Sir:
As a Cuban Canadian author, I am concerned about how The Sun has reported and commented recent events that have taken place in Cuba.
In what regards the case of Cody LeCompte, I have two observations.
It is a mistake to equate a government with the people it rules. If the notoriously incompetent Communist government is incapable of expeditiously applying the laws and regulations it has enacted, the Cuban people is not to blame.
In second place, Canadians who spend their vacations in Cuba should go to the Foreign Affairs webpage and search for travel to Cuba. There they will find that “Traffic accidents are a frequent cause of arrest and detention of Canadians in Cuba. Accidents resulting in death or injury are treated as crimes, and the onus is on the driver to prove innocence.”
Concerning the case of Nicola Mastrangelo and Joe Warmington’s August 7 column, in which Susan Somers and Derek Scott recount their personal experiences, it seems reasonable to remind your readers that generalizations can be fair or unfair.
Ms. Somers advises Canadians to “Stay away. [Cubans] are taught from the time they are born to manipulate tourists and their entire family will manipulate you.” Mr. Scott claims to “have started my own Facebook group called Do Not Trust The Island Of Cuba (sic).”
Those generalizations are unfair. Should the Cuban media publish comments claiming that Canadians are taught from the time they are born to behave like Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, or that all Canadian Air Force colonels are murderers and rapists because it is alleged that a Canadian Air Force colonel murdered two women and raped others, the Cuban media would be making unfair generalizations. I don’t think that other examples are necessary to make my point.
I lived the first 62 years of my life in Cuba, met thousands of Cubans, and I never knew of one who married a foreigner to get out of the island. Some do that, no doubt about it, but it is an insignificant minority. Nobody I know taught their children to manipulate tourists.
The comments made by Ms. Somers and Mr. Scott are offensive to millions of decent and principled Cubans who would never pretend to love a foreigner to get married and escape. On the other hand, in some married couples a spouse finds, after a few months, that he or she is disappointed and wants to get a divorce. Maybe the husband of Ms. Somers and the wife of Mr. Scott were disillusioned with their spouses.
Finally, in my experience most marriages between people from different cultures end in divorce. In 20th century Cuba, hundreds if not thousands of marriages between citizens of ex-Communist East European countries ended in divorce. Canadians planning to marry foreigners should indeed make sure that they are making the right choice.
I would be most grateful if The Sun publishes my letter.
Regards,
José Latour
Jose
May I first say Hello it is nice to hear from you.
I will add this comment and says, that in the last 12 years I have travelled to Cuba over 26 times, so in terms of my age I started as a 30 something guy, I know Cuba and Havana well, I love the Cuban people and have made several friends both men and women, no one has taken advantage of me nor attempted to, in fact they have dared to invite me into their homes, which you know under the rule of the Fidel and his party is dangerous, for them not me as much.
I have read Warmington and I mostly like his stuff, but he is way off base here and not in touch with the reality that is the ‘Party of Cuba’ and the people of Cuba who suffer everyday under that yoke.
Havana is a magical place and some day it will be free again and the music will be of joy , not protest and sorrow.
Thank you Jose, a very fine letter. Unfair generalizations are all too commonplace.
When’s the next Jose Latour novel coming out, I need my fix!
Mark Winston
As usual Jose…you hit the nail on the head. I read eons ago to keep in mind if one has a car accident…one is guilty until proven innocent is most foreign counteries. I believe many Canadians think they are above the law in foreign counteries and act accordingly. I have been to Cuba three times and have always found the people charming and helpful to a fault…with a serious lack of ‘not my fault’ In most instances Cuban’s come forward if needed…there is no…‘it’s not my job’ in their vocabulary. Go to Cuba…see for yourself…you will never be sorry.
In my experience The Toronto Sun tends to overdramatize and simplify a story more than the other papers and when you are familiar with the story, sometimes more than the actual editor, you recognize that right away. I don’t read The Toronto Sun anymore. Even The Star is too simplified for me.
Unfortunately many tourists do not research enough ( not farther than what sights to see) before going to any country, not just Cuba, before renting a car, taking a walk off the resort etc. Cody’s experience was a wake up call to all of us to check these kinds of things. And we as Canadians should not expect special treatment because we are Canadians and we must follow the laws of the country we are in, of which most of us are naive about. In my own naivete I do think that in this case the Cuban gov’t and the Canadian gov’t worked out a fair deal.
Canadians are taught though ( mostly by travel agents) that Cuba is safe for the most part and I still believe that to be the case.
As for the marriages, having been on Cuban resorts I have witnessed whirlwind romances and marriages between Cubans and other cultures. One marriage failed because of cultural differences, and I know of another marriage that is in its 17th year. I think people who go down there and find love have high and unrealistic expectations. When two people are of similar age and compatible personalities and interests you have hope that it works and it’s actual love, but when you see 25 year age gaps then the writing is on the wall. One young entertainer said to me in a general conversation, ” I myself would not marry to get out of the country, but I know some that would.” At the end of the day it is up to the tourists to make a sound decision and to use judgement correctly. I agree with you Jose. Cultural differences have huge impacts on relationships and marriages.
Jose, Your letter to The Sun should have been published in it’s entirety. Each person’s experiences in life are unique to that individual. This generalisation of a people and their culture is so very wrong. It would be nice if the editor of The Sun would reconsider. You make valid points that should have been printed. Bad move by The Sun in editting your letter.