Happy Holidays: Reflections of Cuba

Recently, my husband and I had the opportunity to travel alongside thirty-two participants to support the Jewish people of Cuba. Jewish Federation of Miami sponsored the trip. At first, I had mixed emotions about going but after considering we may not ever have the chance to go in the future, it was to show solidarity with our fellow Jews living under communist dictatorship that we attended. The four-day trip to Havana made a profound impact on me in a way I would never have imagined.

On my return home, I deliberated whether I would write about the trip. Many of my friends shared their concerns about me becoming a target since I am an elected official and now have even stronger views on the Cuban Communist government. I also had mixed emotions on how my Cuban friends would view my trip. I will share that I now have an even deeper understanding and respect of the opposition I have heard against entering business with Cuba. I understand the pain and suffering many endured leaving the country they loved and more importantly their families. I did not want to open wounds or have individuals judge my allegiance to fight for a free Cuba.

If this article is offensive or painful I apologize. I almost did not write it at all until I was encouraged by the owner of Padrino’s. The irony of just returning from Cuba to attend the last ribbon cutting ceremony of the year at Hallandale Beach’s landmark Padrino’s Cuban Restaurant seemed like fate. Meeting the entire family and hearing their history there is an importance to sharing what is happening in Cuba now unfiltered.

Americans are not allowed to visit Cuba for tourism. For a brief while under the Obama Administration Cuba was open, in 2015 reopened the Embassy. Our guide shared with us that during the time the embassy was reopened there was an excitement Americans would finally be able to visit and more importantly their Cuban family members and friends. Since trade embargos have been strengthened and Trump in his first term made them stronger due to terrorism and their relations with Iran and North Korea.

Just this week there were protests in Cuba blaming their economic conditions on the US sanctions that were put in place in the 1960s. Many of their communist counterparts have reduced their exports to Cuba due to their own economic situations. Venezuela has stopped shipping much needed oil to Cuba impacting their energy plants. The propaganda I have now seen firsthand. In reports of the incident the million plus protesters reported by Cuba could not be confirmed. I have been to that location and 1000 to 2000 people could fit in that area.

During the days up to our trip there was a major failure of the main power plant in Havana. We were assuring that “tourism” is one of the main income producing sectors for the country and all the areas we would be going to were up and running. We boarded our plane and left at 9:30 on the one-hour flight. Looking out the window of the plane I thought how true the statement “going back in time “was so true. The landing strip was safe but old cracked and grass and weeds were shocking to see. The Jose Marti Airport was built in 1930 and has not changed much according to individuals I spoke with.

The people greeting us and all the service workers were amazing. They have immigration checkpoints where everything went smoothly. We all had to say we were writing “to support the people of Cuba” As a note we were all told only to bring cash in the form of twenty’s, ten’s and 5-dollar bills. They do not accept credit cards. We boarded the bus and were greeted by our tour guide Alexis, bus driver and Batia, a Cuban American from the tour company in NYC. Ironically Batia turned out to own a part time residence at the Parker Dorado here in Hallandale Beach. Our first stop was Revolution Square.  

Our journey began where Castro gave his first speech televised throughout the world on his successful invasion and control of the Government from Batista’s.  Batista was a cruel and brutal dictator. The Square was designed in the 1938 competition which is the largest state in the world dedicated to writer Jose Marti. It was not actually built until the fifties when Batista seized power in 1952. It was completed in 1958 and was meant to be called the Civic Square with its main statue of Jose Marti who is still revered by many of the Cuban people as the Father of the Country. Castro renamed it after his coupe.

Tragically the large area is surrounded by many government buildings that used to house the Department of Tourism, Department of the Interior, and others like the U.S. is in front of what was the parliament until the invasion when it became Castro’s Home. The area was desolate with people except for a row of old cars visitors could hire for a drive around the city. All that has changed.

The one main building that housed the Department of Interior became the spot of their intelligence Agency. It is their location to control everything and everyone. It is famous as it has one of the most famous and most produced murals of Che Guevara. The area left me with the thought of what it was like before oppressive dictators and communism.

When it was a place for art control and the gateway to America. We would soon find out simply what Jose Marti meant when he wrote Socialism will be the prison of people. He was the Father of Cuba; he wrote and fought for Cuba’s freedom from Spain. He wrote against Karl Marx and supported an ideology of shared responsibility and freedom for families to produce wealth.

We got back on the bus and traveled through the city. It was then we would truly see the failure of communism. I will continue with my reflection of Cuba next week. As you celebrate your various Holidays this week, I wish you a Happy Holiday.

As always, I am available anytime for your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place at phone/text 954-632-5700 or you can email me at jcooper@cohb.org. Please visit me on my Facebook page at Mayor Joy Cooper. Like, follow, and share.