The Dominant Interests

The Dominant Interests / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar
Posted on November 11, 2014

14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar, Havana, 11 November 2014 — I was tempted to
title this text "The Good New York Times and Bad New York Times", but
since Yoani Sanchez had done the same with USAID it seemed repetitive.

The truth is that lately, and in an unusual manner, the official organ
of the Cuban Communist Party, the newspaper Granma, and its televised
arm, The Roundtable show, haven't stopped repeating the good reasons
this newspaper has for criticizing the embargo, for demanding that Alan
Gross be exchanged for Cuba's Ministry of the Interior (MININT)
prisoners held in the United States, or for criticizing U.S. policy with
regards to the Cuban government. This is the good New York Times, a
credible and influential American newspaper.

But some have the healthy habit of saving paper and among these pearls
appears, published in the Granma itself, an article which speaks very
differently in relation to the famous newspaper .

On April 24, 2003, the news was fresh of the imprisonment of 75 Cuban
dissidents (originally there were 80 defendants) who were given
sentences of 15, 20 and up to 28 years imprisonment. The New York Times
addressed that process, later dubbed the Black Spring, and to the Cuban
government this was unforgivable.

Granma's response, under the byline of Arsenio Rodríguez, was
overwhelming and conclusive. "…their editorial decisions are neither
serious nor liberal, but obediently follow orders in defense of the
interests of the dominant powers in this nation." And concluding with
this succinct affirmation: "… the true role of the New York Times was,
is and will be to represent the essence of the empire."

The question some of us in Cuba ask is if the newspaper has ceased to
represent the imperial interests of the United States (if this was ever
the case) or if now those interests are changing and something is moving
under the table, behind the backs of the only protagonists in this
drama: Cubans.

I do not know if Arsenio Rodriguez has retired, how old he is, or if he
prefers to "pass" on the subject, but I would love to read his opinion
now. I would give anything to have the evidence that the editorial
decisions of Granma dutifully obey orders in defense of the dominant
interests.

Source: The Dominant Interests / 14ymedio, Reinaldo Escobar |
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