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tweakabelle -> RE: Chavez dead... (3/7/2013 7:27:46 AM)
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For those unaware of history, the extract below reveals a little bit about "our alternative" - the infamous US supported Batista regime deposed by Castro:
"In 1939, in what was deemed a fair election, Batista was elected President of Cuba. He continued to build up his support with the USA and in 1944 he introduced war taxes to help America pay for her war effort. This was an unpopular move within Cuba where many remained poor. More general opposition to Batista occurred and in 1944 he went into voluntary exile in the Dominican Republic before moving to Daytona Beach, Florida. From here he ran a campaign to return to Cuban politics and in 1948 he won a seat in the Cuban Senate.
In 1952, Batista ran for presidency. All the indications showed that he would lose and some of the polls put the former Cuban leader last. Such a humiliation would have ended any chance of attaining his former power. To avoid such humiliation, Batista put himself at the head of another military coup. On March 10th 1952 this proved to be successful and the US quickly recognised both his positioning office and his government on March 27th.
Batista now held the self-appointed rank of General. Once in power Batista suspended the island’s constitution and established a one-party dictatorship with him as the leader.
Batista’s rule was oppressive. The rich on the island did well as long as they ensured that they ‘rewarded’ Batista. However, little if anything was done for the poor. Batista allowed Cuba to become a playground for America’s rich. Just fifty miles from Florida, rich Americans would fly out to Havana to gamble and to enjoy the good life. Nothing could have been in more stark contrast to the lives of poverty led by the Cuban poor.
On July 26th 1953, a small group opposed to Batista attacked a barrack’s in Santiago. The attack, led by Fidel Castro, was a failure but Batista responded with his infamous ’10 for 1’ order – that the local military commander had to shoot ten civilians for every one soldier killed. In the event, 59 people were shot – though as 19 soldiers had been killed, the final total could have reached 190.
Batista wanted everything to return to normal as quickly as possible as he feared that any perceived social uprising would put off those who wanted to invest vast sums of US dollars in Cuba. It is said that he took 30% of the cash raised in the gambling hotels built in Havana – run by the Mafia – while his wife took 10%. As the cash that flowed through these hotels was so great, the 60% left – if these figures were correct – would have still represented a massive profit for those involved."
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/fulgencio_batista.htm
It's not too difficult to work out why Cubans dumped a brutal Yankee puppet who had turned Havana into a gigantic brothel and casino run by the Mafia, is it? It is difficult to work out why the US maintains its ridiculous trade embargo against Cuba, a policy that is such an abject failure its only visible result is vastly increased antipathy towards the US throughout Latin and South America.
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