. Such are the words of Ofelia García, director of Caimanera’s museum, about the deadly consequences of the Establishment of the American Naval Base near this coastal town.

By Jorge Cantalapiedra Luque

Since 1998, and as consequence of the United State’s interference in the Spanish-Cuban-American war, Caimanera town is submitted to a crude blockade in all respects.

Ofelia García Campuzano, director of the museum of the municipal capital, values the negative consequences of the construction of an illegal American Naval Base at the entrance of Guantanamo Bay. She mentions the bad influence of this military enclave in the identity of the population.

“There is much talk about the historical events, but only a few about the meaning that this aggression, or military installation that is the same, has had in our culture. Since the beginning of the XX century this community has been historically, psychologically and socially blockaded.

According to his view the Naval Base has had a negative impact in Caimanera cultural patrimony. “The population developed an anti-American feeling, even though working the enclave was a means of solving difficult economical problems”.

“With the triumph of the Revolution on January the first 1959 -says the leader and cultural promoter-, increases the aggressiveness of the empire and Cubans get accustomed to live within provocations and attacks. In this way, our community turns into a shield of contention for the existence of the frontier and  we become a military Zone with control access. 

 “Unfortunately – she continues- this situation impacts negatively in the inhabitants,  from the very moment the people was cut off from the possibility of living in their natural surrounding  that is the sea of the  beautiful Guantanamo Bay.

The guilty is not the Cuban government, because it  had to take several measures to avoid the illegal departures encouraged by the criminal law of Cuban adjustment and the enemy penetration in this place”, says Ofelia.
 “As result, almost all the economical and recreational activities were affected. For instance, fishing and the port activities had to be limited. Caimanera’s people can not receive freely in their homes, as any other Cuban, their friends or relatives.  Some men and women have difficulties to have a relationship with people living some where else, for the different identifications needed to enter in town.

The inhabitants of this region are restricted in their commercial options. They can not, for instance, exploit the potentialities of the third greatest bag bay of the world.

In this sense Ofelia pointed out that” archaeological studies in the ruins of the Spanish forts and in the aborigine settlement located at the entrance of the bay can not be developed. Our ancestors were the first to welcome the Admiral Christopher Columbus when he visited the place in 1492.

 “For such reason the usurpation of this piece of Cuban land by the American government is a murder to the culture and identity of the Caimanera’s people”, concluded the Caimanera citizen.