Cuba dissident blogger arrested - Los Angeles Times [getdailynow.blogspot.com]
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MEXICO CITY â€" Cuba's best-known blogger, a prominent critic of its government, was arrested by authorities, apparently to prevent her from covering the trial of a conservative Spanish politician who is accused of causing the death of a Cuban dissident in a car crash this summer.
The arrest Thursday of Yoani Sanchez and her husband, fellow blogger Reinaldo Escobar, was reported by pro-government Cuban blogs and confirmed Friday by Elizardo Sanchez, head of the independent Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation.
The dissident blogger had intended to cover the trial of Angel Carromero, which began Friday in Bayamo, about 400 miles east of Havana. Carromero, a member of Spain's conservative Popular Party, crashed his rental car near Bayamo while visiting the island July 22. Cuban officials have accused him of speeding and causing the deaths of dissident Oswaldo Paya and another Cuban activist, who were riding in the car. Carromero faces up to 10 years in prison.
The pro-government blog http://www.yohandry.com asserted Friday that the blogger had traveled to Bayamo "to start a provocation and a media show to harm the proper conduct of the trial."
Both Sanchez's detention and the controversy surrounding the case offer telling glimpses into the government's relationship with dissident forces in Cuba six years after Raul Castro was handed the reins of government by his ailing older brother, Fidel.
Elizardo Sanchez, the human rights activist who is unrelated to the blogger, said that he expected Yoani Sanchez, her husband and a number of other antigovernment figures detained before the trial to be released soon after its conclusion.
"Political repression in Cuba has undergone a metamorphosis," he said in a phone interview from Cuba on Friday.
"In the last few years it doesn't consist in long prison sentences, but in hundreds and hundreds of detentions each month for political reasons, which last a number of hours, days or a few weeks. And later, in general, the opponents are freed without charges â€" although sometimes some stay in prison."
Raul Castro has been tinkering with social and market reforms while simultaneously maintaining a level of control over the Cuban people and economy. In a recent report, Elizardo Sanchez's group noted that 2,074 "arbitrary detentions" were reported in Cuba in 2010. That number shot to 5,105 between January and September of this year.
The government has also released dozens of political prisoners in the last three years, but Human Rights Watch researcher Nik Steinberg says that dozens of other dissidents remain in prison. Moreover, he said, the arbitrary detentions, beatings and harassment of dissidents continue to stifle freedom of expression.
At the same time, a space has been afforded opinionated bloggers. Sanchez, who is in her 30s, has emerged in recent years as an important independent voice with lyrical postings on her website, "Generation Y," in which she describes life in communist Cuba, sometimes criticizing the government directly, and sometimes by implication.
Cuba watchers say Sanchez is not widely read in Cuba, where Internet access is scarce, but has gained an important platform beyond the island.
The government has tolerated Sanchez's work, to an extent. She says the government has denied her requests to travel abroad 19 times since 2008. In November 2009, she alleged that she was picked up by men in an unmarked car who called her a "counterrevolutionary," punched her in the face and then released her.
Carromero, the Spaniard, had been visiting Cuba to support Paya and his reform group, the Christian Liberation Movement. Paya's widow has rejected the government version of the crash, saying that the government had threatened to kill her husband on numerous occasions.
Other Paya supporters have alleged that the car was run off the road by Cuban security agents.
Sanchez, in her previous coverage of the case, reported that Spanish officials were hoping Carromero would end up being expelled from Cuba or allowed to serve a sentence in Spain.
richard.fausset@latimes.com
Cecilia Sanchez of The Times' Mexico City bureau contributed to this report.
More Cuba dissident blogger arrested - Los Angeles Times Articles Question by Violet: does anyone else feel "Flip That House" should be taken off the air by HGTV? I've always hated that show, even when it first came on the air I felt it was all about GREED! Now, with so many people being affected directly or indirectly by these vultures, I think "Flip That House" should be gone! Anyone else feel this way? Any thoughts or comments on the foreclosure issue? Best answer for does anyone else feel "Flip That House" should be taken off the air by HGTV?:
Answer by U Can't handle the truth
OMG, YES they are so out of the times, and created a process that cost us billions.
Answer by KitKat
Nope...I find it interesting and think if you know what you are doing..it's very enterprising.
Answer by metcalfmaintenance1
The show has been on a little too long,however, the lending companies were the greedy ones. They were giving people credit for homes that they could not afford. Now that the market for those same homes have softened the homes aren't worth as much as there mortgage.
Answer by LOCKNLOAD1
No, we're not a Communist country because of the way we do business. Would you call it greed because you expect to get paid when you work? These people take a risk and work, shouldn't they be allowed to make an honest profit?
Answer by Beatrice C
The one on the A&E channel is a complete fake. The show takes place in San Antonio and the Montelongo guy was just indicted for 'Theft of Services'. He failed to pay a few thousand dollars to an appraiser! Like they say here in Texas he "WAS ALL HAT AND NO CATTLE" The profits he said he made and the time period were outrageous lies.
Answer by engineer50
You can't protect people against their own ignorance and gullability. And if greed is the criteria, 99% of what's on TV would be gone.
Answer by frankie b
Flipping homes did not cause this housing problem, and if you believe that, you need to get educated quickly. It was shady lending, and people lying about what they could really afford. Lying to banks, and themselves. I have an idea, if you don't like it, change the channel. Just don't be jealous because people who were willing to INVEST their money, and take a risk are making profits.
Answer by Expert Realtor
I feel that way...but for a different reason. 1. You CANNOT do the remodels for what they claim the budget is. 2. The value of improvements and how it affects the market value of the home are GROSSLY inflated. 3. They claim things like laminate hardwood flooring will actually decrease the value of a house...which is hogwash...you appraiser takes off for that, and laminated hardwood is actually MORE expensive than real hardwood b/c of the durability...and for someone with dogs or kids, it is a very strong selling point b/c it never needs to be refinished and it will always look the same. 4. Tons of misinformation.
Answer by onetoughkitty
Nope. I like watching the episodes where they update and we find out that they couldn't sell the house in the down market and they end up having to live in it or lose tons of money just to sell it to investors.
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