Castro Enjoys a Warm Embrace

Although Castro appears at ease, I don’t think he’s going to like what I have to say to him.

Commander, all the glory of the Cuban Revolution, the recognition, the solidarity with many in intellectual community, the great achievements of the people despite the embargo, in short, everything, everything goes out the window because of the persecution of homosexuals in Cuba.

Fidel does not recoil from the subject. He neither denies nor rejects the claim. He just takes his time to remember, and speaks to how and when the prejudice grew out of control in the revolutionary ranks.

Five decades ago, because of homophobia, homosexuals in Cuba were marginalized and accused of being counterrevolutionary and many were sent to military controlled farm labor camps.

“Yes, remember, there were moments of great injustice.” Fidel repeats emphatically ” A grave injustice!” He continues, “No matter who did it. If we did, we … I’m trying to narrow my responsibility in all this because, of course, personally, I have no such prejudices.

It is well known that some of his best and oldest friends are homosexuals.

“But then, how did this hatred towards what is different come to be?” I ask.

He thinks that it was happening as a spontaneous reaction in the revolutionary ranks stemming from old traditions. Prior to the revolution, Cuba not only discriminated against blacks but also discriminated against women and, of course, homosexuals …

“Yes, yes. But not in Cuba with the “new” morality, of which the revolutionaries were so filled with pride.”

Who was therefore responsible, directly or indirectly, for not putting a stop to what was happening in Cuban society? Is it the Party? Right now, Cuba’s Communist Party still doesn’t explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the constitution.

“No,” said Fidel. “… If someone is responsible, it’s me …”It is true that at that moment I could not take care of this matter … I was consumed primarily by the October crisis (Cuban Missile Crisis), war, political issues”

I state, “But this became a serious and grave political problem, Commander.”

Fidel responds “I understand, I understand … We didn’t know its value… systematic sabotages, armed attacks were happening all the time; we had so many problems, some terrible, problems of life and death – you know? We did not give this matter enough attention.”

I state “After all that, it became very difficult to defend the revolution abroad … The image had been damaged forever in some areas, particularly in Europe.
“I understand, I understand,” he repeats, “it was just that the outcry against the persecution of homosexuals could be found to a lesser or greater extent, anywhere.”

“Not in revolutionary Cuba,” I say.

“I understand: when the saint sins, right? … It is not the same as when a sinner sins, right?” he responds.

Fidel smiles faintly, then get serious again: “Look, think about what the days were like for us during those early months of the Revolution: the war with the Yankees, the issue of weapons and, at around the same time, plans of attacks against my person …”

Fidel reveals how they all had “tremendous” influence on him and how his life was changed by the life-threats and actual attacks he suffered.

“I couldn’t stay anywhere, I had no where to live …”

Betrayal was the order of the day, and he had to go on the run.

“Escaping the CIA, which was paying off so many traitors, even sometimes among one’s own people, it was not a simple thing, but in the end, anyway, if one must take responsibility, I take mine.”

“I will not blame others … ” says the revolutionary leader.

He only regrets not having corrected it back then …

–Read more about it in Spanish

–via