By Emilio San Pedro
BBC News, Miami
A Cuban exile blogger from Miami says he used a female internet alter
ego to gain access to a member of the usually impervious family of Fidel
Castro.
Luis Dominguez said he used the character to begin an online
relationship with 40-year-old Antonio, the son of ex-leader Mr Castro.
He refused to apologise for the deception, saying he wanted to show the
"opulent lifestyles" of the Castros.
Cuban authorities have made no comment regarding the online chats.
Daily life
Many internet users have engaged in a series of flirtatious chats only
to find the person they have met online is not who they say they are.
" I use whatever tools I have to be able to get back at these people "
Luis Dominguez
As anyone who covers Cuban politics and the Castro family knows, gaining
access of any sort is far from easy.
The Castro family has had a massive security cordon around it for
decades - in large part due to the many attempts to remove the island's
communist government from power.
ONLINE ROMANCE?
tonycsport: Hi
claudiacartagena82: Hi, sorry I know you wrote me last night
tonycsport: Yes
claudiacartagena82: But I wasn't at the computer. I saw it this morning.
Did you get my picture in your email?
tonycsport: Yes, I'm looking at it. You sent the same picture twice
claudiacartagena82: Yeah but bigger
tonycsport: Yes, it's true
claudiacartagena82: I don't have that many photographs in this computer.
I'll have to look for some more. The ones I have here are from a wedding
tonycsport: Well, as long as it wasn't you who got married hehehe
claudiacartagena82: No it was a friend's wedding. I'm single. It's
because I work so much here, and in Colombia men are macho and I don't
like that. I spend so much time searching for information and reading
tonycsport: Hehehe, very good. You know, I don't see myself as macho
claudiacartagena82: Tell me about yourself, are you single?
tonycsport: Yes
claudiacartagena82: Aa-ha
Extract translated from the original Spanish
Mr Dominguez used Antonio Castro's alleged weakness for young women and
sports.
Mr Dominguez created Claudia, a 27-year-old Colombian sports journalist.
Claudia made contact with Antonio and they chatted on and off for an
eight-month period.
Antonio shared details of his daily life in Cuba and his trips around
the world with his uncle Raul, the Cuban president, but did not reveal
any state secrets.
However, Mr Dominguez says that by showing what he describes as the
opulent lifestyles the Castros live in a communist country like Cuba he
has achieved his aim.
Mr Dominguez has published pictures and documents of his chats with the
younger Mr Castro on his blog.
He refuses to apologise for violating Antonio Castro's privacy.
"I'm a Cuban and I'm a Cuban American and I have not been able to go
back to my country since 1971 when I left.
"I use whatever tools I have to be able to get back at these people. In
Cuba people are put in prison for no reason at all. Their rights are
violated... So, why can't I do the same thing to them? I have no remorse
whatsoever."
The Cuban authorities have made no comment about the chats, but Claudia
says the relationship has gone cold.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8099925.stm
Published: 2009/06/15 10:20:15 GMT
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