Cuba’s communist Castro regime, which has no respect for freedom of expression and actively silences dissent, will host its first biennial international “political humor” event in Havana on Friday.
According to the Cuban Ministry of Culture, the event will have a central theme of “fighting neo-fascism” and will welcome participants from 24 countries to compete over two weeks until June 28 with 225 “political humor” works.
The event is being billed as an international “political humor encounter,” but some of the organizers Got information “There are limits to humor,” he said, specifically saying that jokes or humorous content aimed at the Castro regime or its leaders would not be allowed.
“In the case of Cuba, there is a limit to humor that concerns historical figures of the revolution or concepts that are formative of Cuban national identity. As long as these points are not touched upon in a disrespectful or degrading way, there is room for social criticism and satire,” Cuban cartoonist Aristides Hernández, one of the event’s organizers, was reported as saying last week when the event was first announced.
Everyone, we are so excited about this biennial International Political Humor Competition! #Cuba #CDRCuba #Somosdelbarrio pic.twitter.com/2US469Hk88
— Gerald Hedes. Nordelo (@GHNordelo5) June 13, 2024
“This is a very important topic in these turbulent times of war. Representing many voices through the vision of graphic humorists allows society to better understand these processes,” said Danaixi García Roque, president of Cuba’s National Council of Plastic Arts. Said This week, he will be performing in Cuba. “The fact that so many artists have taken part in this country, the hub of the struggle in Latin America and the world, speaks volumes.”
The communist Castro regime, which ruled Cuba for more than 60 years, brutally persecuted dissidents and severely restricted freedom of speech and access to the internet and unofficial media. The regime has arrested several Cuban nationals for ridiculing or mocking the communist regime online through videos and memes. One example is Cuban comedian Yoandy Montiel Hernández, who was arrested in 2021 and Sentenced He was sentenced to two years in prison for “blasphemy” for mocking President Miguel Díaz-Canel, a symbol of the regime, in a social media video.
Montiel Hernandez is release His sentence will expire in April 2023. Banned He was barred from leaving the country because regime authorities refused to issue him a passport.
The Castro regime amended Cuba’s penal code in late 2022. Among the changes were included Citizens who “disrespect” government officials will face up to three years in prison. Published The controversial Social Communications Law further tightens censorship of media and journalism in the island nation. Among other restrictions, the law bans the dissemination in both mainstream media and on the Internet of any information that the Castro regime deems “likely to destabilize the socialist state.”
“I don’t doubt the quality of the participants, including the Cubans who live here. Each one creates the political humor they defend, and some of the participants are of high quality. I don’t doubt that there are other worthy exhibitions,” Jorge Fernández Era, a Cuban writer and humorist who lives in Havana, told Martí Noticias newspaper on Thursday.
“But organising a festival of political humour in a country where political humour that strays from established norms is not tolerated means the same for humourists and writers alike,” he continued, “or you get kicked out for not toeing the line drawn by the party and the government. And that’s what’s been happening to me for over a year now.”
“There’s a big irony there, and it seems to me like a big mockery,” Fernandez said.
As part of its “Political Humor” event competition, Cuba’s National Council of Plastic Arts announced on Friday morning that it would hold a “meme” contest related to the “fight against neo-fascism.”
A few hours ago, the opening event of the Political Humor Biennale 2017 was held in a virtual space 📲 with this meme contest, which was themed around the main theme of the biennale: “Fighting Neo-Fascism”.
I’ll participate 🙌#CubanCulture pic.twitter.com/uHqSKgYrML
— CNAP (@CNAPCuba) June 14, 2024
The flyer for this content features characters from the dark humor webcomic “Flork of Cows.” The “Flork” character is widely Already used In 2022, Cubans will be able to peacefully protest against the Castro regime.Pinga El Pais Pinga EsteRoughly translated into English, this means “This goddamn country sucks.” As the Communist government prepared to hold Marxist “May Day” celebrations, the words and slogan became increasingly used in peaceful protests against the Castro regime.
At the time, the creator of the webcomic “Flow of Cows” was Published A message of solidarity with the Cuban people against the regime. Censor Both the Flork character and the vulgar slogans that often accompany it.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan author documenting life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter. here.
