posted on May 14, 2004 10:25:51 AM new
By VANESSA ARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
HAVANA - President Fidel Castro led hundreds of thousands of Cubans in an anti-American protest Friday with denunciations and ridicule of President Bush saying the U.S. leader was fraudulently elected and trying to impose "world tyranny."
The Cuban leader led a sea of Cubans past the U.S. diplomatic mission here on the oceanfront Malecon Boulevard in a demonstration organized by the communist government against new U.S. measures aimed at squeezing the island's economy and pushing out Castro.
The crowd chanted "Free Cuba! Fascist Bush!"
Castro said the march was "an act of indignant protest and a denunciation of the brutal, merciless and cruel measures" announced last week by Bush to tighten the 44-year U.S. embargo on the island.
The measures included restrictions on money transfers and family visits, increased efforts to transmit anti-Castro television to Cuba and appointment of a coordinator to plan a transaction from socialism to capitalism.
"This country could be exterminated... erased from the face of the earth," Castro told the crowd. But he said it would never fall into "the humiliating condition of a neo-colony of the United States."
He said that if conflict comes, Bush "will be thousands of kilometers away and I will be in the first line of defense, ready to die in defense of my people."
Castro accused the United States of fighting "wars of conquest to seize the markets and resources of the world" while Cuba, he said, was sending abroad thousands of doctors to save lives.
He insisted that Bush had "no morality nor any right at all to speak of liberty, democracy and human rights" and he said of Bush's 2000 election victory, "all the world knows it was fraudulent."
Posters portrayed the U.S. president wearing a Hitler mustache and accompanied by a Nazi swastika.
In a relatively early fallout of the Iraqi prisoner scandal, posters carried photos of abused Iraqis overwritten with the words: "This would never happen in Cuba."
Castro referred briefly to the scandal, saying the tortures had "stupefied the world" and he insisted that Cuba had never practiced such torture.
The march was announced Tuesday, a day after the government stunned Cubans by suddenly halting most of the dollar sales they have come to count on due to the scarcity of many products in Cuban pesos. Only food, personal hygiene products and gasoline were exempt.
Officials have promised the measures are temporary but said prices would be increase when the dollar-only stores reopen. They blamed the U.S. government and its latest additions to the U.S. embargo aimed at Cuba's communist system.
The U.S. measures, announced last week, are meant to reduce hard currency on the island by limiting how often Cuban-Americans can visit relatives, decreasing how much they can spend and prohibiting money transfers to Cuban officials and Communist Party members.
Bush said the United States would also spend $59 million over the next two years to help promote the goal of a democratic Cuba, including $18 million to evade Cuba's jamming of Radio and TV Marti, which are anti-Castro U.S. government broadcast operations.
Cuban officials have warned the measures could be a possible prelude to stronger U.S. attacks, possibly even an invasion.
posted on May 14, 2004 12:03:18 PM new
The measures included restrictions on money transfers and family visits, increased efforts to transmit anti-Castro television to Cuba and appointment of a coordinator to plan a transaction from socialism to capitalism.
"This country could be exterminated... erased from the face of the earth," Castro told the crowd. But he said it would never fall into "the humiliating condition of a neo-colony of the United States."
Cutting off his nose to spite his face, is that how it goes
My feelings are hurt too
NOT
__________________________________ In cyberspace, you can't hear a liberal scream.
posted on May 14, 2004 12:31:56 PM new
Yes, the U.S. is always right and the rest of the world is always wrong. Why don't you just nuke the island and get it over with? I mean, why have the nuclear arsenal if you're not going to use them? Nuke Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Haiti, Syria, NK, China, Pakistan, India and anyone else who dares to do any posturing against you. Show them all who's boss and get it over with!
posted on May 14, 2004 01:36:29 PM new
I'm sorry if you all disagree, but I think Bush is bound and determined to lead us into WWIII. Bush is going to spend $59 million? Oh, good, for a minute I thought it was coming out of my tax dollars, not out of his pocket. So, what, now Casto has ties to bin Laden? Is that going to be the next statement to take us into another war? The more he opens his mouth, the more I have to agree that he's the anti-Christ. I just can't tie Christ or God to the messes this man is creating. Sorry, folks. I hate him. Hate is a strong word and I don't like using it but, I also don't mind saying it when it's what I really feel. I will never feel safe until he's back on the ranch with mommy and daddy.
posted on May 14, 2004 01:55:52 PM new
Cheryl, sorry it is hatred, but NINE U.S Presidents, before Bush have supported restrictions on trade and travel to Cuba.
That includes both party Presidents.
Also there is a reason people by the boatload risk their lives to get to Florida.
This Anti American March by Castro is nothing new.
