Castros Domestic Policies

Part 2

Castros Treatment of Minorities

Committees for the Defense
of the Revolution (CDR) is a
network of committees
across Cuba
The organizations are
designed to report "counterrevolutionary" activity

Castros Treatment of Minorities

The CDR officials have the duty to know the
activities of each person in their respective
blocks
There is an individual file kept on each block
resident, some of which reveal the internal
dynamics of households
Citizens must be careful of their actions and of
what they say, as they are being constantly
monitored

Castros Treatment of Minorities

The committees have often
received negative international
coverage, and been cited by
human rights groups as being
involved in activity described in
Cuba as "acts of repudiation
These acts include abuse,
intimidation and sometimes
physical assault against those
deemed "counterrevolutionary"

Castros Treatment of Minorities

In the weeks prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion,
the Castro regime had rounded up tens of
thousands of Cubans, holding them up in sports
stadiums across the island in order to quash
discontent on the island and prevent its
adversaries from joining exile forces
However, the idea that Cubans would rise up
against Castro would never happen probably
as a result of the widespread arrests throughout
Cuba and the reprisals the families would have
to endure, like public humiliation and harassment

Castros Treatment of Minorities

Thousands of political opponents to
the Castro regime have been killed,
primarily during the first decade of his
leadership; exact numbers are not
known
Some Cubans labeled
"counterrevolutionaries", "fascists", or
"CIA operatives" have been imprisoned
in extremely poor conditions without
trial

Castros Treatment of Minorities

Military Units to Aid Production, or UMAPs,
were labor camps established in 1965 which
confined "social deviants" including
homosexuals and Jehovah Witnesses in order
to work "counter-revolutionary" influences out
of certain segments of the population
There were thousands of executions
The camps were closed in 1967 in response to
international outcries

Castros Treatment of Minorities

Castro acknowledges that Cuba holds political
prisoners, but argues that Cuba is justified
because these prisoners are not jailed because
of their political beliefs, but have been
convicted of "counter-revolutionary" crimes,
including bombings

Castros Treatment of Minorities

Fidel Castro portrays opposition to
the Cuban government as illegal,
and the result of an ongoing
conspiracy fostered by Cuban exiles
with ties to the United States or the
CIA
Many Castro supporters say that
Castro's measures are justified to
prevent the fall of his government,
whereas his opposition says he uses
the United States as an excuse to
justify his continuing political control

Castros Treatment of Religious Groups

Cuba was declared to be atheist
No religions were allowed to proselytize
Cuban agents from the Ministry of the Interior
watched and spied on those who have
worshiped in churches and in their homes

Castros Treatment of Religious Groups

The Fidel Castro government presently still restricts religion by:
Blocking construction of new churches
Limits the arrival of foreign religious leaders
Refuses to recognize most new denominations
Import of religious articles is controlled and monitored
Many private churches and other houses of worship,
including meetings in private places have been disbanded,
boarded up and shut down
So called "unregistered religious groups" (not state
recognized) experience regular harassment, and repression
Religious material is confiscated

Castros Treatment of Religious Groups

There are still many Cuban religious leaders in
prison for their religious beliefs
The Ministry of the Interior still engages in
controlling and monitoring religious activities
and uses surveillance, infiltration, and
harassment against any religious people

Castros Treatment of
Religious Groups
In 1992, Castro agreed to loosen restrictions on
religion and even permitted church-going Catholics to
join the Cuban Communist Party
He began describing his country as "secular" rather
than atheist
Pope John Paul II visited Cuba in 1998, the first visit by
a reigning pontiff to the island. Castro and the Pope
appeared side by side in public on several occasions
during the visit. Castro wore a dark blue business suit
(in contrast to his fatigues) in his public meetings with
the Pope and treated him with reverence and respect

Role of Women in Castros Cuba

One of the most significant
changes brought about by the
Cuban Revolution has been to the
lives and status of women
Before 1959, the role of most
Cuban women resembled that of
other women in most countries
Women enjoyed few rights and
were expected to sacrifice their
interests for the well-being of the
family

Role of Women in Castros Cuba

The Cuban Constitution guarantees women
rights:
Economic
Political
Social
Cultural
Family
Opportunities equal to those of men

Role of Women in Castros

Cuba
The Labor Code ensures equal rights and
opportunities for women in all fields of
work as well as an equal salary
Social security applies to men and women
equally
Women have the right to an abortion
Equality of access is ensured in both
education and health

Role of Women in Castros Cuba

Much of the success in
implementing the
legislation relating to the
rights of women has been
achieved thanks to the
work of the Federation of
Cuban Women
Over 85% of Cuban
women are members and it
now has 73,710 branches
throughout the country

Role of Women in Castros Cuba

The Federations activities cover a wide number
of areas:
Works collaboratively with the government, trade
unions, mass media, international organizations,
etc.
Mounts grass-roots level campaigns
Runs womens training centers for awareness of
their rights
Develop non-sexist attitudes among students in
schools
Carry out research where there are still problems

Castros Cuba The Arts

After the Cuban revolution of 1959 Cuban
artists became more isolated from the
artistic movements of the United States
and Europe
Though artists continued to produce work
in Cuba, many pursued their careers in
exile
Theaters, cinemas, concerts, art
exhibitions, etc. were all censored

Castros Cuba Media &

Propaganda
Citizens and press must
be careful of their actions
and of what they say, as
they are being constantly
monitored
Castro usually wears
military uniforms and has
made fiery speeches

Castros Cuba Propaganda

Castros speeches lasted for several hours on
end. In the early years, he seriously tries to
inform the Cuban people, illustrating his
arguments with facts and figures and speaking
openly about problems
Much propaganda had to deal with the U.S.
being stubborn or evil
Other propaganda emphasized the
preeminence of Castro and the revolution

Castros Cuba Propaganda

However, his cult of personality has been less
built up than other dictators (Hitler, Mussolini,
Zedong, Stalin)
For example, you will find no statues, streets,
schools, towns, or money with Castros name

Castro is looking
for statues of
himself

World
solidarity
with Cuba

No economic
blockade of
Cuba! Foreign
exchange,
petroleum,
medicaments,
imported and
exported goods

7th anniversary of
the Cuban
Revolution

Poster calling for

Cubans to celebrate
the 17th anniversary of
the Moncada attack.
The attack is seen as
the starting point of the
Cuban revolution, and
is celebrated every
year with a big meeting
at the Square of the
Revolution in Havana

May Day. All with

Fidel on the
Square of the
Revolution