Breaking Mythification: Cuba

“May Cubans attend church?”

Belief: Cubans aren’t allowed to practice religion.

Fact or Myth: Myth

It’s not out of ignorance that people believe this. Karl Marx did define religion as the opium of the people, and even though the interpretation of this phrase remains to be quite controversial, communism has historically been regarded as atheistic. However, if history teaches us another lesson, let it be that Cuba is rather atypical. In short, Cuban people are very religious by nature and enjoy government-sanctioned freedom to profess any religious belief. However, the politics behind this fact is not as crystal clear as it may seem.

The government has always been doubtful of religious institutions on the island. During the early years of the Revolution, priests and ministers suffered prosecution and discrimination, mainly because they were thought to be allies of counterrevolutionary groups and somewhat connected to the Bay of Pigs invasion. Eventually, Cuba eased restrictions on religion, with the Socialist Constitution of 1976 recognizing freedom of religion as a right of the people—but with the necessary condition that any religious practice be respectful of the law. An amendment even opened the doors of the Communist Party to churchgoers years later, and as if this weren’t enough, the visit of Pope John Paul II revolutionized the island in 1998 to the point that Christmas Day was observed as a national holiday that year for the first time in almost four decades—a practice that has remained in place continuously ever since.

In spite of the aforementioned eased restrictions, the government is still mistrustful today. For starters, churches aren’t part of the school system. They also lack a voice in the media and are closely monitored by national security agents. An example of this long lasting skepticism is the nationwide crackdown on religion that the Cuban authorities conducted in 2005, which included raids on printing presses and house churches, as well as the confiscation of something the government later referred to as “subversive material.” Consequently, Church officials haven’t ceased to long for more freedom. The active involvement of the church in pressing issues across the nation, such as assisting the Communist Party in post-hurricane recovery efforts, may eventually drive the Church to enjoy the power to act, speak and congregate without first seeking the approval of the government—as is the case now. Nonetheless, the fact remains that Cuban people practice religion widely. According to the U.S. Department of State’s Report on International Religious Freedom, over 60% of Cubans consider themselves Catholics, while 80% of the population consults with practitioners of West African religions such as Santeria or Yoruba. Other well-represented affiliations are Baptists, Pentecostals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Finally, we must believe that religion has always occupied, and will continue occupying, an important place in Cuban society regardless of whether the government sanctions, encourages, or restricts its practice.

“Do Cubans own their homes?”

Belief: Cubans don’t own their homes.

Fact or Myth: Myth, but…

The Cuban government confiscated the properties of those who fled the island after the triumph of the Revolution in 1959. The nicer, more spacious homes were mostly kept for diplomatic missions in Havana, and today they house ambassadors, consuls, and in some cases even government officials. The others, mainly those occupied by tenants, had their value amortized and were then sold to their occupants. As the demand for housing grew in the following decades, the government started considering several ways to increase supply. One of the most common practices was the creation of microbrigadas, which consisted in groups of people with relevant skills who undertook the construction of large communities and town centers. The distribution of the newly built properties was at first determined by “need” in terms of living conditions; then, by “merit” —which translates to whether the individual exhibited positive social values and an association to the Communist Party and/or other “revolutionary groups.” These homes were also paid to the government on a monthly basis, usually by automatically deducting 10% from the individual’s paycheck until ownership was granted.

But what happens now that you own a home?

In a nutshell, not a lot. Private transactions are prohibited, with the exception of property transfers to the owner’s immediate family. If you want to sell your home, you have to sell it to the government, who is responsible for setting the value of your property. Should you resort to the black market, your home may be sold to another individual for whichever price you decide; however, the new owner would be left without a title to his or her new home.

The most common type of transaction in the housing market is what Cubans call permuta, which is a legal, one-for-one exchange of properties. Permutas of one property of a higher value for two of lesser values are also quite common. And those in which one property of a higher value is swapped for one of a lesser value, plus a sum of money to make up for the difference, well, those are just strictly illegal.

Now you’re probably asking yourself: “Why not take the two properties, inhabit one, and rent the other one?” Even though that’d make perfect sense in this economy, getting a permit to rent your property in Cuba is a hassle. The process is almost constantly frozen and, should you be granted one, the taxes on the income generated from renting your property are too high to tolerate.

So, is it a fact or a myth that Cubans don’t own their homes? This is the question that brings us here, but because the concept of “ownership” becomes most vulnerable to criticism when one has (almost) no decision-making authority over the property owned, I’ll leave the rest to yourself. Like a very prominent Cuban television host used to say: “May you draw your own conclusion.”

“Can I go to Cuba?”

Belief: Americans can’t go to Cuba.

Fact or Myth: Myth

Americans can go to Cuba. It’s not easy, but they can. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is the agency which regulates travel to Cuba, and as such reserves the right to grant a “travel license” to those who qualify for one. If you think you’re eligible for one, then contact OFAC and cross your fingers, because the process of getting a license always promises to be a long and exhausting one.

Now, if you’re like most Americans and don’t qualify for an OFAC license, then I’d suggest an alternative route: a third country. Most people go through Mexico, though others have used Jamaica and Canada. Personally, I’ve found Mexico to be cheaper than the other countries, but as airfare fluctuates with the market’s demand, always check to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

So let’s say you decided to go through Mexico, which is the route I’ve used in the past. The first thing to do is to book your flight to Cancun, preferably from a city other than Miami. Why? Because customs officers at Miami International Airport are aware that people use Cancun to get to Cuba, and unlike at other airports, will screen more thoroughly any passenger coming from there. I’ve heard of Philadelphia officials being very lenient, as well as those from Las Vegas and Los Angeles (in case you live in the West Coast). As far as your ticket to Cuba goes, wait until you get to Cancun and then use either Cubana (Cuba), Mexicana (Mexico), or Copa (Panama). You may also book online or by phone, but this depends on the airline’s policy.

Keep in mind that when you arrive in Cancun your passport will be stamped. This is okay. What must not happen is that they stamp it when you leave Cancun to go to Cuba. (Usually asking is enough, but sometimes slipping a $20 bill under the glass window helps. I’ll leave that up to you.) The Cuban authorities will never stamp your passport, neither when you arrive nor when you leave. They welcome tourists, especially from the United States, mainly because it represents a way for them to outwit Washington. Upon return to Cancun, your passport will be stamped again. Basically, you’ll have to stamps showing you arrived in Cancun, but none showing you left. This can become problematic if 1) both “in” stamps are on the same page, and 2) your passport is pretty much blank except for those two stamps. If you were lucky to get the stamps in separate pages, or have traveled enough in the past and your many stamps make it very difficult for someone to pick up this small detail, you’re set. Should anybody ask about the two “in” stamps, don’t think it’s the end of the world. Just say you went on a day-trip to Belize, by car, and the authorities there didn’t stamp your passport.

As a final piece of advice, make sure you don’t bring back any souvenirs that say, or make reference to, Cuba. This can easily raise a flag. If anything, do what I did and carry a huge Mexican hat in your hand (those that mariachis use) as you go through the U.S. Customs. Certainly, this will erase any doubt that might have been cast upon your trip to Mexico.