Cuba and those that Practice Entrapment

Cuba and those that Practice Entrapment
August 7, 2012
Erasmo Calzadilla
Aleida Godinez. Photo: alongthemalecon.blogspot.com

HAVANA TIMES — About ten years ago, I had a bunch of friends who were
"burnouts" (as we used to call them) because of conditions of life here,
though I didn't choose them because of that condition.

Most of them did nothing more than whine in private about things, but
the boldest became associated with political parties that emerged back
then, mostly the "sui generis" pro-capitalists ones.

The political education of typical neighborhood kids was terrible. They
had no idea of the mess they were getting into; they didn't even know
what the hell "liberalism" was. To them it sounded like freedom and
capitalism – which to them were synonymous.

They had good times in the activities of their parties – channeling
their angst, meeting cool people who "opened their eyes"… and at the
same time filled their bellies.

They weren't afraid, and in the middle of 2003 it seemed like the regime
was retreating and reluctantly tolerating an emboldened opposition.

Naïve, they were being given more and more rope to hang themselves, but
at the decisive moment the stool was kicked out from under them. State
Security agents permeated these groups and directed them into the arms
of the US government, which at that time had begun to openly financing
dissidents and non-violent subversive groups.

One of the leaders of this "heroic deed" was Aleida Godinez (Agent
Vilma). It's amazing to hear from her very own mouth how she, as an
opposition leader, requested logistical support and money from our
generous neighbors to the north.

In the way that Godinez tells her story to US journalist Tracey Eaton, I
would say that she's even proud of her achievements.

The worst sentiments come out in me listening to such a person who
deliberately embroiled the lives of so many people and crushed a process
of political reform (not just pro-capitalist), which perhaps at this
point would now be bearing fruit.

But the discomfort aside, I recommend the interviews conducted by Eaton
to (Cuban) political activists of various currents and human rights
defenders. They are excellent documents to understanding the political
drama of today's Cuba.

Intervew by Tracey Eaton with Aleida Godinez

Video (Spanish)

part 1: http://vimeo.com/23452713

part 2: http://vimeo.com/23564442

Text version (Spanish)

part 1:
http://alongthemalecon.blogspot.com/2012/02/aleida-godinez-aka-agent-vilma-part-1.html

part 2:
http://alongthemalecon.blogspot.com/2012/02/aleida-godinez-part-2.html

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=75998