Prison Diary LXIV The Dictator Doesn’t Learn That Infamy Multiplies The Opposition Forces

Prison Diary LXIV: The Dictator Doesn't Learn That Infamy Multiplies The
Opposition Forces / Angel Santiesteban
Posted on November 4, 2013

The Mistake of the Dictator

The great slip-up of dictators is to come to believe that the pain from
the abuses they cause is sufficient to overwhelm their opponents. For
them, arranging for mobs of criminals, people without principles or
feelings, mercenaries who obey those who pay them, although only
pauper's wagers, and like a dog who submits in exchange for a bone, they
follow orders to be sadistic.

Cuba is a breeding ground of these dogs who bite right and left to
protect their food. They prowl around their bowls fearing someone will
snatch them. Then, they are so committed, they know no way out. Their
recurring nightmares are those they subjected to justice who will spend
many years in prison. So they are determined to scare off those who
pursue political change, and so avoid being punished for their misdeeds.

When it comes to justice, as opponents we suffer their beatings, prison,
exile. Paying the price of these experiences only strengthens our
ideals, deepens the necessary convictions more and more to fight for a
better Cuba where individual liberties are guaranteed, as explained by
the Constitution of the United Nations in its Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, which Cuba has evaded for more than five years by not
signing the UN Covenants, in order to continue its flagrant violations
of Cubans' most elemental rights.

Several countries, hiding behind "respect for the right of peoples to
choose their politics and regime," have become accomplices of
totalitarianism, as if Cuban citizens have chosen famine, family
division, laziness, fear, denunciations and State terror against
everyone who is opposing the system.

Unfortunately, there is an embargo on Cuba. I am sure that if the
dictatorship, as has been demonstrated, had power — which thanks be to
God they don't because of their own ineptitude — today we would even
further away from the possibility of achieving the democracy and
freedoms that every day we crave more, and that for us are the only
possible path to the social development of the nation.

The embargo, even if it hurts us, should continue. "Friend" countries of
the dictatorship, and even those who are not, have the luxury of playing
with "respect for the rights of others," when the dictatorship itself
does not respect individual opinion. While they frolic, Cuban continues
to survive badly, accepting as an everyday thing that its children throw
themselves into the sea trying to reach a better life.

In this same interval of time and actions, opponents persist and their
dreams and rights, and risk their lives, like Laura Pollán and Oswaldo
Payá, among other brave fighters, and resist the beatings and
humiliations, because what the dictators do not learn is, it is only
cowardice that corrodes and is able to feed their fears, and their
infamy multiplies the forces who oppose them.

The image I carry with me and that feeds me, is to imagine them asking
to be forgiven, justifying the unjustifiable, claiming they were
following orders or did not know, and returning to the coffers of the
State the stolen money scattered across the globe. Because that will be
the only way to prevent the next leaders from repeating this dark part
or our history. Then, I do want to hear that not forgetting is
synonymous with bitterness. I prefer to be convinced that justice is the
equivalent of shame.

4 November 2013

Source: "Prison Diary LXIV: The Dictator Doesn't Learn That Infamy
Multiplies The Opposition Forces / Angel Santiesteban | Translating
Cuba" -
http://translatingcuba.com/prison-diary-lxiv-the-dictator-doesnt-learn-that-infamy-multiplies-the-opposition-forces-angel-santiesteban/