Raul Castro’s Black Glasses

Raul Castro's Black Glasses / Juan Juan Almeida
Posted on April 25, 2014

Although article 2.1 of the current Republic of Cuba Penal Code says,
"Only acts expressly described as crimes in the law may be sanctioned…"
doctrine inoculated for more than five decades managed to change in us
the concept of Fatherland, Nation, State, Country and Revolution; this
served as support for decreeing that whoever exercises the right to
publicly criticize the ineffectiveness of the government will become, by
conceptual association, an anti-patriotic activist who must be repressed.

Then, on establishing the word "Socialism" in the words of our
Constitution, any different ideology or inclination was isolated to a
dangerous anti-constitutional margin.

Cause and effect. Today in Cuba, political prisoners are held
incommunicado and sometimes, what's more, deprived of the right to legal
redress. Such is the case with a young black Cuban, Juliet Michelena
Diaz, who is in prison just for performing the innocuous work of
independent citizen journalist, which permits us to observe reality and
disturbs the clouded transparency of a governmental press; which
although it may become strong with effort, will continue for some time
to be rigid, controlled and censored.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba lied supremely when
at the closing of the 8th UNEAC (Cuban Artists and Writers Union)
Meeting he said unabashedly and brazenly, "I am the absolute enemy of
unanimity." Please, try that one on someone else.

Mister President forgets that his word may be command in the National
Assembly, because it's a political institution, but it should not be in
trials or in courts. Nevertheless, based on honorable functions of
watching over and protecting the citizenry, and sheltered behind the
impudent excuse of maintaining the security of the people and public
order, the Cuban authorities commit illegalities that allow them to
prosecute, even using false accusations, not only people whom they wish
to punish but also their relatives and friends.

Cuban shysters know well, they studied for this reason, that the guilt
of a prisoner is personal and non-transferable and that under no
circumstances should he be found guilty because of association, family
relationship or heritage. Even when dealing with an invented guilt as
in the particular case of Lady in White Sonia Garro and her husband
Ramon Alejandro Munoz, who have spent more than two years locked in
prison with no one caring, and nothing happens.

Apparently, the General, like his brother Fidel, wears dark glasses in
order to protect himself from the sun and to keep blacks invisible.

I must clarify that with this writing I am not trying to be a judge or
to promote a timely or opportunistic political crusade; I only want to
make clear that while we move further from the majesty of the law, we
will be permitting another "Don Juan de los Palotes" to keep distancing
us from the road to democracy, respect and the real possibility of
exercising of our full rights.

I apologize, I did not mention "Liberty" because even that is relative;
and besides I am convinced that liberty will lose its value when it
loses its obstacles.

Translated by mlk.

22 April 2014

Source: Raul Castro's Black Glasses / Juan Juan Almeida | Translating
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