Enemies of a free Cuba

Here's a list of last names of MEPs (pag. 12), who voted against a resolution condemning deplorable human rights situation in Cuba, and the death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo:

ALDE: Vattimo
ECR: Cymański, Czarnecki
GUE/NGL: Angourakis, Bisky, Chountis, de Brún, Ernst, Ferreira João, Figueiredo, Hadjigeorgiou, Händel, Klute, Kohlíček, Le Hyaric, Maštálka, Matias, Meyer, Portas, Ransdorf, Remek, Rubiks, Scholz, Søndergaard, Svensson Eva-Britt, Vergiat, Wils
NI: Sinclaire
PPE: Jiménez-Becerril Barrio*
S&D: Gierek

May their names be remembered as that of enemies of democracy, human rights, and freedom.

* Juan Salafranca from EPP, has emailed saying that Jimenez-Becerril Barrio pushed the wrong button by mistake.

EU Parliament condemns Cuba dictatorship

So the European Parliament issued a strong condemnation against the Cuban tyrants today, basically due to the state-sponsored violation of human rights in the prison island. Last week, Spain's highest court issued an indictment against the Venezuelan caudillo, owing to his relationship with ETA and FARC, both considered terrorist organisations by civilised nations. Seriously though, what do these condemnations / indictments achieve on the ground? Do these measures in any way ameliorate the otherwise destitute life of Cubans or Venezuelans? Do the Cuban or the Venezuelan regimes in any way change policy, or cease in their dictatorial behaviour? Are institutions, in Cuba and Venezuela, any more than just appendixes of Castro and Chavez after such pronouncements are announced? More importantly, do these resolutions impede European governments and businesses to actively seek, and get, lucrative deals, in Cuba and Venezuela, while conveniently brushing aside the human suffering they are contributing to, and fostering?

No, to all of the above, and no, to any hope that dictators will heed calls for moderation, restraint, and respect for human rights. No, to any hope that EU governments and businesses will pull the plug on tyrants. No, to any hope that multilaterals will shun dictatorships, and its very effective diplomatic representatives. No, to any change in foreign policy. No, to any hope that the world's media will start referring to Castro and Chavez, as dictators, instead of presidents, under whose watch untold crimes take place, and barbarism reigns supreme. No, to any hope that the world's most powerful human rights NGOs will admit that the conditions in Guantanamo Bay prison are a luxury beyond the wildest dreams of inmates of Cuban and Venezuelan prisons. No, to any hope that the Church will demand to be granted access to Cuban prisons. No, to any hope that the Red Cross will demand to be granted access to Cuban prisons. So I'd say, is high time these so called defenders of human rights stop posturing, for they're nothing more than a barking dog that never, ever, bites.

An invitation to Sean Penn

The latest from Sean Penn is just amazing. Mind, this is a Hollywood type, who hasn't got the slightest clue about the realities of our country, yet he feels informed enough, on the basis of a couple of trips on expenses paid for by the Venezuelan taxpayer, to state that anyone who calls Chavez a dictator should be put in jail. Mind, this is someone who seems totally unaware of this list of reports / indictments, from reputable bodies, not least of all the Inter American Commission on Human Rights. There a few things from / about Venezuela that upset me these days. However the sheer racism of these bloody advocates, of a military dictator let's never forget, pontificating from the distance about how our country should be run, or giving their opinion, as if they knew, as if actually someone cared for what they think, still gets into me. So here's an invitation to Sean Penn: leave the comfort of your life and move, permanently, say for a year, to Venezuela, or Cuba. Spend some time there, away from official protection, and try to earn a living as that 80% you say Chavez has given the chance to dream. Then, after a while,  go back to your pampered, meaningless, and decadent existence, and talk about the realities of living under a megalomanic strongman.

Perhaps then, you will understand how unfounded your opinions about our country are. Perhaps then, you will understand half of the story, and you will be able to see things within proper context. Can you put your money where your mouth is Sean?

Chavez borrows from Hitler

So upon learning that Spain's High Court indicted a few terrorists from ETA and FARC, one of them and his wife still employed by the Venezuelan State, Hugo Chavez, ever respectful of rule of law, mocked the whole situation, and said: "history will absolve me." Some have, wrongly, attributed the putschist's statement to Fidel Castro, who said the words in the trial after failing to oust Batista. However the Cuban dictator lifted it in turn from Hitler's self defence spiel, after its own failed attempt, known as the Beer Hall Putsch.

Venezuela: ETA, FARC, Chavez relation revealed in Spain

This is another "I told you so moment". In October 2006, I posted this on vcrisis.com:

ETA terrorist Jose Arturo Cubillas Fontan arrived in Venezuela in May 1989... Cubillas, who as a member of ETA's "Comando Oker" took part in the assassination of Frenchmen Joseph Couchot and Spaniards Angel Facal Soto and Máximo García Kleinte (policeman), complained in 2003 that he was being harassed in Venezuela by Spanish police forces... Cubillas married Venezuelan of Basque descent Goizeder Odriozola. For that reason he has Venezuelan citizenship. Its worth bearing in mind that terrorist Rodrigo Granda of Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) claimed that his deportation to Colombia -after his capture in Caracas- was illegal for he was a Venezuelan citizen... Venezuelan officials argue that no ETA member works for the Chavez regime. However Cubillas' wife -Goizeder Odriozola- has had different position within the current administration, the latest being director of Hugo Chavez' presidential office. Before this Odriozola was in charge of information and public relations in the Agriculture Ministry where her husband is working since October 2005. Will anyone believe that Mrs. Cubillas is unaware of the background of her husband and in light of it how come she got an ETA terrorist a job as a civil servant? How come Hugo Chavez has the wife of an ETA terrorist working directly with him?

Now read what Justice Eloy Velasco Nuñez indictment says (page 4):

... y por la parte de la ETA ARTURO CUBlLLAS FONTAN... 

 No further comments needed.