excuses from Vatican officials can make the world forget such a betrayal.
In the interest of time, I have focused on key excerpts from this pastoral letter signed by the Cuban Bishops, with my translations of specific sections that need to be vigorously denounced. I have added bold to the original Spanish, to reference the translated sections:
EXCERPT FROM PARAGRAPH 31 – CUBAN BISHOPS: “Como ha venido ocurriendo en el aspecto económico, creemos imprescindible en nuestra realidad cubana una actualización o puesta al día de la legislación nacional en el orden político.”
Translation of excerpt from paragraph 31. “As has been taking place in the economic arena, we believe it is essential in our Cuban reality to upgrade or update the national political legislation.”
MY COMMENT: What aspect of communism is there to “upgrade” or “update”?
What are the Cuban Bishops afraid of? Why can’t they forcefully denounce communism and publicly encourage the immediate dismantling of the Communist dictatorship— which has brought nothing but misery to the Cuban people, a misery which has been exported by Cuban political emissaries– and blessed by liberal Catholic theologians throughout the world.
EXCERPT FROM PARAGRAPH 35- CUBAN BISHOPS: “En los últimos años también ha habido grandes transformaciones en otras naciones, de modo particular en nuestra región latinoamericana. En un mundo cada vez más globalizado e interdependiente, las necesarias reformas internas, tanto políticas como económicas, pueden ayudar a insertarnos de manera más dinámica y segura en el contexto internacional.
Translation of excerpt from paragraph 35- CUBAN BISHOPS: “In the last few years great transformations have also taken place in other nations, particularly in our Latin American region. In a world which is more and more globalized and interdependent, the necessary internal reforms, both political and economic, can help us to insert ourselves in international affairs, in a more dynamic and secure way.”
MY COMMENT: The Cuban Bishops seem to forget that Cuba has been participating and inserting itself in international affairs, through its membership in the United Nations—an evil entity which has unashamedly supported the bloody Castro Communist regime for nearly 54 years, while helping promote communism throughout the world. The “globalized” and “interdependent” approach mentioned by the Cuban Bishops is nothing but Agenda 21, which is devastating Latin America, Spain and every country it touches. Agenda 21 is the infamous socialist initiative, also known as Sustainable Development, which promotes depopulation (abortion on demand), controls the production and distribution of food– and violates property rights—all under the pretext of environmental stewardship. In other words, international socialism.
Instead, the Cuban Bishops should assert that the basis for all public policies should not rest on ambiguous catch phrases or socialist ideology, but rather on the Commandments of God and on the Natural Law — which binds all men, for all time and in all circumstances.
The Cuban Bishops also cite John Paul II’s visit to Cuba and his concern for “social, economic and cultural development.” What the Cuban Bishops seem to forget is that John Paul II, after vigorously negotiating the freedom of the Polish people from communism, proceeded to pat Fidel Castro on the back, praising his socialized health care and education. The double standards, under John Paul II, are legendary.
THE U.S. GETS THE BLAME, AGAIN…
EXCERPT FROM PARAGRAPH 36 – CUBAN BISHOPS: “En este contexto de política internacional se hace necesario considerar las relaciones de Cuba con los Estados Unidos, que durante largas décadas, de diverso modo y de manera constante y profunda, han afectado la vida de nuestro pueblo. A esto se refirió el beato Juan Pablo II al decir que “el aislamiento provocado repercute de manera indiscriminada en la población, acrecentando las dificultades de los más débiles en aspectos básicos como la alimentación, la sanidad o la educación”14. Y concluyó pidiendo se suprimieran “las medidas impuestas desde fuera del país injustas y éticamente inaceptables.”
Translation of excerpt from paragraph 36: “In this context of international politics it is necessary to consider the relations between Cuba and the United States, which during many decades, in different ways and in a constant and profound manner, have affected the life of our people. The Servant of God, John Paul II, referred to this by saying that “the provoked isolation has indiscriminate repercussions on the population, increasing the difficulties of the weakest, in terms of basic needs like food, health or education.” He [John Paul II] concluded by asking that “the measures imposed from outside the country which are unjust and ethically unacceptable, be removed.”
MY COMMENT: The Cuban Embargo has turned into a mere symbolic message of opposition to the Communist dictatorship in Cuba. Cuba has been open to the world for decades under the Castro regime, because its military rulers need money to control the island prison, while lining their pockets. The world visits Cuba every day, in the form of tourism (including sexual tourism) as well as through “cultural” and economic exchange. As I write this commentary, a PBS station is aggressively promoting a trip to Cuba, at the price of nearly $4,000 per person, leaving from Florida. President Obama has enthusiastically relaxed travel restrictions, making Cuba accessible from various U.S. airports. All this, while political dissidents are tortured in Cuban prisons—and the graveyards of those who have been executed by Castro’s regime, remain an uncomfortable topic of discussion for those promoting “dialogue.” Cubans exiled in the United States and in different parts of the world support a parallel Cuban economy through remittances to relatives in Cuba, with estimates as high as one billion dollars per year.
Despite the “embargo” and financial restrictions, U.S. exports to Cuba reached $711 million in 2008 before declining in 2009 and 2010. Cuba has become the 12th largest market in the Western Hemisphere for U.S. agricultural products.
The U.S. Dollar value of U.S. exports to Cuba in 2012 was $457,318,357.00 under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA) of 2000, which re-authorized the direct commercial (on a cash basis) export of food products (including branded food products) and agricultural products (commodities) from the United States to Cuba. This does not include healthcare products, which remain authorized by the Cuban Democracy Act (CDA) of 1992.
After the TSRA was set in motion, the United States became Cuba’s fourth largest trading partner behind Venezuela, China, and Spain. While product types may vary, the United States is Cuba’s largest supplier of imported food during most years.
Based on the above facts, the only “unjust and ethically unacceptable” policies that keep the people of Cuba in misery, are those that have been imposed by Castro’s bloody Communist regime, for nearly 54 years.
EXCERPT FROM PARAGRAPH 37 – CUBAN BISHOPS: “…un intercambio comercial justo y orientado al beneficio de todos.”
Translation of excerpt from paragraph 37: “…a just economic exchange aimed at benefitting everyone.”
MY COMMENT: It is preposterous for the Cuban Bishops to assume that the Castro regime has any desire to be “just” or “beneficial” to the U.S.—as in the U.S. one-sided relationship with China, where China wins and we lose.
THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE…
EXCERPT FROM PARAGRAPH 39 – CUBAN BISHOPS: “Es significativo el llamado que han hecho las autoridades del país acerca del creciente deterioro en las manifestaciones de conducta y en la moralidad pública. Ante esto consideramos que no son suficientes las medidas de exigencia y de disciplina, sino que se hace apremiante un proceso educativo que favorezca, en todos los cubanos, el deseo de ser buenos y la práctica de la virtud. A tal fin deben contribuir, conjuntamente, la familia, la escuela, los medios de comunicación y las instituciones religiosas teniendo a los niños y a los jóvenes como los primeros destinatarios de una formación integral.”
Translation of excerpt from paragraph 39: “It is noteworthy that the country’s authorities have denounced the growing deterioration of conduct and public morals. In light of this, we consider that the measures involving requirements and discipline are not enough. Instead, it is critical that an educational process be implemented to instill in Cubans a desire to be good and virtuous. To this end, it is necessary to have the joint contribution of the family, schools, media / means of communication and religious institutions, with children and youth as the first recipients of comprehensive training.”
MY COMMENT: These young Cubans who are now being punished for not having good moral values and for not being virtuous, are the result of Fidel Castro’s promise of a “new man” (hombre nuevo) formed under principles of “social justice” in an atheist state. So after 54 years of Communist indoctrination, vicious and uninterrupted persecution of Christian values—and removal of God as the basis of moral education — the Cuban Bishops are now entrusting the Cuban government with the reeducation of Cubans, so that they can be turned into good and virtuous people.
Note that “measures involving requirements and discipline are not enough.” And the Cuban Bishops want everyone to cooperate—including “media / means of communication.” What “media / means of communication” are these? The only media / means of communication in Cuba are strictly controlled and censored by the Communist government. So the Cuban Bishops are asking the people of Cuba to turn themselves in—and allow their captors to reeducate them. What reeducation camps are the Cuban Bishops suggesting? What cruel and evil proposition is this?
Final thoughts
There is a clear and constant message coming out of the Vatican, which has intensified even more since “Pope” Francis’s election– which is that socialism is good. None other than the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, is forcefully promoting Liberation Theology, a dangerous Marxist movement in the Catholic Church, which is being reintroduced, dusted off and given a new coat of varnish.
The socialists (impostors) who infiltrated the Vatican have been hard at work for many, many decades– and they are finally seeing the fruits of their labor, across the globe.
Someone has to say the truth… (Join the international campaign for THE TRUTH: Whisper it, Shout it, Share It!
Copyright © Marielena Montesino de Stuart. All rights reserved.
U.S. and International Bookmark + Share
REFERENCE:
“Cuba’s Cardinal Jaime Ortega Must Resign”
“Vatican Readmits Leftist Thinking” (The Times – The Australian)
U.S. Census Bureau: Trade in Goods with Cuba (1992-2013) http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c2390.html (Also available in PDF)
Risk Management – Emerging Markets for U.S. Agriculture: Focus on Cuba http://cnas.tamu.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2013/08/E312.pdf
PASTORAL LETTER FROM THE CONFERENCE OF CUBAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS: “La Esperanza No Defrauda”
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I welcome your comments regarding this specific article. Name and email will be kept confidential:
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