Luis Felipe Rojas, Translator: Raul G.
A military construction company has attacked the building of the
condominiums pictured on the photo above. The ones on the left that are
already painted belong to the S.A Cuban Aviation Company (ECASA), a
dependency of Civil Aeronautics. The ones on the right are property of
the Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
A while ago, there was a promotional billboard at the entrance which
explained the efforts and the details of the project. Right at the
moment of the worst housing situation, and amid the moment in which they
have named General Rodiles as the head of the Physical Planning, these
brand-new 4 story buildings have been erected. Once again, the officials
of Military Counter-Intelligence, the Heads of Penitentiary
Establishments, and the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of the
Interior (MININT) are the ones that benefit from the facilities which
have been given to them, at the expense of the nation.
Neighborhoods such as "El Piti" and "La Fornet" on the outskirts of the
Alcides Pino Cigar Factory, and "La Colora", are the ones which harbor
the worst face of Holguin, the so-called City of Parks.
Four years ago, a wave of unemployment shook these marginal
neighborhoods, also known as "Give and Takes". At the forefront of these
repressive actions was the current Minister of Education, Miguel
Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who is also the First Secretary of the Communist
Party in the province. The evictions, after all the legal challenges and
official propaganda, were held back thanks to the organization of the
affected — a celebrated march along with their children through the
center of the city, as well as the support and solidarity of various
human rights activists who have often suffered beatings, detentions, and
confiscations of cameras and voice recorders during that time.
Translated by Raul G.
20 April 2012
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