“Cuba's attorney general's office reported in March that it prosecuted 487 people in the past three years for illicit enrichment.” Hard as it may be to believe, 47 years of a command economy creates widespread poverty and individual free will responds with a black market in about everything. Babalu Blog notes some tough talk by U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.
Cuban Transition to Democracy: One of the harshest restrictions on freedom of expression is Law 88. It is known as the "Gag Law" and it states that Cubans who speak out against the "economic state" of the Regime face up to 20 years in prison. So, in order to survive, the Regime has criminalized one of the most basic human rights -- freedom of expression.
Now that the Fidel era is coming to an end, we ask all freedom-loving societies to stand with the people of Cuba. It would be an historical shame if Raul were supported in his quest to retain power.
Just to be clear, illicit enrichment means failure to abide by government controlled price and supply guidelines and not ample free market profits. I know in the past Governor Jim Doyle has gotten those concepts completely confused.
