Miami Gringa Spin

Lately, news about Miami is all about celebrations of Castro's failing health (some think he is dead). To be honest, before I moved to Miami I knew very little about Cuba. Sure, I had heard about the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, but not really in detail. History classes usually run out of time before modern history is explored. I basically knew that Castro was communist and a horrible leader and consequently there were many refugees who had escaped to Miami.

Since moving here, I have heard detailed personal accounts of friends and co-workers. What they or their families have been through is heart wrenching. One of my favorite co-workers was arrested at the age of 19 simply for being anti-Castro. He spent over 20 years in jail being tortured and beaten before being sent to the US in the 80s. His horrible physical scars are not nearly as deep as his sad stories, but he continues to smile and make me laugh. Even today, he told me that he cannot wait for that SOB to die, but not with the kind of anger most would be feeling in his shoes.

I can't pretend to be an expert on the subject or to even write about why his death will be a good thing. I do know that he must be completely evil. How else could a leader, who was listed as a billionaire in Forbes magazine last year, oversee a country where the necessities in life like soap and toilet paper are hard to come by?

Tags: Miami Gringa, Fidel Castro