Cuba Jails US Worker Handing Out Laptops, Cellphones

eldavojohn writes "An American citizen working as a contractor for the United States Agency for International Development has been arrested for giving away laptops and cellphones in Cuba. The intent was to enable activists to connect with each other and spread information of what's happening inside Cuba. From the article: 'Cellphones and laptops are legal in Cuba, though they are new and coveted commodities in a country where the average worker's wage is $15 a month. The Cuban government granted ordinary citizens the right to buy cellphones just last year; they are used mostly for texting, because a 15-minute phone conversation would eat up a day's wages.' A Representative on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said the arrest was 'no surprise' while a human rights watch group cited a report outlining the Cuban Criminal Code offense of 'dangerousness,' which is most likely the one for which this individual was detained. There is at present no way to contact the individual nor official word on why he was detained." The article quotes an actvist with Human Rights Watch who said that "any solution to the contractor's case would probably be political" and that "the Cuban government often provokes a negative reaction in the United States just as [the two] countries begin to move toward more dialogue."

Oops

[sexconker]

There is at present no way to contact the individual nor official word on why he was detained.

He should have kept one of the phones or laptops for himself.

Oops.

Sad day for Democracy

[Animal Farm Pig]

Without those cell phones and laptops (paid for by the USA), how are people meant to use their training in democracy and civil society (paid for by the USA) to organize spontaneous demonstrations and peaceful non-violent provocations (paid for by the USA) to install a new democratic leader (paid for by the USA)?

Re:Embargo fails.

[Idiomatick]

"I'm thinking that most ordinary Cubans aren't (in a socioeconomic sense) too far above that point."

Yeah, it'd be nice if they had some rich country many times larger than them nearby to trade freely with. I imagine that within a few decades their standard of living will double or triple.

Re:Communism

[c6gunner]

Yeah, scroll up and this time actually read what I wrote, ok? Then try to draft a response which addresses it. Thanks!

...used mostly for texting

[tompaulco]

The Cuban government granted ordinary citizens the right to buy cellphones just last year; they are used mostly for texting, because a 15-minute phone conversation would eat up a day's wages.
Ironically, in order to get the same information as a 15 minute phone conversation takes 2 hours when texting, and eats up 3 days wages.