Last Updated: August 16, 1999
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Gregory Favre: Cuba pins its hopes on tourism
Gregory Favre: Castro, Cuba's one-man show for
40 years, keeps going
(Published Oct. 29, 1998)
HAVANA -- Fidel Castro is extraordinarily well read and, with the help
of a large collection of daily cables, keeps up with what the rest of the
world is doing and thinking and what it is saying about Cuba.
But the people of Cuba can't read anything but the state-owned
newspapers and can watch only the state-owned TV stations. When he was
asked why they can't read the same newspapers, magazines and books he does,
Castro spoke for at least 20 minutes and never answered the question.
Independent journalists can send their reports out of Cuba, but
their words never see light inside the country. And they are often arrested,
jailed and, even more often, harassed.
Tourists in the hotel can watch CNN, ESPN and HBO. And CNN has
a bureau here. But there are no United States newspaper bureaus here.
In the receiving line, Castro met Tim McGuire, editor of the Minneapolis
Star Tribune. Told that Tim is secretary of the American Society of Newspaper
Editors, Castro asked, "Can you run again?"
"No," Tim replied. "I am on the ladder and will be president in
a few years and then I am out and forgotten."
"I am afraid I couldn't belong to your association," Castro said
with a smile. And when one editor asked him what he does for fun, he replied,
"I am not as young as President Clinton."
Cardinal Jaime Ortega, leader of the Catholic Church in Cuba, was asked
if he prays for Castro. "I pray for him all the time," Ortega said. "He
needs it."
The cardinal spoke to the American journalists mostly for background
purposes only, but he did say that the future of Cuba "cannot be predicted.
It is in the hands of God."
"My hope is that Cuba can evolve gradually. That Cuba can be open
to the world and that the world can be opened to Cuba."
Pope John Paul II's visit earlier this year has had a large impact.
In 1981, there were 7,000 baptisms in the country. This year, there will
be 35,000.
But most Cuban Catholics do not practice their religion.
Most of the cars on the streets were built before the revolution. They
are 40 years old or older.
Chevrolets. Plymouths. Fords. Some are falling apart. Others appear
to be in immaculate condition. In fact, buyers from Europe are coming to
purchase some of those in mint shape.
Paul Tash, executive editor of the St. Petersburg Times and Freedom
of Information chairman for ASNE, asked Roberto Stolongo, minister of justice,
what would happen to a Cuban citizen if he burned the country's flag.
"The use of patriotic symbols is regulated by law," he answered.
"That includes the flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem.
"Our people would not allow that to happen. If someone did that,
they would be made to pay."
Sounds like some members of Congress.
The most upbeat, high-morale group we met on our visit was the team
from the Carlos J. Finlay Institute. They are scientists working to discover
and produce vaccines.
When they created a meningitis vaccine, they tried it on themselves
first and then on their children before they had a large trial with 100,000
students. It works and they now produce millions of doses each year. And
sell it to other countries.
They are currently working on a new cholera vaccine, which they
hope will be longer-lasting than the one used in the United States.
The team is led by Dr. Concepcion Campa, one of the few women
in high positions in this country. There was a true sense of belonging
at the institute and a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work.
And, of course, there are the famous Cuban cigars. I don't smoke, but
I am told the Cohibas are the best in the world. At the hotel, the larger
ones sell for about $9 each.
If you live here and smoke, you had better learn to roll your
own.
When asked about the irony of the disrepair of the building and homes
in much of the country compared to the big and beautiful hotels being built
for tourists, Castro shot back, "What would you do?"
"I would buy some paint," the editor said.
"We do paint the buildings. But on the waterfront, it lasts only
two years," Castro said. "And we have to have the hotels in order to get
the money to buy the paint."
The paint guys must not be getting their share of the collection.
-
GREGORY FAVRE, vice president of news for The McClatchy Co., was
one of 35 U.S. journalists from the American Society of Newspaper Editors
who visited Cuba last week.
