Story behind the Photo: Black flags in Havana
We find ourselves on the Malecon, a little outside of the centre of Havana. The big building on the right of the photo is the building of the U.S. diplomatic mission.
For quite some time this place has been the centre of U.S. propaganda. Once in a while the Americans placed anti-Cuban billboards in front of the building, to which Fidel Castro replied with anti-American billboards.
Very mature!
This came to a climax when in 2006 the Americans placed an electronic billboard above the windows of their top floor, displaying slogans like:
"How sad that all the people who would know how to run this country are driving taxis or cutting hair."
and
"In a free country you don't need permission to leave the country. Is Cuba a free country?"
In reply to this billboard, Fidel Castro also placed billboards accusing George Bush of being a terrorist
But top of the bill were the 148 black flags with a white star that had been placed in front of the building, referring to the number of Cuban victims of the pig bay invasion of 1961.
One funny “coincidence”: The flags had the precise height so people on the streets could not see the electronic billboard anymore.
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I agree with the immaturity comment. Sometimes, you get surprised that these are the tactics that modern countries use in the 21st-century, which is nothing more than child's play.
Just to nitpick, but that is not the US diplomatic mission in Cuba. The United States and Cuba do not have diplomatic relations. What that is is the US interests section that is part of the Swiss Embassy.
Quite a long time, this place has been the center of American propaganda. Americans placed in front of the building's anti-Cuban billboards, this time in Fidel Castro to answer the anti-American billboards.
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