Thread: Cuban woman escapes to have better life in America

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=5227988

Aug 1, 2006 10:51 PM

A native Cuban woman forced into exile...made her home in North Alabama.

During Fidel Castro's reign her loved ones were persecuted... even murdered.

Now she fears that under Raul's reign, communism will still exist.

Margarita de Quesada of Decatur survived communism.

The 79-year old has overcome so much.

At 37, she and her husband escaped from Cuba to the United States...a land of opportunity.

It's a country many of us take for granted, but this one woman owes her life to the red, white, and the blue.

Margarita and her husband Armando were born and raised in Cuba, a country she still loves today.

But when Fidel Castro took over Margarita says things changed.

Armando was part of an underground movement against the dictator.

At one point their property was taken from them, God was no longer allowed to be a part of their lives and as devout Catholics that was really tough.

Margarita even lost her brother to communism.

They planned their escape five years into Castro's reign.

She said, "We wouldn't be alive. I know my husband would be dead and I would probably spend 25 years in prison."

They hid three days in a cargo ship and crossed the Atlantic in five, soon arriving in the United States.

"When I saw the American flag I just started crying because this is a country with freedom for us and a new life, si?"

They became American citizens and had a wonderful life with their family, with rights, freedom, most of all....a voice.

But now with Raul as dictator, she's concerned about the state of her native country.

"It's not going to be better, it's not going to be better. It could be the same or even worse."

Margarita says one of her husband's close friends is Sean Hannity of FOX News, who actually referenced Armando in his show Tuesday.

Although he's been gone for two years now, she cherished the time and life they had here in America.

Another nauseating pro mass immigration piece meant to play on our emotions. I'm sorry that life sucks in Cuba, but I fail to see how this is our problem. 230 years ago we fought tyrannical rule from another foreign leader so we can have America today. So if we can do it, why can't they? No instead lets take the easy way out and bring your problems here.

Your right! Why don't they fight for change in their own countries.

Rest assured Bush and company will handle the next boat float invasion
from Cuba in the same way it screws up everything.

Film at 11

"Armando was part of an underground movement against the dictator."

The ones that came back then did fight, but the truth is the masses in Cuba were still singing the praises of Castro and the world media labeled those fighting against him terrorists. But I do agree the ones there now are not going to do anything in large numbers as long as there is the Miami option. And anything they do would have to be in large numbers because the people do not have weapons.