Sunday, November 27, 2016

Castro, Cuba and Che

Fidel Castro passed away on Friday. It was Black Friday in the United States but millions of Cubans can only hope it is a Brighter Friday for their prospects for freedom.

Castro's death ended almost 60 years for him being on the world stage. He ruled Cuba over the course of 11 Presidents of the United States. To put that in context, that is equal to 25% of all the Presidents the United States has had in its history.

This is what our current President, Barack Obama said about Castro on his passing.

At this time of Fidel Castro’s passing, we extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people. We know that this moment fills Cubans - in Cuba and in the United States - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation. History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him. 

Obama's response was muted compared to liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada who remembered Castro this way.

Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.

Or United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon lauding Castro by stating "he was a strong voice for social justice...".

However, compare these statements above with what President-elect Trump said about Castro.

“Fidel Castro’s legacy is one of firing squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and the denial of fundamental human rights,”
“While Cuba remains a totalitarian island, it is my hope that today marks a move away from the horrors endured for too long, and toward a future in which the wonderful Cuban people finally live in the freedom they so richly deserve,”  

What are some facts about Cuba?

Since Castro assumed power more than 1.5 million Cubans have left the island, many of those seeking refuge in the United States through a harrowing voyage across the Florida straits in flimsy boats and rafts. More than 1.2 million Cubans found their way to the United States most of which now reside in Florida.

To put that in perspective, Cuba's population today is just over 11 million. The loss of population from those who escaped Cuba and population control on the island has constrained population growth since Castro took power.


Credit: Zero Hedge
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-05-27/guest-post-cuba-figuring-out-pieces-puzzle


Population growth is now negative in Cuba. More are leaving and dying than are being born in the country.


Credit: https://www.quandl.com/collections/cuba/cuba-population-data


Of course, many who have died did so at the hands of Castro in order for him to maintain power and control over that population.

CubaArchive.org maintains a database of disappearances and fatalities of a political and military nature going back to the beginnings of the Cuban revolution continuing through the Castro ruling period. It numbers in the thousands upon thousands of people.

In addition, there have been political prisoners in the tens of thousands over the years, among them the father of Ted Cruz. In fact, Castro himself admitted in 1964 to holding 15,000 political prisoners.

Finally, despite the socialist ideal that was promised by Fidel Castro and his compatriot, Che Guevara, it has never never realized in Cuba after more than a half a century. In fact, Cuba was the 7th most prosperous Latin American/South American country in 1950 (before Castro) as measured by GDP per capita. Today, only two other countries are poorer---Haiti and Nicaragua.

It is indeed ironic that this t-shirt that retails for $21.99 at the Che Guevara store costs more than the $20 per month the average government worker earns in Cuba.


Credit: Amazon.com


For good measure, how about adding on the Che beret at $29.99 for another six weeks of pay?

Credit: https://www.amazon.com/Che-Guevara-Store-Original-Silver

Does anyone else also find it strange that liberals continue to state how they are afraid that their rights and freedoms will somehow be abridged by Donald Trump while pointing to Castro as paragon of human rights and social justice?

How does that make sense when you consider that Donald Trump will be the first President in United States history to not have ever taken one cent on any public sector payroll. However, he enters the White House as a multi-billionaire made entirely in the private sector.

When Fidel Castro assumed power in Cuba he was a self-described "peasant." In fact, to the people of Cuba he claimed he made $43 per month and lived in a hut on the beach. However, he closed his life with a net worth that Forbes has estimated to be almost $1 billion. While most people in his country starved, he lived a life of luxury that included 20 luxurious residences throughout the island according to The New York Post.

Who is more aligned with the truth about Castro? Trump, Obama, Trudeau or Ban-Ki Moon?

Liberals somehow think it is cool to extol the counter-culture revolutionary ideals of Castro and Che Guevara. It is baffling and befuddling to me. Look no further than the facts about Cuba. Is this anything anyone would really want their country to aspire to when considering what has happened to Cuba over the last 60 years?

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