HAVANA (AP) — The president of Cuba's parliament equated socialism with democracy Thursday as he received more than 8 million signatures collected for a constitutional change declaring that the island's socialist system is ``untouchable.''

Ricardo Alarcon said the parliament would welcome the proposed constitutional amendment when it meets July 5.

``Only socialism offers the possibility of a real democracy; today is a historic day,'' Alarcon said after receiving boxes of signatures representing more than 99 percent of Cuba's legal voters. The boxes arrived in 23 vehicles, each identified with the name of a different province

99%!

OK. I know that there was no option. You either signed it or you didn't. Voting by petition.

But they managed to get "signatures representing more than 99 percent of Cuba's legal voters."

the fact that in every indicator of human welfare Cuba scores far better than the US backed regimes in Central and Latin America. Things are far from perfect, but compared to the regimes installed or supported by the US - El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Brazil etc, etc - they're not too bad, despite decades of US economic warfare. Check the annual reports by the World Bank, UNDP, Save the Children, WHO - hardly marxist propagandists - and you'll see Cuba's healthcare, education, employment, housing etc are far better than the rest, unless of course you think only the rich should have these things.

What happens if you have no health insurance in the US and you get sick? You're fucked. In Cuba? You're treated. And if you campaign for health care in a US regional client state? You're disappeared.

Cuba is not allowed to "trade with any country in the world". US law, in total contravention of WTO rules, allows the banning of companies which trade with Cuba from trading with the US. Besides, not being able to trade with a market as close and as huge as the US is a massive disadvantage.

Cuba's human rights record leaves much to be desired but, again, compared to US regional allies it is positively benign, with no record of government support of death squads, which is widespread elsewhere. And, unlike America, Cubans cannot legally be detained indefinitely, without charge or representation.

Free elections, press and movement sound great. It's a shame they don't prevail in the US. The President got fewer votes than the "loser" and is clearly a corporate puppet; it is almost impossible to criticise Israel in print; and you try visiting Cuba. People who want to go there can expect a very big fine if they try.

Haven't you noticed that the absence of these freedoms is actively promoted by the US government elsewhere in the world? General Musharraf, the military dictator of Pakistan who seized power from an elected government, is now supported by the US. Where was US criticism of the recent referendum - clearly rigged - endorsing his continuing rule? Saudi Arabia, a feudal dictatorship with zero democracy, is a firm US favourite. Likewise Kuwait. And Uzbekistan. What about Communist China? No democracy there and an atrocious human rights record too. Meanwhile, the attempted military coup to overthrow democratically elected Hugo Chavez in Venezuela was greeted with joy by the US State Dept and the "free" press, until it failed.

Finally, I rather doubt if the Argentine middle classes - currently rummaging through the trash for something to eat - think that capitalism is so great

the fact that in every indicator of human welfare Cuba scores far better than the US backed regimes in Central and Latin America. Things are far from perfect, but compared to the regimes installed or supported by the US - El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Brazil etc, etc - they're not too bad, despite decades of US economic warfare. Check the annual reports by the World Bank, UNDP, Save the Children, WHO - hardly marxist propagandists - and you'll see Cuba's healthcare, education, employment, housing etc are far better than the rest, unless of course you think only the rich should have these things.

What happens if you have no health insurance in the US and you get sick? You're fucked. In Cuba? You're treated. And if you campaign for health care in a US regional client state? You're disappeared.

Cuba is not allowed to "trade with any country in the world". US law, in total contravention of WTO rules, allows the banning of companies which trade with Cuba from trading with the US. Besides, not being able to trade with a market as close and as huge as the US is a massive disadvantage.

Cuba's human rights record leaves much to be desired but, again, compared to US regional allies it is positively benign, with no record of government support of death squads, which is widespread elsewhere. And, unlike America, Cubans cannot legally be detained indefinitely, without charge or representation.

Free elections, press and movement sound great. It's a shame they don't prevail in the US. The President got fewer votes than the "loser" and is clearly a corporate puppet; it is almost impossible to criticise Israel in print; and you try visiting Cuba. People who want to go there can expect a very big fine if they try.

Haven't you noticed that the absence of these freedoms is actively promoted by the US government elsewhere in the world? General Musharraf, the military dictator of Pakistan who seized power from an elected government, is now supported by the US. Where was US criticism of the recent referendum - clearly rigged - endorsing his continuing rule? Saudi Arabia, a feudal dictatorship with zero democracy, is a firm US favourite. Likewise Kuwait. And Uzbekistan. What about Communist China? No democracy there and an atrocious human rights record too. Meanwhile, the attempted military coup to overthrow democratically elected Hugo Chavez in Venezuela was greeted with joy by the US State Dept and the "free" press, until it failed.

Finally, I rather doubt if the Argentine middle classes - currently rummaging through the trash for something to eat - think that capitalism is so great