"What we are hearing from Cubans in Cuba is they don't need money because there's nothing to buy." -- Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutiérrez, at press conference, in Florida, September 17, 2006
It's not every day that Valentín Prieto is quoted by the Secretary of Commerce much less his opinion cited as the rationale for U.S. government policy towards Cuba. Yet, in the span of one week, Babalú's "Founding Editor" was not only quoted in The New York Times but his words were used verbatim by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutiérrez to justify the Bush administration's refusal to relax restrictions on remittances to Cuba.
One would think that Val's sudden rise to national prominence would at least merit a mention on Babalú. Not by Val, of course, he is far too humble, but by one of his fawning minions. With a little tweaking and just the right amount of padding this story could be reported on Babalú as: "Val Prieto is asked to join President Bush's kitchen cabinet as adviser on the needs and wants of Cubans on the island."
Penúltimos Días, based in Spain, has taken note of Val's seminal contribution to this debate and accorded him the recognition that he richly deserves for perpetuating the suffering of the Cuban people in their darkest hour:
"La tesis de que no hace falta enviar dinero, pues en la isla no hay nada que comprar, que lanzó Val Prieto en una entrevista para The New York Times, y que recogió oportunamente el Secretario de Comercio, Carlos Gutiérrez en una declaración pública."
["The thesis that it is not necessary to send money to Cuba because there is nothing to buy there was first put forward by Val Prieto in an interview with The New York Times and later cited at an opportune moment by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutiérrez in a public statement"].
POSTSCRIPT:
Val answers his critics at Penúltimos Días:
"caballeros, hasta cuando vamos a estar en esto? Cuantos de ustedes pueden afirmar que el gobierno cubano no va a usurpar las donaciones humatarias para ponerla a la venta y que el dinero que nosotros mandemos no terminara de compra para las misma donacines humantitarias que se robo el gobierno?
Si todos estos partidos nombrados aqui hubiesen usado toda la energia, todo el tiempo y puesto todo el esfuerzo en forzar a el gobierno cubano a tener que aceptar toda la ayuda humanitaria, sea la que sea, venga de quien venga, sea de quien sea, hoy - ahora mismo ya - los cubanos en la isla ya posiblemente hubuieran cruzado el niagra y sin bicileta."
This does not require translation since it is written in English using (more or less) Spanish words.
Now the world will know what a viper Val is, all he spews is hatred toward his own, I'm glad Penultimos Dias picked it up.
ReplyDeleteManuel,
ReplyDeleteAs much as I loathe even entering this den of sophistry, and, while I dont feel it necessary to respond to you or any slanderous post you write, since you are basically accusing me as the sole purveyor of starvation among the Cuban people, i need to set the record straight.
I believe my comment at PD speaks for itself and is more than resonant in its truth.
And, as with every piece you read in any major metropolitan newspaper and especially one like the NYT, they quote their interviewees according to their story line. My conversation with the NYT reporter in question was almost a half hour long. From that he quoted less than ten words. And, I might add, the least effective words to my argument and position.
While I do continue to believe that the remittances should not be lifted, my position isnt based solely on there "being nothing to buy" (Surely, once the humanitarian aid starts coming in, there will be plenty to buy at all castro stores.)but for a myriad other reasons which have been discussed and debated, ad nauseum at Babalu and throughout the blogosphere and other media venues.
Print this comment out, frame it and hang it on your wall in front of your computer and light a candle for it every day as it will be the very last time I venture into this blog for any reason whatsoever. There's enough shit going around, cuba-wise, to spend time coming to the internet's best purveyor of same.
vana:
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing for Val that Ernesto moderates comments at Penúltimos Días. Otherwise, a feeding frenzy would ensue similar to what happened when Penúltimos Días congratulated Val on Babalú's 5th anniversary.
The biggest favor that Ernesto could do him, however, would be to strike Val's last comment. He says that Cubans are their "worst enemies," but there is no doubt that Val is his.
Val: I will not "frame" your comment, but I will certainly save it lest you should be tempted to delete it. -- MAT
ReplyDeleteVal Prieto said...
Manuel,
As much as I loathe even entering this den of sophistry, and, while I dont feel it necessary to respond to you or any slanderous post you write, since you are basically accusing me as the sole purveyor of starvation among the Cuban people, i need to set the record straight.
I believe my comment at PD speaks for itself and is more than resonant in its truth.
And, as with every piece you read in any major metropolitan newspaper and especially one like the NYT, they quote their interviewees according to their story line. My conversation with the NYT reporter in question was almost a half hour long. From that he quoted less than ten words. And, I might add, the least effective words to my argument and position.
While I do continue to believe that the remittances should not be lifted, my position isnt based solely on there "being nothing to buy" (Surely, once the humanitarian aid starts coming in, there will be plenty to buy at all castro stores.)but for a myriad other reasons which have been discussed and debated, ad nauseum at Babalu and throughout the blogosphere and other media venues.
Print this comment out, frame it and hang it on your wall in front of your computer and light a candle for it every day as it will be the very last time I venture into this blog for any reason whatsoever. There's enough shit going around, cuba-wise, to spend time coming to the internet's best purveyor of same.
9/18/2008 3:03 PM
Mansuelo you cant even get 20 comments on this thread... You are history my friend...
ReplyDeleteTime to close shop...boringgggggggggg
this blog is yesterday news...
Me voy y no vuelvo
I will be at yohandry's , yoani and Penultimos ... everyday
Adios viejito
Val has his nerve coming in here, he's allowed to come in here to defend himself, yet we are not accorded the same civility at Babalu, he's a despicable character, there is no excuse for what he said, every time he opens his mouth he sinks our people into further despair.
ReplyDeleteGoodbye fanto and good riddance.
ReplyDeleteVana,
ReplyDeleteRubber Head cannot stay away from the RCAB. He is addicted to it.
He will mutate into some kind of new weird id but he will be here.
Senor farinas alguien dijo una vez que fantomas era el heart and blod of this blog. Dejeme decirle que nunca crei eso hasta ahora. Realmente este blog va en picada y manuel sabe que Fantomas es el unico que puede revivirlo
ReplyDeleteAndele pues , preguntele, enviele al dueño del blog un e mail privado a ver que le contesta
Agustin:
ReplyDeleteHe's already posted as Centurion, I can smell him a mile away.
Vana and Agustin, the multiplicity of faux personalities issue can be easily resolved, but apparently Manuel prefers for whatever reason(s) to block the means that would provide the solution to this issue, Manuel is entitled to do so because after all, RCAB is his blog and he is free to do with it as he pleases, I will not purport to know the rationale (if any) behind Manuel's decision to block the means to resolve the problem, but it is Manuel who chooses to allow this matter to continue unabated by not applying transparency to his blog's statistical data analytics, only Manuel can resolve this and it is him that has chosen to allow it to fester while being very well aware of the solution(s) that can prevent it.
ReplyDelete