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Cuba

Tuesday November 22, 2016

November 28, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday November 22, 2016 O Canada: Trudeau's Castro tribute raises eyebrows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's tribute complimenting Fidel Castro as Òremarkable" and a "larger than life leader who served his people" drew criticism and derision. Commentators viewed Trudeau's statement as gushing and tone-deaf -- one that ignored the Cuban leader's human rights abuses and record of political oppression. It inspired parody tributes with the hashtag #TrudeauEulogies. Ê In his statement, Trudeau expressed "deep sorrow" after learning of "the death of Cuba's longest serving president.Ó "Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.Ó Fidel Castro greets Justin Trudeau at the former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's state funeral on October 3, 2000. "While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro's supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for 'el ComandanteÕ." Trudeau added that his late father, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau "was very proud to call him a friend." Castro had been an honorary pallbearer at his father's funeral. The statement concluded: "We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.Ó The prime minister's statement had Sen. Marco Rubio asking: Is this real? "If this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing," he tweeted. (Source: CNN) Canada, Cuba, Fidel Castro, Justin Trudeau, press, media, democracy, death, worship, hero

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 22, 2016

O Canada: Trudeau’s Castro tribute raises eyebrows

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tribute complimenting Fidel Castro as “remarkable” and a “larger than life leader who served his people” drew criticism and derision.

Commentators viewed Trudeau’s statement as gushing and tone-deaf — one that ignored the Cuban leader’s human rights abuses and record of political oppression. It inspired parody tributes with the hashtag #TrudeauEulogies.

In his statement, Trudeau expressed “deep sorrow” after learning of “the death of Cuba’s longest serving president.”

“Fidel Castro was a larger than life leader who served his people for almost half a century. A legendary revolutionary and orator, Mr. Castro made significant improvements to the education and healthcare of his island nation.”

Fidel Castro greets Justin Trudeau at the former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s state funeral on October 3, 2000.

“While a controversial figure, both Mr. Castro’s supporters and detractors recognized his tremendous dedication and love for the Cuban people who had a deep and lasting affection for ‘el Comandante’.”

Trudeau added that his late father, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau “was very proud to call him a friend.” Castro had been an honorary pallbearer at his father’s funeral.

The statement concluded: “We join the people of Cuba today in mourning the loss of this remarkable leader.”

The prime minister’s statement had Sen. Marco Rubio asking: Is this real?

“If this is a real statement from the PM of Canada it is shameful & embarrassing,” he tweeted. (Source: CNN)

 

Posted in: Canada, Cuba Tagged: Canada, Cuba, death, Democracy, Fidel Castro, hero, Justin Trudeau, media, press, worship

Friday July 17, 2015

July 16, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Friday July 17, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday July 17, 2015

Pan Am Games: 4 members of Cuban rowing team defect to U.S., coach say

Four Cuban rowers have defected to the U.S. during the Pan Am Games, according to the team’s coach, a move one agent says is likely due to economic conditions inside Cuba.

Coach Juan Carlos Reyes says Leosmel Ramos, Wilber Turro, Manuel Suarez and Orlando Sotolongo have left the team and travelled to the United States. There are more than 150 Cuban athletes at the Pan Am Games, competing in a range of sports.

Thursday December 18, 2014The Games rowing venue in St. Catharines, Ont., is only a few kilometres from the U.S. border.

Reyes says Ramos and Turro dropped out before the regatta began on Saturday while Suarez and Sotolongo were in earlier races and then withdrew. Sotolongo won a silver medal at the Games and made a Facebook post about his love for Cuba shortly before leaving the team.

Pan Am Guide | by Graeme MacKayHe said they have been in touch with teammates through Facebook.

Two Cuban baseball players, Luis Yander La O and Yadiel Hernandez, previously defected during a tune-up competition in North Carolina the week before the Games.

Joe Kehoskie, a U.S.-based agent who has represented several Cuban baseball players, said the defections are likely driven by the economic conditions inside Cuba rather than the chance to pursue a sports career in the U.S.

While the U.S. is in the process of normalizing relations with Cuba, including a recent agreement to reopen embassies, Kehoskie said many Cubans are more concerned with leaving the island now than ever. That’s because, he said, the U.S. may end its “wet foot/dry foot” policy, which allows any Cuban who steps foot on U.S. soil to remain in the country.

U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to keep the policy earlier this year. The Cuban government opposes it, saying the policy promotes illegal immigration and human trafficking.(Source: CBC News)

Posted in: Canada, Cuba, International Tagged: asylum, Canada, Cuba, customs, defection, diplomacy, Immigration, Pan Am Games, rowing, Sports, St. Catharines, USA

Thursday December 18, 2014

December 17, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Thursday December 18, 2014Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday December 18, 2014

Canada helps end half-century U.S. embargo against Cuba

The “Government of Canada” and a timely nudge from Pope Francis were crucial ingredients in ending America’s half century of isolation on Cuba, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.

In a 15-minute address from the White House, Obama singled out Canada’s role as a third-party broker, hosting secret talks that led to the historic rapprochement.

Obama said U.S. policy that “aimed to isolate the island” was rooted in events that transpired before most Americans were born. But the 1961 policy “had little effect.

“We will end this outdated approach … and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.”

The new chapter started with the release Wednesday morning of American contractor Alan Gross, 65, from a Cuban prison where he had been held for five years. The U.S. in exchange sent back three Cuban spies in U.S. prison since 2001.

Speaking simultaneously in Havana, Cuban President Raul Castro echoed Obama’s remarks, praising Canada and Pope Francis for their roles as key mediators in the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the U.S.

“We have profound differences on sovereignty, nationhood and democracy,” Castro cautioned in a nationally televised broadcast, the Star’s Oakland Ross reports.

“But we reaffirm our will to dialogue about all of these matters.”

In May 2014, Graeme and other Canadian editorial cartoonists travelled to Cuba

In May 2014, Graeme and other Canadian editorial cartoonists travelled to Cuba

Reading from a sheaf of notes and wearing his army uniform, Raul called on Washington to remove a range of obstacles to better relations, including restrictions on family visits and on direct mail between the two countries.

The Cuban leader acknowledged that his U.S. counterpart cannot unilaterally remove the economic embargo Washington has long imposed on its Cuban neighbour — this would require an act of the U.S. Congress — but he said Obama could adopt measures that would “modify” the embargo’s impact.

While exercising tight political control over Cuba’s 11 million people, Raul Castro has also instituted a wide range of liberal economic reforms since taking over as head of the Cuban government eight years ago.

These include a rapid expansion in private enterprise. By one estimate, the number of privately owned Cuban businesses — including restaurants, beauty parlours, and small taxi services — has soared from 150,000 in 2006, when Raul stepped in, to more than 460,000 today. (Source: Toronto Star)
SOCIAL MEDIA

Today’s great editorial cartoon by @mackaycartoons @TheSpec #Cuba pic.twitter.com/KkJoQkp4Tt

— As It Happens (@cbcasithappens) December 18, 2014


Letter to the editor

The truth behind the new Cuba relationship – letter, December 22, 2014

Normally I’m not much of a fan of political cartoonist Graeme MacKay and his musings, but his recent offering about the new relationship between the U.S. and Cuba is bang on.

However, he should have added a tiny and insignificant billboard in the background expressing human and political rights, because that would most likely be representative of its importance during these talks.

The political talking heads and their media hacks are dutifully parroting the narrative of the importance that Raul Castro moves forward on alleged human rights abuses in Cuba. But in reality, this current round of détente is all about investment and how much each side will receive.

Fidel Castro’s “crimes” have never been about repression, it has always been his committing the cardinal sin of nationalizing foreign assets during his revolution. In Washington’s view that is considered a Crime against Capitalism (the most heinous of them all and worthy of spilling blood and treasure) and they have spent the past 50 years punishing Cuba for it.

So over the coming days and weeks, we will be subjected to a massive propaganda campaign through media editorials regarding Castro’s lack of commitment to reform. This is how the story must be framed so we can sanctimoniously reaffirm our credentials as stalwart defenders of freedom and democracy, not opportunists who value making money over making people’s lives better.

Garry Shaw, Burlington

Posted in: Cuba, International, USA Tagged: Barack Obama, business, capitalism, Cuba, embargo, investment, logo, Raul Castro, Unted States, USA

Reflections on our time in Cuba

May 24, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

ACEC/ACDE Poster Art, Havana 2014Español  | Français |  English

When my professional group, the long winded sounding The Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists (ACEC), gets together every couple of years, we normally meet in some Canadian city, talk a bit of shop, drink beer and listen to a few of us who bring along harmonicas while others strum guitars. The odd time we play host to a few foreign cartoonists who were oppressed in their countries, although the American Association does a better job of hosting foreign cartoonists with help from the Cartoonists Rights Network. Never before have we gone to another country where governments have a record of repressing free expressionists by clamping down on political satire directed their way.  We changed that this year.  In May, 16 cartoonists plus approximately 10 associates ventured to Havana, Cuba, for the cartoonist convention.  This visit included whirlwind tours of UNESCO World Heritage protected-towns of Trinidad and Cienfuegos.

Cuba-WPF

Updated in 2020 (Cuba has slipped to 171/280)

When I returned to the office after a 10 day visit to Cuba, I was met with a bit of grumpiness by a couple of my colleagues.  I was reminded of this recent column and the association choosing a place where press freedom ranked #170 out of 180 countries. So with that came digs about when we were planning to host future conventions in places like North Korea or Nigeria.

The ranking is quite disturbing, as it just barely scores better than Iran, Syria and North Korea, which is dead last on the list. Interestingly,  the mammoth nation of China, which has increasingly become quite trade-chummy over the past decade with Western governments (Canada included) ranks behind Cuba at #175. Canada, by the way, is #18, the USA is #46, and toping the list at #1 is Finland.

(The Poster Studio) Estudio Taller Babalu Aye, Havana Cuba

(The Poster Studio) Estudio Taller Babalu Aye, Havana Cuba

Go further in the ranking of Cuba and one will find that the island country is near the bottom of the list for open markets, regulatory efficiency, limited government, and the rule of law. Raul Castro rules over the state in a rather quieter bureaucratic way than his brother Fidel, nonetheless, he is firmly in control of the state levers and the Cuban Communist Party.  Agriculture, the public service, mining, wages, and productivity are all at the bottom of the barrel, and there’s no arguing against the facts spelled out in the bar graphs and pie charts — Cuba’s economic and political freedoms are squarely mired in a deep hell hole.

Illustration by Adán, Havana

Illustration by Adán, Havana

The American trade embargo certainly does not help matters, and it is often brought up by the locals as the main source of woe that Cuba endures. Their government successfully uses the pain of the embargo to give reason to anything that goes wrong in Cuba. Although, even that is wearing thin on weary Cubans as they openly question creative reasoning by their masters to blame the Yanks for Cuba’s corruption, and the lack of freedoms and rule of law so engrained in the machine that runs the country. We Canadians look to our friends in the USA wondering why they fuss so grudgingly about isolating a harmless country long deserted by an extinct Soviet cold warrior. At the same time, it’s kind of nice to find an oasis on Earth that hasn’t been polluted by the over-commercialization we find everywhere in the West from golden arch restaurants to monstrous box stores selling the goods from international sweat shops.

Yet the island country endures and chugs along against a current of western values that are clearly polar opposite to their own. The consequence are a people who fully and whole-heartedly embrace art, be it music, visual, and/or performance art, and it spills out of doorways and on to the streets like no other place in the 21st century.

Cuba-Canada_gathering

ByAndez

By Andez, Cienfuegos

What we discovered in Cuba is a very robust, diverse, and creative group of illustrators and cartoonists. Together we mounted a nice exhibit of our illustrations and cartoons at the Vitrina de Valonia Gallery in the heart of old Havana.  No, they aren’t allowed to directly skewer their governments to the degree in which we in the North have the freedom to do, but they are keenly aware about how much they can push the envelope to the furthest edges which won’t find them locked away in prison. If I drew the kind of sex cartoons Chisp@ of Cienfuegos gets away with in Cuba, for example, I may not be thrown in jail, but it wouldn’t take long before my bosses would send me packing from the Spectator. Perhaps it’s simply typical of  tropical societies, but clearly the culture of the naked form is better tolerated in Cuban illustrations than in cold Canada, so long as it doesn’t cross the line into pornography, because possession of that will find one behind prison bars!

Los niños de la Guerra by Alfredo Martirena

Los niños de la Guerra by Alfredo Martirena

Much of the Cuban editorial cartoons I came across are directed quite predictably at the United States, and not necessarily obsessing against the embargo. The folks I met are very much aware of news events beyond their shores, and are way more up to speed than I can ever be on the latest movies and Netflix mini-series. They may not all have the Internet feeding into their home computers, but they certainly have access to it through their cell phones, tablets and office computers.  They have e-mail, they’re on Facebook, and they’re very much aware of the challenging economic times their mighty neighbour to the north is going through.

The housing crisis, the occupy movement, and the Obamacare mess have provided Cubans a front row seat to view the parade of pitfalls of capitalism and the widening gap between the super rich and the growing poor. Today’s hardships have darkened the once colourful picture Cubans had of the USA, making people I met wonder how pathetically desperate fellow countrymen must be to board rafts bound for the the shores of Florida in the 21st century.

by Ramses Morales Izquierdo

by Ramses Morales Izquierdo

Ramses Morales Izquierdo found out from the internationally known Cuban illustrator Ares, that a bunch of us cartoonists were staying in Cuba after our general convention wrapped up in Havana.  Not even a minute had gone by during the time I was checking out my room at the Iberostar Hotel in the beautiful old town of Trinidad that the phone rang with Ramses on the line, welcoming me. From that moment on, he became our pal and he guided us behind the scenes into the town’s archives where his gallery is based.  He showed us parts of his beloved town that aren’t the usual stops for tourists. He came along with us to the newer and bigger city of Cienfuegos, and, along with the very talented Angel Fernandez Quintana (Andez), organized an impromptu gathering of local illustrators near our Hotel Jagua.

AresIllustration

By Aristides E. Hernandez Guerrero (Ares)

Growing up, Ramses’ mother advised him that he was going to learn English, unlike the rest of the kids in his school who were taught Russian as a second language. The consequence of that decision is someone who is extremely well read and informed about the world around him. He is very passionate about his town and country and speaks with an intensity that is very honest about Cuba.  He is quite optimistic about its future. Ramses is very insistent that his country be regarded as a multicultural one belonging to the first world, and an integral part of North America.

(Update: In 2015, Ramses was featured in this CBC news report (beginning at the 1:09 min mark) when the U.S. and Cuba were negotiating an end to a half century of distrust and suspicion.)  

Raul Castro has somewhat loosened the government’s grip on private investment. Reports say the reforms aren’t going so well. Evidently however, free-enterprise is cropping up in the form of family run Paladar restaurants and B&Bs. There are obvious signs of entrepreneurship and visitors can see it in the clothes people wear, and in their watches and accessories. There are the haves, and have-nots, and it’s not based on how connected one is to the regime, but how hard one works. There’s also push-back towards the new free enterprise. Off the main square of Plaza Carillo in Trinidad is the Bar Floridita. This is not the one made famous by Ernest Hemingway that includes a statue of him at the end of a bar where tourists get their photo taken, but a replica of the place.  It’s one of several that have opened up across the island serving drinks with the same prices one would pay if they were at a Kelsey’s franchise in Canada. It’s all great for tourists, but to Ramses, it’s akin to Starbucks moving in and running the old cafe across the street out of business.

Click here for a full gallery of photos

What I’ve learned from this trip was this is not our grandfather’s Cuba.  It’s only a matter of time before Starbucks and the big box stores make their way to the shores of Cuba.  And it will make big news just like when the first McDonald’s opened years ago in Moscow and Beijing.  It is with hope that Cuba takes a page out of China’s book of how to expand its free markets for greater prosperity. Finally, here’s hoping our friends south of the 49th Parallel will soon rethink their relationship with this beautiful, historic country and its people and let them choose their own destiny unencumbered by old grievances and greedy ex-pat descendants from the Batista era.

Update, January 28, 2015: Adrienne Arsenault of the CBC reports on US/Cuban negotiations to normalize relations. In the video attached to this link.

SOCIAL MEDIA

This article was posted to the DailyCartoonist.com, a terrific website covering news about professional cartoonists, webcomics, movies and animation, and magazine gag cartoonists. It bills itself as the source for industry news for the professional cartoonist. Click here to see the rantings of a genuine 21st century American cold warrior reacting to our tour.

Super Special ACEC Action Cards ***Uncle Sam Edition***, by Wes Tyrell

ACEC player cards

 Message from ACEC President Wes Tyrell, May 25, 2014

At this time most of our cartoonist adventurers have returned to the homeland (Dan Murphy may be setting up a studio in the SierraMaestra as we speak and will only be available via wireless from now on).

Our ACEC/ACDE Conference was by any standard a terrific endeavour and I think now most are in agreement that conferences can be held quite successfully in foreign countries. Our hosts proved to be the most charming of individuals, a delightful blend of veterans and youngsters, all with great admiration and curiosity for the northern invaders.

If anything was learned by meeting these people it was that their desire to observe and create is ceaseless and is that not the most inspirational of elements one hopes to come away with while visiting new colleagues?

The sights and sounds will reverberate for a long time and hopefully will pop up in strange and interesting fashions in your work. Our new friends there including Ares, Adan, Laz, Falco, Martirena, Ramses, Angel and the rest have at the same time learned a little about what it means to be Canadian and how our brand of cartooning can perhaps teach them some different approaches.

Our conversations to this affect were, in that Canadian way, not heavy handed or intimidating and they all thanked us for a velvet approach. Cartooning in Cuba presents many challenges and these characters are savvy navigators, able to satisfy their own instincts while presenting socially palatable work.

Many new friends; a very successful gallery exhibit; some comedic presentations made more unusual with the three language translation magic of our friend Michele; old car tours; great eating and drinking – memories were just piled one on top of the other for all.

I hope members will be encouraged to share photos and videos as well as sketches so we can compile an ibook or equivalent as a terrific memento of this fine time.

Our momentum going forward is strong and our next endeavour will look to bring together cartoonists from all over Canada and the globe in my hometown of Toronto in 2016. This will give us an opportunity to gather members and friends who were unable to join us at this year’s conference as we put on a show that promotes the excellence of Canadian cartooning. This is really the first strength of our association and something you should all be proud of.

Our Ontario members starting with the great Donato, Gable, Mou, Dewar, MacKay and their respective papers will be encouraged to participate in order to remind everyone that cartooning is alive and well in the beautiful city of Toronto.

 

Posted in: Canada, Cartooning, Cuba, International Tagged: ACC, acec, cartoonists, Cuba, Daily Cartoonist, editorial cartoonists, freedom of expression, travel

Sketches from Cuba

May 22, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

 

Graeme MacKay's guest sketch book

Added to book during the ACEC convention in Havana, Trinidad, and Cienfuegos Cuba, May 9-18, 2014

Top L-R: Alfredo Martirena, Terry Mosher (Aislin), Douglas Perez (Chispa), Angel Fernandez (Andez);

Centre L-R: Michael de Adder, Sue Dewar, Zuki, Ramses Morales;

Lower L-R: Charli, Adan, Brady, Falco

Posted in: Cartooning, Cuba Tagged: acec, Adan, Alfredo Martirena, Angel Fernandez (Andez), Brady, Charli, Cuba, Douglas Perez (Chispa), Falco, Michael de Adder, Ramses Morales, Sue Dewar, Terry Mosher (Aislin), Zuki
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This website contains satirical commentaries of current events going back several decades. Some readers may not share this sense of humour nor the opinions expressed by the artist. To understand editorial cartoons it is important to understand their effectiveness as a counterweight to power. It is presumed readers approach satire with a broad minded foundation and healthy knowledge of objective facts of the subjects depicted.

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