Cuba prohibió el documental 'Sicko' por si los ciudadanos cubanos demandaban lo que se refleja en el documental. (Según Wikileaks.)

-- A physician XXXXXXXXXXXX told the FSHP that he works 14 hours every other day, then has to hitchhike home because he cannot afford to own a car.

-- According to a local pediatrician, the approximate breakdown of Cuban physicians' salaries are: 1st & 2nd year residences earn 325 pesos monthly (USD 15.00); 3rd year residences earn 355 (USD 16.00); 4th year residences (specialists) earn 400 pesos monthly (USD 18.00). For every four years of medical practice thereafter, a physician receives an additional 20 pesos (USD 0.89 cents) per month.

-- As described in reftel, the best medical institutions in Cuba are reserved for foreigners with hard currency, members of the ruling elite and high-ranking military personnel. These institutions, with their intended patient clientele in parentheses, include: Clinica Central Cira Garcia (diplomats & tourists), Centro Internacional de Investigaciones Restauracion Neurologica (foreigners & military elite), Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirurgicas (military & regime elite), Clinica de Kohly (Primer Buro Politico & Generals of the Ministry of Interior), and the top floors of the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital (foreigners) and Frank Pais Hospital (foreigners). These institutions are hygienically qualified, and have a wide array of diagnostic equipment with a full complement of laboratories, well-stocked pharmacies, and private patient suites with cable television and bathrooms.

XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that Cuban authorities have banned Michael Moore's documentary, "Sicko," as being subversive. Although the film's intent is to discredit the U.S. healthcare system by highlighting the excellence of the Cuban system, he said the regime knows the film is a myth and does not want to risk a popular backlash by showing to Cubans facilities that are clearly not available to the vast majority of them. When the FSHP showed Sicko to a group of XXXXXXXXXXXX, some became so disturbed at the blatant misrepresentation of healthcare in Cuba that they left the room.

Even the Cuban ruling elite sometimes goes outside of Cuba for the best medical care. Fidel Castro, in July, 2006 brought in a Spanish doctor during his health crisis. Vice Minister of Health Abelardo Ramirez went to France for gastric cancer surgery. The neurosurgeon who is Chief of CIMEQ Hospital (reportedly one of the best in Cuba) went to England for eye surgery and returns periodically for checkups.

There is reportedly such a shortage of nurses that within the last few years, a high-school graduate is now offered an

HAVANA 00000103 003 OF 006

accelerated training course of just ten-months duration entitled, "Enfermeras Emergentes" (Emergency Nurses). These "quasi" nurses are not trained to start Intravenous lines, interpret lab results or draw blood.

Esteban Rodríguez Ocampo escribió:Roberto, la izquierda dirá que es todo una conspiración de la CIA y que se ha hecho para afectar negativamente a Cuba.

Esteban Rodríguez Ocampo escribió:Roberto, la izquierda dirá que es todo una conspiración de la CIA y que se ha hecho para afectar negativamente a Cuba.

Esteban Rodríguez Ocampo escribió:Roberto, la izquierda dirá que es todo una conspiración de la CIA y que se ha hecho para afectar negativamente a Cuba.

Esteban Rodríguez Ocampo escribió:Roberto, la izquierda dirá que es todo una conspiración de la CIA y que se ha hecho para afectar negativamente a Cuba.

Diplomatic Corps Reflections:

-----------------------------

12. (C) Spanish Ambassador Alonso (May 26) described the fight within the "nomenklatura" for the soul of the future Cuban regime. Fidel, with his railings against "Forbes" magazine and his narcissistic rollout of Ignacio Ramonet's book, is "present for now," but not for the future. According to Alonso, there is a deep split within the government circles that can be summarized as Consumption vs. Investment. Alonso portrayed the split with anecdotes. Everyone knows the infrastructure is collapsing. Look at the transport network, Alonso said. Cuba got from China 12 shiny new locomotives, which were presented/rolled out with great fanfare by Fidel and others. That was several months ago. They have still not entered into service. Reason: The locomotives are designed to work at peak efficiency at speeds far in excess of what the rickety Cuban rail network will allow, unless the regime is willing to risk derailment, which it is not.

So, Alonso continued, the regime comes back to its choice: Does it put what money it has in repairing the rail (and bus) network, or in continuing to subsidize tariffs for the average consumer? For some time, the urban transport system has needed to decide on a fare hike, but there are those within the ruling circles who say such an increase would trigger a strong negative popular response. The new Chinese Yutong buses have been put into use on inter-urban lines, accompanied by steep fare hikes. (Comment: These have already been announced in "Granma" and "Juventud Rebelde;" the papers talked of hikes of 100 to 250 percent in most inter-urban fares. End Comment.)

Alonso said Cuban corruption is remarkable for its universality. Corruption is needed by all to survive. Alonso said that in most Latin countries, a corruption scandal consists of a person robbing 11 million dollars. In Cuba, it is 11 million Cubans each stealing one dollar. There are exceptional cases, such as Political Bureau member Robinson, who was summarily dismissed and imprisoned recently for alleged corrupt behavior. Fidel sent an equally powerful signal in dismissing his Minister of Auditing and Control, Lina Pedraza Rodriguez. (The press reported that Pedraza would be moved to other responsibilities). However, the bulk of the corruption behavior that Fidel talks about is simply cheating on a small scale in order to get by.

Carlos Monter escribió:

Esteban Rodríguez Ocampo escribió:Roberto, la izquierda dirá que es todo una conspiración de la CIA y que se ha hecho para afectar negativamente a Cuba.

Pues no, o yo por lo menos no diré eso. Es una muestra más de que el marxismo no avanza hacia el comunismo, sino que como ya se predijo, las élites que están en el poder no piensan renunciar a él ni a sus privilegios.
En cuanto al salario de los médicos, me parece cojonudo que no cobren más que otras personas en otros trabajos considerados inferiores.

Korselt also commented on corruption in Cuba. He is convinced there are numerous multi-millionaires on the island. He has seen too many signs -- fast cars and generous meals at restaurants, for example -- to think that everyone is living on 20 dollars a month. He thought this would be an explosive factor in post-Castro Cuba.

Climate change is Fidel Castro's latest pet project in which poor, socialist countries are the victims and rich, capitalist countries are entirely to blame. Climate change provides Fidel the perfect opportunity to play statesman with little risk to his brother's credibility at home.