Jeovany J. Vega, Translator: Unstated
There are two laws in Cuba: the first, written in ink, the second in
frustration and pain. The first, a symbolism that rests on sterile
paper, in the Constitution and legal codes, which allegedly belong to
all Cubans, without distinctions of any kind, and its romantic spirit,
theoretically, we are all equal in powers and rights. This is the one
quoted by the army of large, medium, small and tiny leaders, always in
tones very momentous as the culmination of the dream of heroes. This is
the one of the front page of the newspaper Granma, which extols vibrant
speeches that seemed touched by hand from the dais or the bench or from
the comfort of the high offices, which vows that "… Every citizen is
entitled to lodge complaints and petitions to the authorities and to
receive attention or relevant and timely responses appropriate under the
law ."(*)
But a second law, unwritten but consistent with reality is one of abuse
with impunity and contempt, of the silent complicity of the authorities
who pretend not to hear of the atrocities, the law that crushes those
who aspire to exercise their rights as they can only be exercised:
naturally and without consultation. A law that is not written, but with
enough the power that from its summit it frowns, such that all the
institutions and momentous leaders fold. But though they fold under the
branches of power, the free man resists.
If that happens, then, that for having exercised the right referred to
above (*) two physicians are deprived of the right to exercise their
profession for something they didn't do–which they can prove–and then
their union betrays them, helping to arm the lie and papering over their
own members; if these workers are directed over a dozen times to the
Minister without ever receiving a response; if the Attorney General of
the Republic turns a blind eye to the obvious inconsistency of the
charges that have nothing to do with true facts; if those guilty live
happily unpunished: how can the presumed legal system of this country be
viewed, other than standing on its head?
The worst thing is that this is not a selective violation, the a cruel
point against an obscure official against two workers, because if that
were the case we would not have already faced five years of sanctioned
affronts. What is truly serious is a State of No Laws persists which is
conducive to injustice and impunity, which allows someone to abuse their
power against the rights of others with the most absolute audacity
anywhere in Cuba, at any time and against any innocent. He who proceeds
in this way — whomever is allowed to do it — betrays the legacy of the
Founding Fathers, betrays his people and darkens the future of the country.
Everything confirms it: the "official" written law is left at the bottom
of dusty file, while the royal law flies over us, and as a sword of
Damocles, a grave threat to the people of Cuba.
(*) Article 63 of the Cuban Socialist Constitution now in force.
21 July 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment