Category: History Vodka Ain't Good for Cuba Libre by Dr. Robert A. Galloso

Chapter 10

Good old Jimmy Carter and the “Proyecto Varela”

Good old Jimmy Carter has always been left handed, politically that is. A commentator in one of the national news programs recently remarked that “Carter had never met a leftist dictator he did not like”. We believe that the name Carter should be added to the names Mudd and Benedit Arnold. This is another subject that would take a long volume to deal with it, but we are going to be brief and look at it at a glance to give the reader some basis for deciding on what we are reporting here.

Jimmy Carter lent the tyrant of the enslaved island a hand when he “allowed” the Marielazo (the forceful shipment by the tyranny of thousands of Cubans to the USA). This gave the tyrant a respite, a valve to let the steam blow away from his troubled situation. Was Carter very “understanding and patient”? Was he gullible (a useful idiot)? Or was he something else? We have no way of passing judgement on that. However, looking at his performance and inclinations during his administration, we cannot help it to wonder and ponder. He backed the Sandinistas to the tilt. He returned the St Stevens crown (taken by the revolting Hungarians out of the country during the ill fated 1956 uprising and placed it under the custody and trust of the USA until democracy would be restored to Hungary) to the Communist dictatorship that then ruled the country. Against the best interests of the USA he gave the strategic Panama Canal away without preserving America’s right (now the canal is operated by Communist China). He sided with the left of the world to go against the Shah of Iran, our staunchest supporter and proven allied, to make it possible for the radical muslins to take over. He went against President Marcos in the Philippines that was being opposed by the left. After leaving the White House (fortunately the people woke up and kicked him out at the end of his first term), he has been very active helping any and all leftist regimes. He went to Haiti, in a combined effort with the Clinton administration, to force the return of Aristide (an avowed Communist) and went to Venezuela to make sure that Chavez, Cuban tyrant’s buddy, disciple and puppet, was elected. Do we need to say more?

With this ideological background Jimmy Carter goes to Cuba, not to ask the tyrant to leave, as he asked the Haitian dictator, or to try to open the way for free elections. Oh heck no. He went there to “apuntalar” (prop up) the Tyranny, to “tirarle la toalla” (throw the towel) to the tyrant. With his sardonic smile, leaving his rabbit teeth glow under the bright Caribbean sun, he exulted and praised the tyrant so much the latter was on the verge of “sonrojo” (blushing). He was supposed to do that but more discreetly, without overdoing it. Very few times in public life we have the occasion to see it piled up so high in such a short time. It is a shame that the 1959 dove was not perched on Jimmy Carter’s shoulder that day. We are sure that the noble bird would have been very happy to decorate his white “guayabera” (a typical Cuban shirt). But at least the tyrant told one truth when he was decorated. Good old Jimmy Carter did not even had that. What a pity that the bird was missing!

Regarding the “Proyecto Varela” (Varela Project), that is another matter. Why did they (whoever they were) invite the former president to go there to give it the “espaldarazo” (accolade)? We wonder. However, it seems very apropos that all this “came together” the way it did. Like pieces of a puzzle. First the project (we will briefly explain soon) got rolling. Then, when all the minimum of required signatures (10,000) is met (actually overshot by about 1,000), the Carter visit to Havana begins to loom in the horizon. Like a finely orchestrated movement in a performance at the concert hall, it is so well timed that one “top leader” of the opposition (sic), Vladimiro Roca, is released from jail and, for the first time in the history of the Robolucion, a nice big picture of somebody opposing the tyranny is allowed to be taken to make the front page in international papers. The document is presented to the president of “La Asamblea del Poder Popular” (Popular Power Assembly, that is neither popular nor has power). Enter Carter, like a ballerina into stage at the exact time her part in the performance is due. What a display of artistry! What a breath taking performance! What coordination (all worth of a better cause)! ¡Que asco! (What a nausea provoking thing)! The tyrant wears civilian clothes (a fine tailored suit) under the warm Caribbean sun. Carter comes out of his private jet and the usual fanfares follows. The two flags (Cuban and American) are flying high in their masts and both anthems are played (what effrontery to both countries). The farce continues for a few days and good old Jimmy Carter is ready to go home. The tyrant goes with him to the airport, now dressed in his “verde olivo” (olive green military uniform established by the tyrant from the very beginning), like to tell the world: “We have already masqueraded enough, let us quit pretending and show our true colors.”

Explaining “Proyecto Varela” to any intelligent human being has to be done with a lot of tact and diplomacy. Otherwise, your audience is going to feel like you are pulling their leg and insulting them, thinking that they are stupid. It is that bad really. Nobody with a minimum of intelligence, common sense and capable of reading at a fourth grade level, would buy this bunch of baloney. We will try to explain it but bear in mind that we are just reporting the facts. We are not trying to insult you by telling you a cock-and-bull-story. It is exactly as we are telling you it is.

As was mentioned before, Cuba has had two so-called constitutions under the tyranny. They are as much of a constitution as your telephone book. Actually, more people participate in putting the phone book together than in putting together these constitutions. Even if a large group (never elected by the people mind you) participated, the draft is the tyrant’s, who also makes the final editing. Keep that in mind so that you can ascertain the worthiness or lack of it of the so-called Proyecto Varela.

According to the latest constitution, written in 1976, following the tyrant’s script, the people has the right (don’t laugh yet please) to gather signatures, 10,000 at least, to request from “La Asamblea del Poder Popular” (Popular Power Assembly) that it be considered by that body the feasibility of having an election to nominate candidates and introduce political reforms. It rests with the discretion of that body whether the content of the petition is implemented. That, in a few words is the essence of that infamous project that some people considered a way out for the Cuban crisis. Maybe you are saying “ You must be kidding!” But I am not. That body (which is only a mouth piece for the tyrant) may say yes or not, right? But even if it says yes, all the odds are in favor of the tyranny. An election is called, it is rigged as usual and the tyrant comes out with 110% of the popular votes. This gives him the “seal of approval” on the eyes of the world that would find a better excuse to cater to him. The arguments would be: “If the people want him so well, who are we to “ignore the popular support”? Let’s continue doing business with him and inviting him over. He is a champion of democracy and a leader willing to sacrifice himself for his people till the very end”. Sounds far fetched? Not really. It is an overwhelming possibility. As for the liberated Vladimiro Roca, he had publicly stated that he was willing to stay in the struggle as a minor, very minor figure. But, Vladimiro (a Russian name by the way, given to him by his father, an old guard Communists leader, Blas Roca) learned at home that the Party is always right. Whether he is on the left of the political arena or not (we think he is) he is helping the tyrant getting propped up and become “legit”. What is beyond our comprehension is that responsible exile leaders (only a few mind you) may have believed for a minute this siren song and dance with it. Let’s hope that the American people are not as gullible! Of course, we always believed that the tyrant was going to scorn and ridicule this “project” at the end. And he has. He is already re-writing his own constitution, to re-affirm and tighten up the system. Well, you decide.

By the way, “La Asamblea del Poder Popular” (Popular Power Assembly), is a body which members are appointed by the tyrant. It is merely a bunch of “selected” people who respond to “Their Master’s voice” just like the RCA Victor dog. That, if we may ad, is said without intention of offending the popular dog.