new internationalist
issue 185 - July 1988
Low Fidelity
Photographs can catch anyone in an expression which supports
your own particular view of them. Politicians are especially vulnerable
to this sort of treatment. Consider the portraits here of Fidel Castro and the
captions which might accompany them - all of which are very plausible.
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Man of the people. Cubans have every right to be pleased with Castro, whose revolution has produced one of the best health and education systems in Latin America.
The iron man of Cuba. 'Nobody offends Stalin when I'm around,' he says. With brother Raul named as successor and son Fidelito working his way up the government ladder, Cuba has an incipient Castro dynasty.
From guerilla to elder statesman. Castro has become one of the most respected leaders in the Third World. He counselled moderation to the Sandinista revolutionaries, urging them to learn from Cuba's mistakes.
Cuba's macho man. Castro treats gays and lesbians as social and political deviants. Many have been deported to the US.
Cuba is producing the 'new man' (and presumably woman), says leader Fidel Castro. And he could be right. Young Cubans do now grow up with a spirit of community service - putting in many extra hours of voluntary work.
Who'd have thought we would get this far? From being one of the most backward and corrupt victims of US capitalism, the socialist Cuba of today has a record of economic growth that most countries would be proud of. |
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