When the Castro took power in Cuba 49 years ago, a vision of mobile phones in people’s pockets would have been found only on the science fiction bookshelf. Today the devices are being offered as key tools in the promising and urging of democracy in the closed off island country, as Yahoo News and AP report:
President Bush announced Wednesday that Americans soon will be allowed to send cell phones to Cubans — a move that he hopes will push the communist regime to increase freedom of expression for Cuban citizens.
Addressing recent changes in Cuba, Bush said, “Cubans are now allowed to purchase mobile phones, DVD players and computers and they have been told that they will be able to purchase toasters and other basic appliances in 2010.”
“If the Cuban regime is serious about improving life for the Cuban people, it will take steps necessary to make these changes meaningful,” Bush said at the White House as he marked Cuba’s 106th anniversary of independence this week
Thanks Pete!
When the Castro took power in Cuba 49 years ago, a vision of mobile phones in people’s pockets would have been found only on the science fiction bookshelf. Today the devices are being offered as key tools in the promising and urging of democracy in the closed off island country, as Yahoo News and AP [...]
Comments
@ 02:45
In the 70s, the CIA financed a military coup to overthrow a socialist government in Chile.
Are they going to finance Smart Mobs now?
@ 23:27
Having been to Cuba in 2007, I can tell you that just having cell phones is not going to help: the government controls the service provider; all they have to do limit accounts to stop the spread of phones and “instant mob” potential.
It’s like saying “give them PCs; they can join the internet culture”. Not without the internet, they won’t…and teh bandwidth connecting Cuba to the world is less than the average small company’s. And VERY easily shut off.