Has Counterintelligence Prohibited Photographing Shops?

Cuba: Has Counterintelligence Prohibited Photographing Shops?
February 9, 2014
Fernando Ravsberg*

HAVANA TIMES — Cuba's Military Counterintelligence, CIM, is the body
that prohibits taking pictures in supermarkets, according to the
surprising version of Fernando Casas, the manager at the Boyeros and
Camaguey store in Havana.

The supposed order from above is what gave power to the manager and some
of his boys to try to wrest the camera from our photographer and prevent
her from leaving the parking lot in her car.

When I presented myself in the place, the manager grabbed me by the
shoulder and started yelling threatening me with the Armed Forces. "You
can't take pictures because it belongs to the FAR [Revolutionary Armed
Forces], I just spoke with the CIM and they tell me that you have to
delete the photo," said Mr. Casas.

When I asked where the signs are prohibiting photographing he replied
that we are arrogant and walked away, while one of his assistants came
up inches from my face to remind me that this was not my country.

I cannot believe that CIM is dedicated to ensuring the "security" of a
supermarket. It is more likely that management fears the pictures could
reveal illegalities, such as the presence of private meat sellers
without sanitary conditions.

Curiously, they never called the police, something we asked them to do
from the start. So, as a precaution, I recorded the entire conversation
to avoid them later misrepresenting what they said.
—–
(*) Visit Fernando Ravsberg's blog (in Spanish).

Source: Cuba: Has Counterintelligence Prohibited Photographing Shops? -
Havana Times.org - http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=101765