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Costa Rica has promised to re establish diplomatic relations with Cuba which were cut off in the 1960’s. This is in repsonse to the promise made by El Salvador’s new president, Mr. Funes, to do the same. This is one more sign that old capitalist empire regime is starting to crumble at long last. Some South American countries have already taken a path leading away from American corporate dominance which has supressed people in that region for over a century.
It seems obvious to me that this economic crisis has caused the weakening of the conservative corporate starnglehold on much of South and Central America. There are some silver linings to evry dark cloud.
What does Iran and Hezbollah have to do with Cuba? As far as I can recall, there isn’t any threats coming from Cuba or it’s people. Just because they are communistic gov’t, (which I don’t agree with), doesn’t mean everyone, the USA included, should not have relations with them.
I used to visit Cuba some thirty years ago and was impressed with the people and the government. The Cubans are an intelligent and industrious people and their government reflects those qualities.
Salvador has recently chosen a socialst governement and I am glad that the US is presently disinclined and perhaps unable to meddle in that poor country’s affairs as it has done in the past. Here are some interviews with Salvadorenos after the election.
Funny how a Noble Peace Prize winner chooses to embrace China and Cuba… both with very “challenged” human rights records. LOL We all know why Oscar jumped onboard with China… as they say… it was all about the “Benjamins”… but as for Cuba… that one’s a real mystery!
I did notice a shortage of Cuban cigars at the duty free last time through the airport… so perhaps Raul put the pressure on Oscar by cutting off the supply of quality smokes!
Oscar is watching his part of the world move away at an alarming speed from the old regime. Perhaps he is making sure Costa Rica is not shut out from the developing new allegiances being formed at this time. Ticos have a hell of a lot more in common with Cubanos than with gringos.
The big difference is that Tico’s want a gringo lifestyle not a Cuban one…. I don’t think Tico’s will be happy driving 40 year old cars, living 9 to a room, and having a political process like that in Cuba! As well as having two aging brothers running the show into the ground without a clear plan for the future. Raul’s recent changes and purge made it very clear that he has no plans to allow a younger generation to fill the void when father time takes him and brother dearest… that’s when the REAL fun starts in Cuba… when the political void happens after 50 years of Castro rule…!
What percentage of the Tico population lives like gringos at this moment? What percentage lives like Cubans? Does the average Tico REALLY desire to become like a gringo?
I sense that Ticos have a certain wry , down-to-earth and correct opinion of us and our attitude towards life and I doubt they are eager to behave and live like we do in order to have the relative wealth we have. The Tico culture may bend and sway a bit with the onslaught of gringo culture, but I don’t see any drastic, culture changing effects ever moving them away from what they are today and what they have been for a long time.
Sit a typical American, say from the mid west, a typical Cuban from Habana and a typical Tico at your typical Tico bar anywhere in Costa Rica and ask them to talk about some of the things that interest them most. The gringo won’t speak more than a half dozen words in Spanish and will end up listening in silence as the two latinos
find out how much they have in common besides language.Edited on Mar 21, 2009 16:47
I’d agree that both cultures have a lot in common… many good qualities that I for one admire! The real question is if Ticos would be interested in the type of government and society that exist in Cuba? Ticos for the most part are a down to earth, simple, self reliant people that I both admire and respect. But given the choice, I’m betting most would be much more interested in a Gringo life rather then one ruled by the Castro brothers.
And once again…. why is Oscar, a man of peace, human rights, open and free government, and free will making it a point to create ties with countries that don’t seem to want to provide any of those things to it’s people? I’d love to have 30 minutes to sit over lunch and get the answer to that one!
Is it always the reaction of agenda driven bias to presume how another people think? A clear plan? Where in the world do you find “a clear plan” for the future? Please allow ANY people, anywhere, to extend the olive branch and enter discussions and actions with ANYONE that peacefully improves their existence. Just what is it you folks are afraid of?
Imxp,
Set aside the brainwashing that you have been exposed to. I am sure it’s hard to do and I was only able to do it after visiting and seeing Cuba for myself. Cuba HAS AS free and open a government as is humanly possible living under the constant economic pressures and real military threats from the “Monstro del Norte” in the words of its most famous 19th century poet, Jose Marti.The Ticos already have a government with many of the socialist values and entitlement guarantees that the Cuban government has promised and delivered to its people. The Costa Ricans I have talked with proudly defend their socialist entitlements.
Ask any Tico if he would give up the social net and employee protection his government gives him in exchange for a purely free market capitalist system as in the States. Go ahead. Ask one. Just make sure you explain the working hours, the cost of health care, the lack of job security and the other negatives. Oh yeah, offer him a nice little car and house if he agrees to spend less time with his family in order to work week ends and after hours for a few decades to pay for these things while living under the social pressures to continually borrow more to buy more to keep up with the Jones’ and then live under the dark cloud of continuous debt till he dies.
I am sure most Costa Ricans would do better living in Cuba than in the United States. Very few Ticos emigrate to the US and I’ll bet that proportionately more Costa Rican expats return to their country than do American expats return to their country.
Edited on Mar 22, 2009 13:44
Edited on Mar 22, 2009 13:45
Edited on Mar 22, 2009 15:23
So Sprite…. What type of a free and open government with a democratic election process with free elections says that you hand off power to your brother when you get old and too sick to lead? Is this something unique to this wonderful open and free political process Fidel and Raul have worked out that every other democracy has missed in forming their governments? I also missed that in the US and CR Constitutions…. perhaps you might enlighten me.
And as for Ticos wanting to live the Gringo lifestyle… perhaps they don’t want to move to the states…. after all CR is a beautiful country, why would they want to leave. But a much more important question for this brainwashed Gringo is this…. Why is it that so many apparently happy Cubans chance ESCAPING Cuba on inner tubes to head off to the US? And why is it they can’t just leave this wonderful open and free society the Castro boys have running via normal means?
Edited on Mar 22, 2009 16:57
Sprite you are dead wrong! “Wrong hemisphere”
If you think that the middle east issue dosent spread into Central and South America you need to do some research. Try Tri-boader area!
Are you aware, imx, just who the US has maintained diplomatic/trade relations ships with over the last 100 years? For what purpose? And to the question at hand, just why are you so aggressive in denouncing the Costa Ricans’ right to have trade and diplomatic interests with anyone they want to? To be more succinct, other than your own particular bias, just what business is it of yours? Somehow any notion of your “paternal” concern gets lost in your arguments and obviously slanted point of view.
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