Press group says Latin American leaders silencing critics

[naaman fletcher]

"The most worrisome case continues to be the case of Cuba, where a dictatorship that has lasted nearly half a century has not allowed a minimum of freedom of expression or free press," Aguirre said in a telephone interview from the Caribbean island of Aruba.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-lt-latam-media-attacks,0,3742940.story

.......................................................................................

The above is, of course, a factually true and correct statement. Expect comments such as "lol" and various screeds about other topics, from the "liberals" here who support jailing political opponents, suppressing speech, and dictatorships.

[Wilms]

1. Oh, look! An AP story with a Newsmax ad banner running across the top.

A little perspective on the author, Christopher Bellyacher, er, I mean Toothaker:

Case in point: this dispatch from Christopher Toothaker, of the Associated Press. Toothaker tried to find out what the opposition thinks of this new detente between the two countries. He paints the portrait of a wary opposition, concluding that we want Obama to press Chavez on his increasing authoritarianism.

His only source? Milos Alcalay.

I have no problem with former Ambassador Alcalay. In fact, I may even agree with most of what he's saying.

My problem is with this reporter claiming that Alcalay actually speaks for the opposition. As a former diplomat who has never held elective office and who served as Chavez's Ambassador a full two years after the April 2002 massacre, Mr. Alcalay is not the spokesperson we really need, nor is he a representative voice of any significant portion of the opposition.

Was it too much to ask Mr. Toothaker to get other opinions? For example, the opinion of the leaders of our political parties, or of Caracas' embattled Mayor? Last I heard, those were the guys actually getting the votes.

http://www.caracaschronicles.com/node/1878

;) :hi:

[naaman fletcher]

2. uh huh

So, do you believe that there is press freedom in Cuba?

[Wilms]

3. I'm commenting on your source for the thread topic. You failed to research it.

The "author", I've already exposed, used Alejandro Aguirre, president of the Inter American Press Association for his source.

Guess what I did next? :hi:

Here's Alejandro Aguirre "Freedom Fighter" tweet. Ronald Reagan would be proud.
http://twitter.com/alejaguirrec/status/8281725461


And here's what SourceWatch reveals about the Inter American Press Association. :hi:

As the explanation by Fred Landis below indicates, IAPA has had a long and close relationship with the CIA and its affiliated organs – these were responsible for setting up the association in the first place. Beginning the mid-1990s, the CIA sought to keep a lower profile, and instead the US relationship came in the for of the National Endowment for Democracy and its many affiliated organizations.

Since the mid-1990s, the NED and its affiliated groups perform the media coordination role performed by the CIA in the past – although some of the people involved are the same.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Inter_American_Press_Association

So when you have a credible source, we can further the discussion. Deal?

:hi:

[naaman fletcher]

4. I accept that there might be a source problem..

but why cant you answer the simple question I posed to you?

[Wilms]

5. Might?

You live there? I don't. So far, I admit, the only thing I know about press freedom in Cuba is what is claimed in an ill-sourced article you've posted. I said already, put up a credible post and we'll talk. I'm not here to debate beliefs.

BTW, how much press freedom do you think there is in the US since the CIA coordinates it?


But I appreciate your right wing posts. I learn a lot while doing background checks. :hi:

[naaman fletcher]

6. huh?

Uh, there is press freedom here because I can start a newspaper and write whatever I want without going to jail. You can't do that in Cuba. You know that, I think, but don't want to admit it.

My posts are not right-wing. They are liberal. I am for freedom and liberal values. I am against the right-wing dictatorships that have been present in Latin America, but unlike the coffee-shop revolutionaries here, I am also against totalitarian dictators and murderers who wear red.

[Wilms]

7. Ronald Reagan was for "freedom", too.

I'd study Judi Lynn's posts if you want to get up to speed on "totalitarian dictators and murderers".

Meanwhile, you notice that you haven't a better source. So what is it that your "belief" is based on?

And the press ain't free here because it's coordinated. Fox News making shit up is not "freedom of the press".

- edited to add -

:hi:

[naaman fletcher]

8. Cuban law says there is no freedom of the press

Judi Lynn's posts are all off-subject ramblings.

I agree the corporate press here is f'd up, and serves the power elites on things like the bailout, but I can still post whatever I want and not go to jail, that is not true in cuba.

[Wilms]

9. Link?

You see me as someone "defending" something. Well, I am. It's called the truth.

-edited to add

Judi Lynn defends the truth as well.

:hi:

[naaman fletcher]

10. I'll find it, I found it before but it's in spanish which I am so-so at..

Give me a day. Judi Lynn may or may not defend the truth, it's hard to know when every post of hers is a long and off-topic rant.

[protocol rv]

12. References for lack of Press Freedom in Cuba

1. Human Rights Watch

"The Raul Castro government also uses a range of other draconian laws to silence free speech, quash labor rights, and criminalize all forms of dissent. Human rights defenders, journalists, and other civil society members tried under these laws are subjected to systematic due process violations, including abusive interrogations, the denial of legal counsel, and sham trials."

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/11/18/cuba-ra-l-castro-imprisons-critics-crushes-dissent

2. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights:

"Restrictions on political rights, freedom of expression, and dissemination of ideas have created, over a period of decades, a situation of permanent and systematic violations of the fundamental rights of Cuban citizens, which is made notably worse by the lack of independence of the judiciary."

http://www.cidh.org/annualrep/2007eng/Chap.4b.htm

3. European Parliament

"The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday strongly condemning the "avoidable and cruel" death of Cuban political prisoner Orlando Zapata and voicing its concern at the "alarming state" of another prisoner, Guillermo Fariñas. MEPs also repeat their call to the Cuban government for the "immediate and unconditional" release of all political prisoners and urge the EU to begin a "structured dialogue" with Cuban civil society.

Parliament, which approved the resolution by 509 votes to 30 with 14 abstentions, strongly condemns the "avoidable and cruel" death of political dissident Orlando Zapata, after a hunger strike of 85 days, and expresses its solidarity and sympathy with his family. MEPs also condemn the pre-emptive detention of activists and the government’s attempt to prevent the family of Orlando Zapata from holding his funeral and paying their last respects.

The resolution, which was tabled jointly by several political groups in Parliament - the EPP, Socialist, Liberal, Conservative and Reformist, Green and Europe of Freedom and Democracy - calls on the Cuban government for the "immediate and unconditional" release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience and deplores the absence of any "significant signs" of response by the Cuban authorities to the calls by the EU and the international community for all political prisoners to be released and for fundamental freedoms to be fully respected.

Parliament also urges the EU institutions to give their unconditional support and full encouragement to the launching of a peaceful process of political transition to multi-party democracy in Cuba."

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/015-70350-067-03-11-902-20100310IPR70349-08-03-2010-2010-false/default_en.htm

4. The Guardian, UK Newspaper

"Despite repeated reminders from the EU, the Cuban government has done none of the things that the Union has been urging it to do for many years – above all, to release all political prisoners and stop the persecution of independent civil-society groups and the regime's political opponents. On the contrary, the Cuban government continues to detain prisoners of conscience and to criminalise demands for a society-wide dialogue."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/jun/16/eu-cuba-human-rights

5. Canadian Foundation for the Americas

"Canada must clearly express publicly its concerns over human rights in Cuba. This should begin by clearly conveying the message to the Cuban government that its recent actions against Cuba’s dissident community are unacceptable and will have concrete negative repercussions on relations. Furthermore, Canada’s support for civil society in Cuba should be enhanced by making explicit through public statements that it views
as legitimate the peaceful protest demonstrated by the island’s dissident community."

http://www.focal.ca/pdf/cuba_canada.pdf

6. International Society for Human Rights

"The Cuban government has refused to issue a visa for Markus Meckel MP, Member of the Bundestag and Deputy Foreign Policy Spokesperson of the SPD Parliamentary Group. Meckel had planned to visit Cuba between July 5 and 12 and to meet with representatives of the government as well as of the pro-democracy opposition, churches and civil society. He has visited Cuba already in 2003. Since then he has been committed to raise issues of human rights, freedom and democracy in Cuba, repeatedly criticized the Cuban government for its repressive practices towards opposition and called for the release of all political prisoners."

http://www.ishr.org/

7. International Committee for Democracy in Cuba

"The ICDC was founded in September 2003 as a response to the latest brutal crackdown by the Cuban government in the spring of that year against those pushing for democratic reforms, freedom of speech and adherence to international human rights agreements.

One of the first questions people ask about the importance of democracy, freedom and respect for human rights in Cuba is: What is the special connection between our countries and Cuba? Why are we -- Central European countries, no superpowers, members of the European Union, located so far away from this Caribbean island -- so involved in this ''Cuban issue''? Well, it is simple: We have been there.

The answer lies not in geography, but in history. The Czechs, as well as other nations and peoples of Central and Eastern Europe lived through an era of totalitarian communist regime, where democracy, freedom and human rights were concepts of which you could only quietly dream, while living a nightmare.

After our nations got rid of communist dictatorships, we feel obliged to tell our story: the story of a successful transition from a totalitarian regime to democracy, to civil society, which respects and honors the rights and freedoms of every individual; the story of a successful transformation of nonworkable, centrally planned economy to a vibrant free market economy with a working rule of law designed to protect people's economic interests."

http://www.icdcprague.org/index.php?id=31

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If you want more, I can find more. I live in Venezuela, can speak to Cubans who come over and are willing to talk. They are scared, but they talk. And they don't have much good to say about their government.

[Wilms]

13. Those links are the "prisoner of concscience" claims, subject of a different thread

Would you drill down and show the case/issues surrounding press freedoms (or lack of)?

[protocol rv]

11. Lots of sources point to lack of press freedom in Cuba

but it's difficult for you to see if it you wish to turn a blind eye to it.

[Judi Lynn]

15. It's always so comical when you see the real info., isn't it? Jeeezus. n/t

[Downwinder]

14. Funny, how they don't mention Honduras. n/t