Re: Even blogger, Yoani Sanchez, opposes US embargo -- calls it "clumsy"

On Nov 25, 5:56 pm, PL <pl.nos...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"While [Yoani] Sanchez has been deeply critical of Cuba's government,
she also opposes Washington's 47-year-old trade embargo against her
country. On Wednesday, she used her blog to call the sanctions
"clumsy."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jN5LpDSdpUPPorxRf6z....
In fact: she wants to encourage free travel to Cuba.
That is all she made as a statement.

``An opening of travel for Americans could bring more results in the
democratization of Cuba than the indecisive performance of Raúl
Castro,'' Sánchez wrote. ``Along with suitcases, Bermuda shorts and
sunblock, support, solidarity and freedom could come, too. Both peoples
would come out winners.''

She opposes your beloved embargo, including the travel ban. What is
your point?

The point is, as her words show, you are lying.
You are caught in another misleadinf quote.
All she has ever supported was more travel for US citizens.
that is all.

Desperately grasping at straws, as allows, eh, Mr. Lobbyist?

Please explain why AP would have quoted her saying that "she opposes
the embargo" if she only opposes the travel ban. We know you can't.



Most other dissidents
(snip)
The Cuban dissidents, as shown previously hold a variety of views.

Dan falsely claim all support an "immediate and unconditional" end to
the trade sanctions.

It seems PL is STILL in denial! He actually believes that most Cuban dissidents would actually support the indefinite extension of his beloved embargo for as long as it takes for his various preconditions to bet met. That, of course, is a self-serving lie (see quotes below).  (snip)

Nope.
stating facts.


You mean, stating lies.

As anyone can can see only Paya once asked for something" unconditional
and immediate" and that was in 2000 an end on the sanctions to food.

Actually, it was 2002. Here is what Paya actually wrote:

"The United States of America, as a first urgent step, should lift the
Embargo on Cuba, with respect to medicines and food, without
conditions, and initiate a process to quickly eliminate the Embargo
and the laws known as 'Torricelli' and 'Helms Burton.'" (My
translation)
--Oswaldo Paya, “Teinde tu Mano a Cuba,” Revista Hispano Cubana HC,
2002

As Amnesty International has confirmed,

What the cowardly PL snipped for all too obvious reasons:

As Amnesty International has confirmed, not even his "first urgent
step" has been achieved. In September of this year, they reported:

"The export of medicines and medical supplies continues to be SEVERELY
LIMITED.... The RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE EMBARGO help to deprive
Cuba of vital access to medicines, new scientific and medical
technology, food, chemical water treatment and electricity.”
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR25/007/2009/en/540b61a6-d0ec-493b-84c4-372a0b3c5067/amr250072009en.html

And needless to say, no process was initiated "to quickly eliminate
the Embargo"

I guess that's why Paya said in April of this year that your beloved
embargo should be "lifted without conditions because it is not the
solution."


(snippped Dan same old pack of misleading snippets that don't support
his false claims)

Nothing "misleading" about it, Mr. Lobbyist. Just inconvenient facts
for you.

It hasn't.
It actually confirmed over 700 million dollars of food was sold in 2008
alone.

[snip]

They also confirmed that your beloved embargo severely restricts US
exports of medicines, and helps deprive Cuba of vital access to
medicines, new scientific and medical technology, food, chemical water
treatment and electricity.”

They also confirmed that these cruel and inhumane sanctions of yours
are "immoral" and should be lifted "without further delay."

Do you deny it?

What PL also snipped, confirming he lied when he said, "Only Paya once
asked for something" unconditional and immediate:"

Elizardo Sanchez wrote in 1997:

"Unfortunately, American policy impedes the transformation we [Cuban
dissidents] seek. Efforts to pressure and isolate Cuba simply give the
leaders a pretext to continue their repression and allow them to
divert attention from their failures....

"The vast majority of us on the island who oppose the Government
believe that a dialogue and a relaxation of tensions between the
United States and Cuba would better facilitate a transformation.
Unfortunately, the Helms-Burton Act, which among other things mandates
sanctions against foreign companies that do business in Cuba, makes it
very difficult for the United States to take part in such a
dialogue...

"The basic responsibility for Cuba's future rests with the Cubans
themselves. We must begin reforms that offer hope to all. But less
rigidity on the part of the United States would do a lot to help that
change begin."

Source: NY Times, OP ED April 22, 1997

"He [Sanchez] acknowledged in 1996 that his opposition to the U.S.
embargo of Cuba made him a minority among dissidents, but he now says
that a majority have become convinced that the U.S. sanction are an
impediment to reforms."

Source: Miami Herald, November 18. 1999

"Elizardo Sanchez, announced yesterday that he has sent a letter to
several US congressmen requesting an end to the US embargo of the
Communist country.

"Sanchez, a Catholic leader whose organization is regarded as illegal
by the Cuban government, sent a letter telling US congressmen that
'every effort toward the full normalization of bilateral relationship
will bring improvement.'

"Sanchez recalled Pope John Paul II's plea to end the embargo made
during his 1998 visit to Cuba, and said that 'most of the dissident
groups and leaders in Cuba do not support the economic sanctions
imposed unilaterally by the government of the United States over the
government of Cuba.'"

Source: Catholic World News, May 9, 2000
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=12889

From Marta Beatriz Roque:

"I'm against the embargo. I would like that the embargo will be
lifted."
Source: PBS Online, July, 2001

From a 2008 article by an apparently conservative source:

"Many people I spoke to in Cuba, not just regular folks but opposition
and civil society leaders, see fitting that it is lifted immediately.
In fact, Oswaldo Paya, Marta Beatriz Roque and Vladimiro Roca, for
instance, have declared that the embargo should be lifted."

http://alekboyd.blogspot.com/2008/06/us-should-lift-embargo-against-cuba.html

Last month, for the 18th year in a row, the UN General Assembly voted
overwhelmingly to condemn these cruel sanctions. This year, the vote
was 176 to 3. Only Israel, who trades freely with Cuba anyway, and the
tiny South Pacific islands of Palau (pop. 20,000) voted with you.

So, it seems neither human rights groups, nor the international
community in general, nor the dissidents themselves in Cuba can
support these cruel sanctions of yours. As such, there is absolutely
no moral basis to these cruel and inhumane sanctions of yours. Yeah, I
know, you couldn't care less. Whatever it takes, right, Mr. Lobbyist?

Dan
Visit my CUBA: Issues & Answers website at http://tiny.cc/CubaFAQ
(Note new address. Please update your bookmarks and links.)

PS: As an antidote to PL's venomous personal attacks on me here, see
"PL's same tired old lies and evasions EXPOSED" at
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.cuba/msg/36c96cf26743ccca?hl=en
.

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