The Next Day

The Next Day / Rebeca Monzo

Rebeca Monzo, 2 May 2016 — The owner of the media owns the country as
well: This phrase is corroborated daily here in our "captive island." We
must make an extraordinary effort to follow radio and television
newscasts, and to try to interpret the other side of the news. It is
really an insult to the intelligence, the repetitive crass way of
manipulating information they exercise.

Of course, a large part of the population stay away from it "not to
complicate their life" but the saddest thing is that, when faced with
cameras and microphones of reporters on the streets, fear paralyzes them
and unscrupulously, they lie to "caress the official ears" and stay out
of trouble. Unfortunately this is a comfortable attitude, lacking of
civility and within their inner circles, usually express themselves
critically against the regime.

Every year on May 1st, meek like frightened lambs, they will act like
professional simulators, smiling when facing the cameras, showing off a
false joy and support for the regime and its "eternal leader," an
attitude that will change drastically when at the end of the parade,
back at home, they meet with an empty refrigerator and begin to rummage
through their meager pockets, looking for some coins in CUC (hard
currency) to buy a bag of milk powder in the "black market" to ensure a
glass of milk for next morning, for their children (if they are still in
Cuba) or for their elderly parents , aware that the present is slipping
through their hands, in a country WITH NO FUTURE.

Source: The Next Day / Rebeca Monzo – Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/the-next-day-rebeca-monzo/