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ETECSA, the only ISP in the country which is an extension of its police arm and has no boundaries on privacy or anything there, fines its users 3000 cuban pesos

ETECSA, the only ISP in the country which is an extension of its police arm and has no boundaries on privacy or anything there, fines its users 3000 cuban pesos (a full month's salary) for posting on Facebook, Twitter or anywhere anything against the government. A meme? you get a police citation and a fine, and that's just the first punishment.

mrtksn 4y ago
Here is something about this kind of countries: They are very corrupt and people find their way around thanks to the corruption. Here is something else: Business finds its ways. When I was on holiday in Cuba shortly before Castro's death, as with everything in the country, have seen that those with access to the government(public sector employees, military or students) have healthy access to the internet and the rest have ridiculously expensive and limited internet. It's fascinating place really. The guy I rented a casa particular in Havana was in process of building his hostel empire on AirBnB from his office in a government building. His girlfriend was studying computer science and was well versed on the internet culture. In front of their house is Estadio Panamericano, and is a public place with ridiculously expensive ETECSA Wi-Fi which is the only way to connect to the internet if you are a tourist or not-privileged. People having video chat when crying and military dropping by occasionally to check if everything is alright. They also have some sort of network for sharing movies/music and gaming within the city. I'm still confused on how to feel about Cuba.
- mushbino 4y ago
  Some members of society have special privileges? I'm glad we don't have that in the US. Cuba has a higher life expectancy, lower infant mortality rate, and a higher literacy rate than the US. They also have more guaranteed rights for women, LGBTQ, and minorities than the US. Cuba has stood pretty well on its own considering the decades of crushing sanctions. Compare it to any other Caribbean nation.
  - mrtksn 4y ago
    I wasn’t comparing with the US or any other country. Anyway, I still don’t know how to feel about Cuba because there were many things that I liked.
  - SR2Z 4y ago
    Delete Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. Are your claims still true?
    - xrd 4y ago
      I've visited Cuba and lived in Brazil. The desperation you see in Brazil for much of the population isn't there in Cuba. The people are very poor but they have access to food regardless of their income levels. Cubans are some of the most highly educated people in the world. It's a police state and there are awful things about the corruption. And things are much worse in many other Latin American countries that are pro-US. I would say the impacts of poverty are worse in the US even if you withdraw those states. In absolute terms Americans are richer but in terms of healthcare and general well being, what I saw 20 years ago was that Cubans have it better.
  - refurb 4y ago
    Russia said they are winning the war too. Must be true, right?
  - pookah 4y ago
    Owner of starbucks grew up in the projects. I doubt you see that level of mobility in your cuban utopia. And I'm glad that cuba isn't putting gay people into labor camps and forced re-education anymore. Nice.
    - mushbino 4y ago
      Today Cuba is the most socially progressive country in the western hemisphere. There was a time when they put gay people in jail but that was the same time. Alan Turing was castrated for being gay in the UK. Sure, You won't become a billionaire in Cuba, but you also don't have to worry about health care, homelessness, food insecurity, education, etc.
joecool1029 4y ago
Still not a justification for blockade. Saudis give 16 year prison sentences to US citizens for mild government criticism in their tweets and the US does not sanction them: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/american-sentenced-16-years-prison-saudi-arabia-tweets-sent-united-sta-rcna52842 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/american-sentenced-16-yea...
- alphanullmeric 4y ago
  should be thankful they’re being shielded from the evils of capitalism
avgcorrection 4y ago
The beatings will continue until morale improves. (You get to decide whether this refers to the US or Cuba or both.)

mrtksn 4y ago

Here is something about this kind of countries: They are very corrupt and people find their way around thanks to the corruption. Here is something else: Business finds its ways. When I was on holiday in Cuba shortly before Castro's death, as with everything in the country, have seen that those with access to the government(public sector employees, military or students) have healthy access to the internet and the rest have ridiculously expensive and limited internet. It's fascinating place really. The guy I rented a casa particular in Havana was in process of building his hostel empire on AirBnB from his office in a government building. His girlfriend was studying computer science and was well versed on the internet culture. In front of their house is Estadio Panamericano, and is a public place with ridiculously expensive ETECSA Wi-Fi which is the only way to connect to the internet if you are a tourist or not-privileged. People having video chat when crying and military dropping by occasionally to check if everything is alright. They also have some sort of network for sharing movies/music and gaming within the city. I'm still confused on how to feel about Cuba.

mushbino 4y ago
Some members of society have special privileges? I'm glad we don't have that in the US. Cuba has a higher life expectancy, lower infant mortality rate, and a higher literacy rate than the US. They also have more guaranteed rights for women, LGBTQ, and minorities than the US. Cuba has stood pretty well on its own considering the decades of crushing sanctions. Compare it to any other Caribbean nation.
- mrtksn 4y ago
  I wasn’t comparing with the US or any other country. Anyway, I still don’t know how to feel about Cuba because there were many things that I liked.
- SR2Z 4y ago
  Delete Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. Are your claims still true?
  - xrd 4y ago
    I've visited Cuba and lived in Brazil. The desperation you see in Brazil for much of the population isn't there in Cuba. The people are very poor but they have access to food regardless of their income levels. Cubans are some of the most highly educated people in the world. It's a police state and there are awful things about the corruption. And things are much worse in many other Latin American countries that are pro-US. I would say the impacts of poverty are worse in the US even if you withdraw those states. In absolute terms Americans are richer but in terms of healthcare and general well being, what I saw 20 years ago was that Cubans have it better.
- refurb 4y ago
  Russia said they are winning the war too. Must be true, right?
- pookah 4y ago
  Owner of starbucks grew up in the projects. I doubt you see that level of mobility in your cuban utopia. And I'm glad that cuba isn't putting gay people into labor camps and forced re-education anymore. Nice.
  - mushbino 4y ago
    Today Cuba is the most socially progressive country in the western hemisphere. There was a time when they put gay people in jail but that was the same time. Alan Turing was castrated for being gay in the UK. Sure, You won't become a billionaire in Cuba, but you also don't have to worry about health care, homelessness, food insecurity, education, etc.

joecool1029 4y ago

Still not a justification for blockade. Saudis give 16 year prison sentences to US citizens for mild government criticism in their tweets and the US does not sanction them: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/american-sentenced-16-years-prison-saudi-arabia-tweets-sent-united-sta-rcna52842 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/american-sentenced-16-yea...

alphanullmeric 4y ago
should be thankful they’re being shielded from the evils of capitalism

avgcorrection 4y ago

The beatings will continue until morale improves. (You get to decide whether this refers to the US or Cuba or both.)