Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Which country is more insecure to visit, Cuba or North Korea?


There is no comparison possible to verify the insecureness to visit Cuba and North Korea, the explanation is as below:

Cuba received last year (2018), almost 5 million foreign tourists. That must tell you something.

Tourists visiting North Korea cannot travel independently and guests must always be accompanied by their guides.

Here in Cuba tourists can walk wherever they want and do what they want, while they do not comment crimes of course. They do not need guidance, nor anyone who is watching them.

Cuba is by far, by far the most secure country in Latin America. The presence of drugs or firearms is minimal, there are no gangs that control neighborhoods or cities, kidnappings only see them in the movies. Crime rates are laughable compared to neighboring countries.

Cuba is not paradise, much less, but there is no comparison between Cuba and North Korea.

An example like a story of Mickey Mouse, Tom & Jerry and the Looney Tunes on national (state) TV. 

Believe it or not, in Cuba 80% (a personal estimate) of what they go through the national state TV are programs and films Made in USA.

We do not live alienated from the outside world. I think it was only like that for a few years at the beginning of the Revolution in the 60s and 70s.

Right now the vast majority of young Cubans have profiles on Facebook and Instagram, I will not deny that the Internet is expensive, but it is there and many (hundreds of thousands) pay it.

We are up to date with international music, I listen to Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Maroon 5.

The American blockade actually helps us a little in that sense, Lol, because we don't have to pay a license for any of these things. And the world premieres that people pay dearly in the world for going to see them in the cinema, here we get less than 1 USD to see them at home, through the so-called "package", which is a weekly collection of how much program Television is broadcast in countries like the USA, Mexico or Spain. Cuba is aware of the news of the world with just a week of delay (if you see them for the "package"), if you have Internet and use it for more than uploading selfies to Instagram you can read El PaĆ­s, The New York Times or See CNN daily.

Tens of thousands of Cubans travel abroad every year and return, since 2014 when exit permits were eliminated. Cubans are going to shop in Panama, Russia, Guyana and other free visa countries.

Thousands of others are definitely looking to improve their economy, the same happens in all the countries of Latam, but as long as they return to Cuba to visit within two years they do not lose their residence. The latter I consider unacceptable and must be changed, but at least you can travel (if you have the money).

The Cuban lives complaining about the government, people publicly complain about the government in the queues of the buses, in the market, in the store, in the portal of his house with the neighbor. It is true that the right to demonstration and strike do not exist or are very restricted, but nothing to do with North Korea.

North Korea is practically a "vigilant state", it's almost like living in the novel "1984" where the "big brother" is always watching you. No one can leave the country, foreign TV is prohibited, they cannot read any news that is not broadcast by state media, etc.

In short, in Cuba anyone can see American Idol, while in North Korea I think only Kim Jong-Un can.

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