[Marxism] Cuba counters US "Christmas" sign

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December 17, 2004
Cuba Erects Sign Linking U.S. and Fascism
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 12:09 p.m. ET

HAVANA (AP) -- Cuba responded Friday to U.S. diplomats' refusal to take down 
Christmas decorations by putting up a huge billboard in front of the U.S. 
Interest Section emblazoned with a swastika and showing photographs of Iraqi 
prisoners being abused by American soldiers.

The billboard, put up overnight, had a large swastika in red and the word 
``fascists'' covered with a ``Made in the U.S.A.'' stamp. It sat prominently on 
the Malecon, Havana's coastal highway, facing the mission's offices.

An American diplomat in Havana speaking on condition of anonymity said Friday 
that the torture of prisoners at Iraqi Abu Ghraib prison has been reported and 
discussed openly, and that those responsible are being prosecuted.

``On the other hand, the Cuban government does not allow a single word of 
dissent in its media, jails those who dare espouse different ideas and has not 
allowed (anyone) to visit Cuban political prisoners since the late 1980s,'' the 
official said.

The U.S. Interest Section, headed by chief James Cason, ignored a demand 
earlier this week to remove Christmas decorations that included a reference to 
dissidents jailed by Fidel Castro's government.

The trimmings included a Santa Claus, candy canes and white lights wrapped 
around palm trees -- and a sign reading ``75'' -- a reference to 75 Cuban 
dissidents jailed last year.

All of the decorations will stay up until after the holidays, the U.S. official 
reiterated Friday.

Cuban Parliament Speaker Ricardo Alarcon called the sign ``rubbish'' this week, 
and said Cason seems ``desperate to create problems.''

Cuba had warned the U.S. Interest Section to remove the decorations or face 
unspecified consequences.

No other officials from Castro's administration have commented on the spat.



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