The Violation of Human Rights in Cuba

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The Violation of Human Rights in Cuba

One of the largest Human Rights violations occurring in the world today is on the small island of Cuba. The government there is repressing the civil and political rights of all it citizens mainly the right to free speech and free press.

Article 53 of the Cuban Constitution provides: “Freedom of speech and press are recognized for citizens consistent with the purposes of socialist society. The material conditions for their exercise are present by the fact that the press, radio, television, movies, and others mass media are state-owned or socially owned, and can in no event be privately owned, which ensures their use exclusively in the service of the working people and in the interest of society. The law regulates the exercise of these freedoms.” (Human Rights Watch 29)

Cuba is a totalitarian state. Since 1959 under the leadership of Fidel Castor, Cuba has become the first Communist state in the Western Hemisphere. Before 1959, the people of Cuba looked favorably upon Castor and the struggle against Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista. Castor proposed policies for early elections, diversification of the economy, moderate social and political reform based on the Cuban Constitution of 1940. (Thomas 2) Since coming to power, it wasn't long before the extremist character of Castro became clear. Instead of the promises Castro made to the Cuban people, Cuba was radically transformed into a self styled Marxist-Leninist machinery of repression. Castro's priorities remain unchanged: maintaining unchallenged power, a sense of historical self-importance, and extreme Cuban nationalism. When Castor publicly declared Cuba a Communist country, democracy was abolished and so was the freedom of expressio...

... middle of paper ...

...y 27, 1996. Source:

http://vweb.hwwilsonweb.com/cgi-bin/webspirs.cgi

CubaNet source: http://ella.netpoint.net/cubanet/CNews/jul96/15e2.html

Human Rights Watch. CUBA REPRESSIVE MACHINERY: HUMAN RIGHTS 40

YEARS AFTER THE REVOLUTION. Human rights Watch, New York. June

1999

Lipsschultz, David. “The Web Washes over Cuba, but Surfers Still Few Econmic

hardship and a government wary of information flow hinder Internet's growth.”

Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Mass. 9 July, 1997

Robbins, Carla Anne. “Our Jam in Havana: This US Station Doesn't rate in Cuba

Castro's Interference Keeps TV Mart Off of Screens.” The Wall Street Journal 25,

Nov. 1997

Thomas, Hugh S. CUBAN REVOLUTION: 30 YEARS LATER. Westview Press.

London 1984. 8. United States State Department. Human Rights in Cuba source:

http://state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1997.

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