Cuban Problems

This is in response to the letter of Cecile Meyer published by The Northern Star on Nov. 20.

Fortunately, I, my daughter and many others, Cubans and non-Cubans, do not agree with the perception of Mrs. Meyer. Fortunately, we can separate the terms “Cuban government” from “Castro’s government.”

Cubans in Miami, inside Cuba, or wherever they are would like to improve relations with a Cuban government, elected through a universal vote supervised by foreign organizations.

Unfortunately, she also forgot to mention that the same majority of Cubans that want relations with the “Cuban government,” also back the embargo and expect an inevitable political change in Cuba. The majority of the Cubans and many democrats of the world are not looking for a way to save Castro and his communist regime but a change in the island that will permit Cubans to travel, enjoy freedom, elect its own government and keep the fruit of what Cuba produces for Cubans and not to buy guns to terrorize the people.

I can’t believe that anyone has the guts to defend a system that has been abandoned by its creators. Does she know what happened in Romania, Germany, Poland and the Soviet Union? How can she still dare to defend a system of opprobious killing and lies? Does she know what is happening in those countries?

Communism was a unified system and operated the same way in all those countries. The Eastern bloc has been liberated of that system but it still is oppressing people in countries like Cuba, China and Vietnam.

Its fall is inevitable. A tree cannot survive without roots. Please, Mrs. Meyer, don’t try to prolong the agony of the Cubans inside Cuba.

How can you dare to compare isolated violations of human rights in United States with the infamous atrocities of the Cuban government? Human rights have been violated in Guatemala and El Salvador, but even those cannot be compared with the abuses of the government that you would like to keep in Cuba.

Guatemala and El Salvador had elections, not perfect ones, but elections have taken place and have been supervised by foreigners. The groups that she defends, Castro’s allies, have been shooting at the people in line to vote.

I condemn any violation of human rights, be it a priest or a nun killed in Guatemala or El Salvador or a Cuban dissident. I am not selectively blind.

I have nothing to do with Mas Canosa or with the millions of dollars that you claim he has. Neither do I have anyting to do with the CIA. Please, disagree with me if you wish but do not associate me with anybody else.

Cubans today are better off than most Third World nations, the infant mortality rate is lower and their life-span is longer. However, did you take time to find out where those rates were before Castro took over? Don’t compare them to Third World nations today, compare them with Cuba in 1959 and what has happened during the last 32 years of communist oppression.

I accept the higher literacy rate but if you check back in 1959 you will see that Cuba was also at the top in education.

I was poor, my father died when I was seven and my mother had to manage to take care of me and my brothers. I was able to become a teacher, a journalist and obtain a doctorate in education and my case was not an isolated one.

Certainly, there are some Cuban groups that have been doing “business” with Cubans in need, sending packages to relatives or to go to visit them. Those groups have a very productive enterprise in the United States and would like, as you would, to keep Castro and his comrades in the government.

I am sorry you did not attend my presentation. Everybody was invited and I hope that your failure to attend mine will not deprive me of attending a presentation of yours and ask questions, the same way that I took questions from those that attended mine.

ector Rioseco

Editors’ Note: Hector Rioseco spoke at NIU Nov. 12 about the situation in Cuba.