Comments on: La revoluciÃƒÂ³n estÃƒÂ¡ para la gente (a excepciÃƒÂ³n de negros)!

By: Duane

Duane — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 18:57:37 +0000

I agree with you, D. The racism that exist in these countries have been there long before its current leaders. The problem here is that the current leaders have done nothing to stop the cycle.

By: Dumpster

Dumpster — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 18:22:26 +0000

Was Bisquet’s being thrown in prison due to his being black or because of his religious beliefs and his exposing some uncomfortable truths about the Cuban healthcare system?

I don’t deny that racism exists in Cuba; it existed there before when Batista-a person of Chinese, African and European ancestry-was in power, and it still exits today, despite Cuba being a workers’ paradise run by a white man. But I wonder if the charges of racism have more to do with (justifiable) opposition to Castro’s regime than opposition to unfair treatment based on race.

The same thing applies to Chavez’s Venezuela, of which I’m not a fan of either. Much of what’s being described in the article’s excerpts sounds like behavior that is deeply engrained in Venezuela’s history and can’t be blamed solely on Chavez, a person with African, Amerindian and Spanish ancestry (despite the fact that he describes himself as an Indian).

By: Tremenda TrigueÃƒÂ±a

Tremenda TrigueÃƒÂ±a — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 23:45:42 +0000

It’s interesing because the race lines are so different in Latin America, yet the racism still abounds in the denial of those who carry African blood in their veins. It is more acceptable to say you are “indio” than to say you are Africano because black people are still looked down upon as the poor, uncivilized descendants of the slaves. The way black people are presented in the Spanish-speaking media is atrocious, especially in Mexico. They are either maids, servants, or freakin’ witch doctors. I wouldn’t expect Chavez to be a champion of Afrovenezuelans if he is hand in hand with Castro. Castro threw Dr. Biscet (a black Cuban political prisoner) in prison for spreading the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King….If Chavez is OK with that, what makes you think he will care about his own people?

People, please do not be fooled by his so-called benevolence. His intention is to use us and our ignorance to jump on Venezuelan oil prices, if he actually carries out the promise to provide reduced price gas in the poor areas of the U.S..