The Yesterday Show
More evidence of Cuba’s 48 year backward slide into poverty and misery.

It seems inconceivable that a country with Cuba’s resources and ingenious population could “DE-evolve”, but it has.

The regime hasn’t announced any official tallies, but according to the Miami Herald, analysts estimate that this year’s sugar harvest will be as small of those in 1903 and 1904.

That’s right. Castro has managed to dismantle Cuba’s once mighty sugar industry and bring it back to a distant yesterday’s levels.

The regime blames the weather for the agricultural disaster, but the blame for Cuba’s “Yesterday Show”, complete with ox-drawn plows, horse drawn carriages, no running water, unsanitary conditions in hospitals and food shortages rest squarely on the Adidas tracksuit clad shoulders of Fidel Castro Ruz.

During the industrial restructuring decreed by Fidel Castro in 2002, Cuba shut down 70 of its 155 sugar mills, stopped cultivating sugar cane in 3.4 million acres of land and reduced the industry’s labor force by 25 percent. Sugar has historically been considered the nation’s economic bulwark.
This fiasco has nothing to do with the evil “blockade” or global climate change, but by a system of dis governing that has not only stopped economic development , but has actually managed to erase the six decades of progress that Cuba made from its independence from Spain until Castro, inc. took over.

So when the Today Show shows images of a land stuck in the late 50’s and rapidly sliding back into the 1890’s , it’s not quaint or a simpler life, it’s Castro inc.’s Yesterday Show.

There is a point to be made that Cuba has not “evolved” as per Western standards but with Venezuela providing oil, China providing merchandise on credit and booming tourism, I don’t think Cuba will slip backwards.

I have been in all of Cuba and have witnessed the serious drought problems for the sugar industry and the people. The soft drink industry converted a long time ago from cane sugar to corn syrups (dextrose) a long time ago. The price for sugar on the world markets is absurdly low. It does not make sense to grow something at a huge loss or maybe it does where governments hugely subsidize crops. Cuba is adjusting their economy as best they can. You can see what you want on the Today show if you are an old relic. I for one and others choose optimism and pray for a quiet transition. Let Fidel fade. Washington is. And by the way, Fidel reads the Havana Journal if you haven’t figured that out yet.

Fidel should read the Havana Journal. I try to keep it very balanced and informative.

Maybe he’s start writing for us!

Publisher - 06 June 2007 11:55 AM

Fidel should read the Havana Journal. I try to keep it very balanced and informative.

Maybe he’s start writing for us!

If he does, I’ll be the first one to walk out.
I had enough nonsense from him when I lived in Cuba.

His “reflections” writings of late should be in the comedy section they are so bad.

When I refer to, Fidel reads The Havana Journal, I would be referring to the greater circle around Fidel in the same manner George W. Bush is in touch with events during his regular briefings. The Havana Journal and other blog/forums are being closely monitored by both Cuba and the U.S.A. Start tracking the stories and posts and you will see a pattern of Fidel’s wacky ramblings. The timing of his responses coincide with what he is being exposed on the web, directly or indirectly.

On a different note, has anyway thought of giving a free ticket out to Raul after Fidel dies. I do get a sense that some of the younger powers within the Cuban system are at work for a slow gradual evolution of the system. One clue of this came out on the Today show with two references to quiet discussions going on in secret. Something quite different than we are lead to believe considering the rhetoric coming from both sides.

So Fidel, it is time to make things right and call for a quiet evolution of your country, let your people re-join the world. Free speach is not a bad thing, let your people speak as freely as you have in the past fifty years. Everyone in Cuba should be equal and you should not be more equal than others.

HavanAndrew - 06 June 2007 01:44 PM

When I refer to, Fidel reads The Havana Journal, I would be referring to the greater circle around Fidel in the same manner George W. Bush is in touch with events during his regular briefings. The Havana Journal and other blog/forums are being closely monitored by both Cuba and the U.S.A. Start tracking the stories and posts and you will see a pattern of Fidel’s wacky ramblings. The timing of his responses coincide with what he is being exposed on the web, directly or indirectly.

On a different note, has anyway thought of giving a free ticket out to Raul after Fidel dies. I do get a sense that some of the younger powers within the Cuban system are at work for a slow gradual evolution of the system. One clue of this came out on the Today show with two references to quiet discussions going on in secret. Something quite different than we are lead to believe considering the rhetoric coming from both sides.

So Fidel, it is time to make things right and call for a quiet evolution of your country, let your people re-join the world. Free speach is not a bad thing, let your people speak as freely as you have in the past fifty years. Everyone in Cuba should be equal and you should not be more equal than others.

There has being messages sent to the US through the OAS this week, in which the US reply , if Cuba wants to talk to do it through establish channels.

I believe there might be a split in the Raul Camp.

General Del Pino who defected several years ago, was on Miami TV today promoting Raul as the man that can bring changes.
He said Raul signed a proposal 7 years ago to form a free market within the Cuban structure and several Ministers signed it and Fidel Veto it and refused to talk about it.

Fidel is no longer calling the shots, so get that through your mind.
Also the reason Cuba is approaching the US is , they don’t want to get caught again as they did in the 90s with the fall of the soviet Union, Should something happen in Venezuela, Cuba would be left without oil and free money they get from Chavez.
It’s getting exciting now !

I have said it before many times on the Havana Journal, be very careful with Raul. He’s the guy with the off shore bank accounts. As far as oil goes, don’t forget that Cuba now has oil reserves that amount to the total oil use that the U.S uses in one year and that would equal to at least twenty years for Cuba. Both Castros have bad attributes and I do not believe that either one of them is good for Cuba right now. Now if the so called split in the Raul Castro camp is happening, it will be prudent for Raul to get out. Let the evolution truly happen. As a precautionary note, it will be wise for the U.S.A. to be out of the re-creation of the next government in Cuba. History tells us that every Latin American government that was set-up by the C.I.A. etc has failed. The Cuban people are a well educated society and they will figure things out. VIVA LA EVOLUCION

HavanAndrew - 07 June 2007 02:06 AM

I have said it before many times on the Havana Journal, be very careful with Raul. He’s the guy with the off shore bank accounts. As far as oil goes, don’t forget that Cuba now has oil reserves that amount to the total oil use that the U.S uses in one year and that would equal to at least twenty years for Cuba. Both Castros have bad attributes and I do not believe that either one of them is good for Cuba right now. Now if the so called split in the Raul Castro camp is happening, it will be prudent for Raul to get out. Let the evolution truly happen. As a precautionary note, it will be wise for the U.S.A. to be out of the re-creation of the next government in Cuba. History tells us that every Latin American government that was set-up by the C.I.A. etc has failed. The Cuban people are a well educated society and they will figure things out. VIVA LA EVOLUCION

Well said. Did you see my post about potential chaos in Cuba after the announcement of Fidel’s death?

http://havanajournal.com/politics/entry/why-there-will-be-chaos-after-fidel-castro-death-prediction-9875/

From La Revolucion to La Evolucion?