‘CubaSí’ accuses ’14ymedio’ of “contaminating” the new platform of Cuban blogs

La Habana/The government information portal “CubaSí” regrets, this Monday, the presence of “mercenaries in the service of the United States” on the new blogging platform “Reflections”launched last week by the Cuban government. The author of the article, M.H. Lagarde, angrily cites the blog opened on this platform by 14ymedio, which has found a way to reach Cuban readers on the Island’s servers with the contents of the independent digital newspaper since its creation in May of 2014.

In his article, Lagarde accuses 14ymedio of having “contaminated” the platform with “counterrevolutionary propaganda,” although, at the time of its release, the government portal explained that it had no “restrictions with regards to themes addressed in the blogs and users interested in the service.”

“The fact undoubtedly ranks as the first provocation realized by Cuban mercenaries in the face of the Summit of the Americas to be held in April in Panama, where by the express desire of the Government of the United States there will be active participation of the reduced Cuban ‘civil society’ that responds to its interests,” Lagarde writes.

“According to the imperial perspective, [Yoani Sánchez] and her team of ‘journalists’ of 14ymedio play an important role in the so-called war of the fourth generation based on the use of new technologies. The function of these groups has been, so far, to serve as media mourners who encourage and justify sanctions and invasions against the countries that are not liked by the United States,” he adds.

Lagarde provides as “proof of the faith the current American administration has in its puppet Yoani Sanchez,” the visit of Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Roberta Jacobson to the digital newspaper’s headquartersduring her first trip to Havana this last January.

While most of the readers’ comments in CubaSí support Lagarde’s diatribes, several dare to disagree. Oscar Sanchez, for example, is blunt: “As a Cuban citizen, Yoani has the right to an opinion. No one has the only right nor the absolute truth.” And Heru added, “I believe in respect for diversity and, if they open a blog on Reflections, they are completely within their rights, I don’t see why so much fuss and crowing.”

For his part, Rafa opens the door to dialog, in his way, “We are not afraid, they confront our ideas with those of the adversary, traitor and puppet of the empire.” And Yosbel Marin, more combative and intransigent, expressed his suspicions toward his co-religionist: “M.H. Lagarde, with this article, will just publicize 14ymedio. Why? Naivety or intentional?”