HAVANA, March 15 (María Elena Rodríguez) - "It is
inconceivable that they sell fax machines and no fax paper. It is a joke. If it’s
to prevent dissidents from communicating with the United States, let them find
some other way," said one
customer on her way out from the telephone company offices in the 10 de
Octubre district of Havana.
The rolls of paper for fax machines that used to sell for 2.10 dollars
(46.20 pesos) each, dissapeared from the market at the end of last year. "Yet
you can be sure that government officials have fax paper and open telephone
lines to the U.S.," said dissident Ricardo Vecino Alegret. Telephone
communications to the United States have been, at the very least, difficult
since February.
Luisa, a resident of Havana, said, "They don’t accept calls placed
to cellular phones; they don’t leave messages in the machines. At first
they would tell you the numbers were restricted; now you find the recording that
says all circuits are busy. I need to speak to my sister in Miami so she can
send me some medicines. My mother is very old and very sick. My sister called,
but inexplicably, the call was disconnected."
As far as the dissidents’ and independent journalists’ telephones
and faxes, very few
receive calls from the United States, and placing them is almost impossible;
you get a recording that tells you all circuits are busy and you should place
your call again later.
"This is our job; we do as we are told," said one international
operator with 37 years of experience.
Cuban officials working for foreign firms have lost international phone
service. When they complained to the Cuban phone company, ETECSA, they were
told, "That is the word from above. We cannot explain why."
An official with the phone company to whom we tried to pose some questions
said, "As far as the fax paper, the calls to the United States, and the
problems with phone service of those people who call themselves dissidents, I
can’t... rather, I don’t have anything to say. Refer your questions to
the management."
Versión original
en español
CubaNet does not require sole rights from its
contributors. We authorize the reproduction and distribution of this
article as long as the source is credited.
| 