IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 9 ENGLISH | Page 36

Race, Class and Gender

The night of the
martyrdoms: This
house is on sale
Ada María López Canino
Community Library Network
Boyeros, Havana, Cuba

E

migration increases every day.
As soon as the regime ran the
bells of economic crisis and new
Special Period, a dangerous impatience
aroused among Cubans. Since they have
less and less resources every day,
dozens and dozens of houses exhibit
now the poster “On sale.” Many Cubans
are trying to sell the only thing that can
give them enough money in return to
cover the cost for escaping from the
XXI century socialism.
It doesn´t matter the preliminary
destination: Guyana, Trinidad and
Tobago, Ecuador, Colombia, Surinam
or any other country that facilitates visa.
Thereafter they will fly, sale, drive or
run to the United States. And
meanwhile everyone takes advantage,
either overtly or subtly, of these
desperate Cubans in need.

Onboard a bus, the passengers hear
selling propositions always

accompanied by the question: What
option remains? We must go, they say,
because it´s getting worse every day.
Blackouts and lack of transportation are
coming back; although the situation has
never been good under Castro, it´s
getting worse. The government has
nothing available to lay another trap of
hope for tomorrow. Even the more
resigned Cubans have shortened their
patience, feel less intense fear and dare
to speak louder.
The new restrictions and shortcomings
—that the government intends to drive
in the heart of the Cuban households—
can give rise to a rebellious action with
clenched fists. It is a serious threat that
could lead to an uncontrolled social
explosion to definitively put an end to
the Castro one-single-party dictatorship.
Many Cubans cannot use the poster “On
sale” because they are not homeowners.
Others live in hovels so deteriorated that
their market prices are not enough for
buying a ticket to leave the country.
Nevertheless, most of the people want
to leave. Only a few are convinced that
they will never be migrants. These are
the people who will illuminate the night
of indolent martyrdoms. And such a
light will last until the last executioner
falls and the tyranny is completely
removed.

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