Baño de Realidad a la Cubana

Un periodista californiano viajó de vacaciones a Cuba (via Mexico) y aprovechó para llevarle algunas cositas de regalo a la comunidad judía de la isla.

Así le fue.

[...] But as I started doing research, I started getting into it — the prospect of meeting some Cuban Jews, attending a Shabbat service and dinner at a synagogue and maybe even visiting a Jewish community 170 miles outside of Havana — where there’s actually a Holocaust memorial! Wow!

And then I thought: Why not bring along something special for the people?

That’s when I decided to contact Maurice Kamins, who, in his small San Francisco garage, makes shofars that are works of art as much as they are ritual objects. He graciously agreed to give me not just one but two of his pieces — each a polished, twisting kudu horn about 3 feet long. [...]

June also asked if we could take a small bag of supplies to the community. Vitamins, allergy medicines and protein powder for the synagogue pharmacy. A few pieces of clothing for charity. Sure! Why not? This whole trip was turning into a Jewish extravaganza.

June told us that the shofars and the 40 pounds of stuff — “small bag”? — wouldn’t be a problem at Cuban customs. Just in case, she gave us a note, on her agency’s stationery, saying that we had humanitarian goods for the Jewish community. [...]

All of this stuff required an extra suitcase and large duffle bag, which we crammed into the overhead bins and lugged on buses and literally dragged through the streets of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, during a two-day stopover. Finally, we made it to Cuba.

The extra luggage apparently raised red flags upon our arrival. We were pulled aside and grilled by a customs agent as to the nature of our visit, and then every inch of the two extra bags was inspected.

A doctor was called in to examine the shofars. He regretfully told me it was “not possible” (about the extent of his English) to bring them into the country, seeing as they were animal products. Nor would I be allowed to reclaim them upon my departure. It seems the plan was to incinerate them.

All of the vitamins, medicines, etc. were seized, as well, for we were not part of a humanitarian or religious mission. The process took nearly three hours, as four people meticulously inspected every little vitamin vial, every piece of clothing and even tore into six foil-wrapped inhalers. In the end, they took it all.

It was quite an initiation into a communist dictatorship. We felt angry, powerless, robbed by a corrupt system. Imagine feeling that way every day of your life. [...]

Otro que recién se desayuna de como es la vida en el paraíso socialista. Mas vale tarde que nunca.

Esto va para aquellos que insisten con que si el "imperio" levanta el embargo, los norteamericanos van a poder viajar a la isla y así mejorar el nivel de vida de los cubanos de a pata. Give me a fuckin' break.