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nuestra habana photographs: signs of the times page 3 of 10 |
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An interesting juxtaposition: a fancy CDR sign hangs from the side of a freshly painted and renovated building in Habana Vieja. The CDR, Cuba's civilian branch of the communist party, is dedicated to preserving the socialist morality of the island's revolutionary society. The glitz and glitter, however, was paid for by the government's loosening of central economic control. Tourism and foreign investment from capitalist nations are bringing in the bucks in the post-Soviet era, but at a significant cost to the Cuban government. The taste of capitalism is driving some wild, while others look at the new tourist facilities and wonder why the money isn't reaching the Cuban people. |
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Well, when our group was on the island in June of 2000, there was one person we knew we wouldn't bump into in our wanderings. Elian Gonzales was in Miami, and Fidel wasn't too happy about it. Many Cubans asked us what we thought of the issue, and were relieved when we agreed the boy should be returned to his father. Like the US media, TV in Cuba was clogged with coverage of the story, no matter how it refused to evolve or resolve itself. Elian was on the tip of everyone's tongue… except for one old man I met that referred to him as "that boy", and only remembered his name when I reminded him. The poster on the left was practically the first think I saw when I stepped of the plane. There were many styles, and they were everywhere. |
