In 1959, the late Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, overthrew former authoritative president Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship and took over his place as the leader of what was then known as the Republic of Cuba. As he rose to power, he set up the foundation for what would soon grow to become the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere, in what some perceive as an attempt to improve the country. However, this newly communist state did nothing but strip Cuban citizens of their own individual liberties. Cubans were pushed into an economic downturn that has since been maintained. My parents, both being third generation Cuban-born American citizens, had the “pleasure” of experiencing issues such as these firsthand, causing them both to eventually flee overseas. Yet, despite the massive quantity of people desperately seeking refuge from their communism-infested home countries, some still believe that communism is the key to achieving world peace. Having been newly exposed to this mindset just a few days ago, I decided that I would interview both of my parents on the views that they hold in regards to the matter. Below lie the responses that I received:
(M will signify my mothers responses while F will signify my fathers)
What was the journey like when coming to America?
F: I came on a raft, I was fleeing from communism and looking for freedom. I wanted new opportunities. I wanted to start a family too, and I got it. I got you and your brother. Anyway, I spent 6 days on the raft in the middle of the ocean. Those traveling alongside me and myself…we lost our food and our oars. I left my family behind…[I] didn’t let them know about my plans, I knew they’d want me to stay. It was hard.
M: I was young, I was only thirteen years old when I came on a plane with my family. We didn’t want to live in communism anymore. I mean, we were against the oppression that we were facing [in Cuba]…we were tired of it. My family wanted the freedoms that we now have here [America].
What was it like growing up in a communist state?
F: I had no freedoms. I was obligated to go to school in the countryside, widely known as “la escuela del campo” in Cuba and I was obligated to join the military service as well. There weren’t toys. Every January 6th [a day recognized as dia de los reyes magos…basically Cuban Christmas] kids would line up in the stores and receive a number from 1-700. Each was entitled to only 3 toys each and only those receiving one of the first few numbers would actually receive toys of value. It’s not like here where you go to the store and there’s a wide variety of toys to choose from.
M: I agree. Also, the foods were rationed. There were laws set up inhibiting the amount of food one could buy. It was about 5 pounds of rice and 5 pounds of sugar a month for example, and those 5 pounds had to last you and your family the entire month. You take meat for granted here but in Cuba you get more time in prison for killing a cow than for killing an actual person.
What is the educational system like in Cuba?
F: It’s terrible. There’s a lack of teachers. Students are only taught about things that interest the government, [they’re] taught about Fidel [Castro] and are introduced to perversion. Kids aren’t actually taught things, instead they’re misinformed.
M: Students aren’t taught properly. They’re only exposed to matters within Cuba’s borders, [they] aren’t able to branch out and learn about other countries. When they do, when their teachers mention countries such as the United States, it’s to talk bad about them.
If you had to think of the most difficult experience you had to face as a result of the communist government, what would it be?
M: Easily la escuela del campo [referred to earlier]. I entered the school when I was 11, as does a wide majority of the Cuban population. It’s basically secondary school over there [Cuba]. We were treated like slaves, [we were] forced to pick oranges and do hard labor. All the students, we’d be woken up in the middle of the night in order to do these tasks. We lived on campus and were only allowed to go home on Saturdays…Sunday we’d be expected back at school.
F: Oh yes, definitely. La escuela del campo was hard. I mean, here [America] there’s a perception that with communism comes free schooling. But that’s a lie. Over there you have to do work like that in order to pay for your education. I also was forcedly drafted into the military service for 3 years…it’s something I wouldn’t want to experience again.
What do you believe to be the finest example of corruption in the Cuban government?
M: That Fidel Castro was never elected president in the first place! The greatest example of corruption is that the political power was robbed, Cuba was overthrown in a coup. Since then [1959] there haven’t been free elections in Cuba. The rest has unfolded because of that particular event.
F: They’re assassins, all of them. They lie to the Cuban people and cover up murders. They bury people alive too. This is the imminent threat that those against the government face..death. Overall it’s just really scary what the regime has done.
What do you have to say to those whom believe that communism paves the way to a perfect society?
F: Oh yeah, of course everyone’s the same. Everyone’s a slave. And their presidents are their owners.
M: I believe that they need to live in a communist country in order to talk. [The] majority of those that have such an ideology have never experienced communism firsthand. As for those that have lived in it and prefer a regime like that…I’m sorry but it’s because they’re lazy. They don’t want to put in the work necessary to make their earnings. They want the government to maintain them instead.
Is there any more information that you would like to add?
M: Yes, I would like the world to know that everything that not much that is said about Cuba is actually true. People talk in favor of Cuba and communism but as I said earlier, they need to live in a communist country and personally suffer through the mistreatment…[the] death of family…[the] stripping away of their own land…having to flee to another country…basically just the stripping away of human rights..in order to understand.
F: Everything that your mother said. I agree with it all. But honestly, there’s just no such thing as societal deviation in Cuba. You need to conform to what the government expects of you.
