The unfinished plaza

Rafael Ferro Salas

PINAR DEL RIO, Cuba - August (www.cubanet.org) The majority of people were excited when they heard the news. After many years this city would have a civic plaza. Every province in Cuba has one. Throughout the world civic plazas are places where important events take place and are celebrated. Political, cultural and civic events occur there. In time a plaza becomes a mirror of each town.

It's certain that many people were happy when they saw the movement of construction equipment on the selected site two kilometers from the city. The Hermanos Cruz neighborhood where I live was the designated district. I recall it occurred to someone to bring royal palms and arrange them as decorations. They were huge palm trees dug up at the roots from their original soil, which required a hard and absurd move to plant them there.

At the end of the day, the plaza was another deception for the inhabitants of Pinar del Río. It was never finished and in time it remained as a provisional plaza, designated thus by the authorities.

From night to day it's become a patch of ground of noise and street fights, a center of alcoholic orgies, unlawful games and all manner of disturbances of public order. Many neighbors have chosen to move from the zone. Face with a lack of motels, couples of lovers desiring to have sex have become accustomed to frequent the place and carry our their carnal intentions while hidden among the surrounding trees.

Street vendors and speculators immersed in the black market offer their merchandise there. Drugs are sold, there's sex for sale and beverages of dubious brands. The dreamed of plaza has become a den of iniquity of the collective decrepitude.

It's the accursed patch of ground of the community. Pedestrians avoid it. In the air each night, accompanied by racket, the murmur of revenge fights is breathed and the slash of the knife or machete flutters, ready to attack the chosen target.

What's never lacking is the presence of the police in the provisional plaza. Every day those in uniform show off their skill for the clubbing and blows against those involved in any altercation, sale or suspicious business. Searches are now a routine thing.

When a musical group for dancing is presented in the plaza, the neighbors breathe in a portent of the racket and know they're condemned to lose sleep until morning comes. Some have decided to put up bars on their homes to prevent greater harm.

It even appears the plaza wants to speak to us when the afternoon arrives. Its two sad and dying royal palms are the constant warning of the announced curse.