HAVANA, August 1 (Edel José García, CNP) - A number of people
presumably involved in black market activities have been arrested in the Havana
municipality of Arroyo Naranjo as a result of "Operation Rake."
Authorities have been searching every house and have found stocks of cooking
oil, alcoholic beverages, candy, meat, gasoline and several other goods.
Residents here resent the operation and openly critizice the government's
economic policies which, they say, make a black market necessary in the first
place.
"The government and the officials know perfectly well that average
workers cannot live on what they get paid and that they have to look in the
black market for whatever they don't get under the rationing plan," said a
25-year-old resident as he watched agents search a home.
Another resident, Rogelio Pérez, said, "This Operation Rake is
nothing other than a series of house searches without a search warrant, it's a
violation of people's rights.
"It's understood that here in Cuba, we all have to steal, sell of buy
so as not to go hungry; if not, where does the stuff sold in the black market
come from? And you can use my name. I'm not afraid," said Alejandro
Aguilarte.
Versión
original en español
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