CUBA, A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.
THE MESSAGE:
CUBAN SOCIETY
Before Castro, under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, Cuba was the gambling capitol of the western world.
Night life was the main product of this open country. Decadence, corruption, Mafia influence, prostitution and government ineffectiveness was so much in evidence, that Fidel Castro became a conquering hero.
After Castro's position was secure, he revealed his Marxist intentions. Those who did not support his new agenda had already left the island. Later on, other refugees began escaping on small boats and rafts to make the ninety mile trip to Miami, many died.
The revolution in the 1950s had a huge impact on Cuban society and the way it is structured. The Communist Party of Cuba has complete control over all facets of society and has nationalized public utilities. Cuba has universal health care, which is considered to be one of the greatest triumphs of the post-revolutionary system. The infant and maternal mortality rates are considerably low and the life expectancy is better than that of the United States. In addition, the education system is entirely state-operated. Education has a strong political and ideological emphasis, with students being expected to commit to the goals of the state.
Officially, Cuba is a secular state, as churches are considered to be sources of subversive activity. However, there is complete religious freedom and Cuban people are allowed to practise their religions freely. Catholicism remains the predominant religion, with approximately half of the population affiliated with the Catholic church.
While Cuban people are subject to limited political expression and censorship, modern Cuban culture is extremely vibrant. It is a complex mix of diverse influences, with the merging of European, African and North American. As such, Cuban customs vary greatly, depending on the cultural influences.
The Cuban situation was so hot that it led to one of the most controversial and grotesque chapters in US presidential history: the hiring of the Mafia to help assassinate Castro. Though the details are murky and RFK's involvement has never been proven, it went something like this.
CIA operatives, aware that the Mob was eager to renew the profitable gambling business it enjoyed under the Batista regime, hired Mafia hit man Johnny Rosselli to kill Castro. These machinations have provided much of the fuel behind various conspiracy theories of John Kennedy's assassination in Dallas in 1963.
THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS
The U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion and Operation Mongoose in 1962 were failed attempts to overthrow the Castro regime in Cuba. As a result, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev reached a secret agreement with Cuban premier Fidel Castro to place Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba to deter any future invasion attempt. Construction of several missile sites began in the late summer, but U.S. intelligence discovered evidence of a general Soviet arms build-up in Cuba, including the deployment of Soviet IL–28 bombers.
THE LATIN AMERICAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LASM)
Established in 1999 and operated by the Cuban government, LASM has been described as being the largest medical school in the world by enrolment. Approximately 10,000 to 12,000 international students from 49 countries was the size of the reported enrolment in 2006-2007. Most of these come from Latin America and the Caribbean. Some are from Africa and Asia. The school accepts students from the USA, with 92 of them enrolled as of January 2007. Tuition, accommodation and board are free.
The Latin American School of Medicine is officially recognized by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) and the World Health Organization. It is fully accredited by the Medical Board of California, which has the strictest US standards — which means that qualified US graduates of the Latin American School of Medicine are eligible to apply for residency placements in any state of the US.
ELAM is intended to accept students coming from the poorest of communities. The hope is for these graduates to return to practise in such areas within their countries. Preference is given to candidates with limited financial resources or candidates of colour who can demonstrate the highest desire to return to their roots and practise medicine there.
After the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, the Cuban government offered 1000 scholarships to students from Pakistan. There are 298 students who have completed their 6 year program, graduated and returned to Pakistan to work in their field. Another 600 are due to graduate in February of 2015.
The following are facts about the Guantanamo inmate population:
• The remaining inmates represent less than a quarter of the 680 incarcerated at the same time in 2003, when the prison population was at its peak. While they hail from about 20 countries, more than half are from Yemen. Afghans, Algerians and Saudis are the other most represented nationalities.
• Seventy-six detainees have been approved for transfer by the US military, which means that, at least in theory, they can be released. But with no one willing to take them in, they remain behind bars.
• More than 600 inmates have been repatriated or transferred to other countries. According to the Pentagon, about 25 percent have resumed or are suspected of having resumed terror-related activities since their release.
• Transfers have picked up in recent months. The most recent have been to Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The last three ethnic Uighurs, Turkic-speaking and mainly Muslim Chinese citizens, were sent to Slovakia in December. Talks to take in detainees are under way with Brazil, Colombia, Germany and Uruguay.
• Forty-five detainees have not been approved for transfer because they are deemed too dangerous, but cannot be prosecuted due to a lack of evidence against them. The cases of three among them are currently being looked at by a “Periodic Review Board” created by President Barack Obama in 2011 as part of his efforts to shutter the facility. About 20 others may be charged.
• Nine detainees have died. The most recent, Yemeni national Adnan Abdul Latif, probably committed suicide in September 2012.
• Eight detainees have been tried and convicted since the creation of special military commissions in 2006. Six of these inmates pleaded guilty. Federal authorities reversed the convictions of two of them, while appeals have been filed in two other cases. The remaining four were transferred back to their home countries.
- Only one, Tanzanian national Ahmed al-Ghailani, who is serving a life sentence for his role in the 1998 attacks on US embassies in Africa, appeared before a federal court.
• Six detainees were sent before a military commission, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind and four others suspected of involvement in the terror attacks on US soil.
Another is Saudi detainee Abd Al-Rahim Al-Nashiri, who is charged with masterminding the MV Limburg attack and the 2000 attack against the USS Cole in Yemen. All six face the death penalty if convicted.
CUBA AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
YASIEL PUIG
The baseball world has been stunned by reports the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig was smuggled from his homeland CUBA by a drug cartel, and a Miami gangster allegedly now owns 20% of his astronomical contract. There are more controversial and sad stories surrounding other Cuban stars.
Four members of Cuba’s 2009 WBC roster ace Aroldis Chapman, outfielders Yoenis Céspedes and Leonys Martín, and right-hander Yunesky Maya have defected and reached the major leagues. Other top prospects with Major League Baseball clubs are: Adeiny Hechavarria (Miami Marlins), Jose Iglesias (Boston Red Sox) and Jorge Soler (Chicago Cubs).
CUBAN VACATIONS
Touring the country on your own or in a group is easy, fun and safe. Cuba’s 50,000 kilometres of roads and highways connect the country from east to west—and let you meet the people where they live. The island’s three main highways are the National Thruway, Central Highway and Northern Circuit.
Whether you’re in a car or on a bus, train or boat, you’ll find a new experience around every bend. Hang on to your hats…and get ready for adventure.
THE QUESTION:
What is more convoluted than Politics?
THE QUOTE:
"I am Fidel Castro and we have come to liberate Cuba."-FIDEL CASTRO
LAURELS TO:
THE LATIN AMERICAN MEDICAL SCHOOL IN CUBA
The world must understand... that our country is not just Cuba; our country is also humanity.
THE CLIP:
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