Whose Truth?

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Our tour director, Emilio, was born in Cuba. He's lived in Miami for many years, but returns to lead Vantage tours and tells us a different side of Cuba from his American perspective. He says Americans are naive, and that what we hear from our government-required Cuban guide, Eddy, is propaganda, but the only story Eddy knows. So when Eddy is not around, and when the group is in a relatively private place, Emilio tells us what he understands is really happening. All the information is very interesting but also confusing. Apparently nothing is as it seems.

When we arrived at the airport several of us felt that Emilio should have been there to smooth and facilitate our way into the country. Where was our leader at this somewhat problematic and slightly difficult entry point? We heard two days later that every time Emilio enters Cuba he is whisked away to a closed room and interrogated privately. He must know what to say, because so far he has always made it through. I hope knowing this that the lady in front of me who had so much trouble in the customs line has recovered from her ordeal and is able to forgive him for not being there to help her and the rest of us to enter the country. Emilio also tells us his rooms are always booked in advance, all totally prepared before he ever re-enters Cuba. Why? He shrugs and looks pointedly at us. As I found in Russia and China, ears are everywhere here. But I also begin to wonder if Emilio is making more of things than what is actually happening. I feel as if we are in a mystery play with a flexible script, no plot, a cast of characters moving about - or being moved about - from set to set.

Of course we are taken to and shown what the government deems is appropriate for Americans to see. It seems ours is one of the first American groups to come to Cuba in over six months; this is the end of the hurricane season, plus it's also still the wet season, so we are either brave or stupid (or both) or just optimistic souls hoping for the best. But the trip was offered at this time of year so I guess we all figured it would be fine.

En route on our long ride from Santiago de Cuba back to Holguin yesterday Eddy pointed out a village made of plastic houses, built with PVC, that he said were a gift from Venezuela. All of us (I think) were struck (or horrified) by the idea of a plastic house, but later, when Eddy was somewhere else, Emilio said he was surprised that no one in our group questioned how or why Venezuela would do this. I didn't and still don't understand what Emilio was trying to tell us, but he refused to say anything more. What nefarious reason(s) could be behind this gift? Was it a gift, or pressure of some kind? For what? Why? I guess we are naive but I would like to know Emilio's thinking on this. What we create in our minds could be much worse than what actually is. Or not. But how can anyone expect to ever know the truth if so much is hidden from the people, from all of us?

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Comments

[Willis Newton]

Glad You Made It To Cuba
Laura, Always enjoy your blogging. We made it to Cuba 5 years ago, before it was 'opened', on an educational/artistic tour. Peggy wanted the Benjamin Moore franchise rights and I would love the rights to supplying farm equipment which had been reduced to mules.