The interviews for my first documentary of the series COVERING CUBA was taped in 1994. They were the testimonies of 26 well established, credible, eloquent, English-speaking Cuban Americans of varying backgrounds, age, gender and race.
Among others, COVERING CUBA uncovers the false myths of Castro’s Education and Health Care and graphically shows and explains what was there before and after. The goal was to generate awareness and curiosity in the American people by alerting them to information and a point of view not typically provided by the US liberal media and academia. It was 112 min long.
I did it alone without sponsorship. I used a VHS camera given as payment for a basement I designed. I bought professional, used equipment for editing. It broke down so many times that the repair shop begged me not to bring it back any more. I was not satisfied with the result, but that’s all I could do in 1994. In December 2015 I decided to re-edit one segment (16 min) featuring, Mauricio Vivero. His testimony, sadly, is as current today as it was in 1994.
“CUBANS HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN VICTIMIZED BY CASTRO BUT SADLY BY THE US LIBERAL MEDIA, JUST 90 MILES AWAY FROM REALITY.” Producer/Director Agustin Blazquez.
The US liberal media has had the advantage of presenting their perception of what has been going on in Cuba to the American people since Herbert Matthew’s article in The New York Times on February 24, 1957.
COVERING CUBA was born out of the frustration that Cuban Americans feel, due to the distorted portrayal of Castro and his revolution by the US liberal media and academia for 39 years and its contribution and nurturing of Castro’s myth. It is long overdue that Cuban Americans are given the chance to tell the American people their side of the story from their point of view, as first hand witnesses and real experts. Now, after 57 years of Castro rule, Americans are still misinformed about the ongoing tragedy of Cuba.
There has been freedom of speech for Castro and his officials in the US liberal media and academia, but not for his victims. Silence has been the rule for decades of violations of human rights. Therefore, the American people ignore the tragedy of Cuba. It is time to learn from history.
The direct message of COVERING CUBA to the US liberal media and academia is:
“TO GAZE IDLY AT A CRIME IS TO COMMIT IT.” Jose Marti, Cuban patriot
