Note the media's double standard: When Cuban dissidents boycott the
election it's because they're taking a stand against an undemocratic
regime, but when American dissidents boycott the election it's because
wer'e "lazy & apathetic".
------ Cubans vote in general elections Associated Press
Havana � President Fidel Castro joined millions of Cubans in casting
ballots Sunday in national elections he said were democratic, while some
leading opponents refused to participate in an electoral process they
consider meaningless.
State television showed Castro voting live Sunday morning in the eastern
city of Santiago, where the 76-year-old Cuban leader traditionally votes in
general elections roughly every five years.
Afterward, Castro told reporters the U.S. government had manufactured the
island's dissidents in an attempt to "destroy our nation, but had not been
able to."
He became irritated by a reporter's question about the Varela Project
signature drive that proposes electoral and political reforms, saying
"let's talk about serious things, not silliness."
Election officials gathered at polling stations at 6 a.m., one hour before
opening, to sing the national anthem, demonstrate that the polling boxes
were empty and take the name and national identification number of the
first voter of the day. The stations were to close at 6 p.m.
"This is an important day for all of Cuba," Vice-President Carlos Lage said
after voting in his neighbourhood. Mr. Lage called Cuba's elections "truly
democratic and free" because candidates here do not spend huge amounts of
money on campaigns.
Candidates for the 609 seats run unopposed, leading critics to complain
elections on the Caribbean island are already decided. The Varela Project
democracy petition, signed by 11,020 Cubans and delivered to the National
Assembly in May, requested election reforms but has been ignored by the
government.
Voters Sunday also were choosing deputies for the 14 provincial assemblies
across the island.
Castro was among the candidates for re-election to the unicameral National
Assembly. More notably, he has been Cuba's head of government for 44 years,
initially as prime minister and now as president.
Several leading dissident groups have announced they would not vote and
called on others to protest by abstaining, or by annulling a ballot by
marking it incorrectly or casting it blank.
< Pro-Organizational Anarchism | Update on arrests from SF protest >
Roig San Martin writes on Sunday January 19 2003 @ 01:38PM PST: [ reply |
parent ]
Since I happen to be from Cuba and moreover, had the privelege of spending
several months of my life in the paradise-like penal system there - I found
this especially amusing.
I found this part rather humorous:
has been Cuba's head of government for 44 years, initially as prime
minister and now as president.
More like Fuhrer, Caesar, God, and Maximum Leader all rolled into one tyrant!
I for one admire the actions of the few heraman@s who are at least trying
to expose this fraud for what it is, always has been, and will continue to
be. Still they are in a very difficult situation and I myself am not
optimistic for Cuba's future in the coming years.
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/01/19/8945653
