Abel Prieto Demands End Of Radio Marti To Normalize Relations With The
US / 14ymedio
Posted on June 14, 2015
EFE (on 14ymedio), 13 June 2015 — The adviser to Cuban President Raul
Castro and former Minister of Culture Abel Prieto believes that the
restoration of diplomatic relations with the US does not yet mean
“normalization” because to get to that point, “They must lift the
blockade which they call an ‘embargo.’”
In an interview with EFE Prieto affirmed that the normalization should
also include “return of the occupied Guantanamo Base,” and compensation
to the Cuban people for the “terrible suffering” and for the
“difficulties and limitations.”
For the former minister (who served during the years 1997-2012) the base
of conversations with the United States should be “equality” and argues
that “no one should wait on us to cede a single one of our principles.”
“We demand respect for our system,” and because of this he thinks that
the process will be “long and difficult.”
The Castro advisor considers that an essential point is to eliminate the
“illegal transmissions” of Radio and Television Martí (broadcasts
financed by the United States to promote freedom and democracy in Cuba),
if they want to talk about this “normalization” of relations between the
United States and Cuba.
Asked whether Cuba would change its principles with regards to
international politics, Prieto responded, “No,” and asserted that he
considers Venezuela a “friend,” and expressed himself “against any
interference in any of the internal affairs of Venezuela.”
“I think that this is an operation to discredit the government of
President Nicolas Maduro; it is an economic war and a flow of false
accusations,” he said.
According to Abel Prieto, Venezuela, “Will always count on the
solidarity of Cuba, that is very clear, very firm and the opinion is not
going to change.”
While visiting Madrid, the former minister participated in a colloquium
with the Cuban ambassador in Spain, where he defended the
democratization of culture and a Latin American and Caribbean focus in this.
Prieto, who affirmed he intends to die “without listening to Justin
Bieber,” recognizes that after the new relations with the United States,
“we have to confront the symbolic war and do it in the open, without
prohibiting anything.”
The idea that Cuba fears the Internet is “indefensible,” according to
Prieto, a supporter of “democratizing rules that must be based on the
Internet.”
With regards to the Internet and the importance of social networks in
his country, which is among the countries in the world with the lowest
Internet penetration, Prieto said that in Cuba the Internet has “a lot
of weight,” although he recognizes that connectivity is “very slow.”
The former minister says that Cuban society will be computerized, “To
give free and open access to the Internet, and not to those who have
money, but to those who need it to support their studies and research.”
Prieto considers the Internet an important way of “Exchanging cultural
messages and collective creation,” and he says it is a part of the
project of making Socialism “prosperous and sustainable” launched by the
government of Raul Castro.
The idea that Cuba fears the Internet is “indefensible,” according to
Prieto, a supporter of “democratizing rules that must be based on the
Internet.”
“Cuba itself will oppose the attempts to create division and to
destabilize the government, we are not going to accept that the false
opposition uses social media to discredit us because this is part of
sovereignty.”
He advocates for a “decolonized and emancipated” use of the Internet,
and refers to the governance of the network, which according to him is
controlled “by the United States government and a few corporations based
in the United States.”
Source: Abel Prieto Demands End Of Radio Marti To Normalize Relations
With The US / 14ymedio | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/abel-prieto-demands-end-of-radio-marti-to-normalize-relations-with-the-us-14ymedio/
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